Follow the latest updates live from England’s and Wales’s team announcements ahead of this Saturday’s second Rugby World Cup warm-up match in Cardiff.
England pulled off an impressive victory at Twickenham last weekend to claim the early bragging rights in the build-up to Japan 2019, but Wales have the immediate opportunity to gain revenge as the two sides play the second of their August double-header inside the Principality Stadium.
Warren Gatland named his side first and announced three changes to his starting XV, before Eddie Jones did exactly the same as Ruaridh McConnochie, Maro Itoje and Courtney Lawes all start. Follow the live updates below.
Welcome to The Independent's live coverage of today's squad announcements from the Wales and England teams.
With Saturday's Rugby World Cup warm-up nearly upon us already, Eddie Jones and Warren Gatland will name their teams for the Principality Stadium clash.
Wales are up first as Gatland names his side at 11am, before England unveil their squad for the Cardiff trip at 1pm.
Ahead of the Wales team announcement that will be made in roughly 20 minutes' time, let's take a look at what the fallout of last weekend's defeat has been this week.
It was the first time that Wales lost a match in 15 games, and came something of a surprise given it was a full-strength side at Twickenham.
But as George North has explained, calm heads prevailed over any sense of panic.
BREAKING: Wales make three changes to starting XV for second England clash.
So Warren Gatland decides to stick with the bulk of the squad that couldn't quite get it done last weekend, but makes changes to the trio who picked up injuries.
Of course we know about Gareth Anscombe's knee ligament injury, which has cruelly ruled him out of the Rugby World Cup completely, though Gatland decides against givein one of Jarrod Evans and Rhys Patchell a start by promoting Dan Biggar from the bench,
Adam Beard picked up a blow to his wrist so he is left out this weekend with Jake Ball promoted to the starting XV, and Justin Tipuric is left out due to rolling his ankle last Sunday. With the flanker absent, Jamie Davies comes into the back-row to mean that he starts a Test alongside brother Jonathan for the first time.
Evans is named on the bench to fill the gap left by Biggar's promotion, while there is a welcome return for Josh Navidi - one of the form players during the Six Nations - to fill the forwards.
"This weekend is another opportunity for us to take the field, test ourselves and continue our preparation for Japan," said Wales head coach Warren Gatland.
"It is a little over five weeks until we kick off our campaign in Toyota against Georgia and it is important we are fully prepared and rugby-ready by then.
"We were disappointed to get the loss last weekend so it is important we step it up on Saturday and put in a big display in front a of a packed Principality Stadium.
"The squad are looking forward to getting back out there, taking another step towards the RWC and putting in a big performance."
"It is a little over five weeks until we kick off our campaign in Toyota against Georgia and it is important we are fully prepared and rugby-ready by then.
"We were disappointed to get the loss last weekend so it is important we step it up on Saturday and put in a big display in front a of a packed Principality Stadium.
"The squad are looking forward to getting back out there, taking another step towards the RWC and putting in a big performance."
While it's more of the same from Gatland, you can understand why.
The Kiwi is clearly targeting these two matches to perfect his strongest XV, with just Cory Hill and Rob Evans left to come back into the side. However, the risk is what happened to Anscombe repeats itself this weekend, as injury can strike at any moment.
With Anscombe and Taulupe Falteu already ruled out, Wales have lost two first-choice players for the World Cup, and although Gatland has done well to discover their strenght in depth over the last two years, they cannot afford to lose many more of their starters.
On top of that, their next two matches are against Ireland - not much easier by all accounts - so if he is going to experiment, doing so on home soil might have been a smart move.
Let's turn our attentions to England, shall we?
With the England team set to be announced in just over 10 minutes' time, what do we need to learn from this selection?
Well it's not the final World Cup squad, as Eddie Jones announced that on Monday - some three and a half weeks before the World Rugby deadline.
But there are a lot of small injuries among the travelling party, most notably Henry Slade and Tom Curry, who look set to miss out this week, as does Sam Underhill.
But keep an eye out for Ruaridh McConnochie, the Bath wing who has been included despite not yet making his international debut. He could return from a hip injury to feature this week.
Jones has also called Charlie Ewels, Matt Kvesic and Joe Marchant into the squad as emergency cover, so they could well feature.
BREAKING: England team to face Wales
15 Elliot Daly (Saracens, 31 caps)
14 Ruaridh McConnochie (Bath Rugby, uncapped)
13 Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby, 41 caps)
12 Piers Francis (Northampton Saints, 5 caps)
11 Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby, 5 caps)
10 George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 56 caps) C
9 Willi Heinz (Gloucester Rugby, 1 cap)
1 Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 10 caps)
2 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 12 caps)
3 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 86 caps)
4 Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 59 caps)
5 Maro Itoje (Saracens, 27 caps)
6 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 72 caps)
7 Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 1 cap)
8 Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 42 caps)
Replacements
16 Jamie George (Saracens, 37 caps)
17 Joe Marler (Harlequins, 59 caps)
18 Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins, 22 caps)
19 George Kruis (Saracens, 33 caps)
20 Jack Singleton (Saracens, 1 cap)
21 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 86 caps)
22 Owen Farrell (Saracens, 70 caps)
23 Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers, 33 caps)
14 Ruaridh McConnochie (Bath Rugby, uncapped)
13 Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby, 41 caps)
12 Piers Francis (Northampton Saints, 5 caps)
11 Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby, 5 caps)
10 George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 56 caps) C
9 Willi Heinz (Gloucester Rugby, 1 cap)
1 Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 10 caps)
2 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 12 caps)
3 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 86 caps)
4 Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 59 caps)
5 Maro Itoje (Saracens, 27 caps)
6 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 72 caps)
7 Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 1 cap)
8 Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 42 caps)
Replacements
16 Jamie George (Saracens, 37 caps)
17 Joe Marler (Harlequins, 59 caps)
18 Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins, 22 caps)
19 George Kruis (Saracens, 33 caps)
20 Jack Singleton (Saracens, 1 cap)
21 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 86 caps)
22 Owen Farrell (Saracens, 70 caps)
23 Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers, 33 caps)
Just like Wales, England make three changes to their starting XV as well.
The injuries in the back-row were always going to force a reshuffle, and with Sam Underhill and Tom Curry unavailable, Eddie Jones has elected to put lewis Ludlam - last weekend's blindside flanker - into the No 7 shirt. Ludlam did play the final hour in that position when Curry was forced off through injury so it doesn't classify as a gamble, but it's interesting that Jones is reluctant to use Mark Wilson yet as Courtney Lawes joins Ludlam in the back-row.
With Charlie Ewels dropped - presumably due to his failure to make the 31-man squad - Maro Itoje starts alongside Joe Launchbury in the second row, while the only change to the back line sees Ruaridh McConnochie come in for his debut at the expense of Anthony Watson, who is not selected.
However, there's a strange decision among the replacements to consider. Jamie George comes in as cover at hooker, but his Saracens teammate Jack Singleton - also a hooker - is also included as back-row cover. With Wilson supposedly available for selection - we don't know of any injury - it is an odd move from Jones that I'm sure his coaches will explain in about 10 minutes' time.
“Our selection strategy for our second game is similar to the first, so a bit of a mix-and-match approach. We are looking at different combinations and have a particular strategy for this game," Jones said in the team release.
“The game is very much about ourselves preparing for the World Cup and we are respectful that we have got such strong opposition at their home ground. We are looking forward to it.
“The squad has been progressing well this week and I think there is a realisation among the squad now that the hard work really starts, nothing has been achieved.”
“The game is very much about ourselves preparing for the World Cup and we are respectful that we have got such strong opposition at their home ground. We are looking forward to it.
“The squad has been progressing well this week and I think there is a realisation among the squad now that the hard work really starts, nothing has been achieved.”
Scott Wisemantel on McConnochie:
"He desrves his chance and it was unfortuante last week that he had that minor blow. But I think in Cardoff on Saturday where it will be quite intense, he'll settle into a rhythm and then he'll be fine."
Wisemantel on McConnochie and Ludlam enthisuiam:
"I think it was special to see last week Lewis with his family. It was cracking to see how happy he was and then for all the family have done, it's been hard work and commitment."
Steve Borthwick on two hookers on the bench:
"Sam took a knock last week and is not ready, Tom took a knock in the game and isn't ready and Mark WIlson took a bang to the ribs and isn't ready for this. Luckily we've got three very good hookers and Jack is versatile enough that he can cover."
On injury updates:
"Curry had his scan and it showed nothing major, and similarly Henry Slade is ongoing but he's progressing well."
Captain George Ford:
"I was proud to captain that team but it's been straight back into it, Monday with the squad announcement and Tuesday preparing to face Wales and focussing on getting better."
Ford on Wales:
"It's not often you play a team back to back so that's a challenge, and that's going to be quite the occasion in Cardiff."
Borthwick on the plan over the four games:
"Over these four games we have a plan in mind. We want minutes for the players and combinations, obvious we've got to be fluid as injuries come up along those."
Borthwick on Maro Itoje coming into the side:
"Luckily we've got great strength in depth in that position so we're able to put Courtney into the back-row and Maro comes in to partner Joe (Launchbury)."
And that's all from today's press conference.
When is the match?
Wales vs England takes place on Saturday 17 August at 2:15pm.
Where can I watch it?
The match will be shown live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action from 1:15pm, and on Channel 4 from 1:30pm.
