Hughes on course to start at No 8
England have been given a clean bill of health for Saturday’s Natwest Six Nations clash against Scotland, with Nathan Hughes looking likely to start at No 8.
Any lingering doubt over Owen Farrell and Joe Launchbury has lifted, the former overcoming an unspecified lower leg injury and the latter available after missing last Friday’s open training session at Twickenhamforloadmanagement reasons.
Hughes, pictured, has been proving his fitness during gruelling sessions at England’s Surrey training base after recovering from the knee ligament damaged sustained on Wasps duty in mid-december.
The No 8 has made one club appearance since returning several weeks ahead of schedule but is expected to start at Murrayfield after Sam
Simmonds was ruled out by a shoulder problem.
“Everyone’s fully fit for selection this weekend,” forwards coach Steve Borthwick said.
“Nathan’s worked really hard, really diligently and he looks in really good shape. He’s healed very fast which is great.
“While our strength and conditioning and medical team have worked incredibly hard, the credit has to go to Nathan for the work he’s done while he’s been injured. We want to make sure all of our players are ready for Test matches, that’s why we train at the intensity level we train at.
“Nathan gives us different strengths to Sam. He’s an outstanding ball carrier. His effect on the group has grown.
“He’s excellent with younger players, helping them mentally. He’s grown as a player in terms of the influence he has throughout as a leader.”
The England squad will take part in a double training session today that is to be watched by Stuart Pearce, Les Ferdinand, Hope Powell and Scot David Moyes.
The return to fitness of British and Irish Lions playmaker Farrell is a huge boost and it means the player will get to return to the setting of his Test debut – six years ago he won the first of 59 caps at Murrayfield. Farrell’s Saracens team-mate Jamie George was in the stands watching that debut but on Saturday they’ll both line up versus Scotland. “I was at his first international appearance in 2012,” said George yesterday. “I was randomly at a 21st birthday, but I was in the stadium when we won 13-6 – it was a thriller.
“That was a great experience for me, Murrayfield is an amazing stadium and a great experience to watch one of my mates get their first cap. Now I’m very lucky to work with him day in, day out.”