Six Nations 2017: Dates, Times, TV and Live Stream Info for Round 2 Fixtures
Wales and England will meet in Round 2 of the 2017 Six Nations tournament in a match that already has major title implications after the two teams won their opening fixtures.
The defending champions struggled against France but got the job done in the end, while Wales overcame a slow start to cruise past Italy. With Ireland suffering an upset in Scotland, England and Wales suddenly look like title favourites.
Scotland should not be overlooked and will have the chance to convince some of their doubters in Paris, while Ireland travel to Italy and will have the chance to grab some much-needed momentum.
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Here's the schedule for Round 2:
| Saturday. Feb 11 | 2:25 p.m. | Italy | Ireland | ITV |
| Saturday. Feb 11 | 4:50 p.m. | Wales | England | BBC 1 |
| Sunday, Feb. 12 | 3 p.m. | France | Scotland | BBC 1 |
Preview
England enter Round 2 with a 15-match win streak in Test matches under their belt, and with Ireland losing at Murrayfield, coach Eddie Jones and his troops already appear to be on pace for a second straight Six Nations title.
The win over France wasn't particularly impressive―Les Bleus were the better team in the first half and nothing appeared to work for England early on―but once again, the team showed its resilience and stepped up when they had to.
As reported by the Press Association (for ESPN), Wales skipper Alun Wyn Jones believes the England team can rightly be compared with New Zealand: "I don't see why not. They are three games away from equalling their (New Zealand's) record (for successive wins), and when you get that close it's fair to make that link, but they have probably been keeping it at arm's length, for obvious reasons."
Jones and his troops have some injuries to contend with―most notably the absence of Billy and Mako Vunipola―but the team's depth is impressive. Wales haven't beaten England in the Six Nations since Jones took control of the team, but he has yet to travel to the Principality Stadium.
The Welsh started slow against Italy but exploded in the second half and lead the standings entering Round 2. The side is mostly healthy, although there's one crucial player who could miss out―George North.
The winger will have the chance to prove his fitness, but if he can't start, head coach Rob Howley will have some shifting to do, per Walesonline.co.uk's Simon Thomas:
Italy did well to slow Wales down during the first half of their clash in Rome, but the Azzurri still came up short by some margin. Ireland will be hoping to take advantage of their shortcomings, as they desperately need a boost.
The loss against Scotland was unexpected, but coach Joe Schmidt is unlikely to make major changes. Italy aren't exactly a powerhouse team, and they tend to wear out in the second half against physical, rugged sides―playing right into Ireland's main strengths.
Johnny Sexton is working hard to get back to 100 per cent, and once he does, Ireland will be a far better team.
Scotland showed some trickery in their win over Ireland, and their set-piece surprises likely won't work a second time around against France. Les Bleus are always a difficult team to beat in Paris, and a win on Sunday would cement the Scots as legitimate title contenders.
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