mardi 28 février 2017
lundi 27 février 2017
O'Shea gives impassioned defence of tactics
Head coach Conor O'Shea issued an impassioned defence of Italy after a 36-15 defeat to England at the end of a week in which the Azzurri's Six Nations place has been scrutinised.
Italy's refusal to contest rucks in the first half bamboozled England, who belatedly rallied in a six-try, bonus-point victory.
Georgia are outside the Six Nations elite, but ranked higher in the world rankings than Italy, who joined the championship in 2000 but are perennially sixth and have yet to beat England.
"I love rugby, always have, and I want to see this game grow," said O'Shea, whose side lost 63-10 to Ireland in Rome two weeks ago.
"All I hear is people saying: get rid, get rid. This is an unbelievable rugby nation which is in trouble. We are going to have to fight long and hard. The changes may not happen on our watch, but we'll have good days and tough days. We'll do it our way. We might fail, but we won't fail trying."
Former Ireland full-back O'Shea lamented the lack of praise heaped on Italy, who last November beat South Africa and were prepared to innovate at Twickenham.
O'Shea added: "When we beat South Africa, they were terrible; England beat South Africa here for the first time in 10 years, 'well done, brilliant'. We do something that's been done by Wasps and Australia, and we do it and it's wrong. Why always us? Why?
"We will dig our way out of this hole by thinking differently. It's not a magic wand; you work, and you're passionate. If you have hope, you have got something to aim for.
"We wanted to give them hope that they weren't just going to fill a pitch and be here like the old gladiators and the crowd wanting a hundred (points). There's so much to do, but we'll do it and I think today you could almost say we've had enough and we're going to fight."
O'Shea gives impassioned defence of tacticsScotland's Hardie to miss remainder of 6N
Scotland have suffered another injury blow to their Six Nations campaign after it was confirmed John Hardie will miss the final two rounds of the Championship.
Saturday's 29-13 win over Wales at Murrayfield means Vern Cotter's side will travel to England in two weeks' time looking to claim their first Triple Crown in 27 years.
But having already lost skipper Greig Laidlaw and loose forward Josh Strauss for the remainder of the competition, they will now have to take on Eddie Jones' rampant England side without another of their influential back-rowers.
Edinburgh flanker Hardie lasted less than half an hour against Wales before a knee injury saw him replaced by club-mate Hamish Watson.
And it has now been confirmed that the knock will not heal in time for Hardie to face England, or Italy, next month.
A Scottish Rugby Union spokesman said: "An MRI scan after the game confirmed the player damaged his medial collateral ligament and is expected to be out for several weeks. He will take no further part in the championship."
Wing Tommy Seymour sustained a blow to the ribs while scoring Scotland's first try but was fine to continue and is not considered a concern going forward.
Scotland's Hardie to miss remainder of 6Ndimanche 26 février 2017
Georgia told Six Nations has 'no vacancy'
Georgia have been told the Six Nations will remain a "closed competition" for the next decade at least.
The Lelos are currently ranked two places above Italy in World Rugby's rankings, and the Azzurri's ongoing struggles in the competition have led to debate on promotion and relegation.
However, Six Nations chief executive John Feehan told the Daily Mail that organisers would not be swayed by public opinion.
"It is a closed competition, owned and controlled by the six unions concerned," he said.
"There is no vacancy. Right now we are perfectly happy that we have the six strongest teams in Europe in our competition."
Feehan added: "Are we closed to every scenario? No, but it takes a while to see a convincing argument -- 10 or 15 years.
"We have to take a good, considered view about what is right for our six unions. They would all have to agree that this is what they want.
"At this stage, talk of bringing in other teams is premature."
Feehan also insisted that World Rugby had no right to intervene in how the Six Nations is run.
"World Rugby have no input into this tournament," he said. "They have no control over it, no ownership of it. It's not theirs to tell us what to do with it.
"It is World Rugby's job to develop the game. Our job is to run the Six Nations as we see fit. Do the unions have a responsibility to help develop and expand the game? Probably, yes, but should that go as far as messing with the most important tournament? Probably not."
Georgia told Six Nations has 'no vacancy'Fleetwood hat trick steers England women to victory
England overcame Italy 29-15 at Twickenham Stoop to preserve their unbeaten start to the Six Nations, but the win was marred by a red card for Katy Mclean.
A hat-trick of tries from hooker Vicky Fleetwood and one each from wings Amy Wilson Hardy and Kay Wilson helped the Red Roses secure a bonus-point victory despite being reduced to 13 players in the second half.
Replacement fly-half Mclean was shown a red card for a dangerous tackle and England then saw Poppy Cleall sent to the sin bin for the same offence.
Italy's tries came from wing Sofia Stefan, scrum-half Sara Barattin and full-back Manuela Furlan, but England safely saw out their third win in the championship.
Head coach Simon Middleton said: "Full marks to our players at the end, they showed fantastic character when they were down to 13 with eight minutes left on the clock."
Sarah Law's late penalty completed a remarkable comeback and gave Scotland a long-awaited victory in the Women's Six Nations.
The scrum-half kicked the vital points as Scotland beat Wales 15-14 - their first success in the competition since 2010. Wales raced into a 14-point lead through Carys Phillips' effort and a penalty try, with Elinor Snowsill adding the extras.
Lisa Thomson crashed over to give the Scots hope and Rhona Lloyd's try brought them to within a score before Law won the game with four minutes remaining.
Fleetwood hat trick steers England women to victorysamedi 25 février 2017
vendredi 24 février 2017
Women's Six Nations Preview -- Round 3
All the key stats and team news ahead of the third round of the Women's Six Nations.
Scotland vs. Wales
Friday, February 24 -- 18.20 (GMT)
Broadwood Stadium
Scotland:
TEAM | Here's your @Scotlandteam Women for Wales @Womens6Nations match this Friday! LIVE on https://t.co/veMnyo10s2#AsOnehttp://pic.twitter.com/nYdKRJ0K6N
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) February 22, 2017
Wales:
.@Womens6Nations Team News | Debuts for Joyce and Parker in Scotland this Friday night: https://t.co/hX1fdvvKzphttp://pic.twitter.com/MSFu7UTLE0
— Welsh Rugby Union 🏉 (@WelshRugbyUnion) February 21, 2017
Key Stats:
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Scotland Women have not avoided defeat in the Six Nations since their 6-all draw with Italy in Colleferro in 2010.
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Scotland Women have lost all six previous matches they have played at this level at Cumbernauld.
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Wales Women's only victory in their last four Six Nations matches was 20-8 over Italy in Jesi in round 1 this year. They have not won successive away games in the Six Nation's since 2013.
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The two nations have met on 29 previous occasions in test matches with Wales having the edge by sixteen wins to thirteen but the Welsh have won the last thirteen in succession since Scotland's 22-5 victory at Murrayfield in 2005.
England vs. Italy
Saturday, February 25 -- 13.00 (GMT)
The Stoop
England:
Your #RedRoses to face #ITA at The Stoop on Saturday in the @Womens6Nations. K.O 13:00 GMT, LIVE on @SkySports 2.
➡️ https://t.co/izVn9SFRgchttp://pic.twitter.com/6cItYTZJZY— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) February 23, 2017
Italy:
#Italdonne, Il XV di Di Giandomenico che affronterà l'Inghilterra 🏉 http://pic.twitter.com/QyE3WTH9SM
— Italrugby (@Federugby) February 23, 2017
Key Stats:
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England Women's only loss in their last seven Six Nations matches was 12-17 to France in Vannes in round 5 last year.
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England Women have lost just once at home since the end of the 2015 Championship: 20-25 to New Zealand at Twickenham Stoop in November.
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Italy Women have slipped to a pair of home defeats in the opening two rounds of the Six Nations, but won their most recent away game 16-12 over Wales in Aberavon last March - they have never won two away games in succession.
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The two nations have met on 16 previous occasions with England winning them all, with two of those matches being played at Twickenham Stoop, in 1993 and 2015.
Ireland vs. France
Sunday, February 26 -- 12.45 (GMT)
Donnybrook
Ireland:
.@spence_87 & @claire__mcl among the changes for Ireland Women #BringIthttps://t.co/G7GGv2dTfqhttp://pic.twitter.com/pfQ9Y0ULZw
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) February 23, 2017
France:
#FranceFéminines Voici votre XV de départ pour le match en Irlande. Les Bleues vous donnent rendez-vous dimanche pour un gros match! http://pic.twitter.com/M8WUU9qAbx
— FF Rugby (@FFRugby) February 22, 2017
Key Stats:
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Ireland Women have begun their Six Nations campaign with a pair of maximum point victories and have only once before started with three successive wins in the Championship, when they took the grand slam in 2013.
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Ireland's only defeat in their last 13 home games in the Six Nations was to France at Ashbourne in round 2, 2015.
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Ireland Women have played 6 previous tests at Donnybrook with their only defeat being 7-14 to Wales in 2006.
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France have lost just one of their last four Six Nations matches: 13-26 to England at Twickenham in round 1 and have not lost back-to-back away games in the championship since 2009.
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In 24 previous encounters between the two nations France have lost just twice, both at Ashbourne, in 2009 and 2013.
jeudi 23 février 2017
Sexton returns for Ireland against France
Johnny Sexton has fought off Paddy Jackson's challenge to start Ireland's RBS 6 Nations clash with France in Dublin on Saturday.
Sexton has been sidelined with calf trouble since Leinster's 24-24 European draw in Castres on January 20, but will now slot straight back in at fly-half for Ireland this weekend.
Skills coach Richie Murphy this week insisted Sexton had no "divine right" to selection, but boss Joe Schmidt has still drafted the British and Irish Lions star straight back into his starting line-up.
Sexton has not featured for Ireland since the autumn defeat to New Zealand in Dublin, and has clocked up just 130 minutes for Leinster since November.
Ulster fly-half Jackson has impressed in Sexton's many recent absences, notably in Ireland's summer tour to South Africa.
But Sexton's return to full fitness has led to his immediate recall, as expected. Ireland have made three changes from the side which overwhelmed Italy 63-10 in Rome on Saturday, February 11.
Jack McGrath slots back in to start at prop with Cian Healy dropping back to the bench, with captain Rory Best also back in the front row after missing the Italy win through a stomach bug.
Wing Andrew Trimble takes a seat on the bench after a groin injury, while Iain Henderson will also cover lock from the replacements.
Sexton can expect just the latest in a string of physical onslaughts from the French, who love nothing more than targeting Ireland's linchpin playmaker.
Sexton was knocked unconscious but scored two tries when Ireland edged out France 22-20 in Dublin in 2014 to land the Six Nations title in Brian O'Driscoll's final ever Test match.
The Leinster fly-half then suffered a nasty black eye amid a host of clashes with bullocking centre Mathieu Bastareaud when Ireland saw off France 18-11 in Dublin in the 2015 Six Nations.
The French made a big play of targeting Sexton ahead of the World Cup 2015 clash with Ireland, only for Schmidt's men to emerge victorious 24-9 in Cardiff.
Ireland: Kearney, Earls, Ringrose, Henshaw, Zebo, Sexton, Murray, McGrath, Best, Furlong, D Ryan, Toner, CJ Stander, O'Brien, Heaslip.
Replacements: Scannell, Healy, J Ryan, Henderson, O'Mahony, Marmion, Jackson, Trimble
Sexton returns for Ireland against FranceJohn Barclay to captain Scotland
Vern Cotter has named John Barclay as captain and has made five changes to the Scotland team to face Wales in the Six Nations clash at Murrayfield on Saturday.
Barclay was named in the absence of the injured Greig Laidlaw and partners John Hardie and Ryan Wilson in the back-row.
Ali Price comes in for the injured Laidlaw, with Harlequins winger Tim Visser replacing the injured Sean Maitland on the wing. Huw Jones and Alex Dunbar continue their midfield partnership and Gordon Reid makes his first Championship start in the front row.
Scotland: Hogg, Visser, Dunbar, Jones, Seymour, Russell, Price; Reid, Brown, Fagerson, R Gray, J Gray, Barclay, Hardie, Wilson.
Replacements: Ford, Dell, Berghan, Swinson, Watson, Pyrgos, Weir, Bennett.
More to follow
John Barclay to captain Scotlandmercredi 22 février 2017
England drop Joseph for Italy clash
England will field a new-look centre partnership against Italy Sunday after dropping Jonathan Joseph for the Six Nations clash at Twickenham.
Joseph is omitted from the 24-man squad retained to continue preparations for the next phase of the Grand Slam defence, denying him even a bench role against Conor O'Shea's Azzurri.
It is the second time the Bath centre has been dropped by Eddie Jones, after making way for Elliot Daly in last autumn's victory over South Africa, and it is his rival from Wasps who could also usurp him at outside centre on this occasion.
Owen Farrell, who is set to win his 50th cap, is in contention at fly-half inside a midfield partnership that may see Ben Te'o make his first start alongside Daly.
Te'o made a telling impact when coming off the bench against France and Wales, while Daly has been among England's best-performing backs since breaking into the starting XV last autumn.
Anthony Watson is poised to appear in an England match-day squad for the first time since the June tour to Australia after recovering from the hamstring injury he suffered last month.
Along with Daly, Watson is seen as a possible long-term replacement for Mike Brown at full-back.
Brown is present among the 24 and will start against Italy, with Watson, Jonny May and Jack Nowell appearing to be in contention for the wing spots.
England may give James Haskell his first start since the clean sweep of the Wallabies after declaring the openside is fit enough to step up from the 'finisher' role he has performed so far in the Six Nations.
England squad
Forwards: J Clifford (Harlequins), D Cole (Leicester Tigers), J George (Saracens), D Hartley (Northampton Saints), J Haskell (Wasps), N Hughes (Wasps), M Itoje (Saracens), J Launchbury (Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Tom Wood (Northampton Saints).
Backs: M Brown (Harlequins), D Care (Harlequins), E Daly (Wasps), O Farrell (Saracens), G Ford (Bath Rugby), J May (Gloucester Rugby), J Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), H Slade (Exeter Chiefs), B Te'o (Worcester Warriors), A Watson (Bath Rugby), B Youngs (Leicester Tigers).
England drop Joseph for Italy clashWales welcome back North for Scotland clash
George North has been passed fit to start for Wales in their Six Nations clash with Scotland on Saturday.
Northampton Saints wing North was a late withdrawal from the Welsh team that lost 21-16 to England 11 days ago but returns in the only change to that side.
As expected, interim head coach Rob Howley has kept faith with in-form back row Ross Moriarty, meaning Taulupe Faletau once again has to make do with a place on the bench.
Faletau is joined among the replacements by Bath teammate Luke Charteris. Alex Cuthbert, who replaced North against England, has dropped out of the matchday 23.
"We have been able to select from a position of strength which is a huge positive and it is good to welcome George [North] back into the starting XV and Luke [Charteris] on to the bench," Howley said.
"In terms of intensity and performance, we stepped up a level against England and we need to take the positives from that performance and take it into 80 minutes against Scotland at Murrayfield.
"We know what we are capable of and we want to deliver that on Saturday alongside the result, which international rugby is all about."
Wales welcome back North for Scotland clashmardi 21 février 2017
lundi 20 février 2017
dimanche 19 février 2017
Farrell in the 'conversation' for Lions captaincy
Two former British & Irish Lions captains believe Owen Farrell should be considered as a candidate to lead this summer's tour to New Zealand, but both ultimately back Alun Wyn Jones for the post.
Brian O'Driscoll and Martin Johnson see world player of the year nominee Farrell, who has developed into a world-class playmaker under Eddie Jones, as a genuine contender as skipper.
But the pair, who between them have been on seven Lions tours, agree that Wales second-row Jones is the outstanding choice for the role.
"Owen Farrell plays at 10 or 12 and for me he's a shoe in for the Test team. I think he has to come into the conversation over the captaincy," said O'Driscoll, who was speaking on behalf of Land Rover, a principal partner of the British & Irish Lions.
"His temperament has improved incredibly. Gone is the narky Farrell. He looks calm and controlled and is playing brilliantly at the moment.
"You don't want to be picking a tour and a Test captain, ideally you want to be picking the same and I still think Alun Wyn is a great pick for that.
"I'd still have him in my Test team and he's been playing well. He gets through an insane amount of work.
"He has that important confrontational style and there's a lot of respect for him in New Zealand, so for me he's still very much the front runner."
Johnson sees Farrell as a possibility but England's World Cup-winning skipper is a big admirer of Jones.
"Owen has obviously been captain of England at the end of games -- he will go on tour and he will be an important part of the leadership group," Johnson said.
"Maybe just let him play, but he could do the captaincy -- there's no reason why not.
"A lot can change and he has played very well, but Alun Wyn Jones maybe has his nose in front.
"I don't know him but what he says is very sensible. You nod your head when you read what he says and 'he is right there' he seems like a sensible guy."
Farrell in the 'conversation' for Lions captaincyWoodward alarmed by talk of replacing Hartley
Sir Clive Woodward stated his dismay at talk surrounding the possibility of Eddie Jones replacing Dylan Hartley as captain for England's upcoming Six Nations clash with Italy.
"I've been a little alarmed at talk of England making a whole raft of changes for the Italy game and even switching captaincy mid tournament and replacing Dylan Hartley with Owen Farrell," Woodward wrote in the Mail on Sunday.
"Stop right there. England are on a massive roll and the momentum is with them but in the cold light of day so far in the 2017 Six Nations they have won two games they could easily have lost. They have scraped through both by the skin of their teeth. There's a stack of work to do."
Woodward believes England should go out and "batter" the Italians in front of a packed Twickenham and in doing so make a statement of intent. The former World Cup winning coach believes they can't take their foot off the "accelerator" by making wholesale changes, with games against Scotland and Ireland to come.
England have gone on a 16 consecutive game winning streak, 15 games under Jones in which Hartley has played a role and Woodward believes if the system is working, why change it.
"As for Hartley, his record for England under Eddie Jones as the starting captain is an astonishing 15 out of 15 in the last 14 months or so. He is the England captain for the Six Nations and he should continue to start and lead the team.
"To these eyes what he needs is more rugby not less. He's not playing particularly badly but he is still clearly working up to full match fitness. What he needs now is a full 80-minute work out against Italy. Why try to fix what ain't broken?"
Woodward alarmed by talk of replacing HartleyTributes flow for late Wallabies lock Vickerman
Wallabies both past and present have led the tributes for late Test lock Dan Vickerman.
The rugby world was shocked to hear of Vickerman's passing after he was found dead at home in Sydney on Sunday morning. The death is not being treated as suspicious.
Vickerman was renowned for his physicality and set-piece prowess at both international and Super Rugby level, but it was his personable and team-first demeanour that teammates recalled via social media on Sunday.
Current Wallabies captain Stephen Moore was among those to express his condolences, tweeting Vickerman was someone "everyone loved playing alongside".
Vicks was somebody everyone loved playing alongside. Learnt so much from him. Thinking of his family and team mates. Rest in peace mate.
— Stephen Moore (@stevemoore83) February 19, 2017
Incredibly sad to wake up to the news about Dan Vickerman. One of the greats on & off the field Thoughts are with his family
Rest Easy Vicks— James Horwill (@JHorwill) February 19, 2017
Very saddened to learn of the passing of Dan Vickerman. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, children, friends and family. #RIPVicks
— Michael Lynagh (@LynaghMichael) February 19, 2017
Incredibly saddened waking up to the news of Dan Vickerman. A true gentleman of the game. Thoughts are with his family.
Rest easy Vicks— Adam Ashley-Cooper (@AdamCoopy) February 19, 2017
Just horrible sad news to wake to.. The big V.. Always a protector for me on the field & a great drinking partner off it.. Rest easy Vicks 😢
— Matt Giteau (@giteau_rugby) February 19, 2017
I had my arm around you for most of our playing days brother. No words can express the sadness... https://t.co/xkxjG9UFoc
— Nathan Sharpe (@NathanSharpe5) February 19, 2017
Vickerman's loss was also felt in South Africa, his country of birth, with Springboks greats Victor Matfield and Bryan Habana also expressing their sadness via social media.
Thoughts and prayers with the Vickerman family and their loved ones this morning. Such sad news to wake up to 😢🙏🏽
— Bryan Habana (@BryanHabana) February 19, 2017
Waking up to sad news about Dan Vickerman this morning. Always enjoyed playing against him. A real competitor and a great guy.
— Victor Matfield (@VictorMatfield) February 19, 2017
Thoughts and prayers go out to his family!! #toomany#tooyoung! #RILDanVickerman. https://t.co/pja1mIFNoS
— Tana Umaga (@tanaumaga) February 19, 2017
Vickerman's passing comes only a week after former All Blacks back-rower Sione Lauaki died of illness, and merely a fortnight after Springboks great Joost van der Westhuizen lost his long battle with Motor Neurone Disease.
Tributes flow for late Wallabies lock VickermanHaskell ready to start for England
James Haskell insists he has morphed from a "wardrobe with a head" into a Terminator during his rehabilitation from a serious toe injury.
England resume their Grand Slam defence when they host Italy next Sunday, with Haskell now considered fit enough to start after acting as one of Eddie Jones' 'finishers' in the victories over France and Wales.
The 31-year-old was a bulwark of the RBS 6 Nations champions' success under Jones until foot surgery resulted in a seven-month absence that finally came to an end in January.
It was during the lay-off that the muscle-bound flanker tried new approaches to enhance his game.
"I have just worked very hard on my mobility. I run a fitness business and people get bogged down with the idea I spend all my time in the gym, but I never do any bodybuilding training or anything like that," Haskell said.
"All my training is focussed around mobility and being a better rugby player. That is what I have hammered hard. We have done a lot of stretching sessions.
"Now I probably look more like a T1000 as opposed to a wardrobe with a head. I move a little bit better, but I don't think I will be Usain Bolt any time soon.
"When injured, I've tried to find the best people to work with. I've done weird and wonderful things. I've even been tied to a treadmill running backwards.
"Bar getting some nutty woman shouting at your foot with a crystal waving over your injury, I pretty much would be open-minded to try whatever I could."
Haskell's comeback at Wasps was interrupted by concussion and then difficulty with the troublesome toe and while the injury continues to be problematic, he insists he is ready to start against Italy.
"A lot of people would assume that you have surgery, come back and everything's going to be great, but it's an ongoing process," Haskell said.
"It's been a bit of a longer road for me. It's not perfect, but I'm being managed well and I hope it's one of things that will progressively get better over time.
"Basically, I had my tendon reattached and had something called the planter plate. I'm just left with an angry joint and an upset toe, really.
"Obviously David Haye gave a bit of a bad rap for toes, even though he'll probably knock me out for saying that. But it just goes to prove how important your foot is - you do everything with it, especially when you play sport.
"You have good days and you have bad days but that's the nature of the injury I've got. I think I've been ready to play 80 for a while, but I haven't had the match experience. I've really enjoyed the role of coming off the bench.
"It's always hard because you're coming into a very intense game, but you know you can go, pardon the expression, 'balls to wall' throughout that period of time and have no problems."
Haskell ready to start for Englandsamedi 18 février 2017
vendredi 17 février 2017
Borthwick defends England captain Hartley
Steve Borthwick has offered a robust defence of England captain Dylan Hartley amid speculation over his position in the team.
Hartley has led the reigning Six Nations champions with distinction throughout the 15-Test winning run established on the watch of Eddie Jones, but replacement hooker Jamie George is having a bigger influence on matches.
Just 46 minutes into the 21-16 victory over Wales, Hartley made way for George and the Saracens front row's impact was immediate.
The indications from Friday's opening training session at Twickenham, however, are that Hartley will continue to fill the number two jersey when England's Grand Slam defence resumes against Italy on Feb. 26.
"Dylan has been fantastic. He has been a brilliant captain," forwards coach Borthwick said. "I say that from the experience of looking at what he has done and the challenges the England captain faces.
"He has been fantastic and the level of his performance has been excellent also. I coach those players very, very closely.
"We have two top quality players competing for that position and that is an enviable position that lots of people would look at.
"In Dylan we have a brilliant captain. I don't just mean match day, I mean every minute of every day he has been a brilliant captain for us."
George's inability to break into the starting XV despite being acknowledged as England's top performing hooker is not dampening his spirits, according to Borthwick.
"Jamie's attitude has been fantastic. What Jamie is doing is excellent, it's great for the team and he has performed well," he said.
Borthwick defends England captain HartleyFaletau returns for Bath trip to Quins
Taulupe Faletau will return to club duties for Bath against Harlequins in the Aviva Premiership on Saturday.
The Wales No. 8 made his comeback from a knee injury via the bench in the second round of the Six Nations as England prevailed 21-16 in Cardiff.
Faletau will start at the back of the scrum for Bath as he bids to prove his fitness for Wales' next Six Nations challenge away to Scotland on Feb. 25.
Wales interim coach Rob Howley has released several squad players to their clubs -- including fly-half Sam Davies who will start for Ospreys against Munster in the Pro12.
Meanwhile livewire Springboks outside back Willie le Roux is set to make his Premiership debut for Wasps.
The South African has been named on the bench as Dai Young's side visit Sale at the AJ Bell Stadium on Sunday.
Faletau returns for Bath trip to Quinsjeudi 16 février 2017
Vunipola returns from injury for Saracens
England prop Mako Vunipola will make an eagerly awaited return from injury for Saracens against Gloucester this Friday in the Aviva Premiership.
Vunipola has missed the start of England's defence of their Six Nations crown having been sidelined with a knee injury he sustained in December.
He sustained ligament damage in the Premiership clash with Sale and was left out of England's training squad ahead of their Six Nations clash with Italy a week on Sunday at Twickenham.
Eddie Jones will hope he gets through Friday nights clash at Kingsholm, with a view to have the ball-carrying front row back for their crucial games with Scotland and then Ireland on the last day of the Championship.
Having spent nine weeks on the sideline he will have to prove his fitness to fight his way back into contention for a starting role in the England team.
Saracens are five points off league leaders Wasps and coming off the back of their 24-18 defeat at Worcester, Mark McCall will hope his charges can get back to winning ways away after two games without a win.
Gloucester meanwhile will hope to put further distance between themselves and the relegation battle going on below them.
Vunipola returns from injury for Saracensmercredi 15 février 2017
Greig Laidlaw out of Six Nations
Scotland skipper Greig Laidlaw has been ruled out for the rest of the RBS 6 Nations, the Scottish Rugby Union has announced.
The Gloucester scrum-half suffered an ankle injury just before half-time as the Dark Blues lost 22-16 to France in Paris in Saturday.
He left the Stade de France on crutches and was sent back to the Kingsholm Stadium on Monday to be assessed by his club medics.
But Scots head coach Vern Cotter has now been given the bad news that Laidlaw will miss the remainder of the tournament. It is a considerable blow for a side who have come to rely on Laidlaw, not only for his leadership skills but also his goal-kicking abilities.
Ali Price took over at nine at the weekend and looks likely to keep the jersey when Scotland welcome Wales to Murrayfield next Saturday. However, Cotter must now decide who will take over the capitaincy duties.
Flanker John Barclay took over the armband when Laidlaw limped off against France, but was soon himself replaced after suffering a head knock. Jonny Gray became the Scots' third skipper of the day when Barclay was replaced and has long been tipped as a future national team captain.
A statement from the SRU said: "A scan undertaken at his club, Gloucester, confirmed the clinical suspicion that the 58-times capped scrum-half sustained ligament damage midway through the first half.
"The extent of the damage is such that he will take no further part in the current championship. Laidlaw will see a specialist later in the week to determine the best course of management and estimated time out of the sport."
Greig Laidlaw out of Six NationsCheika in a bid to bring Beale home
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika will soon start preparing his bid to bring former NSW Waratahs star Kurtley Beale back home.
Beale agreed to a whopping $1.45 million per year deal with English Premiership side Wasps last year and after finally recovering from a long-term knee injury, was named man-of-the-match on his debut in early December.
The 28-year-old utility hasn't scored since, but has played seven matches for the club in total and appears to be finding his bearings again after an unsettling seven months out of the game.
Cheika, however, is desperate to have Beale back in Super Rugby as soon as possible as he continues on his mission to build depth in Australian rugby.
There is reportedly a clause in his two-year contract that permits Beale to exit the club after one season if he desires.
But with 68 Test caps, he falls on the right side of the 'Giteau law' and is eligible to play for the Wallabies from abroad, which could be an incentive to see out the full length of his record-breaking Wasps contract.
With the 2019 World Cup in Japan fast approaching, Cheika said he will "definitely" put his case to Beale before the Premiership campaign ends in May.
If successful, it could mean an early pre-finals gift for the Waratahs.
"I spoke to him when we were on tour and he told how he was going over there and kept me up to date with where he's at," Cheika told AAP.
"Obviously I'm keen for him to come back, there's no doubt about that. "I'm sure that time will come around soon enough, when it's time to start putting our proposal to him and start speaking about coming back.
"He's one of our top players and we're very, very keen for him to be playing in Australia - even though he's still eligible to play for the Wallabies from overseas."
Beale was in career-best form before he suffered a ruptured patella tendon in May last year against the Bulls - less than 24 hours after his deal with Wasps was announced.
When he left the Waratahs, he said he hadn't "closed the book" on Australian rugby and wanted to finish his career at home.
"He still plays really good rugby, there's no doubt about that, and he's come back from the injury very well - that's what I know," Cheika said.
"He's had no side-effects from the injury and it was a pretty big one, which is very positive."
Cheika in a bid to bring Beale homemardi 14 février 2017
VOTE: Who should captain the Lions in New Zealand?
Players, coaches and captains might not want to look too far ahead, but the opening two rounds of the 2017 Six Nations has only whetted the appetite for this summer's British & Irish Lions tour of New Zealand.
The scintillating, nail-biting rugby on display so far would suggest that head coach Warren Gatland has a fair few decisions to make between now and April 19.
But as he drafts and re-drafts his squad, one call will dominate his thoughts more than any other: Who should lead the Lions into battle?
Will Greenwood believes Owen Farrell is "leadership material", while Rory Best, Dylan Hartley, Sam Warburton and Alun Wyn Jones have all been mentioned as contenders.
But who gets your vote?
Rory Best (Ireland)
The hooker missed Ireland's romp in Italy due to illness, but he has shown impressive leadership qualities since assuming the captaincy ahead of last year's Six Nations. Would bring a wealth of experience to the role, but not a guaranteed starter.
Owen Farrell (England)
Reports on Monday suggested that Eddie Jones was ready to hand Farrell the England captaincy against Italy. The Saracens man's influence over England has grown in the last 12 months, and he seems to be a shoo-in to start the first Lions Test.
Dylan Hartley (England)
Hartley appears to have a real battle on his hands to keep his place in the England team ahead of Jamie George. His role in Jones' men's unbeaten run cannot be questioned, though, and he is England's undoubted leader on the pitch.
Alun Wyn Jones (Wales)
Jones led the Lions in the final Test of their victorious tour of Australia four years ago and has assumed the Wales captaincy for the Six Nations. Leads by example whether he is wearing the armband or not, and will have a huge role to play in New Zealand.
Greig Laidlaw (Scotland)
The Scotland scrum-half has played a key role in his side's improvement under Vern Cotter, supplying composure and a deadly boot from the kicking tee. Is unlikely to start in the Lions Test team, however, so may well be an option for the midweek side.
Sam Warburton (Wales)
His decision to relinquish the Wales captaincy this spring has borne fruit with some dominant displays against Italy and England. Led the Lions impressively in Australia as they secured a series win and remains a favourite of Gatland.
VOTE: Who should captain the Lions in New Zealand?
lundi 13 février 2017
dimanche 12 février 2017
Women's Six Nations: England crush Wales
World champions England scored 11 tries as they crushed Wales in Cardiff to make it two successive Women's Six Nations wins this season.
Wales had no answer at the Arms Park in front of a 4,000-strong crowd as England's women followed up last weekend's Twickenham victory over France by blitzing their opponents 63-0.
Worcester wing Lydia Thompson led the way by scoring three tries, while Amy Wilson-Hardy and Danielle Waterman both crossed twice.
And the one-sided success was further underlined through touchdowns from Amy Cokayne, Natasha Hunt, Katy McLean and Sarah Hunter, with Emily Scarratt kicking four conversions.
England led 36-0 at half-time, and it was always damage-limitation for a Wales team outgunned in every key department.
Meanwhile France defeated Scotland 55-0 on Saturday evening. It took France 17 minutes to break the deadlock when number 8, Safi N'Diaye crashed over in the right corner.
Ten minutes later it was winger Shannon Izar who used her pace to run in a second try. Two became three when second row Lenaig Corson broke through the Scottish cover to touch down under the posts for a 17-0 half-time lead.
Two minutes after the restart, Élodie Poublan scored France's fourth try before winger Elodie Guiglion stretched their lead to 29-0 eight minutes into the half.
Le Pesq Jade added a brace while Caroline Ladagnous and Camille Cabalou rounding off the victory with a try each.
Women's Six Nations: England crush Walessamedi 11 février 2017
Top 14 Wrap - Racing thrash Bayonne in Paris
Gerbrandt Grobler and Teddy Thomas both grabbed a brace as Racing 92 ran in nine tries in a 59-20 win over Bayonne.
Despite falling behind to two Martin Bustos Moyano penalties inside eight minutes, Racing bossed their visitors in the opening half.
Tries from Brice Dulin, Henry Chavancy, Gerbrandt Grobler and Dimitri Szarzewski gave them a 26-13 half-time lead. Grobler and Thomas added tries within 10 minutes of the restart before Moyano was sin-binned.
That saw Racing continue to edge clear with Thomas adding his second try of the game with a quarter-hour remaining. Jose Ramon Ayarza got a consolation try for Bayonne before James Hart, who had kicked five conversions got over for a try.
Antoine Gibert converted and there was still time for Racing to get a ninth as Marc Andreu crossed with two minutes remaining to compound Bayonne's woes.
Top 14 Wrap - Racing thrash Bayonne in ParisGold heaps praise on Hougaard, Mills
Francois Hougaard starred in Worcester's surprise Premiership win over Saracens.
Worcester director of rugby Gary Gold heaped praise on half-backs Ryan Mills and Francois Hougaard after Warriors pulled off a shock 24-18 win over Aviva Premiership champions Saracens at Sixways.
Mills kicked all of the hosts' points with his eight penalties from nine attempts, securing him a club record for points in a Premiership fixture.
His partnership with former South Africa scrum-half Hougaard kept Saracens firmly on the back foot, with the pair's astute kicking penning the visitors in their own half.
"Francois and Ryan were the generals out there as our objective was to not let them have opportunities in our own half," Gold said.
"Severe discipline from both of them kept Saracens in the right areas of the field and Hougaard has world-class ability and is pivotal to us as he has strong influence on the squad. I'm not surprised that opposition target him.
"Ryan is a natural 12 and he is only filling in at 10 but we don't want to chop and change the team too much."
Worcester's surprise win took them five points clear of Bristol at the bottom of the table, with the Sixways fixture between the strugglers on March 5 looking crucial in the battle to avoid the drop.
Gold added: "I'm proud of the guys as they had to take in a lot of information in a short space of time. [Saturday's match] was all about showing the fans that we care. As long as we showed fight, the result wasn't as important.
"We didn't want to do anything flash and there wasn't any scientific in our tactics but we needed to shore up our defence.
"It'll prove to the boys that they can do it but the issue is whether we are able to repeat it and it's not a one-off as we have to play many of the good teams in the Premiership in our remaining fixtures."
An out-of-sorts Saracens still managed to score the only tries of the game, with Chris Ashton and Schalk Brits crossing.
Alex Lozowski kicked a penalty and a conversion with Ben Spencer's late penalty securing his side a scarcely deserved bonus point.
Their director of rugby Mark McCall said: "It was very disappointing but all credit to Worcester, who pressurised and harassed us throughout.
"Our set-piece was very poor, particularly in the first half, as we couldn't gain a platform.
"We chased the game too early, our discipline was bad and they kicked very well to keep us on the back foot."
Diamond twinkling after Sale end winless run
Sale had not enjoyed an Aviva Premiership win since October 2016 before their victory over Newcastle Falcons.
Sale Sharks' director or rugby Steve Diamond praised his side's attacking mindset after they defeated Newcastle Falcons for their first Premiership triumph since October.
The Greater Manchester outfit scored three tries through Denny Solomona, Byron McGuigan and Bryn Evans, but Vereniki Goneva's hat trick and another effort by Juan Pablo Socino looked to have given the visitors the victory.
However, Will Addison's late penalty -- his third of the night -- saw the Sharks snatch a 26-24 win at the AJ Bell Stadium.
"We stuck to our guns, we were always trying to play rugby, we went down the shortside and they got two interceptions, but we're not going to say anything bad about that," he said.
"That's how we want to be playing. The scrum was good all night, it became dominant in the last 15 minutes and we got the penalty to win it.
"We've played well since Christmas if I'm honest. We lost to Bristol in a game we should never have lost and we were hard done by down in Harlequins."
Sale's victory moved them 11 points clear of bottom-placed Bristol and took them seven behind Newcastle, who went up one position to eighth following their two bonus points.
Falcons' boss Dean Richards said: "We struggled to get into their half in the first half, even though we scored a couple of nice tries," Richards said. "In the second half we had a little bit more territory but we probably didn't play as well as we should have done.
"It wasn't just the discipline of giving penalties away at silly times, it's the discipline to get into your own shape, accurately execute things and with that we lacked that discipline to execute.
"We struggled to break them down a little bit but that again comes back to us being a little bit more accurate about what we're doing and we weren't accurate in any way, shape, or form."
Future Lions tours face fixture cuts
The length of future British & Irish Lions tours is under the microscope as leading English clubs call for a reduction.
The Daily Mail has reported that a new condensed tour format of eight matches is on the agenda as part of ongoing discussions of a global season overhaul.
Warren Gatland will lead the Lions to his native New Zealand this year for 10 matches -- three of which are Tests against the All Blacks.
Lions chief executive John Feehan is reluctant to have less tour games, but concedes that may be the best case scenario for all parties.
"Compromise has to be part of the deal,' Feehan told the Daily Mail.
"There may be some adjusting -- timing, the number of games -- but the key point is that all of the unions recognise the importance of the Lions.'
Future Lions tours face fixture cutsBlackadder calls for Bath to close out games
Bath's Rhys Priestland was mobbed by teammates after his late penalty earned victory over Northampton Saints.
Bath director of rugby Todd Blackadder wants his players to learn how to close down a game after only a last-gasp penalty from Rhys Preistland earned them victory over Northampton.
The Saints came back from 22-9 down to lead 30-29 with three minutes to go before Priestland edged the hosts to a 32-30 win.
"To get five points is huge for us. I'd take that any day," Blackadder said. "The learning for us is that we let them back into the game. We've got to learn to shut teams out.
"We let them back in through our indiscipline. Their line-outs were hard to stop. I have to say, if anything, there are a few demons running through people's heads."
Northampton director of rugby Jim Mallinder was more concerned with the officiating of key moments in the match, particularly what appeared to be a forward pass from Ben Tapuai to Chris Cook for Bath's bonus-point try.
"We conceded a penalty try from the scrum. We had a maul five metres out, charging for the line, and was brought down. They got a yellow card there. And then of course, their last try when they were down to 14 men. I'd just have loved Wayne [Barnes] to go upstairs and use the technology which was available."
He said: "My first instinct straightaway was 'forward'. It looked forward. Looking at the replays I can see it's forward. I just wish everybody else could see that."
Tainton bittersweet over Varndell record
Bristol Rugby's Tom Varndell is now the Aviva Premiership's all-time leading try-scorer.
Bristol head coach Mark Tainton paid tribute to Tom Varndell for breaking the Premiership try-scoring record but admitted the achievement was soured by their comprehensive 42-8 defeat to Harlequins.
Varndell registered the 91st try of his career, putting him ahead of Sale's Mark Cueto at the top of the chart. However, he was forced off the field shortly after and, while Tainton saluted his wing, he was unable to hide his dissatisfaction at how the evening unfolded.
He said: "It's a magnificent effort and I'm delighted for him as it's thoroughly deserved but him leaving the field with a toe injury and our defeat put a dampener on it.
"There is no divine right to win matches and maybe after our [32-26 defeat] at Northampton in our last Premiership game, we thought we were better than we are.
"We started slowly but by halftime we had clawed ourselves back into it but after the interval our intensity wasn't good enough. We didn't win enough possession and individual errors cost us as they didn't have to work too hard for their tries."
Quins had shown some indifferent form recently but they produced a classy performance to seal a first away win in the Premiership since May 2016.
Director of rugby John Kingston said: "It was still a tough game as they had two or three really strong periods of play but we had the rub of the green with the bounce of the ball at crucial times.
"After their performance at Northampton in defeat, we were under no illusions about the task in hand but we were excellent as we made them look ordinary.
"We should have been further ahead at the interval but it was a wearing down process and we were rewarded in that second half."
Next week, Quins have a tough assignment against Bath.
Kingston said: "It hasn't been all plain sailing this season but we've won eight out of 14 games. They are in fourth position in the league and that is where we aspire to be as we want to finish in the top four and win the Anglo-Welsh Cup as we are disappointed to be out of Europe."
Joseph: Hostile Welsh crowd will fire up England
Eddie Jones may resort to cuddling to get his England players firing, but Jonathan Joseph says the hostility of the Welsh crowd in Cardiff is enough motivation for him.
While Jones' has revealed the way he approaches performance psychology, the atmosphere at the Principality Stadium on Saturday has been identified as a potential game-changer for Saturday's Six Nations clash between the two countries.
"I quite like it, it spurs me on and gets me going," said Joseph, who was superb on England's last visit to the Welsh capital, scoring a decisive try by wriggling through several tackles. "I think that it does that to a lot of the other boys too.
"You just have to take it in your stride. It's going to be loud and it's going to be noisy."
Jones insisted he has been psychologically "cuddling" his England players in anticipation of the renewal of a special rivalry.
On two occasions this week he apologised to his players en masse, confessing that he failed to prepare them properly for their 19-16 victory over France; in the build-up to Wales he has been busy working on their psyches.
"You've got to either whip them, kick them, cuddle them, kiss them. You've got to find some way to get a better performance," he said.
"There's been a bit of cuddling this week, not in the physical sense, but in the mental sense. No one in particular.
"We were disappointed with how we played against France because we wanted to start the tournament with a bang.
"Wales is one of those games where, if you're an Englishman, you're going to get excited. It's one of those traditional games and means so much to their supporters and to our supporters.
"It means so much to our team, it means so much to their team. That always adds a little bit. We will definitely play better, we will play well enough to win."
Joseph: Hostile Welsh crowd will fire up Englandvendredi 10 février 2017
Women's Six Nations Preview -- Round 2
All the key stats and team news ahead of the second round of the Women's Six Nations.
Wales vs. England
Saturday, February 11 -- 11.30
BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park
Wales:
.@Womens6Nations Team Announcement | #WalesWomen team to face England Women on Saturday morning in @ArmsParkCardiff: https://t.co/x5wlxsMpP5 http://pic.twitter.com/aauKSsg05q
— Welsh Rugby Union 🏉 (@WelshRugbyUnion) February 9, 2017
England:
Your #RedRoses team to face Wales in Cardiff on Saturday 🌹
K.O 11:30 GMT, LIVE on @SkySports 3.
Full preview: https://t.co/WLYn0ElTvV http://pic.twitter.com/wMk7o2f5zt
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) February 8, 2017
Key Stats:
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Wales Women have won their last two test matches, against Scotland in a friendly in October and in Italy in round 1 of the Six Nations, but have not won three successive tests since 2009.
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Wales have won three of their last four home games with their 15-0 victory over Scotland at BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park on 29 October ending a run of six successive defeats at the venue at this level.
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England Women's 26-13 come from behind victory against France at Twickenham last weekend was the biggest comeback in the history of the Women's Six Nations, having been 13-0 down after 44 minutes.
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England have lost only one of their last six Women's Six Nations encounters, against France in Vannes in round 5 last year .
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The two nations have met on 33 previous occasions at this level with the only two Welsh victories being by a single point at Taff's Well in 2009 and 13-0 at Swansea in 2015.
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England Women have played four previous test matches at BT Cardiff Arms Park with their only defeat at the venue being in the 1991 World Cup final against the USA.
France vs. Scotland
Saturday, February 11 -- 20.00 (GMT)
Marcel Deflandre, La Rochelle
France:
#FranceFéminines La composition pour France-Ecosse 📝:
L'encadrement a renouvelé sa confiance aux XV titulaires défaites en Angleterre. http://pic.twitter.com/H5eAQIiRwL— FF Rugby (@FFRugby) February 8, 2017
Scotland:
TEAM | The @Scotlandteam Women side to take on France was announced today with Lana Skeldon joining the group | https://t.co/JPksFaumJI http://pic.twitter.com/in8XvlqawL
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) February 8, 2017
Key Stats:
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France Women tripped up to England at Twickenham in round 1 of the Six Nations but have not lost back-to-back encounters in the Championship in the same season since rounds 4 and 5 in 2006.
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France Women have won their last nine home games since losing 16-18 to Canada in Paris in the semifinal of the 2014 Women's World Cup.
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Scotland Women came within a whisker of ending their long unwanted losing streak in the Women's Six Nations against Ireland in round 1, level at 15-all only to concede a decisive try with the last play of the game. Scotland had not scored as many points in a Woman Six Nations match since also tallying 15 against France at Meggetland in 2008.
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The two nations have met on 23 previous occasions in capped internationals with Scotland's most recent victory being 10-8 at Lasswade during the 2010 Six Nations.
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La Rochelle hosts its first Women's international.
Italy vs. Ireland
Sunday, February 12 -- 13.00 (GMT)
Stadio Tommaso Fattori, L'Aquila
Italy:
TBC
Ireland:
Here's your Ireland team for @Womens6Nations v @Federugby #BringIt http://pic.twitter.com/KImNiatHNQ
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) February 9, 2017
Key Stats:
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Italy's only two victories in their last six Women's Six Nations encounters were against Scotland in Bologna and Wales in Aberavon.
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Ireland Women have won their last three matches in the Women's Six Nations whilst their only two defeats in the Championship since round 2, 2015 were on trips to France and England last year.
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The two nations have met on 14 previous occasions with Italy's only previous victory being on their first ever clash in Nice in 1997.
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This will be the first Women's international test match to be stage at the Stadio Tommaso Fattori in L'Aquila.
jeudi 9 février 2017
Jones opts for open roof for England against Wales
England head coach Eddie Jones has asked for the roof of the Principality Stadium to remain open for Saturday's Six Nations clash with Wales in Cardiff.
Wales had asked the Six Nations organisers before the tournament for the roof to be closed in all their home matches, but the ruling went against them, Under Six Nations regulations, the decision on whether the roof would be open or closed is with the visiting coach.
It has been an ongoing topic of discussion leading into Saturday's Test with Wales openly stating they wanted the roof closed. At their press conference on Thursday, interim coach Rob Howley said he expected it to be shut due to Jones' lack of opinion on the matter but the England coach had until 48 hours before the game to make a decision.
Earlier in the day, Jones said: "It's not my decision to make whether it increases the atmosphere or not. I'm not an entertainer, I'm a coach, and I will make a decision when it's appropriate."
After leaving the call until the final moments before the deadline, the England management made the decision to have the roof open.
Jones opts for open roof for England against WalesBiggar, North passed fit, as Faletau returns for Wales
Wales have been boosted by the return of Taulupe Faletau -- selected among the replacements -- while Dan Biggar and George North have both been passed fit for Saturday's blockbuster Six Nations clash with England at the Principality Stadium.
Faletau hasn't played since injuring his medial knee ligaments against Wasps on Christmas Eve.
Wales interim coach Rob Howley has opted to rotate his props, with Rob Evans and Tom Francis to start while Nicky Smith and Samson Lee drop to the bench.
Wales team:
Halfpenny, North, J Davies, S Williams, L Williams, Biggar, Webb; Evans, Owens, Francis, Ball, Jones (capt), Warburton, Tipuric, Moriarty.
Replacements:
Baldwin, Smith, Lee, Hill, Faletau, G Davies, S Davies, Roberts.
Biggar, North passed fit, as Faletau returns for WalesClifford and Nowell start for England
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Tom HamiltonRugby Editor
England have made two changes for Saturday's trip to Wales with Jack Clifford and Jack Nowell both starting.
Clifford comes in at openside in place of Tom Wood while Nowell replaces Jonny May on the right wing. Wood drops to the bench, replacing Teimana Harrison, with May also named among the replacements.
It is just Clifford's second start for England and his first in the Six Nations. He joins Nathan Hughes and Maro Itoje in England's back-row while the rest of the team remains the same from their opening round win over France.
"It's been a great week of focused preparation and we can't wait to play Wales," said Jones. "Playing Wales in Cardiff is one of the biggest games in world rugby and we're excited. These are the games you want to be part of as a player and a coach.
"It's a game that is going to be decided on the basics of the game. You do the fundamentals of the game well and you win the game of rugby. We have a young team eager to play well at the great Principality Stadium.
"Jack Nowell starts this week with Jonny May changing to a finisher. Jack has an excellent work-rate and he's a guy that carries through the line which will be important for us.
"Jack Clifford also deserves his starting role. He is a hard-working, young player. He has got a good record against Wales, he had a superb game against them in May, he knows what he is going to expect from Wales and we're looking forward to him making an impact to our back-row play. Tom Wood will also play his part later in the game off the bench as a finisher.
"We don't need extra motivation this week; we play Test rugby because we want to be the best for England. Every game for us is important and our supporters, and Wales is our next game so it's the most important."
England: Mike Brown, Jack Nowell, Jonathan Joseph, Owen Farrell, Elliot Daly, George Ford, Ben Youngs; Joe Marler, Dylan Hartley (captain), Dan Cole, Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes, Maro Itoje, Jack Clifford, Nathan Hughes
Replacements: Jamie George, Matt Mullan, Kyle Sinckler, Tom Wood, James Haskell, Danny Care, Ben Te'o, Jonny May
Clifford and Nowell start for Englandmercredi 8 février 2017
mardi 7 février 2017
lundi 6 février 2017
dimanche 5 février 2017
Jones' England surpass record set by Woodward's 2003 legends
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Tom HamiltonRugby Editor
England's victory over France saw Eddie Jones' side break the previous national record set by Sir Clive Woodward's 2003 crop for the most wins on the trot.
Woodward's England won 14 on the bounce from March 2002 to August 2003 until France ended their run in the final warm-up Test before their victorious 2003 World Cup campaign. But Jones' crop have now gone one better as England's 27-22 victory over France was their 15th straight win.
The first match of the winning run was Stuart Lancaster's last Test in charge when they thrashed Uruguay 60-3 in their final Rugby World Cup pool match. Jones took over and after securing the 2016 Grand Slam, they defeated Wales in a one-off Test before then winning their series against Australia 3-0. They finished 2016 with victories over South Africa, Fiji, Argentina and Australia and then opened their 2017 account with a hard-fought win over France.
Jones' class are now etched into English rugby history, but the feat means little to the England coach.
"We want to win the Six Nations -- if we win the Six Nations and do handstands because I will be quite happy," Jones said. "We are in the tournament now. Records don't mean anything; you can score 100 in a Test match and get out for a duck. For us it is about keeping improving.
"We want to be Six Nations champions and that starts with us by beating Wales next week. So that is the only thing that matters.
"It is lovely to have a record and I am sure it is great for the RFU and it is great for the supporters."
Jones' England surpass record set by Woodward's 2003 legendsWomen's Six Nations: England, Ireland & Wales win
Claire Molloy is tackled by Louise McMillan as Ireland see of Scotland in the Women's Six Nations.
England produced a stunning comeback to recover from a 13-point half-time deficit and defeat reigning Women's Six Nations champions France.
Emily Scarratt kicked 16 points as the Red Rose eventually triumphed 26-13 to start this year's tournament with a win.
The hosts began slowly at Twickenham and they were behind inside five minutes, but Scarratt's match-winning contribution -- kicking three penalties inside 13 minutes -- put the home side six points ahead with time running out.
England managed to keep France's attack at bay in the second and they made sure of a memorable victory when Scarratt converted after Amy Wilson Hardy danced through to touch down late on.
Elsewhere, Ireland made a winning start to their Women's Six Nations campaign as Jenny Murphy's injury-time try secured victory over Scotland.
The teams were tied at 15-15 in Cumbernauld when centre Murphy dived in beneath the posts and Nora Stapleton added the conversion to give Ireland a 22-15 success.
The Scots had led 15-10 at the interval after two tries from Jade Konkel and five points from the boot of Sarah Law, against Ireland's touchdowns from Sene Naoupu and Alison Miller.
Lindsay Peat hauled the visitors back to level terms in the 52nd minute, before Ireland survived as Scotland squandered penalties in dangerous positions.
That opened the door for 2015 Six Nations champions Ireland to scramble the win at the death, with Murphy driving over two minutes into injury time.
Captain Carys Phillips applied the finishing touch as Wales made a promising start to their Six Nations campaign with victory over Italy in Ancona.
Phillips crossed for Wales' third try of the match to put the seal on a 20-8 win on the opening weekend of the championship.
Wales seized an early grip with a penalty from Elinor Snowsill after eight minutes, followed by Caryl Thomas going in under the posts for the opening try in the 16th minute.
Snowsill converted and Wales were in double figures before the Italians were off the mark, but a penalty from Michela Sillari and Manuela Furlan's try, burrowing in on the left, made it a tight contest at the interval.
Welsh nerves were eased in the 46th minute when full-back Dyddgu Hywel made pressure on the Italy line count by cutting between a cluster of blue shirts to touch down.
And Phillips put the seal on the successful trip in the 66th minute when the Welsh pack drove the Italians back almost 20 yards to the try-line. She