Here are the latest rugby headlines on Wednesday, August 2.
Wales v England ‘not last-chance saloon’
England coach Richard Wigglesworth says the game against Wales this weekend won’t be used a “selection shoot-out”.
Wales host their old foes in Cardiff on Saturday before Warren Gatland’s men make the trip down the M4 next weekend.
Head coach Steve Borthwick will be naming his 33-man England squad on Monday, two days after the warm-up Test in the Welsh capital, but assistant coach Wigglesworth has stressed it won’t be used as a final audition.
“We want a proper Test match and that’s how we’ve built this up,” Wigglesworth told Sky Sports. “We are playing Wales away from home, we know it will be a proper Test match. We are not using this as a last chance saloon in any way, it would be disingenuous for me to say there isn’t going to be any decisions or anything made after this game, but it wouldn’t be only around this game.
“We’ve done our best as a coaching team of making sure that our training camp hasn’t been about selection, that it’s been about preparing as best we can for France. But I’ve been in that situation myself, it will be in the back or front of their minds, we’ve got to do a great job this week.”
Williams to set join Falcons
Former Wales sevens international Tom Williams is set to join the coaching set-up at English Premiership side Newcastle Falcons, according to The Rugby Paper.
He will join primarily as an academy coach once he has served his notice period with Jersey Reds.
The 32-year-old helped lead the islanders to be crowned winners of the England’s second-tier Championship last season.
Williams, son of Wales legend Brynmor and brother of Lloyd, who was capped 33 times for Wales, will link up with compatriot Scott Baldwin in the north east alongside head coach Alex Codling, Micky Ward (forwards), Mark Laycock (backs) and Jimmy Ponton (academy manager). You can read our interview with Williams from earlier on this summer here.
Sexton will be concerned – O’Connell
By Ed Elliot, PA, Dublin
Paul O’Connell believes suspended Ireland captain Johnny Sexton will be concerned about his lack of game-time ahead of his World Cup swansong.
Fly-half Sexton, who is set to retire following the tournament in France, will miss each of his country’s warm-up matches after being hit with a three-match ban for misconduct. The 38-year-old has not played competitively since March, having been forced off by a groin injury in the final match of the Guinness Six Nations against England.
Wales take on England in their opening game of the Rugby Summer Series. Fans can watch the game free by signing up to an Amazon Prime subscription here.
Forwards coach O’Connell insists Sexton’s extended absence is not a major worry for Ireland’s management team but concedes his former team-mate is likely to feel uneasy about the situation.
“Whenever he’s come back from injuries (previously), he rarely needs a lot of games to get back up and running,” said O’Connell. “It’s a real strength of his. He’s trained since the start of pre-season pretty much, he hasn’t missed a training session.
“He seems to watch an awful lot of rugby, he thinks a lot about rugby, so I think that kind of helps him hit the ground running when he comes back. (But) I’d say it’s a worry for him, you know. He wants to finish playing really, really well, and I’d say he’d love to have a few more games under his belt. It is what it is. It’s not something I’m worried about.”
Ireland face Italy, England and Samoa this month before beginning their World Cup campaign on September 9 against Romania in Bordeaux.
Sexton’s prolonged spell on the sidelines – in the wake of his behaviour following Leinster’s Heineken Champions Cup final defeat by La Rochelle on May 20 – has opened the door for rival number 10s Ross Byrne, Jack Crowley and Ciaran Frawley. O’Connell says the opportunity for the three understudies is a significant “silver lining” of the undesirable circumstances.
“They’re all playing for places – Johnny’s selection allows those guys to own it a little bit,” said the 43-year former lock, who represented Ireland at four World Cups. “It puts us in a good position heading into the World Cup because those guys get to accumulate more experience; not just of playing on the big day, but of owning it and running the week, driving some of the detail as well. Johnny’s suspension is unfortunate for us. But there’s a real good silver lining for us as well.”
Chessum in mix but won’t be risked vs Wales
By Duncan Bech, PA
Ollie Chessum is in contention to win a place in England’s World Cup squad after making a successful early comeback from the ankle surgery that had jeopardised his tournament hopes.
England feared they had lost their breakout star of the Six Nations after he was ruled out for between five and six months with the injury sustained during preparations to face Ireland in March. But on Tuesday he took part in a live scrummaging session during training as he closes in on making a complete recovery that should see him named in Steve Borthwick’s 33-strong squad on Monday.
England had made it clear Chessum would not be risked in Saturday’s opening warm-up match against Wales in Cardiff if not fully fit, but would be willing select him for the World Cup on the strength of his performances this year.
“Ollie’s close to a return. He’s done incredibly well and has been so diligent with his rehab. He looks really good,” attack coach Richard Wigglesworth said. “He’s definitely a great character and I’ve enjoyed working with him over the last few years, but he’s also a top-quality player who we are keen to get fit.
“The medics said that if he’s free of complications then there’s a very good chance of him being ready for the World Cup. He’s had no complications and flew into his rehab. I don’t think we’re going to rush someone back from that injury and say ‘you have to play (against Wales)’ – it’s up to us to make a decision on the best 33 on the back of all the evidence we’ve had. Ollie has obviously given pretty strong evidence that he’s a top international player when he was fit.”