World Cup warm-up games aren’t always remembered.

But after three defeats in a row, England need to get Twickenham believing before their World Cup campaign kicks off against Argentina on 9 September.

Before the 2019 showpiece, England hammered Ireland at Twickenham 57-15, providing the momentum and confidence to help take them to the World Cup final.

Head coach Steve Borthwick, an assistant under Eddie Jones that day, will be looking to repeat the trick on Saturday against a Wales side rejuvenated by their win over England in Cardiff last weekend.

Return of experience and winners

England have selected 12 Premiership winners in their starting XV, including six Saracens players who won the title this year.

Sarries have won the league five times in the past 10 seasons alongside three European Champions Cups. And after four defeats in six England matches, Borthwick has turned to the winning Saracens group to make up the spine of his team.

Hooker Jamie George, lock Maro Itoje and back-rowers Ben Earl and Billy Vunipola all start in the forwards, with captain Owen Farrell and Elliot Daly in a backline looking to get “Twickenham bouncing”.

With centre Henry Slade left out of England’s World Cup squad, Daly brings extra playmaking abilities to a team who failed to score a try in the defeat by Wales last weekend.

His understanding with Farrell could be crucial in rejuvenating England’s attack and helping to unleash young wing Henry Arundell.

“Daly plays a curious role for me,” former England international Ugo Moyne told the Rugby Union Weekly podcast. “He has to be a ball player that can lurk around and be given that free reign because with Henry Slade missing, England have lost the best passing centre they have.

“His hands, vision and understanding what a back three wants is going to be crucial in connecting the inside backs with those outside backs.”

Farrell and Daly are joined in the backline by a new-look midfield in Ollie Lawrence and Joe Marchant.

“You want everyone looking for opportunity, and having those sorts of players helps as they are constantly looking up and seeing things,” Farrell said.

“In those situations, when you don’t have to talk too much, you all look, get a nod and off you go. Those are the best moments to play in.

“It is about all being alive at the same time.”

Of the England XV likely to face Argentina, only prop Ellis Genge, who is set to win his 50th cap from the bench, and injured flanker Tom Curry are missing.

Gatland’s swagger returns

Adding to the stakes on Saturday is the fact that should England lose, they will slump to ninth in the global rankings – their lowest position since the standings were introduced in 2003.

Wales head coach Warren Gatland has made headlines by claiming his side were “too fit for England” last week.

Gatland also added Marcus Smith is “the superstar England need” despite the fly-half being absent from the matchday squad.

“We believe we’re on the right track for where we want to be right now; I don’t know what other teams are doing or saying about their players or our team,” Borthwick said in response to Gatland.

“I just concentrate on my team and we’re in a pretty good place right now.

“We are ensuring our training is tailored for where we need to be in four weeks’ time. I know this team is going to get sharper over the subsequent weeks.”

Wales have not won back-to-back Test matches since November 2021 when they beat Fiji and Australia, with Gatland, like Borthwick, only winning two games since the start of the Six Nations.

Gatland has made 15 changes to his winning side from last week, with Ospreys hooker Dewi Lake taking over as captain from Jac Morgan.

“It is good man-management,” Monye told the Rugby Union Weekly podcast.

“Lake has been part of that leadership group, so how is he going to lead right at the coalface of it?

“I don’t mind it as it is a new group and you want to see how everyone reacts and responds to that level of responsibility and then make a call in a couple of weeks.”

Head-to-head stats

• In the past 10 meetings between the sides, England have won six times and Wales four.
• Wales have not won back-to-back games against England since winning three in a row between August 2011 and March 2013.
• In their most recent meeting at Twickenham, England beat Wales 23-19 in the 2022 Six Nations.

Line-ups

England: Steward; Arundell, Marchant, Lawrence, Daly; Farrell (capt), Van Poortvliet; Marler, George, Stuart, Itoje, Martin, Lawes, Earl, B Vunipola.

Replacements: Dan, Genge, Cole, Hill, Willis, Youngs, Ford, Malins

Wales: L Williams; Adams, Roberts, Tompkins, Rogers; O Williams, T Williams; G Thomas, Lake (capt), Francis, Beard, R Davies, Lydiate, Reffell, Plumtree.

Replacements: Parry, Mathias, Lewis, Tshiunza, Basham, Hardy, Biggar, K Williams.

Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)

TMO: Brian MacNeice (Ireland)