Next Full-back: Liam Williams With shoe-in Leigh Halfpenny out with a long-term injury, the full-back position becomes a straight shoot-out between Mike Brown and Liam Williams. While the England full-back was 2014 Six Nations player of the year and has started the World Cup with a bang, it is the Scarlets 15 who gets the nod. With his natural talent, instinctive attacking and never-say-die attitude, Williams has made the unflappable Halfpenny continually look over his shoulder as he aims to usurp the Touon star.

Previous Next Right wing: Anthony Watson While Warren Gatland is struggling to find someone to nail down the right-wing berth, Stuart Lancaster is reveling in the form of his No. 14, Anthony Watson. The Bath flyer has taken to test rugby like a duck to water, with his clinical finishing and fancy footwork bamboozling opposition defenders. His competition for this team are some way off. Alex Cuthbert has gone backwards in recent times and is woefully out of from, while Hallam Amos has just a handful of caps to his anme but is definitely one for the future.

Previous Next Outside centre: Scott Williams On Saturday, it will be a battle between Scott Williams and Brad Barritt. Now in my opinion, Williams wins hands down. No debate. Let’s move on. But, for arguments sake, what if Jonathan Joseph was fit for the match? Would he make the squad instead of Williams? Not for me. While Joseph is a fantastic player, I believe the esteem Williams is held in – he was the first back to captain Wales under Warren Gatland – and his undeniable X-factor as a player that give him the edge.

Previous Next Inside centre: Jamie Roberts Possibly the easiest decision in the team. The two men vying for the 12 shirt are Jamie Roberts and Sam Burgess. One is a 70-cap international who has won Six Nation titles,a British Lions tour and reached a World Cup semi-final. In fact, his coach Warren Gatland has built his whole gameplan around the burly unit. The other is a rugby league convert who is still learning the game, has just three caps to his name and currently lines up at blindside flanker for his club. While Burgess does have big-match experience in league which could be useful, this one here is a bit of a mismatch.

Previous Next Left wing: George North In a battle of Premiership rivals, it is Northampton’s George North who takes the bragging right from Gloucester’s Jonny May. While May is an electric winger in a rich vein of form, North is one of the best wingers in the world. The 23-year-old British Lion is the youngest player to attain 50 international caps and could easily be the one to light up this World Cup

Previous Next Fly-half: Dan Biggar While Stuart Lancaster has decided to drop George Ford for Owen Farrell, there was never any such thoughts crossing the mind of Warren Gatland concerning Dan Biggar. While Ford adds attacking potency to England with Farrell offering game management, Biggar is the perfect mix as he has elevated his game to become one of the best fly-halves in the Northern Hemisphere alongside Jonathan Sexton. The Osprey pivot was a leading indivudual in Wales’ victories over South Africa last year and the 30-3 defeat of England and as such will start at half-back in my XV.

Previous Next Scrum-half: Ben Youngs With the absence of Rhys Webb, this debate has lost a bit of its competitiveness. In his place comes the inexperienced Gareth Davies who made an impression in his first start against Uruguay, scoring two tries. But it is the experience and fast delivery of Youngs which gets him the nine shirt. The Leicester Tiger has been a mainstay in the England team for many years now and for good reason too. Youngs will have a big part to play if England are to get their explosive backline firing out wide.

Previous Next Loose-head prop: Gethin Jenkins Both props vying for this position have been a rather tough time of it at scrum-time. England’s Joe Marler was given scrummaging lessons against both France and Fiji, while Wales’ Gethin Jenkins suffered against Italy’s Martin Castrogiovanni. But it is in the loose that Jenkins redeem himself. Boasting an armory of skills that would make a back blush, Jenkins can also compete at the breakdown like the greatest of opensides. A true servant to Welsh rugby.

Previous Next Hooker: Ken Owens This was the most difficult of decisions. Three international-class hookers with nothing in between them. All three have proven themselves at this level and you could expect any to do a job. In the end however, I plumped for Ken Owens. Many will wonder why I did not pick Tom Youngs and it is a good question. Youngs, Owens and Scott Baldwin are all top quality players and it just boils down to personal preference. Ken Owens almost resembles a ball in a pinball machine as he bounces from tackle to tackle with his barnstorming carrying. He’s not nicknamed ‘Cannonball’ for nothing.

Previous Next Tight-head prop: Samson Lee On Saturday, Dan Cole and Tomas Francis will line up at tight-head. But it is the biblically-named giant on the bench who makes my team. Samson Lee has been suffering with a slight knock and surrenders his place in Warren Gatland’s side but would still make my team. Dan Cole, admittedly better in the loose, struggled at the scrum against Fiji, while Lee is a strong scrummager who effectively retired Wales legend Adam Jones. Such a task indicates a very talented individual.

Previous Next Number four lock: Courtney Lawes Both teams have an abundance of second row talent but one name stands out above all else. Therefore it becomes a competition of who can claim to be the best of the rest. Wales’ Bradley Davies and Luke Charteris could easily make the team while England’s Joe Launchbury and Geoff Parling are in contention for the spot. But in the end I went with Northampton’s Courtney Lawes, whose suffocating line speed and bone-crunching tackling is enough to make any fly-half wake up in a cold sweat and enough to make this team.

Previous Next Number five lock: Alun Wyn Jones Well who else could it be? So often the first name on the team sheet and no different here. A general on the field, the influence the Ospreys’ lock can exert on a game is incredible. A leader by example, the man would run through brick walls for his team. A 90-cap international career, Six Nations titles and being named captain for the decisive third British Lions test against Australia tell you all you need to know about the man.

Previous Next Blindside flanker: Dan Lydiate Tom Wood impressed for England against Fiji while James Haskell and Wales’ James king and Ross Moriarty can all perform at No. 6. But it is Dan Lydiate, with his machine-like chop tackling, who makes the XV. The 2012 Six Nations player of the year has turned chop tackling into an art form, with his deadly scything down of opposition runners giving easy picking for expert jackler Sam Warburton.

Previous Next Openside flanker: Sam Warburton Now I am sure I have upset some England supporters with some of my choices. But this next one may top the lot. There is no room in the back row for England captain and openside flanker Chris Robshaw. In fact, he isn’t even second choice openside. That honour goes to perennial understudy Justin Tipuric. Robshaw is not a natural openside. That is what I believe. He lacks the ability at the breakdown which defines great opensides such as Tipuric and the man who makes my XV, Sam Warburton. It is easy to forget how much this young man has achieved in his short career. The 26-year-old from Whitchurch has captained Wales through one of their most successful periods, as well as leading the British Lions on a winning tour. An obvious choice at No. 7.