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Six Nations | Group Stage
Feb 23, 2019 at 4.45pm UK
 
Wales
21-13
England
Hill (68'), Adams (78')
FT
Curry (27')

Anscombe to start at fly-half for Wales against England

Anscombe to start at fly-half for Wales against England
© Getty Images
Wales show just two changes from the side that beat France in Paris earlier this month.

Gareth Anscombe will start at fly-half for Wales in Saturday's Guinness Six Nations clash against England at the Principality Stadium.

Anscombe has been preferred to the more experienced Dan Biggar, with Wales head coach Warren Gatland naming a team showing just two changes from the side that beat France three weeks ago.

Dragons lock Cory Hill replaces Adam Beard as skipper Alun Wyn Jones' second-row partner, while scrum-half Gareth Davies takes over from Tomos Williams, who was not considered due to injury.

Prop Samson Lee was also unavailable because of injury. Tomas Francis starts at tighthead and opposes his Exeter team-mate Ben Moon, with Dillon Lewis on bench duty.

Gatland said: "We are really happy with the experience we have got in the side.

"We have been on the road for the first two weeks, and we are looking forward to being back at home and to build on those first two wins and to build on our performance.

"We've had a great two-week lead up to this game, we've looked really sharp and the squad are incredibly motivated to kick on.

"We know how important this game is for the rest of the championship.

"It's a massive challenge playing against an England team that is playing really well and with a lot of confidence, and we've got to make it difficult for them on Saturday."

Full-back Leigh Halfpenny again misses out following the concussion he suffered three months ago.

Scarlets star Halfpenny, who last played on November 10 when Wales beat Australia, trained with Wales this week but he is not involved in the matchday 23.

2019 Six Nations Package
Leigh Halfpenny has not been included in the matchday squad (David Davies/PA)

Only four players remain on starting duty from the much-changed team that defeated Italy last time out – full-back Liam Williams, wing Josh Adams, centre Jonathan Davies and back-row forward Josh Navidi.

And Davies is one of four survivors from the side that crushed England's Grand Slam hopes through a spectacular 30-3 win in 2013, being joined by captain Jones, wing George North and flanker Justin Tipuric.

Wales and England are the tournament's only two remaining unbeaten teams this season, with Saturday's encounter being billed by many as a Six Nations title eliminator.

Victory for Wales would see them make it 12 successive wins, breaking their record of 11 games undefeated that was set between 1907 and 1910.

England, though, have won the last five Six Nations encounters against Wales, including two in Cardiff.

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