NEWS FROM AROUND THE CAMPS . . .
WALES
WARREN Gatland has highlighted the “fantastic” contribution of Wales’ replacements to a record unbeaten run and Six Nations title charge.
Wales’ strength in reserve was showcased during a 21-13 victory over England 11 days ago by fly-half Dan Biggar’s second-half appearance off the bench.
He bossed the final quarter, setting up wing Josh Adams’ match-clinching try, as Wales claimed a first Six Nations win in the fixture since 2013.
It would be no surprise to see the combination of Biggar and Gareth Anscombe - Wales’ current starting number 10 - again play a pivotal role in Saturday’s Murrayfield appointment with Scotland.
“I think both the 10s have been good coming off the bench,” Wales head coach Gatland said. “It’s something that we did identify going back to the autumn, just in terms of the strength in depth we are trying to create in this squad and how important our bench has been.
“Our bench has been fantastic for us, so when we select the side we do talk about the potential impact of players coming off the bench. Not just carrying on, but giving us an impact off the bench.”
ENGLAND
MARO Itoje and Jack Nowell will be given every opportunity to prove their fitness for England’s Guinness
Six Nations showdown with Italy at Twickenham on Saturday.
Itoje (above, inset) suffered an injury to the same knee damaged in the Championship opener against Ireland on February 2 when performing a forwards drill in training on Tuesday.
Charlie Ewels is on standby to replace the Lions lock if he fails to recover in time with Joe Launchbury and George Kruis forming the starting second row partnership. Nowell has been struggling with the shoulder stinger incurred in the opening two minutes against Wales and is also a major doubt ahead of this morning’s team announcement. Should he succumb to the injury, bulldozing Fijian-born wing Joe Cokanasiga will step up from the bench and into the No.14 jersey.
“We’ll give Maro every chance to make the weekend. He’s still got a good chance of making it,” defence coach John Mitchell said.
“We’re sensible enough to make sure the athlete’s health comes first. There’s no way that we want to create a setback for the athlete. But we’d like we’d like him to be there, he’s a bloody good player.
“Jack took a shoulder knock in the first minute of the match against Wales. He’s progressively increased his training all the way through and again he’s in a position to be considered.
IRELAND
IRELAND insist hooker Sean Cronin has lost no World Cup ground despite being dropped from the squad for Sunday’s Guinness Six Nations clash with France in Dublin.
Cronin made his full Six Nations debut aged 32 and on his 68th cap when Ireland laboured past Italy 26-16 in Rome on Sunday, February 24. And boss Joe Schmidt’s response has been to cull the experienced Leinster star from his 37-man squad to prepare to host Les Bleus. But forwards coach Simon Easterby said: “It certainly doesn’t exclude him from us going forward.”
FRANCE
FLANKER Arthur Iturria hopes France can avoid hitting Ireland’s “wall of green” for the second year running in Sunday’s Guinness Six Nations encounter.
The Clermont back-rower (above) still cannot fathom how Ireland shut down Les Bleus in last season’s 15-13 win that was snatched with Johnny Sexton’s last-gasp monster drop-goal.
“I remember when I got back to the changing room, I felt totally powerless,” Iturria said. “That day we ran into a wall of green.”