It’s the debate that never goes away in Wales. The Biggar v Davies match-up is just the latest in a long line of head-to-heads. But with change needed, Robin Davey reckons Rob Howley has backed the wrong man.

 

Wales interim coach Rob Howley has flown in the face of public opinion by going for Dan Biggar at 10 instead of Sam Davies for the showdown against England on Saturday.

Biggar has been a lynchpin of the Welsh team for the past few years, but the game has moved on from his more stereotyped approach, even if he is sometimes playing to orders.

Davies lit up the second half in Rome on Sunday when he went on for the injured Biggar and changed the course of the game.

His early release of the ball and timing of the pass created enough space for Wales to score two tries even if George North still had rather a lot to do before he crossed the whitewash!

Biggar has become more negative, standing too deep and kicking too much, when Wales are supposed to be adopting a more positive, expansive approach in keeping with many other teams.

The autumn series may have been successful from a results point of view, but fans were decidedly unhappy with the way Wales played, showing little adventure and lacking any creativity.

Now Davies has arrived on the scene, number two to Biggar at the Ospreys but rapidly drawing level with, if not overtaking his rival.

Fans were more than pleased with the way he took charge against the Italians and there has since been a clamour for him to be in the team against England.

The counter argument is Biggar should start, providing Wales with a steady platform when the heat is on and the pressure at its greatest, then bring Davies on when the game opens up.

That’s a point of view but it’s not one which I and many others judging by various polls which have been conducted agree with.

Better to open up on the front foot, get some go forward with Davies pulling the strings and asking more questions of the ‘old enemy.’

There is in any case still some doubt about the fitness of both Biggar and North after they suffered rib and leg injuries against Italy.

Both were given as long as possible to prove their fitness, but were named in the side though, as Howley put it, North hasn’t done much and Biggar has had a couple of sessions. Not exactly a ringing endorsement!

Owen Williams has returned to Leicester, but with the caveat that he will be recalled if Biggar has to pull out. So it looks very much as though there could be another change or two yet before the big kick-off.

As it stands, the only alterations are in the front row where the two replacement props Tomas Francis and Rob Evans start. They made a big impact in Rome when they went on for Samson Lee and Nicky Smith and their selection was widely expected, especially against a bruising England eight.

England may be without nailed on starters, the Vunipolas, George Kruis and Chris Robshaw, as well as wing Anthony Watson, but they possess such depth that their presence is hardly missed.

Coach Eddie Jones has, however, split up the back row by bringing in a recognised openside this time in Jack Clifford, with Jack Nowell on the wing the other change.

They are changes which should make England that bit stronger as they go for what would be an incredible 16th successive victory under Jones.

He’s been enjoying himself this week, stoking up the fires even further-as if that was needed for this particular fixture. He can’t understand why England have been petrified of playing Wales in Wales as it’s the same water, the same pies!

Well, someone ought to tell him his team is up against a whole nation when they come to Cardiff!

The atmosphere will be red hot – even though the roof will be open at Jones’ insistence – and there is no real reason for England to be intimidated because they have won on two of their last three visits to Cardiff and have won four of the last five games between the sides.

On top of that they arrive in terrific form, even if they were a bit below par against France last week and if they achieve the Grand Slam will break the world record held by the All Blacks for successive victories.

Confidence shouldn’t be a factor whereas Wales are struggling to find a new identity, caught between two stools of the old Warrenball and a more expansive style.

But there’s nothing like the white shirt and the red rose to galvanise any Welsh team. Throw in the best part of 74,000 fans at one of the finest stadiums in the world and anything is possible!