North in running for Wales
Trying time for England fans
WALES hope to have 2019 Grand Slam winners George North, Liam Williams and Josh Navidi available to take on England a week tomorrow.
Wing North, right, suffered his sixth concussion as a professional in last weekend’s defeat by France and is being assessed by Wales’ medical team.
Attack coach
Stephen Jones issued a positive update on the 27-year-old and said that full-back Williams and back-row ace Navidi are close to a return. He said: “George is doing well and he’s in a good place. Every box will get ticked properly. He’s in good spirits.” Williams has not played since an ankle injury
THE RFU face a backlash from fans after announcing an 8pm Saturday kick-off for England’s autumn Test against Argentina.
Twickenham has steered clear of the late time slot since transport issues affected the 2015 World Cup games played at the stadium but will revert to it for the game in ruled him out of last year’s World Cup semi-final with South Africa, but he is back in training.
Navidi suffered a hamstring injury before the Six Nations began after a similar issue curtailed his World Cup campaign. Jones added: “The situation with Liam and Josh is they’re in our environment.”
Wales flanker Justin Tipuric has turned down mega-money offers in England and France to sign a new £400,000 three-year deal with the Ospreys.
November. England’s headline clash with New Zealand will have a 5.30pm kick-off while the two remaining Quilter Internationals will start at 3.15pm.
AUTUMN TESTS: Nov 7, England v New Zealand, 5.30pm; Nov 14, England v Argentina, 8pm; Nov 21, England v Tonga, 3.15pm; Nov 28, England v Australia, 3.15pm.
CHARLIE EWELS could be forgiven for thinking it is his misfortune to be born in an age where England have second-row forwards coming out of their ears.
He had to wait more than three years after his first cap before making his Six Nations debut and last week against Ireland was on the bench as one of five locks in England’s matchday squad.
A man who won a Junior World Cup playing alongside Maro Itoje and captained England to the final of another a year later, might have hoped to be on a slightly faster track.
Yet rather than cursing, Ewels thanks his lucky stars for being in the same talent pool as Itoje, George Kruis, Joe Launchbury and Courtney Lawes.
The Bath forward said: “I don’t think I’d be the player I am if it wasn’t for the guys I’m competing with and who have been pushing me. I came through all the age group stuff with Maro, so straight away that was the standard I was used to at that age.
“We’re fortunate to be playing in a generation where second-row is a strong position for England. I don’t think I’d be competing and pushing and growing my game like I have done if I hadn’t been competing with these players.
“You can never look back at ifs, buts and maybes. You can only push towards what is front of you.”
Since playing alongside Ewels, Itoje has gone on to win 40 caps for England and the Lions and enjoy enormous success. His former second-row partner is not remotely surprised.
“He’s always been a brilliant athlete,” said Ewels, who was used as a No8 in the emphatic 24-12 win over Ireland.
“Maro was one of the best players then, playing like he does now – a big, physical guy, carries the ball, good set-piece. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, and across the five of