WALES NAME UNCHANGED TEAM FOR TWICKENHAM CLASH

Wales have announced an unchanged starting XV for Saturday's Six Nations decider against Engand. The only changes are on the bench, where Rhys Webb, Luke Charteris and Paul James all return to the squad having recovered from injury. The back five in the scrum and the backline are full of experience, as is the bench, with Webb, Charteris, James, Tipuric, Priestland and Owens all capable of turning a game. Both teams are unbeaten going into Saturday's match, with England boasting a 100% record under new coach Eddie Jones in pursuit of their first Grand Slam since 2003.

Webb back for Wales after six month injury lay off

Wales Team: Liam Williams; Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, George North; Dan Biggar, Gareth Davies; Rob Evans, Scott Baldwin, Samson Lee, Bradley Davies, Alun Wyn Jones, Dan Lydiate, Sam Warburton (capt), Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements: Ken Owens, Paul James, Tomas Francis, Luke Charteris, Justin Tipuric, Rhys Webb, Rhys Priestland, Gareth Anscombe.

CALLS FOR TACKLING TO BE BANNED IN SCHOOLS

I guess where you stand on this is down to personal experience. The Southern Hemisphere play more touch at a young age, and divide people at 11 on size and ability not age, so can we learn from them? If rugby was invented now, would it be the same game, would tackling be allowed, would scrums, would kicking the ball in a ruck? Those of us brought up in the 60's and 70's probably have a less risk adverse attitude to parenting and life, having been allowed to skateboard down the road at will. And isn't good tackling down to being taught the correct technique? Unfortunately too many professionals exhibit poor technique, even internationals like Sexton, who are coached to go high to prevent offloads, but often, either get a hand off in the face, or get their head in the wrong position and suffer concussion.

Rugby has always been a unique sport, like rowing, where they throw you a ball and if you drop it you get asked to row. Rugby is a sport for all shapes, sizes and athletic abilities, from props to second row to scrum halves (like me) to wingers and full backs. How many other sports allow doctors and lawyers to play alongside plumbers and builders, so forming lifelong friendships over beer and singing? How many small rural communities thrive thanks to the rugby club allowing people from all parts of society to bond easily and forge that local village and town community and identity.

Watch that left arm son..

And why just schools? It's funny how clubs get left out of the debate. In my experience of club rugby mini and youth coaching, the standard of tuition, refereeing and guidance is as high, if not higher than most rugby schools. I think in some of the better private rugby schools, where parents regard winning games (at all costs) as part of their ROI, the pressure put on boys and coaches is not healthy. Schools culture is short term, based on local rivalries and winning the NatWest Cup, and they have no interest in player welfare beyond 18, whereas clubs need Colts or Academy players post school or Uni to help field 2/3/4 Senior teams every weekend, so their attitude to player injury, recovery and rehab is more long term.

The Guardian has a very evenly balanced article on the subject, but if you love the game, and consider tackling (and the physicality of it) a key ingredient, there is one quote from a player that stands out a mile:

I met most of my closest friends through the sport

I’m a big chap. I play as a prop. I started playing at the age of seven and played all through school. I don’t like football, am woeful at cricket and am the wrong shape for everything else that’s not the shot-put. Playing rugby in school is dangerous, but like everything else in life, it is a matter of risk versus reward. If rugby had been touch-only during my school years, I’d simply never have been selected; there’s no need for me in a game of speed. I don’t think I’d have continued.

I’m 40 now and still play to an OK standard every weekend. Rugby is the reason I try to keep my weight down and stay fit. Most of my closest friends in life I met through rugby. If I’d stopped playing in school, I’d have none of this in my life. My experience is that the risk is dwarfed by the reward. For full disclosure, the injuries over the last 32 seasons are:

Broken collar bone (needed surgery)
One concussion (didn’t return to play for six weeks)
Cracked wrist (not broken all the way through)
Cracked rib (not broken all the way through)
Cracked humerus (not broken all the way through)

  The rest of article is here

IRELAND CALL FOR LAW CHANGE

Ireland has called for the law to be changed to protect a player on the floor being kicked by a reckless boot at a ruck. This is as a result of Mike Brown aiming several kicks in a ruck on Saturday in an attempt to dislodge the ball, even when the Ireland scrum-half, Murray, held it in his hands off the ground. Murray required stitches to a head wound near his eye, but referee Romain Poite judged, after consultation with his television match official that the contact was accidental. Joe Schmidt said he did not think Brown had intended to injure Murray but said he was concerned about what appeared to be a trend of players trying to disrupt opposition ball by attempting to kick at it when rucks had formed after the ball carrier had been tackled.

Brown puts the boot in...

The issue was debated on the BBC last night during the highlights show, where an amused John Inverdale acted as referee between Keith Wood and Jeremy Guscott, with Andy Nicol, the neutral, supporting Wood's view that it was reckless and should have been punished. Guscott was typically arrogant, and let his jingoistic "win at all costs" stance affect his judgement. He was a decent player, but is a poor commentator. Once again, the acid test has to be, if Guscott was on the ground being kicked in the face by a Frenchman, regardless of how "technically legal" the challenge was, would his view have been different?

MATCH REPORT: ENGLAND V IRELAND

I went to the match at Twickenham, Eddie "Shoot From The Hip" Jones' first home game in charge, and they were the better team against a depleted, yet spirited Ireland. Conditions were dry, with only a slight breeze, but it was as cold as I can remember at Twickenham, maybe because of the wicked northerly, or because I was under dressed at the end of February. The weather may have contributed to the muted crowd, or maybe it was because England only managed to get the crowd on their feet on a few "Billy sponsored" occasions. The England no.8 is a wrecking ball, making 18 carries for 96m in total, and is very hard for Northern hemisphere teams to stop, but as one of England's few attacking threats, easy for Southern hemisphere teams to spot and defend against (especially as he gives very few offloads, and does get isolated a lot, making him prone to turnovers).

MOM Billy on the charge

Positives for England were the lineout (again) where Ireland struggled all day, the metronome kicking of Farrell, who punishes any offence in the opposition half, and the improving form of key players such as Cole, Hartley, Kruis, Nowell and Joseph. The new wonderkid "Itoje" also looked lively all day, and may keep out a returning Launchbury next game. Negatives were the lack of control exerted by Youngs and Ford at half back, the defensive system in midfield, which allowed Ireland to break the line several times, and ill discipline, which led to numerous penalties and two cards, which better teams would have punished. Haskell's late dangerous tackle on Murray was idiotic, as was Care's decision to impede quick ball late on. Brown should also have gone in the bin for a reckless kick at Murray on the floor - what is the point of protecting catcher in the air, if you are not going to do the same for the guy on the floor? He will be cited and banned for Wales game.

Just as England should have scored under the posts when Hartley was penalised for a double movement, Ireland should have scored late on, when van der Flier was held up, and Henshaw was brilliantly tackled by Nowell in the corner. England will be disappointed to have conceded two tries at home, but it should have been more, which would have meant a more even contest in the closing stages. As it was, Ireland switched off in a 10 minute spell in the second half, when persistent England pressure yielded two tries and decided the game. So, Jones has won 3/3 and is top of the Six Nations, and should be commended for instilling confidence in his players, but he should zip his mouth (his Sexton jibes were unnecessary, and obviously motivated the player), and remember that England's toughest contests against Wales and France are yet to come. Steve Hansen, the NZ coach was in the crowd, and looked suitably smug, knowing that England have a long way to go yet.

SIX NATIONS SQUAD UPDATE WEEK 3

HOT OFF THE PRESS:

England starting XV v Ireland - Itoje replaces Launchbury with Lawes on bench and Marler replaces Mako Vunipola. Elliot Daly gets his opportunity off the bench (at last).

Mike Brown; Anthony Watson, Jonathan Joseph, Owen Farrell, Jack Nowell; George Ford, Ben Youngs; Joe Marler, Dylan Hartley (capt), Dan Cole, Maro Itoje, George Kruis, Chris Robshaw, James Haskell, Billy Vunipola

Daly will make his England debut this weekend

Ireland have a fitness concern over Jared Payne, so Stuart McCloskey could be asked to step up, with Luke Marshall and Keith Earls also options. Cian Healy and Mike Ross come into the front row, with Simon Zebo back after missing the France game.

Ireland squad: Forwards: Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Rory Best (Ulster), Sean Cronin (Leinster), Ultan Dillane (Connacht), Dave Foley (Munster), Cian Healy (Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster), Jack McGrath (Leinster), Jordi Murphy (Leinster), Tommy O'Donnell (Munster), Mike Ross (Leinster), Rhys Ruddock (Leinster), Donnacha Ryan (Munster), CJ Stander (Munster), Richardt Strauss (Leinster), Devin Toner (Leinster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster), Nathan White (Connacht).

Backs: Keith Earls (Munster), Craig Gilroy (Ulster), Robbie Henshaw (Connacht), Paddy Jackson (Ulster), Rob Kearney (Leinster), Ian Madigan (Leinster), Kieran Marmion (Connacht), Luke Marshall (Ulster), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster), Fergus McFadden (Leinster), Conor Murray (Munster), Jared Payne (Ulster), Eoin Reddan (Leinster), Jonathan Sexton (Leinster), Andrew Trimble (Ulster), Simon Zebo (Munster).

Scotland have made one change to their starting XV for the match against Italy in Rome with Tim Visser replacing Sean Lamont on the wing. Uncapped prop Rory Sutherland is on the bench, as are Moray Low, Peter Horne and Ryan Wilson.

Flying Dutchman back for Scottyland

WORCESTER & NEWCASTLE CLOSE GAP ON BATH

The latest English Premiership table shows London Irish cast adrift at the bottom with 13 pts, following their recent loss to Exeter, whilst Worcester on 18 pts, and Newcastle with 20 pts continue to stretch away following great wins against Sale and Northampton respectively. The next two clubs are Bath (!!!) on 23 pts, with a game in hand, and Gloucester with 29pts.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/english-premiership/table

The club in the much coveted fourth place, qualifying for Champions Cup is Quins on 37 pts, a considerable 14pts ahead of Bath, who even if they win their spare game against Sale with a bonus point, will still have 9 pts to make up. Bath's remaining fixtures look tough including 8/10 of the sides above them. They won't get relegated, but with the salary cap set to increase to £7m+, they will need to achieve at least Europa League status if they are to retain and attract the best talent - coaches as well as players, as there are bound to be changes if results don't improve quickly.

Funboy Three perform "Under Pressure...."

ENGLAND HAS NO WORLD CLASS PLAYERS

That is not my view, but that of Eddie "Soundbite" Jones, who has said it will take him three years to build England into a world class team with world class players capable of beating the Southern Hemisphere teams in their own backyard. Manu Tuilagi, the Leicester centre, is often touted as "world class" but has not played for England since June 2014, so cannot qualify if he is not playing. Dan Cole, the England prop, agrees with him, and says "there are no stand-out individuals in our team that would make a World XV."

"Soundbite" has also recalled Luther Burrell from the wilderness to replace Ollie Devoto in the England squad for Ireland game this weekend. Luther was not selected in England initial Six Nations squad, and was also left out of the RWC squad by Stuart Lancaster. Burrell is joined by Exeter Chiefs centre Sam Hill, Semesa Rokoduguni and Marland Yarde among the 14 backs selected. Josh Beaumont, who sustained a dislocated shoulder while playing for Sale on Saturday, is also replaced, with Matt Kvesic coming in, alongside other forward reinforcements in Kieran Brookes, Matt Mullan and Luke Cowan-Dickie.

Luther brings his power...