Here are you rugby headlines on Tuesday, March 3.
Wales to stick with midfield strategy
Wales look set to stick with the strategy of a second playmaker at inside centre despite calls to switch Eddie James to 12 and utilise a more direct approach.
Attack coach Matt Sherratt’s preference for a ball-playing 12 has seen Ben Thomas and Joe Hawkins share the jersey under Steve Tandy, with Hawkins the incumbent over the past two matches.
After two disappointing performances against England and France, Wales were much-improved against Scotland last time out, with James in particular having his best game for his country.
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The likes of Jonathan Davies and Graham Price, as well as a number of fans, have called for Wales to ditch Sherratt’s preferred strategy to give Wales some much-need gainline power at 12. James has played more as an inside centre at regional level, with many feeling that is his best position.
But Sherratt believes Wales are on the right path. Asked if the centre combination of Hawkins and James was now settled, he said: “Certainly the style of it is. I do think what helps as well is that familiarity. Against Scotland, Sam, Joe and Eddie play for the same team so in the white hot atmosphere of a Test match, they’re used to each other, they know each other’s traits so that helped. I think we’ve got a really good array of centres coming through.
“They all need time in the saddle, so there will be different combinations at different times because we have to develop people for the future. But Joe and Eddie; that kind of second-receiver type player, Joe is physically very good as well to be fair and Eddie, a very big athlete, runs good lines coming off him.
“We’re starting to see some nice combinations. It is genuinely that type of competition is that we’re trying to get into the team. Ben steps in, Louie, Max when he’s back available, so we’re growing some good depth in that area.”
Lions star dies
Scotland and Lions back row Ken Smith has died at the age of 96, it has been announced.
Smith represented Scotland between 1957 and 1961, earning selection for Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1959. He made 17 appearances for the Lions, including playing in four of the Test matches.
Smith, who won 18 caps for Scotland, went on to be a huge figure in rugby administration. He served as tour manager for Scotland when they travelled to New Zealand in 1981 before becoming chairman of World Rugby (then known as the IRB) in 1990/91.
He then became president of the Scottish Rugby Union in 1994/95 and was made a CBE during that time.
Scottish Rugby said: “Scottish Rugby is saddened to learn of the death last week of former Scotland and British & Irish Lions back-row forward, SRU Past President and IRB past Chairman, Ken Smith. He was 96.”
England hold clear-the-air meeting
Ben Earl insisted England have a “glint in their eye” following a clear-the-air meeting in which players put their hands up to underperforming against Scotland and Ireland.
Senior players gathered last Wednesday to pick apart the reasons for the successive emphatic losses which removed the team from Guinness Six Nations title contention with two rounds still to play.
Italy in Rome are the next assignment and Earl, who will win his 50th cap at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday, believes England are ready to emerge from the ruins of another disappointing championship.
“These are the weeks where boys have a little glint in their eye. They mean business,” the British and Irish Lions back row said.
“You look at some of the big guys in our squad and go ‘something good is coming’. We’re all hoping that is going to materialise on Saturday.
“It’s come from within. If we’re being honest, there’s been some challenge from within the playing group. A few of us had a meeting last Wednesday and we’ve stripped it bare.
“There are people in the squad who don’t feel like they’ve pulled their weight or performed well enough. Some people have come forward and said they need to be a lot better at this or have been a bit off on that.
“Once you get that out there, it’s about how you move forward. There’s no point sulking about it.
“Hopefully it’s something we can look back on again when we play more big games over the next 18 months and we can say ‘I won’t forget those conversations’.
“I don’t want to say it’s a turning point and I don’t want to downplay it. But it’s another big moment on our journey – what’s happened over the past couple of weeks.
“This team has always performed well when it’s been challenged from within and from outside.
“Whether the result comes on Saturday or not is kind of indifferent for us, it’s about the feeling within the group.”
Ireland play down Triple Crown talk
Assistant coach Paul O’Connell insists Ireland will not be sidetracked by talk of a potential Triple Crown following the jubilation of a historic win over England.
Andy Farrell’s side return to Guinness Six Nations action at home to winless Wales on Friday evening after celebrating a record 42-21 victory at Twickenham in round three.
Ireland, who retain an outside chance of winning the championship title, will then take on Scotland in Dublin on Saturday, March 14.
“I think particularly after a good result against England, you just want to focus on the next game and the next thing, and even the next training session really is what the lads were talking about,” O’Connell told reporters on Monday.
“It’s only about getting better from the last performance, even though it was a good result.
“There’s plenty of things we have to improve on and that’s been the sole focus. We haven’t discussed trophies or silverware or anything like that.
“We might. I think we always come into a campaign trying to win it and we don’t shy away from it. I’m sure Andy has a meeting tomorrow, he might mention it, I don’t know.
“Really, the focus for us as coaches and players has just been about getting set for the Welsh game.”
Following an emphatic 36-14 opening defeat in France and an unconvincing 20-13 home win over Italy, Ireland silenced their critics with an outstanding performance in south-west London.
Wales slipped to an agonising 26-23 loss to Scotland before the rest week in the tournament and have suffered 14 successive Six Nations defeats.
“I think the week off was good for us, probably came at a good time, three weeks in after a win, it gives you a chance to reflect as you head into the next game,” said forwards coach O’Connell.
“With the group that will play this weekend, I think they will be very hungry to produce a similar and better performance.”
Bundee Aki has bolstered Farrell’s squad following his four-match suspension for “verbal abuse and disrespect” towards match officials.
Fellow centre Robbie Henshaw and versatile back Jimmy O’Brien have recovered from injuries to also join the group.
“Yeah, it’s great, he’s a brilliant personality to have around the place,” O’Connell said of Aki’s return to camp. “He trained quite well today and it just adds to the group.
“It’s great to have that leadership, that kind of personality around the place, helping guys, talking to guys.”
Head coach Farrell will name his team for the Wales match on Wednesday afternoon.
