France vs Wales
Kickoff: 12:45pm Saturday, 12th April
Stadium: Stade Amedee-Domenech
Watch on: BBC Iplayer
Team news
France
1.Brosseau 2.Bigot 3.Bernadou 4.M.Feleu 5.Fall Raclot
6.Escudero 7.Okemba 8.T.Feleu 9.Bourdon Sansus 10.Arbez
11.Boulard 12.Amedee 13.M.Menager 14.Arbey 15.Bourgeois
16.Riffonneau 17.Mwayembe 18.Khalfaoui 19.Zago
20.Berthoumieu 21.Champon 22.Bordes 23.Queyroi
Wales
1.Pyrs 2.Phillips 3.Scoble 4.Fleming 5.Crabb
6.Williams 7.Lewis 8.Evans 9.Bevan 10.Powell
11.Cox 12.Keight 13.Jones(C) 14.Neumann 15.Joyce
16.Jones 17.Davies 18.Rose 19.John
20.Pyrs 21.King 22.Jones 23.Metcalfe
Wales will face a tough test when they take on the French on Saturday afternoon; the away side are yet to get a win on the board but have shown positive signs in their two defeats so far. After coming painfully close against Scotland, Wales started well at home to England before the inevitable happened and England dominated. For France, they have started well and will expect to continue that form against Wales. The biggest Welsh threats come in the back three with Neumann and Joyce who will have to create some magic to give their side a chance in this game. Unfortunately for Wales, France are just far too strong and should take this one comfortably.
Ireland vs England
Kickoff: 4:45pm Saturday, 12th April
Stadium: Musgrave Park
Watch on: BBC TWO
Team news
Ireland
1.O'Dowd 2.Jones 3.Djoungang 4.Tuite 5.Wall
6.Hogan 7.King 8.Wafer 9.Lane 10.O'Brien
11.Costigan(C) 12.Higgins 13.Dalton 14.McGann 15.Flood
16.Moloney 17.McCarthy 18.Haney 19.Campbell
20.Moore 21.Reilly 22.Fowley 23.Elmes Kinlan
England
1.Botterman 2.Atkin-Davies 3.Muir 4.Talling 5.Ward
6.Aldcroft(C) 7.Kabeya 8.Mathews 9.Hunt 10.Harrison
11.Breach 12.Heard 13.Jones 14.Dow 15.Kildunne
16.Cokayne 17.Clifford 18.Bern 19.Galligan
20.Feaunati 21.Packer 22.Aitchison 23.Rowland
This is the game I am most looking forward to. Ireland are big underdogs but possess the ability to seriously challenge England and will benefit from added motivation due to combined rivalry, more hope and the fact they are playing the best team on the planet. England seem to be persisting with selecting three fly-halves in the starting 23 with Harrison starting and Aitchison and Rowland to come off the bench. Heard and Jones also continue as a massively powerful midfield duo that will give the Irish defence nightmares. That power (combined with the speed of Dow, Kildunne, and Breach) means that this back line is going to remain unmatched in World Rugby. England will win this one fairly comfortably in the end.
Scotland vs Italy
Kickoff: 3pm 13th April
Stadium: Hive Stadium
Watch on: BBC IPlayer
Team news
Scotland
1.Young 2.Skeldon 3.Clarke 4.Boyd 5.Bonar
6.Malcolm(C) 7.McLachlan 8.Gallagher 9.Brebner-Holden 10.Nelson
11.McGhie 12.Thomson 13.Orr 14.Lloyd 15.Rollie
16.Martin 17.Bartlett 18.Poolman 19.Ferrie
20.Stewart 21.Konkel 22.Mattinson 23.Scott
Italy
1.Turani 2.Vecchini 3.Seye 4.Tounesi 5.Duca
6.Scorbini 7.Veronese 8.Giordano(C) 9.Stefan 10.Stevanini
11.D'Inca 12.Rigoni 13.Sillari 14.Muzzo 15.Ostuni Minuzzi
16.Spinelli 17.Stecca 18.Maris 19.Fedrighi
20.Ranuccini 21.Bitonci 22.Madia 23.Mannini
Scotland will be expecting to register a big win over Italy in Edinburgh on Sunday. The Scots have had a mixed record so far but look dangerous and this fixture is one that they need to win to put themselves in a position to look upwards. One thing to look for is the battle of the back-row captains, Giordano and Mathews, who are incredibly physical players and not afraid of big contact. I expect a few huge collisions between them on Sunday. Ultimately, Scotland will prove to be too good for Italy and should win by a couple of scores.
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