Latest news with #pre-SixNations
BBC News
17-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Clark 'more hungry' after England camp call-up
It was late one evening at the end of January when Gloucester lock Arthur Clark's phone rang out of the blue with a call-up to the England pre-Six Nations training camp. Just over 12 hours later, the uncapped Clark was on a plane to the England base in Girona, Spain, where he spent almost two weeks with the squad before the first Test against on the final day in a training session Clark, felt his foot go under a ruck and a scan later revealed he had fractured a bone, ruling him out of any potential game time during the tournament. Despite the disappointment, the experience has left the 23-year-old "more hungry" than ever."I think I was always pushing and trying to train hard and do the best I could, and was just happy to see what happened," Clark told BBC Radio Gloucestershire. "Even to be part of the team was amazing and it was totally unexpected for me, especially when I got the call, but I was definitely ready to ramp up and push in to try and get into the 23. But things didn't go that way." After almost four months on the sidelines, Clark is back in Gloucester's squad for the Premiership run-in. Clark has come through Gloucester's ranks since the juniors and also represented England A last November in their win against Australia well as finishing the season strongly with his club and poterntially confirming that top-four spot, Clark has his sights firmly set on England's tour to Argentina in the summer."[It was a] real mix of emotions. I was a bit of a misery when I got back but we got bigger and stronger, so we're ready to get out there," Clark said."There's been little touches of base [with England] but nothing too substantial. They just touched base to make sure my rehab was going well and making sure I was getting back on track."Then a little message: 'When you're back, show what you're about and get yourself on the plane'." Gloucester are away at Saracens on Saturday in what is set to be a key fixture in the race for the top four, with Sarries two points behind fourth-placed Cherry and Whites are aiming to finish in the top four for the first time since 2019. "It's a big whirlwind from where we started the season and where we're trying to finish it," Clark said."We made a massive emphasis off the back of last year of coming in and changing the mind frame and actually going week-to-week and taking every week in our stride and seeing where it got us. That has evidently worked."
The Independent
05-03-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Taulupe Faletau not thinking of Lions and concentrating on returning to action
Taulupe Faletau has played just six games in 17 months – but his value to Wales and potentially the British and Irish Lions is undiminished. Despite a scarcity of competitive rugby since the 2023 World Cup, it would be foolish in the extreme to think Faletau will not feature among Lions selection discussions before this summer's Australia tour. Whether he makes head coach Andy Farrell's travelling squad is another matter, but a fourth successive Lions trip for the 34-year-old number eight cannot be discounted. 'I would be lying if I said 'no' about that,' Faletau said, when asked about his Lions ambitions. 'But the main aim is to get back on the pitch. And once you are on there, all you can do is play your best and everything else will come and go as it will. 'I will try to play well and see what happens.' A broken arm suffered against 2023 World Cup pool opponents Georgia was followed by Faletau fracturing his shoulder when he returned to action for Cardiff in April 2024. It was a savage double setback that might easily have finished some players, but not Faletau, who has retained his infectious enthusiasm to be part of all things club and country. He is set to win his 107th cap against Guinness Six Nations opponents Scotland on Saturday, a figure bettered by only four Wales players – Alun Wyn Jones, Gethin Jenkins, George North and Dan Biggar. 'At the start of January, I didn't think I would be here, so it is nice to be here,' said Faletau, who overcame a pre-Six Nations knee problem and has started Wales' last two Tests. 'You just have to keep rolling, crack on, and just hope things come good.' Faletau said he never once thought of quitting rugby while on a long road back to full fitness, adding: 'The body felt good, so it was a case of getting the injury right itself. 'I just had to let the injury itself heal, and that took a little bit longer than expected.' Wales will head to Edinburgh on the back of 15 Test defeats in a row, having not won a Test match since the Georgia game in Nantes when Faletau broke his arm. A 22-15 loss to Italy proved to be Warren Gatland's final fixture in charge, being succeeded on an interim basis by Cardiff boss Matt Sherratt. And a vastly-improved display against Six Nations title favourites Ireland, albeit another losing one, has raised hopes that Wales could finish the campaign with a flourish against Scotland and then England in Cardiff. 'I work with 'Jockey' (Sherratt) at Cardiff, and I really enjoy working with him,' Faletau said. 'I imagined it would be the same for everybody else, and he has had that effect on the whole squad. 'I think everybody was just excited for that Ireland game, and it showed. 'He just brings a lot of excitement out of everyone, and I feel like he has come in and he has done that. 'He encourages everyone to be brave and just play to spaces. He encourages you to take the opportunities if they are there. It is different and he runs a different system. 'I think 'Jockey' is more hands-on. He is out on the pitch coaching, and stuff like that, whereas 'Gats' would be managing other coaches to do other things.'
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Taulupe Faletau not thinking of Lions and concentrating on returning to action
Taulupe Faletau has played just six games in 17 months – but his value to Wales and potentially the British and Irish Lions is undiminished. Despite a scarcity of competitive rugby since the 2023 World Cup, it would be foolish in the extreme to think Faletau will not feature among Lions selection discussions before this summer's Australia tour. Whether he makes head coach Andy Farrell's travelling squad is another matter, but a fourth successive Lions trip for the 34-year-old number eight cannot be discounted. 🏴 Taulupe Faletau crosses the line on his 100th test appearance!#WelshRugby | #ANS — Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) November 26, 2022 'I would be lying if I said 'no' about that,' Faletau said, when asked about his Lions ambitions. 'But the main aim is to get back on the pitch. And once you are on there, all you can do is play your best and everything else will come and go as it will. 'I will try to play well and see what happens.' A broken arm suffered against 2023 World Cup pool opponents Georgia was followed by Faletau fracturing his shoulder when he returned to action for Cardiff in April 2024. It was a savage double setback that might easily have finished some players, but not Faletau, who has retained his infectious enthusiasm to be part of all things club and country. He is set to win his 107th cap against Guinness Six Nations opponents Scotland on Saturday, a figure bettered by only four Wales players – Alun Wyn Jones, Gethin Jenkins, George North and Dan Biggar. 'At the start of January, I didn't think I would be here, so it is nice to be here,' said Faletau, who overcame a pre-Six Nations knee problem and has started Wales' last two Tests. 'You just have to keep rolling, crack on, and just hope things come good.' Faletau said he never once thought of quitting rugby while on a long road back to full fitness, adding: 'The body felt good, so it was a case of getting the injury right itself. 'I just had to let the injury itself heal, and that took a little bit longer than expected.' Wales will head to Edinburgh on the back of 15 Test defeats in a row, having not won a Test match since the Georgia game in Nantes when Faletau broke his arm. A 22-15 loss to Italy proved to be Warren Gatland's final fixture in charge, being succeeded on an interim basis by Cardiff boss Matt Sherratt. And a vastly-improved display against Six Nations title favourites Ireland, albeit another losing one, has raised hopes that Wales could finish the campaign with a flourish against Scotland and then England in Cardiff. 'I work with 'Jockey' (Sherratt) at Cardiff, and I really enjoy working with him,' Faletau said. 'I imagined it would be the same for everybody else, and he has had that effect on the whole squad. 'I think everybody was just excited for that Ireland game, and it showed. 'He just brings a lot of excitement out of everyone, and I feel like he has come in and he has done that. 'He encourages everyone to be brave and just play to spaces. He encourages you to take the opportunities if they are there. It is different and he runs a different system. 'I think 'Jockey' is more hands-on. He is out on the pitch coaching, and stuff like that, whereas 'Gats' would be managing other coaches to do other things.'
Telegraph
04-03-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Six Nations: Our rugby experts pick their England team to face Italy
England's Six Nations campaign resumes on Sunday against Italy on the back of successive victories over France and Scotland. Steve Borthwick must decide to stick with his winning side or rotate his squad against the one team that has never beaten England. Telegraph Sport 's rugby experts pick the teams they would like to see take on the Azzurri. Give Roebuck a shot after moving Freeman Henry Slade has made 69 appearances for England and you would struggle to describe many recent instalments as especially memorable. Nobody disputes his outstanding credentials for Exeter – he was last season's Premiership player of the season, after all – but his role in Steve Borthwick's system at Test level feels misconceived. Insufficiently destructive as a carrier at 13, he also fails to convince as a dual playmaker at 12, drawing boos from the Twickenham crowd for his endless recourse to the grubber kick against Scotland. With the midfield ripe for a reshuffle, Tommy Freeman shifts to 13, with Ollie Lawrence switched back to 12. Tom Roebuck deserves the chance to showcase his electrifying attacking skill against an Italy side who shipped 73 points to France. Jack van Poortvliet is elevated to a place among the replacements on the strength of his fine display for England A last month. Despite boasting a 100 per cent record against them, England will not find Italy as easy work as France did in round three so I have limited myself to just a couple of changes. Tommy Freeman's increasing involvement has coincided with Fin Smith's elevation to fly-half and he can potentially prosper even more at outside centre. Elliot Daly has been excellent off the bench while Tom Roebuck deserves a start on the basis of his pre-Six Nations form. Jamie George getting a start might look like a sympathy cap on his 100th appearance but there is no doubting he deserves it. Tried to go for a 'fun' bench: Henry Pollock and Asher Opoku-Fordjour are ready to inject some youthful enthusiasm. Tweaks here and there, but this is all about intent. England should bid to blast Italy out of the water. I have altered the midfield, dropping Slade to the bench to unite Lawrence and Freeman. The latter pair have spent pockets of time together as a centre partnership over recent months. Roebuck gets his first gallop this Six Nations, but Fraser Dingwall is mightily unlucky. Up front, I have rested Luke Cowan-Dickie and Tom Curry entirely. They can be fresh for what will be a tricky finish in Cardiff. Jamie George rightly marks his 100th England cap with a start and Ben Curry deserves to be back in the No 7 shirt. Ben Earl and Tom Willis are interchangeable. Theo Dan, Asher Opoku-Fordjour and Van Poortvliet are among my replacements. I was close to including Henry Pollock, too, as part of a six-two split of forwards. An unchanged starting XV; a real luxury. The unluckiest soul to miss out is Ben Curry who played marvellously off the bench against Scotland but there is a real balance to that starting back row and, with the need to finish as well as one begins, the Sale flanker exploding off the bench with the likes of George, Elliot Daly and Ted Hill. The only change to my selection is on the bench, where Van Poortvliet returns after his astute showing while captaining England A against their Irish counterparts. The Leicester scrum-half brings a little more control and composure when compared with the eclectic Harry Randall. Question marks remain around the English midfield but alternatives at inside centre should surely be explored after the Six Nations and not mid-championship. Not very exciting, admittedly, but you almost have to give the same side another go to see if they can fix the handling errors which took the shine off the Scotland performance. England have to do more in attack and these players are too good to be bombing offloads or missing gaps. Time to prove it. Still, I could not resist including Henry Pollock for a debut off the bench. It is going to happen sooner or later anyway. Willis, as things stand, will come through the concussion protocol and it would be nice to see him get a full 80 minutes crashing over the gain-line. Want to see more of Opoku-Fordjour, while Randall – the Bristol version – could be fun late on.
Telegraph
23-02-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Revealed: The Six Nations referee who is England's ‘secret weapon'
England have engaged the services of international referee Christophe Ridley to consult on officiating matters and improve their discipline in the Six Nations, Telegraph Sport can reveal. Ridley, a current Six Nations official who oversaw Ireland's victory over Wales, has been attending training at Pennyhill Park twice a week and advising the squad on current officiating trends. Referees working in international environments is not a new concept - former referees Jaco Peyper and Jérôme Garcès are both full-time on the staff with South Africa and France respectively - but it is rare for an active referee to be working in camp. Now, England have someone who attends referees' meetings with World Rugby and who knows all the up-to-date trends of elite officiating. The move has been spearheaded by Steve Borthwick and his coaches in an effort to improve England's discipline. Previously, the Rugby Football Union has provided officials to advise the England team - and referee training sessions - on rotation but they have traditionally been quite hands-off. Ridley's regular involvement has paid dividends, too, with England's discipline among the best in the championship so far this Six Nations. It is understood that Ridley updates the squad at the start of each training week at Pennyhill Park, having reviewed England's match the previous weekend. The 31-year-old will outline and assess incidents in the game where England have forced the match official to make a judgment call in ambiguous moments. More often than not it is penalties which England did not give away which attracts the greatest focus, rather than the ones that they did. Ridley, who has been refereeing all training and scrummaging sessions in camp, challenges players on moments in matches where they have been putting pressure on referees to make a judgment call; moments where England might have been legal, but they also might not have been, where they are compelling referees into making a judgment call. The aim is to ensure that they are evidently legal so that they do not compel referees into making a 50/50 call which might go against them. 'Why be a millimetre onside when you can be an inch?' one source said. 'It makes no difference. This is how you stop giving away cheap penalties.' It is also understood that Ridley has been informally supporting Maro Itoje, in his first Six Nations as captain, on how best to interact with each of England's five officials in the championship. The regularity of Ridley's visits increased after England's pre-Six Nations training camp in Girona. In the wins against France and Scotland - both one-point victories - Borthwick has been under no illusions on the importance of discipline and referee management, with the wins ultimately keeping England's championship hopes alive. Against both, the losing side was penalised more frequently. 'In a game like that [winning the penalty count] is essential,' Borthwick said. 'In a game like that when the ball is in the middle of the field and both teams are trying to find an avenue to open up and get access into the opposition 22 you need to minimise that by discipline. We have won the penalty count in two of the three games in the Six Nations and we won the count in three of the four games in the autumn series. Discipline is strong and it is seriously led by the captain. There are areas we want to improve and we need to against a team like Italy. They are a team not dissimilar to [Scotland]; they kick the ball, have low phase count and kick a lot of contestable kicks which means discipline is crucial.' At time of writing, England have the second best average penalties per game tally in the Six Nations; better than championship leaders Ireland. Against France, England did not concede a single penalty in a decisive final quarter, where a late Elliot Daly try sealed victory; against Scotland, Finn Russell did not have one penalty attempt at goal. Ridley is not due to take charge of another match in this Six Nations, but he will be one of the assistant referees in the potentially title-deciding showdown between Ireland and France.
