Rugby

Gareth Anscombe preferred to Dan Biggar in Wales team

‘We’ve looked really sharp and the squad are incredibly motivated to kick on’

Gareth Anscombe will wear the 10 jersey for Wales against England. Photograph: Michael Steele/Getty Images

Thu Feb 21 2019 - 12:51

Gareth Anscombe will start at outhalf 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' secondrow partner, while scrumhalf Gareth Davies takes over from Tomos Williams, who was not considered due to injury.

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.

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

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.”

WALES: Liam Williams; George North, Jonathan Davies, Hadleigh Parkes, Josh Adams; Gareth Anscombe, Gareth Davies; Rob Evans, Ken Owens, Tomas Francis; Cory Hill, Alun Wyn Jones (Capt); Josh Navidi, Justin Tipuric, Ross Moriarty.

Replacements: Elliot Dee, Nicky Smith, Dillon Lewis, Adam Beard, Aaron Wainwright, Aled Davies, Dan Biggar, Owen Watkin.

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