Jonny Wilkinson is back and at the top of his game in the south of France, which can only mean good news for England. I am disappointed in not seeing Mathew Tait's name on the England list, but I have gotten used to that since the World Cup. He has been seeing less and less playing time. Regarding the match, England is looking to end Australia's hope for a Grand Slam before it can take off. Australia got beaten up during the Tri-Nations this summer, and did not do so well last weekend in Tokyo. I doubt that Australia will be able to conjure up some magic in order to win a Grand Slam, but a win against England would actually be an upset. England should win, especially with Wilkinson playing so well.
Wales v. New Zealand
Dan Carter is still a fitness doubt, but with New Zealand being New Zealand, there is always more than enough cover. Wales has been the site of controversy in recent games against the All Blacks. First, they refused to let the Haka take place on the field. Then, the following year, they stood and refused to move after the Haka was performed. I think refusing to let it be performed is poor sportsmanship, but standing up to it is fantastic. The All Blacks have a one-sided opinion when it comes to the Haka. They see it as a perfectly fair way to offer up a challenge to the opposition and demand respect for it. Yet, they refuse to allow any "response" to the Haka. A response would be like what the Welsh did last year when they stood up to the Haka. The All Blacks need to realize that just because they're the most successful team does not mean they deserve special treatment. Don't forget, they consistently fail to win the World Cup. In fact, they haven't even been able to reach the Final since 1987. Yet, the Welsh are in no shape to pull an upset, especially with this juggling nonsense that James Hook is being forced into.
~Tyler
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