Ashton blow for England Injured wing is ruled out of crunch Cardiff clash
England’s plans for a perfect leadin to their title-shaping Guinness Six Nations match against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday hit a roadbump when Chris Ashton was forced to withdraw from contention with a calf strain. The 31-yearold started in the 44-8 victory a France at Twickenham but was replaced by Jack Nowell early in the second half.
The Exeter wing had traded starting places with Ashton in the opening-day victory over Ireland in Dublin and is in line to fill that role again at the Principality
Stadium as England look to revert to the back three who were so instrumental in securing that win over the Grand Slam champions at the Aviva Stadium.
Ashton has been sent back to rehabilitate with his club, Sale, with the expectation that he will be available for the final two rounds of the championship.
England head coach Eddie Jones does at least have the consolation of having Bath’s powerhouse wing, Joe Cokanasiga, back in the reckoning following a 10-week lay-off with a knee-ligament injury. The 21-yearold returned to club action on Saturday and scored a try in his team’s 30-13 victory against Newcastle at the Recreation Ground.
Meanwhile, the power of positive thinking will accompany Elliot Daly as he heads to Cardiff, drawing on the memories of his sharply executed late winner at the Millennium Stadium on his side’s most recent visit there, a try that won the match and kept England on course to retain their title. The score gave England a knife-edge 21-16 win.
“So many international matches come down to one or two key moments and we are putting ourselves in positions now where we can take those big moments,” Daly said.
“I have watched that try back millions of times but not for a while. I remember just trying to get back as quickly as possible from the [Jonathan Davies] kick. Two worldclass
passes later and the ball was in my hands without me having to break stride. Anything that can put you in a positive frame of mind is a good thing.”
Daly says there has been “bounce” in everyone’s steps, since they reassembled in central London on Wednesday following their emphatic win over France. That bonus-point victory was their second following the landmark success in Dublin eight days earlier and put England two points clear of Wales at the top of the table.
In both games England stretched and tormented their opponents with their kicking game with either Owen Farrell at fly-half or Daly from the rear pinning the opposi-
tion back on their heels. It looked to be a well-rehearsed strategy but Daly revealed that the team were simply playing what they saw in front of them.
“We definitely didn’t set out to do that necessarily, it was more a case of reading the situation and playing accordingly,” he said.
“We have spoken about our kicking game but we definitely didn’t overdo it. We just saw what was happening and realised that there was space back there.
Exeter prop Alec Hepburn has been drafted into the England training squad, along with the uncapped Worcester hooker Jack Singleton.
Another uncapped player, the 22-year-old Gloucester wing Ollie Thorley, is also included.
Dylan Hartley trained with the squad in London last week, but the Northampton hooker has returned to his club. Bath lock Charlie Ewels has been included in the 33-man squad who convened yesterday evening.
England training squad: Forwards D Cole (Leicester), L Cowan-dickie (Exeter), T Curry (Sale), B Earl (Saracens), C Ewels (Bath), E Genge (Leicester), J George (Saracens), A Hepburn (Exeter), N Hughes (Wasps), G Kruis (Saracens), J Launchbury (Wasps), C Lawes (Northampton), B Moon (Exeter), B Shields (Wasps), K Sinckler (Harlequins), J Singleton (Worcester), B Vunipola (Saracens), H Williams (Exeter), M Wilson (Newcastle).
Backs M Brown (Harlequins), J Cokanasiga (Bath), E Daly (Wasps), O Devoto (Exeter), O Farrell (Saracens, capt), G Ford (Leicester), J May (Leicester), J Nowell (Exeter), D Robson (Wasps), H Slade (Exeter), B Te’o (Worcester), O Thorley (Gloucester), M Tuilagi (Leicester), B Youngs (Leicester).