1. Warburton/Lydiate vs Robshaw/Haskell
Probably the most crucial battle of the weekend. In the autumn England failed to get quick ball in the opening two games as South Africa and New Zealand managed to put pressure on their breakdowns. It meant their backs received slow ball and it made them look decidedly average. George Ford thrives off quick ball, as do Burrell and Joseph outside him, so any work Warburton and Lydiate can do to slow it down will be vital. Likewise, if Robshaw and Haskell can have an impact on Wales’ ball then their strategy of having big runners hitting holes one or two men out from the breakdown will be less effective, as England will have more time to realign and close the gaps. All four players are mightily physical and excellent at the breakdown so it will be a ferocious battle, and along with the contributions of the likes of Jenkins and Faletau, it’s one that Wales might just edge.
2. Mathieu Bastareaud vs Mark Bennett
These two centres are both immensely dangerous attacking weapons in completely different senses. Bastareaud is a behemoth of a man, a brutishly powerful runner who can punch giant holes if used to good effect. He can be rendered ineffective, though, if you can get to him quickly enough and chop him down before he builds up a head of steam, because agility is hardly his strong suit. This contrasts completely with Bennett, who has pace to burn and glorious sidestep, that has been terrorising PRO12 and Champions Cup defences this season. It’s an intriguing battle because if Bennett is allowed a bit of space, he can cause Bastareaud plenty of problems.
3. Matias Aguero vs Mike Ross
There has been a fair amount of consternation in Ireland that Mike Ross is starting against Italy this weekend. When you consider that the man who starts ahead of him at club level, Martin Moore, is on the bench, you can understand why. For years Ross has held the Irish scrum together like glue, but it seems this season that either he has run out of steam, or the opposition have seriously started to work him out. Either way, if he crumbles this weekend he may well find himself relegated down the pecking order sooner rather than later. And what a task he faces – 110 kilos of prime Argentinian beef wrapped in an Italy shirt in the form of Matias Aguero. Aguero was part of a front row that chewed up and spat out Argentinian and South African opposition over the autumn – which gives you an idea of the task facing Ross this weekend.
4. Jamie Roberts vs Luther Burrell
Burrell is probably only just getting over the nightmares he would have had after the last time he played Roberts. The Welshman tore him to shreds when Racing Métro stormed Franklin’s Gardens in January, and Burrell will have to be far stronger in defence this weekend if the same thing isn’t to happen again. Roberts seems to be peaking at the right time, which is ominous for everyone, not just England. As for Burrell’s attacking talents, they were on show for the majority of last year’s Six Nations and it was baffling that he wasn’t given a shot in the autumn too. He’s not as powerful as Roberts but is probably marginally quicker, and with Ford inside him he has a player who can release him at the right time in space. Roberts, too, will have to be right on his defensive game.
5. Camille Lopez vs Finn Russell
There are some insatiably talented backs on show in the French and Scottish line-ups tomorrow, and these two are the men tasked with bringing the best out of them all. Both fly-halves have had breakthrough seasons, settling what has been a problem position for both France and Scotland for some time now. Russell isn’t the quickest fly-half in the competition but he enjoys taking the ball to the line and committing defenders before putting those outside him into holes. He also doesn’t shirk a physical challenge. Lopez is a silkier operator, a genuine playmaker whose kicking and passing is nothing short of pinpoint 99% of the time. Positionally, Scotland will have to be perfect because if Lopez spots space, he will exploit it somehow. It should be a great battle to watch between two guys playing the best rugby of their careers.
Are there any other head to head battles you’re especially looking forward to this weekend?
By Jamie Hosie
Follow Jamie on Twitter: @jhosie43
6 replies on “Six Nations Week 1: 5 key head-to-head battles”
You might be “baffled” that a player with a broken hand wasn’t picked to play in the Autumn, but most of us aren’t
Was about to type exactly this. Burrell was injured for the AI’s. For all the moaning about the Barritt selection in the Autumn, my understanding was the Burrell was injured so options were extremely limited.
I know he played (think actually) during the week of the Australia game but that was his first week back after a month or so out.
Burrell wasn’t injured for as much as you think, he played in Saints loss v Exeter the evening before the South Africa game, the only weekend he missed was the first against the ABs
I think he was available for the last game wasn’t he?
On this note, there have been some funny selection/injury reasons given recently. For example, Roko being deemed injured during the AIs and then playing for Bath the same weekend?
Re Wales-England flankers battle, I’d have framed it as entire back row units, with Vunipola going up against his cousin Faletau. Two awesome ball-carriers, with the added quirky intra-family intrigue.
Re Wales V England Breakdown battle, I reckon Dan Cole will also have a say in that