Wales vs England – Six Nations LIVE: Latest build-up and updates from Super Saturday – UK Times

Borthwick insists England will go for broke in their pursuit of the title and his audacious team selection reflects this aim.

A trio of specialist opensides in the Curry twins and Ben Earl form the back row, while wing Tommy Freeman makes his first Test start at outside centre.

Factor in Marcus Smith at full-back and the scope for three playmakers to be in action – Fin Smith as fly-half and George Ford off the bench – and it is a side full of dynamism, prompting Earl to declare “speed wins”.

For the first time since 2020, England enter the final round of the Six Nations with a shot at winning the title.

They were successful on that occasion, dispatching Italy to become champions, but the odds are stacked against them this weekend.

Steve Borthwick’s men must avoid a Wales ambush in Cardiff while registering a bonus-point win and hope France are stunned by Scotland in Paris. Ireland are also contenders.

Matt Sherratt says it will be about finding the “balance between heart and brain” when Wales tackle Six Nations title contenders England this afternoon in his final game as interim head coach.

“I would love to sign off (with a win), not for me but for the players and staff who have been here for a long time. It would be huge for them,” Sherratt said.

“There will be emotion on Saturday. It is getting that balance between heart and brain. There will be stacks of heart. We need to get our game on the pitch.

“If that win comes, it would give everyone a massive lift, especially against England at home.

“On Monday we put a slide up with the (Principality) stadium, the date and time of the game. Everything has been leading up to Saturday. It won’t need an emotional build-up.

“It is the end of a seven-week camp and I have only been here for three weeks. It is about not overloading them mentally, as that will take away some of their energy.

“Then it is how much time we actually need on the pitch. Emotionally, they will be there but it is important physically as well that they have got bags of energy in their legs.”

Hope is growing that rugby may return to Sixways in the not-too-distant future, with an encouraging update provided by the relaunched club on Friday, but the lost and listless supporters shorn of their club so suddenly can at least take some degree of solace in seeing several past Worcester favourites shining on the biggest stage.

Across the border, Matt Sherratt is reaching the end of an interim stint that has breathed new life back into his adopted nation, the Cardiff coach set to return to club duties having counted two stops at Sixways as vital steps in his unlikely journey from schoolteacher to international interim boss.

The plight of the home side may mean a meeting that, on paper, looks more lopsided than this encounter ever should but this rivalry still burns as brightly and intense as any that this championship has to offer.

Over the Severn Bridge England travel needing a favour from another auld foe to have a hope. France will need to lose to Scotland to give Steve Borthwick’s side a shot at hoisting the trophy late on Saturday night, but England dare not be preoccupied by the permutations, nor overlook the task at hand.

Taking care of their own business is a prerequisite to any mathematics that may follow; it may be 16 consecutive defeats for Wales but a win at the Principality never comes easy.

Read Harry Latham-Coyle’s analysis of this afternoon’s clash:

Spare a thought for the logistics team at the Six Nations, for which this has not been an easy week.

In their pre-tournament plotting and planning, this would surely have been both a dream and nightmare scenario: a “Super Saturday” where each and every game contains a title contender and the men’s champions will not be known until the bells of Notre-Dame chime 11 times.

The smart money would be of a straightforward Stade de France lifting of the trophy after France dispatch Scotland in Paris, but things are seldom that simple in this championship.

Take care of business themselves and Ireland and England could face an anxious wait, the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on hold to host a hoisting if required, while an Irish three-peat would see an “opulent palazzo” employed to give a sense of ceremony to the medal presentation.

Read Harry Latham-Coyle’s full preview of the final day:

Before Steve Borthwick’s England can entertain any thoughts of winning the tournament, they’ll have to get past an old rival in the form of a Wales team who’ll be desperate to avoid ending the tournament with the wooden spoon.

Matt Sherratt’s side have lost all four of their matches in this year’s tournament, but a spirited late rally against Scotland last time out showed that they are not to be underestimated, especially at the Principality.

Nevertheless, the two sides’ recent form is reflected in the pre-match odds, with betting sites offering Wales at 10/3 to grab the win, with England as low as 2/9.

See our prediction and best bets:

England reshuffle more radically after the season-ending injury sustained by Ollie Lawrence.

Tommy Freeman relocates to centre with Elliot Daly stationed on the wing and Marcus Smith recalled at full-back.

Tom Roebuck completes the back three on his first international start, while Ben Curry joins twin brother Tom in a mobile back row. 20-year-old flanker Henry Pollock is a fourth openside in the matchday 23 as he awaits a debut off a bench which also contains George Ford, sighted for the first time in this tournament.

England XV: 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3 Will Stuart; 4 Maro Itoje (capt.), 5 Ollie Chessum; 6 Tom Curry, 7 Ben Curry, 8 Ben Earl; 9 Alex Mitchell, 10 Fin Smith; 11 Elliot Daly, 12 Fraser Dingwall, 13 Tommy Freeman, 14 Tom Roebuck; 15 Marcus Smith.

Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Fin Baxter, 18 Joe Heyes, 19 Chandler Cunningham-South, 20 Henry Pollock, 21 Tom Willis; 22 Jack van Poortvliet, 23 George Ford.

Wales hand Joe Roberts his first professional start on the wing as the Scarlets centre shifts outwards after injuries to Tom Rogers and Josh Adams.

The 24-year-old impressed in the role after Rogers’s early departure against Scotland and joins Ellis Mee and Blair Murray in a young, exciting back three.

Aaron Wainwright is also recalled to the starting side, with Tommy Reffell dropping to the bench.

Wales XV: 1 Nicky Smith, 2 Elliot Dee, 3 WillGriff John; 4 Dafydd Jenkins, 5 Will Rowlands; 6 Aaron Wainwright, 7 Jac Morgan (capt.), 8 Taulupe Faletau; 9 Tomos Williams, 10 Gareth Anscombe; 11 Joe Roberts, 12 Ben Thomas, 13 Max Llewellyn, 14 Ellis Mee; 15 Blair Murray.

Replacements: 16 Dewi Lake, 17 Gareth Thomas, 18 Henry Thomas, 19 Teddy Williams, 20 Tommy Reffell; 21 Rhodri Williams, 22 Jarrod Evans, 23 Nick Tompkins.

Wales vs England is due to kick off at 4.45pm GMT on Saturday 15 March at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on BBC One, with coverage on the channel from 4pm GMT. A live stream will be available via the BBC iPlayer.