England v Wales 2024 Guinness Six Nations Preview

A line-up like no other that has a special place in history and is a true fan favourite to attend as one of the most highly anticipated, hotly contested meetings in the rugby calendar. The close proximity of the two nations is a key factor that has fuelled the competitive flare and is one that will never fade, dating back to 19 February 1881 when Wales had their first ever international fixture against England.

History of the rivalry

The rivalry renews annually at the Guinness Six Nations tournament and has on many occasions led to incredibly dramatic matches which frequently leaves fans on the edge of their seats. In 2000, England snatched a convincing 46-12 win over Wales at Twickenham, the start of the home side’s long period of dominance in the Guinness Six Nations winning the next three out of the four tournament titles. Another key match in the history books took place in 2013, when Wales stormed England to win 30-3 in the Guinness Six Nations to take the title from England in their final match, giving the Welsh side back-to-back Guinness Six Nations titles for the first time since the 1970s.

Welsh Rugby

Wales exceeded expectations in the 2023 Rugby World Cup, despite the loss of a number of key players to retirement and club moves. The 2024 Guinness Six Nations is likely to see a new and young squad of players take to the pitch.

Head Coach Warren Gatland needs to explore a pool of new talents to fill the gaps in his squad for the upcoming 2024 Guinness Six Nations.

Key players to look out for

Wales

Wales had a Rugby World Cup campaign that was defied the critics and led to them topping a difficult group containing Fiji and Australia before being knocked out by Argentina in the quarter-finals.

They pride themselves on their high fitness levels and being tough to beat and have some strong players to their name, often hard to break down.

Louis Rees-Zammit is an established star and has a long career ahead of him. At just 22 years old, Louis became the seventh Welshman to sore three tries in a Rugby World Cup and is praised for his incredible speed and is arguably the fast rugby player in the world. With a try scoring ratio at the time of writing of a try every other game, Rees-Zammit is powerful finisher and gets the ball over the try line – he’s one to keep an eye on as he comes up against the England side in February 2024.

Mason Grady is another young player who despite having few opportunities during the 2023 Rugby World Cup, has the power and speed at outside centre or on the wing to scare even the most-strongest of defences. The 2024 Guinness Six Nations could be stage where he announces himself on the real test quality player.

England

England Head Coach Steve Borthwick is set to select a Six Nations squad that will be more evolutionary than revolutionary. Coming off the back of their Rugby World Cup campaign winning six of their seven matches, and securing the bronze medal position, England will be eager and incredibly motivated to go in with a dominant performance to show who they really are. Only narrowly missing a place in the final to South Africa by one point in the 78th minute, England showed their potential and strength against the world’s best side.

Alex Mitchell was a late addition to the 2023 Rugby World Cup squad to replace Jack van Poortvliet after suffering an ankle injury against Wales in the Summer Series but took to his role like a duck to water becoming Borthwick’s leading scrumhalf. Mitchell is a vibrant player who makes an impact to the England squad and is a strong force that England can use in their squad to face Wales.

Ben Earl had an impressive World Cup performance, and is a promising player for the England v Wales line-up. The Saracens flanker emerged onto the pitch and had an appetite for attack in the games, bringing a sense of disruption to the England team. He was a thorn in Wales’ side during the 2023 Summer Series match at Twickenham with his powerful and destructive ball carrying and will be force that the Welsh defence will need to focus on.

An England v Wales Guinness Six Nations match is not one to be missed – the ferocity and excitement that fills the stadium is truly special and is a battle that never disappoints. You can still secure your place at the historic home of England Rugby, Twickenham Stadium, and make your day watching this unmissable fixture even more memorable with an exceptional hospitality experience with us.

Explore our experiences below, or find out more about what to expect in the 2024 Guinness Six Nations here.