ATTACK NEW BOY CROSS IS A BELIEVER LAY OFF SAYS ANGRY EDDIE
IRELAND FIJI TV COVERAGE: Live on RTE2 and Sky Sports Main Event
Green Rockets 2011-15
55 tries in 51 games
Crusaders 2014-16
37 tries in 40 games
Montpellier 2016-present
28 tries in 32 games
Fiji 2010-present
19 tries in 26 games
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SAM CROSS has played just three games of professional 15-a-side rugby.
But one of Warren Gatland’s shock selections to face Georgia hopes he can follow in the footsteps of New Zealand star Rieko Ioane when he starts for Wales this afternoon.
Flanker Cross won a silver medal with Great Britain at rugby sevens in Rio and said: “My path is a bit different but I have played a lot of international rugby on the sevens circuit.
“If you look at someone like Ioane, he was tearing it up in sevens and he’s kicked on again with the All Blacks.
“Maybe it is a bit more open in sevens but fitness comes into it and that is a big strength of my game.”
Wales Georgia 2.30pm Scotland
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SCOTLAND centre Alex Dunbar has urged his team-mates to get in the faces of New Zealand.
The All Blacks are firm favourites to beat Gregor Townsend’s side, who are yet to win in the 112-year history of the fixture.
Dunbar said: “We can’t sit back. It’s all about getting in their face and trying to put them off their game.”
Zealand 5.15pm
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EDDIE JONES let rip at England’s critics ahead of today’s ‘Ashes’ battle and wants them off his back.
After a week spent killing Australia with kindness, England’s head coach accused Wallaby counterpart Michael Cheika of showing a lack of respect by trying to influence the referee through the media.
But his real ire was directed at the ‘enemy within’ – those complaining about England’s display in last week’s win over Argentina. Jones (above) raged: “I struggle with the sort of commentary I’m hearing about the team. We’ve had 21 games and won 20 of them.
“We’ve had one game people called flat and now the whole team has stalled. Give me a break!”
England 3pm