JOSH WILL GO TO WOR FOR GAT
...and Garton, Wood and Overton have PACE TO BURN RUGBY LEAGUE
WARREN GATLAND welcomed English rugby’s top try scorer into his Wales squad, then backed his team to cause a Six Nations shock.
Gatland swooped for Josh Adams after the young Worcester wing, who leads the Premiership charts with nine tries, scored his eighth in seven games last weekend.
The Swansea-born wing is one of two uncapped players in the 39-man squad, with Jonathan Davies’ younger brother, James, also receiving a call-up.
Gatland said: “For Josh, it’s a great opportunity. He’s been on great form and the back-three is somewhere we are looking to create depth.”
Until now Adams, 22, has flown under the radar, not helped by relegation-battling Worcester having won only three times in the league.
“This guy deserves more headlines,” said club-mate Gerrit-Jan van Velze. “If we were at the top of the table, his name would be in every paper, saying he should play for Wales.”
Gatland reckons his squad can belie their 15-1 title odds a year after finishing fifth out of six. “It is always a good position for us to be in where people write you off,” he added. “Our players have always thrived on being underdogs.”
England flanker James Haskell learns today how much of the Six Nations he will miss, following his red-card challenge on Jamie Roberts. The recommended sanction is six weeks. SALFORD coach Ian Watson insists his side can prove the doubters wrong following owner Marwan Koukash’s exit from the club.
Koukash ended his four-year stint in charge by passing it to a four-strong consortium, and key men Ben Murdoch-Masila and Michael Dobson have moved on.
Watson said: “People are punting us to be 11th or 12th in Super League, but I know what’s in our changing room, how good they can be. We aim to prove them wrong.”