ASH IS HAVING A BALL!
New skipper Davies can help Wales complete an unbeaten year of Tests
Chris Ashton is all smiles as he prepares for his England return
THE wElSH train keeps chugging along. win today and, before the England match in a fortnight, a year will have passed since warren Gatland’s men last lost.
the victory is not in doubt, despite 10 changes from last week and a new captain, Jonathan davies. Italy have not won a tournament match here for six years.
After this it will be full steam ahead for wales to the old enemy at the Principality Stadium and what could be a Six nations decider at the end of the month.
For now, davies skippers for the first time on the occasion of his 70th cap, and is out to etch his mark in history, equalling the welsh record forrconsecua
consecutive wins. ‘It is a huge honour,’ said the 30-year-old centre. e.
‘ But any time e you put on the e red jersey of wales it is an honour. there is added responsibility but I am looking forward to it.
‘I like to think I won’t be shouting ng or raving, but if itt is needed it is needed.’ ed.’
of course, therere have been some friendlyndly digs from davies’s team-mates. Fullback liam williams joked: ‘I’ve been calling him craptain all week!’ He then paid tribute to his fellow lion. ‘I like Foxy a lot off the pitch, as well as on it. He’ll be a good captain. He’ll step up to the mark to replace Alun wyn Jones.’
davies wants to gift his father the perfect birthday present with a win as skipper.
‘My dad was 60 on tuesday, so my parents went from Paris through Switzerland on the Glacier Express,’ he explained. ‘I think they’ve had a great week, mum and dad! they’ve been a huge part of where I am today, so to have my family out here is great.’
Family is something of a theme out here, as thomas Young becomes the fourth son of a Six nations-playing father to run out in the tournament.
After owen and Andy Farrell, Romain and Emile ntamack and damian and Alain Penaud, thomas follows his dad, wasps director of rugby dai, into the wales shirtshirt. And this week the coacoaches have been emphemphasising to him, alonalong with Aaron wawainwright, Jonah HHolmes and Aled davies — all on their first Six nations starts — to seize their opportunity. Gatland said: ‘when you pick a sqsquad, there are alwalways two or three playplayers considered to be unlucky to miss out. we picked thomas because we wanted to assess where he was and give him that chance. we haven’t spoken about expectation, it’s about making an impression and enjoying it. Hopefully he takes his opportnity.’
with their camp in nice, between two away games, wales have looked to use this as a trial run for when they face Fiji and uruguay four days apart at the world Cup.
Hence the changes, which Italy captain Sergio Parisse does not think weaken wales. ‘It doesn’t matter whether wales have made 10, 15 or three changes,’ he said. ‘they are still a very strong side and we’ll have to be at our best.’