England demolished Wales 48-7 to spark what they hope will be a Six Nations title charge on a day that showed the current chasm between the sides.
Wales haven’t won a Six Nations match since 2023, picking up back-to-back wooden spoons, and on the evidence produced at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, it is hard to make a compelling case that they’ll avoid a third straight winless camapign. They were outfought and outclassed by an England side that barely needed to get out of second gear to record a big win and will have real ambitions of a first Six Nations title since 2020.
George Ford pulled the strings in a man-of-the-match display at No 10, recalled winger Henry Arundell cruised in for a hat-trick, while Ben Earl, Tom Roebuck and Tommy Freeman also crossed in addition to a penalty try.
Into the category of small mercies, goes the fact that Wales’s margin of defeat was fewer than the 54 points of last year and Josh Adams’ second-half try ensured they weren't nilled in the fixture for the first time since 1992 but this won't be a day they remember fondly.
Relive all the action with our live blog below:
England vs Wales live
- England thrash Wales 48-7 on the opening weekend of the Six Nations to kickstart what they hope is a title charge
- REPORT: Woeful Wales torn apart by England as Six Nations mismatch shows how far they have fallen
- 52' - TRY! Wales finally on the board as Adams dots down Edwards's kick-pass (ENG 36-7 WAL)
- 35' - TRY! England punish another basic Welsh mistake as Arundell streaks in for hat-trick try (ENG 29-0 WAL)
- 20' - TRY! Arundell scores his second after Ford's kick-pass with Wales down to 13 men (ENG 15-0 WAL)
- 8' - TRY! Arundell scampers over in the corner from Ford's pass (ENG 10-0 WAL)
Henry Arundell compared to England legend after Six Nations hat-trick against Wales
20:28 , Luke BakerHenry Arundell has been compared to England legend Jonny May after blitzing his way to a hat-trick in his side’s demolition of Wales in the Six Nations.
Flying winger Arundell completed his treble in the first half of the 48-7 thrashing of Steve Tandy’s beleaguered team as England kickstarted what they hope will be campaign that leads to a first Six Nations title since 2020.
The 23-year-old now has 12 tries in 13 matches for his country, with this his second hat-trick following a five-try haul against Chile in the 2023 World Cup.
Henry Arundell compared to England legend after Six Nations hat-trick against Wales
Steve Borthwick reflects on Henry Arundell performance
19:39 , Luke BakerEngland coach Steve Borthwick and captain Jamie George are in for their press conference now.
Borthwick is asked about the impact of hat-trick hero Henry Arundell and was effusive in his praise.
“Henry is a player who has incredible ability running with the ball,” explained Borthwick. “His ability to find the try line is excellent but what I’ve been impressed by is his attitude to improve other aspects.
“He has worked exceptionally hard on other areas of his game since the autumn internationals and he has come back to the Six Nations an even better player.
“We have a great level of experience and we have good young players emerging, Henry is one of those.”
England captain, Jamie George: 'I feel a huge amount of pride'
19:29 , Ciara FearnEngland's captain Jamie George speaking to ITV: "I feel a huge amount of pride, we had a good couple of weeks build-up, we focused on ourselves today and we were the team we wanted to be.
"It's always interesting the first game of a tournament, you want to go out and set the story. We are starting from new and we want to show what we are about. We want to push and get better at that.
"You learn from what you did well and what you didn't do well. We gave a lot of penalties away, so there is plenty to learn."
Steve Tandy 'bitterly disappointed' with performance
19:24 , Luke BakerTandy has told the press conference that he’s bitterly disappointed with the result and the discipline in particular.
“We’re bitterly disappointed,” said the Wales coach. “There is no getting away from that. The first half, the ill-discipline once again cost us.
“We didn’t get any foothold in the game, we were inaccurate around the set piece, we couldn’t get any momentum. I am bitterly disappointed."
Dewi Lake: 'We've let ourselves down'
19:20 , Luke BakerDewi Lake and Steve Tandy have come in for their press conference at Allianz Stadium. And captain Lake hasn’t held back about the performance.
“We’ve let ourselves down and we’ve let people down,” said Lake.
“We spoke all week about what we need to do and what we need to produce and we didn’t do it. There’s no other way to say it really. We’re massively disappointed with what we put on the field today.”
What would he say to the fans head of France next week? “Every voice matters to us at the minute,” added Lake. “Every fan in a seat that can get behind us.
“We know we’ll be better next week. We spoke a lot about getting people on their feet, exciting a nation and we didn’t do it today. But there’s four more games in this tournament and we’ll be better than that.”
Wales head coach Steve Tandy to ITV:
19:02 , Ciara FearnWales head coach Steve Tandy to ITV:
"We're really frustrated. Through the autumn and working with the group, I've loved it. But we’re more disappointed with ourselves today.
"Today, a lot of what happened was self-inflicted.
"We felt we were in a good place, but to lose when having four yellow cards and being very inaccurate with the ball, you are always going to fall behind on the scoreboard.
"It’s part of the game. And part of our journey of where we need to go. We are where we are for a reason.
"Ultimately, we’re really disappointed with our performance tonight. England are in a really good spot, bit we’re bitterly disappointed."
Henry Arundell speaking to ITV:
18:58 , Ciara FearnEngland's hat-trick scorer Henry Arundell to ITV:
"Absolutely [this is why he came back from club rugby in France]. It's special playing for England. To beat Wales at home is amazing.
"They were probably tap ins, but a hat-trick is a hat-trick!
"You've got to have that hunger to score tries if you're a winger. There's a bit of ego there.
"We're happy obviously, but if we want to be the best team in the world, we have to set high standards. And there's frustration we left some points out there."
Excellent seven-try performance from England
18:55 , Ciara FearnEngland 48-7 Wales
Wales captain, Dewi Lake speaking to ITV:
18:53 , Ciara Fearn“We’re massively disappointed in ourselves.
"In what we said we were going to do, what we practiced, we didn’t perform it today.
"We’ve got to be disappointed in ourselves. We can’t expect things to go our way all the time. We have to make it happen.
"We’re not a side who are going to get the rub of the green or the 50:50s at the moment. We have to be squeaky clean, and weren’t.
"We played large amounts of the game with 13 men. Our discipline let us down massively today."
Man of the match, George Ford speaking to ITV:
18:43 , Ciara Fearn“Delighted with the result. by and large the performance was good but still some frustration. We wanted to start with a decent performance and we did that.
“The start of a Test match is always important, you want to put your stamp on it, and the boys did that well. We are just trying to put bits of our game together.
“The more attacking chances we create, hopefully the more we take. It is always tough [going away to Scotland] and we are taking each game as it comes. We will review this game and look forward to going up to Scotland next week.”
Woeful Wales torn apart by England as Six Nations mismatch shows how far they have fallen
18:39 , Harry Latham-Coyle at Allianz Stadium, TwickenhamEngland’s winning run rolls on to 12 consecutive matches in some style, but even the most ardent among the Twickenham faithful may have found this a somewhat uncomfortable watch.
This was a contest in name only, as one-sided a game as any Six Nations fixture in recent memory, and more than a little dispiriting, too. Welsh visits to this grand old ground are usually forged on the ferocity of rivalry and genuine enmity – there was none of that here, helpless prey gobbled up by a side increasingly proving themselves as voracious predators towards the top of the Test food chain.
If this had been showing on the Discovery channel rather than ITV, viewers might have looked away. In last year’s edition in Cardiff, England had produced one of their most complete showings to take a beleaguered, battered Wales to pieces but they did not have to find that sort of fluency or form here.
The visitors were ill-disciplined, ill-matched and ill-prepared, and got what they deserved. Two years ago, even on their way to a wooden spoon, Wales had come to Twickenham and put up an almighty fight, scrapping for everything on a wretched day and almost emerging still standing. Though there was something of a second-half rally, this was leagues below that level. How the not-so-mighty have fallen.
Read the full report from Harry Latham-Coyle at Allianz Stadium:
Woeful Wales torn apart by England to show how far they have fallen
Full-time! England 48-7 Wales
18:34 , Ciara FearnThat’s the final whistle and England have comprehensively beaten Wales 48–7.
Part one of five in Steve Borthwick’s Six Nations campaign is complete.
England will head to Murrayfield brimming with confidence, while Wales face next week’s clash with France under a cloud of pressure.
Try! England (Freeman) 48-7 Wales
18:32 , Ciara Fearn80 mins: England continue their perfect start to the 2026 Six Nations campaign with a seventh try.
Freeman finishes in the corner capping off a fantastic day for the team.
A classy finish from the powerful Northampton back.
England 43-7 Wales
18:31 , Ciara Fearn79 mins: Deaves controls the nine at the breakdown and England win a penalty inside Wales’ half.
Ford sends the kick deep into the Welsh 22.
England 43-7 Wales
18:26 , Ciara Fearn75 mins: Wales have already seen four yellow cards today, and they were nearly on the verge of a fifth as Wainwright makes high contact on Arundell.
England come close to another try as Freeman charges down the right touchline. With Spencer calling for a pass inside, Freeman instead grubbers the ball ahead. Spencer races to reach it first, but Rees-Zammit manages to recover and dot it down.
England 43-7 Wales
18:23 , Ciara FearnEngland continue to dominate the second half against Wales
No try! England 43-7 Wales
18:21 , Ciara Fearn69 mins: Freeman crosses the line past Wales’ 13, but the TMO intervenes to rule it out.
A neck-roll from Cowan-Dickie on Grady means the score is disallowed. Wales breathe a sigh of relief.
Penalty try! England (Pollock) 43-7 Wales
18:18 , Ciara Fearn67 mins: Penalty try and yellow-card!
Pollock is stopped short, but Plumtree makes contact with his face forcing him into touch.
The referee awards a penalty try and Wales are reduced to 13 players once again.
Ben Spencer is on for Alex Mitchell.
England 36-7 Wales
18:15 , Ciara Fearn66 mins: Henry Pollock comes on and it appears Earl has shifted to inside-centre with Roebuck off and Freeman moving out to the wing.
England 36-7 Wales
18:11 , Ciara Fearn63 mins: A clever offload from Steward puts Chessum racing down the left touchline, stopping just five metres short of the Welsh line.
England are well inside the Welsh 22, but Roebuck is penalised for holding on.
Itoje is back on for England and the hosts are back to 15.
England 36-7 Wales
18:08 , Ciara Fearn59 mins: Rees-Zammit has handled several of Ford’s spiral kicks well, but he loses control this time. His teammate Grady is there to scoop up the loose ball.
England earn a penalty at a lineout just inside Wales’ half after Jenkins comes in from the side.
Ford sends the kick deep into the Welsh 22.
England 36-7 Wales (Adams)
17:59 , Ciara Fearn52 mins: Itoje has barely been on the field before being shown a yellow card for coming off his feet at the breakdown, after already being warned.
Wales secure their first points in the game. Adams finds space out on the left wing and Edwards picks him out with a perfectly timed crossfield kick, echoing one of Arundell’s first-half tries. Edwards adds the conversion to put Wales on the board.
Curry comes on for England replacing Sam Underhill.
England 36-0 Wales
17:57 , Ciara Fearn51 mins: Wales are pressing hard and have a penalty advantage, but Jenkins knocks on, so play returns for the penalty.
England captain George is warned that any further infringement will see a yellow card.
Wales make three substitutions, bringing on Carre, Francis and Plumtree. England respond with their own triple change, introducing Itoje, Cowan-Dickie, and Davison with Itoje receiving a warm reception from the crowd.
England 36-0 Wales
17:55 , Ciara Fearn50 mins: Wales win a penalty just outside England’s 22 after the hosts are caught off their feet. Wales opt to kick for the corner rather than take a shot at goal.
England 36-0 Wales
17:53 , Ciara Fearn49 mins: England find themselves pinned deep in their own 22 following a kick from Rees-Zammit.
Wales put in a strong counter-ruck and look set to win the ball, but England manage to regroup and clear it to safety.
Try! England (Roebuck) 36-0 Wales
17:50 , Ciara Fearn45 mins: Tom Roebuck gets England’s fifth try. The Sale winger was held up just moments ago, but this time there’s no stopping him.
With a penalty advantage, England attack to the right with numbers in support. Dingwall delivers a perfectly timed pass, leaving Roebuck with an easy finish. It’s Roebuck’s sixth try in just nine appearances.
Ford adds the conversion.
England 29-0 Wales
17:48 , Ciara Fearn42 mins: Knock-on! Wales continue to struggle with handling errors this time in midfield. A quick exchange between Williams and Adams ends with Adams knocking the ball forward.
England set up a scrum near the halfway line.
Kick-off! England 29-0 Wales
17:45 , Ciara Fearn41 mins: We are back under way at Allianz Stadium.
Bevan Rodd makes his Six Nations debut, coming on to replace Ellis Genge.
A tough watch
17:31 , Harry Latham-Coyle at Allianz Stadium, TwickenhamIt’s been a tough watch, this. Just about everything that could go wrong has for Wales, hopelessly outclassed and unable to get out of their own way. England haven’t even had to be that good, really, to build a 29-point advantage, and still have British and Irish Lions on the bench to come on. Dewi Lake failing to tap the ball there while five metres from the English line, granting the hosts a scrum, rather summed it up. Dispiriting stuff.
Half-time! England 29-0 Wales
17:30 , Ciara FearnFord sends the ball into touch to signal the end of the first half.
England have dominated from start to finish going into the break 29–0 up thanks to four well-worked tries.
England 29-0 Wales
17:27 , Ciara Fearn40 mins: Macleod earns Wales a penalty at the breakdown, and Edwards sends a strong kick deep into England’s 22.
Wales are aiming to get on the scoreboard for the first time today as the half draws to a close.
England concede again when Chessum makes contact in the air at the lineout and Lake opts for a quick tap.
Try! England (Arundell) 29-0 Wales
17:25 , Ciara Fearn35 mins: Arundell completes the hat-trick!
Wales hand England an easy opportunity. After winning a free-kick at the scrum, England take a quick tap and launch an attack. A clever wraparound move leaves the ball exposed and with no defenders in front, Arundell is free to race in for his third try of the game.
Ford adds the conversion to extend the lead.
England 22-0 Wales
17:20 , Ciara Fearn30 mins: Ollie Chessum interrupts the Wales line-out, and England appear to have won the ball, only for it to be ruled a knock-on by Chessum. He looks stunned by the call and replays suggest it may have been knocked backward by a Welsh hand.
England are let off the hook and instead receive a free-kick at the scrum.
Ford continues to impress with a brilliant kicking display.
England 22-0 Wales
17:18 , Ciara FearnEngland remain dominant in the first half.
England 22-0 Wales
17:17 , Ciara Fearn29 mins: Wales finally have the ball near England’s 22. It appears England have secured it at the breakdown, but they are penalised for coming off their feet. With Wales back at full strength, Edwards kicks into England’s 22.
Try! England (Earl) 22-0 Wales
17:11 , Ciara Fearn24 mins: England continue to press. Tommy Freeman beats Dan Edwards and carries the ball to about five metres out. He shifts it back to Ellis Genge, who drives for the line but is held up short.
With Wales down two players, the contest is one-sided. England spread the ball wide and Earl is left unmarked to race past Ellis Mee and score.
George Ford adds the conversion to extend the lead.
England 15-0 Wales
17:08 , Ciara Fearn21 mins: Wales are digging themselves into trouble as Josh Macleod concedes a needless penalty, failing to retreat from a kick downfield.
He was clearly offside but made no effort to get back.
Try! England (Arundell) 15-0 Wales
17:05 , Ciara Fearn20 mins: England continue to dominate and claim their second try of the match. Their pack asserts control at the scrum, earning a penalty advantage.
From there, Ford executes a perfect crossfield kick to Arundell out on the left wing and the Bath winger has little trouble finishing.
Ford misses the conversion.
England 10-0 Wales
17:04 , Ciara Fearn19 mins: Roebuck is held up over the line, but the referee brings play back for a penalty to England. There’s a question over whether a yellow card and even a penalty try should follow. Wales captain Dewi Lake is penalised and shown yellow, just moments after Smith, yet no penalty try is awarded.
With two Wales forwards in the sin bin, England choose to take the scrum. Wales are forced to make temporary front-row substitutions, bringing Belcher and Carre onto the field.
England 10-0 Wales
17:01 , Ciara Fearn18 mins: England are awarded another penalty, and the referee’s patience runs out - Smith is shown a yellow card for an early drive.
England return to the corner, just five metres from the Welsh try line.
England 10-0 Wales
17:00 , Ciara Fearn16 mins: England drive a rolling maul into Wales’ 22 and win a penalty after Jenkins comes in from the side.
The referee takes a moment to speak to Wales captain Dewi Lake about his team’s discipline. Ford opts to kick for the corner.
England 10-0 Wales
16:56 , Ciara Fearn12 mins: England win a penalty on the fringes of Wales’ 22 after a brilliant counter-ruck, Thomas caught offside.
They line up what should be an easy kick at goal, but they catch Genge and Mann squaring up in a heated exchange.
The referee decides to overturn the penalty.
Try! England (Arundell) 10-0 Wales
16:51 , Ciara Fearn8 mins: England’s pressure pays off as Arundell claims his ninth international try in just 12 caps. Deep inside the Welsh 22, England shift the ball to the left and Ford delivers a perfectly timed flat pass to Arundell, who crosses for an easy finish.
George Ford adds the conversion.
England 3-0 Wales
16:49 , Ciara Fearn7 mins: A big let-off for England as Wales waste a promising chance with Jenkins penalised for obstruction at the line-out. It was Wales’ first visit inside England’s 22 and the attack breaks down almost immediately.
England are then handed another penalty when Griffin is penalised for obstruction following a high kick into the Welsh half. Ford drills an excellent kick into Wales’ 22, setting up a strong attacking platform.
England 3-0 Wales
16:47 , Ciara Fearn5 mins: Steward rises to contest a high ball just outside his own 22 but spills it forward. England are then penalised for offside after Mitchell gathers the loose ball ahead of Steward, who takes a heavy knock in the process.
The Leicester full-back receives some attention but is able to continue. Wales opt for the corner with Edwards kicking into the England 22.
Penalty! England (Ford) 3-0 Wales
16:44 , Ciara Fearn3 mins: A brief kicking exchange unfolds between George Ford and Dan Edwards before Sam Underhill charges down Edwards’ clearance, handing England excellent field position.
The hosts make the most of it with Ford calmly slotting the kick to open the scoring.
Kick-off! England 0-0 Wales
16:41 , Ciara Fearn1 min: Dan Edwards sends the kick off high into the air and we’re underway at the Allianz stadium.
England head coach, Steve Borthwick speaking to ITV:
16:39 , Ciara Fearn"I think it is a brilliant occasion, we can't wait to get going. There is always such rivalry and such passion between the two teams."
Wales head coach Steve Tandy speaking to ITV:
16:38 , Ciara Fearn"I am really excited to see the boys go. There is nothing better. We have created an environment where they can be themselves and it's open."
Former Wales centre Jamie Roberts on issues in Welsh rugby
16:36 , Ciara FearnA lot has been made about the off-the-field issues in Welsh rugby.
On ITV, former Wales centre and current WRU board member Jamie Roberts explained the rationale.
"It’s a challenging time," said Roberts.
"There is a performance problem and financial problem facing the game in Wales.
"There was a big consultation with a lot of stakeholders in the game in Wales and a lot of information came back to the board.
"We made the best decision, we love the game in Wales and want to see it thrive with club sides winning and the national side winning again.
"We made the decision in the best interests of the game in Wales to go to three teams.
"There are complexities around that in how you get there – we have seen Cardiff go into administration and more recently the owners of the Ospreys being the best bidder for Cardiff.
"It’s challenging for fans with a lot of uncertainty but be assured that as a board of directors we are making the best decisions possible for the best interests of the game in Wales medium to long-term."
Arundell's first start in three years for England
16:35 , Ciara FearnHenry Arundell has been named in the starting lineup for England.
This marks Arundell’s first start in three years, his last appearance in the starting XV coming during England’s bronze medal win over Argentina at the 2023 World Cup.
Maro Itoje will begin the match on the bench with the current England captain only expected to rejoin the squad later this week following his return from Nigeria, where he attended his mother’s funeral.
Maro Itoje's run of playing the full 80 mins in 30 successive Six Nations matches is over. The only previous time he was a Six Nations sub was on his 2016 debut.
England head coach Steve Borthwick expects kicking game
16:30 , Ciara FearnEngland head coach Steve Borthwick says his side will need to maintain their discipline and combat Wales’ kicking game.
"England versus Wales is always a special occasion in the rugby calendar. It’s a fierce rivalry with a long history, and one that brings a huge challenge every time we meet,"
England boss Borthwick said upon his selection."We expect Wales to bring a kicking game, so we’ll need to be accurate in how we respond to that challenge. For us, our focus is on executing our game plan and maintaining discipline throughout the match.
"We’re excited to get the Championship underway at a packed-out Allianz Stadium. The support we receive at home is outstanding and always gives the players a huge lift."
England vs Wales match officials
16:25 , Harry Latham-CoyleReferee: Pierre Brousset (Fra)
Assistant Referees: Nic Berry (Aus) and Morne Ferreira (SA)
Television Match Official: Tual Trainini (Fra)
Foul Play Review Officer: Brett Cronan (Aus)
Who will gain aerial ascendancy?
16:15 , Harry Latham-CoyleWe have seen already in this Six Nations the huge importance of the kick contest to modern Test rugby, with France’s improvement in that regard key to their superiority over Ireland. It was a real weakness for Wales in Steve Tandy’s first campaign and this tweaked selection feels like an attempt to address that, with both Louis Rees-Zammit and Ellis Mee providing a bit more size, and Josh Adams plenty of experience.
England, though, will go after them, particularly with an elite chaser like Tom Roebuck fit to feature alongside Freddie Steward. Henry Arundell has improved in that regard, too - watch for both teams to try and tap the ball back and attack on the back of collecting the “crumbs” from contestable kicks.
Joe Heyes relishing Six Nations scrum duel with Leicester teammate Nicky Smith
16:05 , Harry Latham-CoyleThe scrum battle could be fascinating today. England are down three of their top five props, with Joe Heyes a figure of particular importance on the tighthead after injuries to Will Stuart and Asher Opoku-Fordjour. He’ll confront a familiar foe in close chum Nicky Smith, one of the premier scrummaging looseheads in the world - and the Leicester pair have put their friendship on hold temporarily as they prepare to lock horns.
Joe Heyes relishing Six Nations scrum duel with Leicester teammate Nicky Smith
Steve Borthwick expects ‘big roar’ when Maro Itoje steps off England bench
15:55 , Harry Latham-CoyleSteve Borthwick expects Maro Itoje to be greeted with a “big roar” when the grieving England captain steps off the bench against Wales at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.
Jamie George will lead the team into the Guinness Six Nations opener after Itoje was given a replacement’s role, the first time he has not been in the starting XV for a Championship game since 2020.
The British and Irish Lions skipper missed the start of England’s training camp in Girona to attend the funeral of his mother Florence in Nigeria following her death in December.
Borthwick insists that giving Itoje a supporting role against Wales is the right call in light of recent events
Steve Borthwick expects ‘big roar’ when Maro Itoje steps off England bench
Team news - Wales
15:45 , Harry Latham-CoyleSteve Tandy’s first Six Nations selection features Louis Rees-Zammit at full-back, with the Bristol flyer joined in the back three by Ellis Mee and Josh Adams. Ben Thomas provides a second pair of playmaking hands outside of Dan Edwards with Eddie James a more sizeable midfield inclusion, while Alex Mann and Josh Macleod start alongside Aaron Wainwright in the back row.
Archie Griffin gets the nod to start ahead of returning veteran Tomas Francis at prop. There are six forwards on the bench, with Wales matching England on that front.
Wales XV: 1 Nicky Smith, 2 Dewi Lake (capt.), 3 Archie Griffin; 4 Dafydd Jenkins, 5 Adam Beard; 6 Alex Mann, 7 Josh Macleod, 8 Aaron Wainwright; 9 Tomos Williams, 10 Dan Edwards; 11 Josh Adams, 12 Ben Thomas, 13 Eddie James, 14 Ellis Mee; 15 Louis Rees-Zammit.
Replacements: 16 Liam Belcher, 17 Rhys Carre, 18 Tomas Francis, 19 Ben Carter, 20 Taine Plumtree, 21 Harri Deaves; 22 Kieran Hardy, 23 Mason Grady.
🔒 Locked in 🏴
— Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) February 6, 2026
ICYMI - Your Wales 2️⃣3️⃣ to take on England at Twickenham this Saturday 🔥#CymruAmByth | #GuinnessM6N pic.twitter.com/2MqOzQmyiF
Team news - England
15:40 , Harry Latham-CoyleCaptain Maro Itoje will begin on the bench from England after making a late arrival into camp following the funeral of his mother. Hooker Jamie George will skipper the starting side, with Alex Coles partnering Ollie Chessum in the second row.
Fraser Dingwall and Tommy Freeman will bring their Northampton connection into the starting midfield, while Henry Arundell is part of the starting back three along with Tom Roebuck, who has been called in late to replace Immanuel Feyi-Waboso.
England XV: 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Jamie George (capt.), 3 Joe Heyes; 4 Alex Coles, 5 Ollie Chessum; 6 Guy Pepper, 7 Sam Underhill, 8 Ben Earl; 9 Alex Mitchell, 10 George Ford; 11 Henry Arundell, 12 Fraser Dingwall, 13 Tommy Freeman, 14 Tom Roebuck; 15 Freddie Steward.
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Bevan Rodd, 18 Trevor Davison, 19 Maro Itoje, 20 Tom Curry, 21 Henry Pollock; 22 Ben Spencer, 23 Marcus Smith.
ITV’s Six Nations coverage to feature in-play ad breaks for first time
15:20 , Harry Latham-CoyleYou may have noticed during that France vs Ireland game, if you were watching in the United Kingdom, a new approach from ITV that will see the broadcaster show an advert during the set-up of a scrum once per half.
ITV’s Six Nations coverage to feature in-play ad breaks for first time
The harsh truths Ireland must confront after heavy France defeat
15:10 , Harry Latham-CoyleFor Ireland, meanwhile, it was a damaging night, revealing a few harsh truths about their decline.
The harsh truths Ireland must confront after heavy France defeat
France make Six Nations statement as Antoine Dupont and Matthieu Jalibert unlock new dimension
15:00 , Harry Latham-CoyleHow good were France on Thursday night? The defending champions got their campaign started in style by taking apart Ireland, cementing themselves as title favourites again.
Antoine Dupont and France unlock a new dimension to make Six Nations statement
The minor Six Nations change that could have a major impact on this year’s champions
14:50 , Harry Latham-CoyleSquad depth is going to become even more important in this Six Nations, you’d say, with the removal of the first rest week making it even faster and more furious than before.
The minor Six Nations change that could have a major impact on this year’s champions
Six new(ish) faces to watch in the 2026 Six Nations
14:40 , Harry Latham-CoyleHere are our picks for a few new faces to watch over the course of the Six Nations:
Alex Mann looking to get under England's skin
14:30 , Harry Latham-CoyleWales flanker Alex Mann admitted he likes getting "under people's skin" ahead of his back-row battle with England at Allianz Stadium.
Mann found himself the centre of attention after being gouged by South Africa lock Eben Etzebeth during Wales' autumn campaign.
Etzebeth claimed his actions were a reaction to being struck by Mann and that the gouge was not intentional, and the Cardiff back-rower is relishing coming up against the likes of Guy Pepper, Sam Underhill, Tom Curry and Henry Pollock in today’s Guinness Six Nations opener.
"I quite like trying to get under people's skin and I'm sure people try to do it to me as well," said Mann.
"That stuff is just part of the game and I'm just looking forward to what's ahead.
"They're really good players, we know that, but I don't really think we put too much energy into that.
"It's all on us now and what we can do rather than what they're bringing. That's the exciting bit for us as a group."
Jamie George identifies what England must do to finally win Six Nations title
14:20 , Harry Latham-CoyleJamie George insists England must evolve in the wake of a triumphant 2025 or risk seeing their Six Nations title ambitions crumble.
Steve Borthwick’s team are viewed by bookmakers as second favourites behind France to be crowned champions, with the rivals colliding in the climax to the tournament on 14 March.
A run of 11 consecutive wins – dating back to the start of last year’s Six Nations – sees England enter their opener against Wales on Saturday week with a swagger, but George knows they can not afford to stand still.
“We’re in a good spot, there’s no hiding that,” said George, who last week announced he would retire after the 2027 World Cup.
“There’s a lot of confidence in the group and a lot of enjoyment about being in camp. That’s a good indicator that you will go on to play good rugby.
Jamie George identifies what England must do to finally win Six Nations title
Steve Tandy hoping to draw on past successes at Twickenham
14:10 , Harry Latham-CoyleSteve Tandy wants to savour the "unbelievable experience" of winning at Allianz Stadium again as Wales bid to shock England in their Guinness Six Nations opener.
Wales are huge underdogs having not won a Six Nations game since March 2023, while Steve Borthwick's England have won 11 games in a row.
But Tandy has fond memories of Twickenham from his time as Scotland defence coach and being part of famous Six Nations victories in 2021 and 2023.
"Winning at Twickenham, at such an iconic stadium, is incredible," said Wales head coach Tandy.
"It's an unbelievable experience and the best thing is when you see what joy it brings to outside the dressing room as well.
"I can remember going back up (to Scotland) on the Monday, and Gregor (Townsend, head coach) had put messages up from people what it meant to the nation.
"The Six Nations as a whole is the biggest tournament in the world outside of the World Cup and we are fortunate to be a part of it.
"Going up to England I find it exciting. For our group I know intimidating and daunting are words which people will throw out which is understandable.
"But we have to be excited about how we can go and attack this game."
How a computer could decide England’s fortunes in the Six Nations
14:00 , Harry Latham-CoyleTechnology could play a huge role in England’s Six Nations in a different way, too. Our guru Andrew Griffin went behind the scenes at their training camp in Girona to find out how.
How a computer could decide England’s fortunes in the Six Nations
How the TikTok generation are driving England forward
13:50 , Harry Latham-CoyleEngland’s next generation have forged a new identity of late, matching confidence on the pitch with expression off it. Steve Borthwick is harnessing the natural personalities within his squad well, too:
Do crisis-riddled Wales have any hope in this Six Nations?
13:40 , Harry Latham-CoyleAnd what about Wales’s chances? Clearly, Steve Tandy’s side are at an low ebb, but the ever diligent Luke Baker has gone in search of some positives.
Settled squad reveals the truth about England’s Six Nations chances
13:30 , Harry Latham-CoyleIs this England’s year for a proper title tilt? A settled squad of real strength and depth suggests so.
Settled squad reveals the truth about England’s Six Nations chances
Maro Itoje on the bench for England’s Six Nations opener against Wales
13:20 , Harry Latham-CoyleEngland captain Maro Itoje will only be on the bench for his side’s Six Nations opener against Wales at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham today.
Itoje missed the official Six Nations launch in Edinburgh and arrived late to England’s pre-tournament training camp in Girona after travelling to Nigeria to attend his mother’s funeral.
Maro Itoje on the bench for England’s Six Nations opener against Wales
Louis Rees-Zammit starts at full-back as Wales reveal team for England clash
13:10 , Harry Latham-CoyleLouis Rees-Zammit will start at full-back for Wales against England as he makes his first Six Nations appearance for three years.
The Bristol Bears speedster is deployed in the No 15 shirt having returned to rugby last year after a short stint in the NFL, with Josh Adams and Ellis Mee providing a blend of experience and youth on the wings.
Louis Rees-Zammit starts at full-back as Wales reveal team for England clash
England vs Wales live
Thursday 5 February 2026 18:48 , Harry Latham-CoyleThe opening round of the 2026 Six Nations reaches a conclusion with England welcome Wales to Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium. The old rivals arrive in rather different moods, with the hosts eyeing a title tilt as they seek to extend an 11-match winning run, and Wales dealing with struggles on and off the field.
Kick off is at 4.40pm GMT.
