Farrell ‘good to go’ for Calcutta Cup, says England coach

ENglAND are confident Owen Farrell will be ready for saturday’s Calcutta Cup match — despite the playmaker completing just one full training session in two weeks. Farrell, who has a leg injury, has been on a personal reconditioning programme since the win over Wales. At Pennyhill Park yesterday he was consigned to fitness bike and boxing exercises but will return to training tomorrow, before the team fly to Edinburgh. England coach Neal Hatley insists the 26-year-old will play. ‘Owen’s been doing an extra bit of reconditioning but he’s good to go,’ said Hatley ahead of today’s rest day. ‘He will train with us on thursday.’ Farrell’s 10-12 partnership with george Ford has become the heartbeat of England’s attack, and his defensive interventions were key against Wales. ‘He is a massive player, in attack or defence,’ said England defence coach Paul gustard. ‘He created some unbelievable attacking opportunities. ‘Defensively, he has got energy, he has charisma, he has personality. He typifies an aggressive defence. His enthusiasm, noise and intensity breed in people around him.’ scotland have not scored a try against England at Murrayfield since simon Danielli’s in 2004, a statistic gustard knows only too well. ‘the tension never goes,’ said gustard. ‘It is the sword of Damocles hanging over my head! ‘We are not going to be happy until we beat scotland, we will not be fully happy until we win the six Nations and we will not be entirely happy until we win the World Cup.’ should Farrell be picked, Eddie Jones’s biggest selection call will be over who partners him in the midfield. Having started a test each in this six Nations, Jonathan Joseph and Ben te’o are the frontrunners to wear No 13.

ENGLAND SQUAD: Brown, May, Nowell, Watson, Joseph, Te’o, Farrell, Ford, Care, Wigglesworth; M Vunipola, Marler, Hartley, George, Cole, Williams, Itoje, Kruis, Launchbury, Ewels, Lawes, Haskell, Robshaw, Underhill, Hughes. DONCAstER Knights prop Ian Williams died yesterday after collapsing in training. A statement from the Championship club read: ‘We extend our deepest sympathies to Ian’s mother Pippa, father Phillip and sister Helen and are working with a counselling team in the best interests of Ian’s team-mates.’ Williams, who was 27, had made six appearances for Doncaster this season after joining from Rotherham titans last summer. He also represented Oxford University in the 2013 Varsity match.