Wales scare as Davies trains with strapped leg
WALES have been hit by what looks like an injury scare ahead of their World Cup quarter-final clash against France, with Jonathan Davies training with heavy strapping on his leg, writes Matthew Southcombe.
The two-time Lion has been an injury worry for the last-eight showdown after taking ‘a knock’ to his knee during the Pool D win over Fiji.
Initial fears about his hopes of carrying on in the tournament were alleviated, though, when scans came back clear towards the end of last week.
Davies is being eased back into training this week and was present for the 15-minute access media were granted at Wales’ session in Japan yesterday afternoon.
But footage of the session shows the centre’s left leg was heavily strapped, but he seemed to move reasonably freely, running at speed and doing passing drills before the media’s access ended. Davies can be seen doing a number of stretches and going through predominantly straight-line running.
Wales will be hoping Davies is also able to do the intensive twisting and turning required in a game of Test rugby, with a Welsh nation desperate to see him line up in Sunday’s clash with the French.
Dan Biggar, who has recovered from his second concussion in two matches, was also present once again and appeared relaxed, fit and ready to go against France.
George North was also moving well after battling a sore ankle, playing through the pain in the win over Fiji.
Whether the winger’s ankle was strapped or not is unclear, but he didn’t appear to be showing any signs of a problem.
The media were ushered away from the training ground after the players went through their warm-ups and light passing drills, so it is unclear how much of a part Davies, Biggar and North played in the full contact session afterwards when Warren Gatland’s men got down to the real business.
But although Davies’ knee was being heavily protected by the white strapping, Wales fans will be pleased to see the star centre was at least able to get out on the field.
IT’S France next for Wales, with a huge quarter-final clash coming up in Oita on Sunday.
So what state are Les Bleus in? Not for the first time at a World Cup, there has been talk of rifts in the camp, amid reports of a falling out between captain Guilhem Guirado and head coach Jacques Brunel.
You even had Toulon’s outspoken owner Mourad Boudjellal calling on the players to kick out the coaches and take control themselves.
What’s really going on then? What’s the mood among the French players, how do they fancy their chances against Wales and who are their danger man?
We spoke to rugby journalist Arnaud David, from the Sud Ouest newspaper, who is out in Japan, to get the inside story. Q: How would you sum up the mood in the French camp going into the quarter-finals?
A: This French team is still full of question marks, but they are quietly confident that maybe they can achieve something big.
Not having played against England is an advantage for them. I think England would have rested some key players and if France had been beaten by that team, then mentally they would have been really vulnerable going into this quarter-final.
Whereas now, they are focusing on two facts.
First, their opening half against Argentina. Nobody was expecting the quality of rugby that they played for 35 minutes.
Secondly, if there is one team in the quarter-finals they think they are close to, it’s Wales.
Yes, they are on a very bad run against the Welsh, seven defeats in the last eight matches.
But all the confrontations have been pretty close – 14-13 in Cardiff two years ago; leading 16-0 at half-time in Paris this winter and giving away a win.
So they are not that afraid. They would have been afraid mentally to play against England because they have been beaten so badly by them; maybe similar with Ireland.
They haven’t got that feeling with Wales.
Q: We have all seen the reports about rifts and problems within the French camp. What is the truth about what has been going on? A: It’s so usual for France!
Yes, there is something very strange in the fact that Jacques Brunel is the head coach, but he has given a lot of power to Fabien Galthie.
Yes, the relationship between the captain Guilhem Guirado and the staff is not great. Maybe, he is not the best hooker at present, so it’s difficult. Camille Chat is probably ahead of him
in terms of performance, so it’s a problem for Guirado, for Brunel and his staff.
Q: I guess problems off the field at a World Cup is nothing new for France.
A: No, it’s not. It was already the case this winter that the coaches wanted to get rid of Guirado.
They wanted to promote Jefferson Poirot, the prop, as the captain. But Poirot and the players said no. They said our captain is Guilhem Guirado.
That was during the Six Nations after the loss against England.
The players stood by Guirado then and now again at this World Cup.
Q: Will he start at hooker against Wales?
A: Guirado will start.
Q: What is the latest injury news with the French team?
A: There are big question marks over scrum-half Antoine Dupont and winger Damian Penaud. They have not trained. Dupont is suffering with his back. It started against Argentina. He came on as a sub against Tonga and it was painful again, so he hasn’t been training with the rest of the team since then.
Penaud hurt his groin over the weekend, so he hasn’t trained either.
If Dupont doesn’t play, Baptiste Serin will start, and Alivereti Raka would play instead of Penaud.
Q: Which three French players would pose the biggest threat to Wales and why?
A: The two most obvious are Penaud and Dupont because they have the X-Factor. They have athletic qualities, they can create damage in any defence.
So, losing those two would be a big double blow. The third one would be Charles Ollivon, the back row player who has come back from hell. He had so many injuries with his shoulder, but he is back and he is the missing link in the back row. He is tall, nearly two metres high, he is very good in the air, he is strong and he is very fast for a big man. He will play No.7, openside. He is a bit like Olivier Magne, but bigger.
Q: How is the French set-piece looking?
A: The lineout is looking OK, not great, but good. The scrum is a disaster. The percentage of ball is just above Namibia. They are 19th.
They have only won something like 78% of their own ball and they have been penalised seven times.
Referees are after Rabah Slimani, while Poirot has been penalised too
Q: Which Welsh players will France be most concerned about?
A: They have got respect for Wales, for Alun Wyn Jones, Gareth Davies, Jonathan Davies and for Liam Williams, one of the best full-backs in the world. I think they might target Dan Biggar to put him under pressure. They will want to disrupt him.
Q: Finally, what is your score prediction?
A: No, no, don’t ask me that!
My wife wants me to come back early from Japan, so if I predict a French win she won’t be happy.
But I do think this French team could have one big game in them.
They have got nothing to lose. The target was the quarter-finals and they have got no pressure. The only pressure is “let’s go guys, let’s perform”.