Blues end 2010 with a win despite the Ospreys taking flight in the second half

Last weekend the talk might have been about the return of one Welsh centre, but today at the Cardiff City Stadium, Jamie Roberts made his first start for the Blues since wrist surgery and helped his side to a shaky 27-25 over the Ospreys.

Roberts' return to the starting 15 was a quite one, but he did show some strong running and a solid defence which optimised his region's performance.

The 19-3 first half advantage Dai Young’s side took in at the break proved to be the difference as the Ospreys hit back in the second period, led by substitute Mike Philips and winger Richard Fussell, to set up a tense finish in the Welsh capital.

On a night where fireworks will light up the night skies across the country, there was very little spark in the first half. Dan Parks, who is often criticised for not showing attacking impetus was the difference between the sides as Cardiff capitalised on almost every visit in and around the Ospreys 22-metre; while their opponents tried to recreate some of the magic which saw them demoralise the Scarlets earlier in the week.

Gavin Henson waltzes back into professional rugby at Wembley

With the fake tan still very much evident, Gavin Henson made his Premiership and Saracens debut today against Wasps at Wembley.

His long awaited return to the pitch came after 51-minutes, replacing Michael Tagicakibau at outside centre and immediately made an impact. He was so close to making a dream start, going over the line having been on the pitch for just two minutes and with his first touch of the ball. But scrum-half Joe Simpson was carried over with Henson, wrapped around the Welshman like Katya Virshilas has been since September.

A debut try could have seen his new side home and dry at 15-0 with an easy conversion to come, but the incident inspired Wasps, not the North Londoners, as they came came back with two penalties to bring themselves to within a score.

Saracens, however, did enough and held the six-time English champions at bay winning 13-6.

With the exception of the initial flurry of excitement Henson had a quiet game. This is to be expected for a man 18-months out of rugby, but you couldn’t have put a hat-trick topped with a 50-meter penalty to win the game à-la Wales versus England,2005, past him.

Henson expects to be back in the international fold come February and the Six Nations, while he also expects to play at fly-half as his very frank interview on Scrum V earlier in the year suggested.

To achieve the latter, he needs to overcome the very impressive Owen Farrell who has deputised at Saracens after Derick Hougaard put himself out for the season. The rookie has performed impeccably, but whether because the game was at Wembley, the pressure of Henson or the fact that against Wasps he came up against a wily, international class openside flanker in Serge Betsen, Farrell junior did look slightly out of his depth on this occasion.

With some more training under his belt, Henson probably will step in, and amongst the group of young English prospects and South African exiles looking to prove a point, Henson could excel.

He was reserved after the game, saying he hopes to start in the next week or two at 10 or 12, and only then can he think about a return to the red shirt of Wales.

To reach the form required, other Saracens like Schalk Brits could be exactly the sort of player to help their new Welsh team-mate thrive. The hooker’s strong running could work beautifully off the shoulder of Henson’s passing or his own line breaks.

His return within the ranks of the current Welsh set-up may be greeted with mixed emotions, but for rugby fans and spectators Gavin Henson brings sparks of magic to light up pitches, fill stadiums and create incredible match winning moments.

Jacobs and Wasps sting Irish's title ambitions

London Irish began their trio of season defining matches with a 33-25 defeat against Wasps at High Wycombe in a sensational game of rugby.

Adams Park remained a bogey ground for the Exiles as their run there extended to just one win in ten. Both sides welcomed back a number of regulars who were rested during the LV-Cup ties and others deemed not necessary for their international squads to add extra spice to the occasion.

A frenetic start saw high intensity running, and both teams won kickable penalties in the first five minutes. Ryan Lamb - who has had a superb start to the season - pushed his from the touchline wide, while opposite number, Dave Walder, made no mistake from just inside the Irish half.

One of the players released from Martin Johnson’s squad earlier in the week, Tim Payne, was punished twice in quick succession at the scrum, gifting Lamb the opportunity to level the scores. Irish continued to play with power at speed, but married with the dexterity, calmness and accuracy of their in-form stand-off’s kicking from hand.

But it was Wasps who scored the opening try after a quick-witted 22-drop out from Walder put them on the attack against a disorganised Irish defence. Good hands from the home side unleashed Tom Varndell, and quick recycling from England hopeful Joe Simpson led to Simon Kefu cutting a line before feeding centre partner Ben Jacobs, who carried three defenders over the line to score.

The man who started it all knocked over the conversion to make it 10-3.

Simpson, with his seemingly trademark socks around his ankles, was constantly buzzing around the base of the breakdown. His incredible turn of pace and rapid service gave Wasps fantastic opportunities in attack, and while all the talk has been about Ben Youngz in England’s number nine shirt – the 22-year old who has been so unfortunate with injuries, will be ready to step up if and when called upon.

Irish quickly retaliated, but in comparison to the pace of Simpson and the game up until the 28th minute, the try was made with brute strength. Chris Hala’ufia swatted three Wasps defenders off the back of a scrum with his right hand to pop to the supporting Paul Hodgson who ran in from 25-meters to bring his side back to within two points - Lamb failing with another touchline kick.

A penalty each left the score 15-13 at half-time, but the home side were down to 14-men after Payne saw yellow for a number of needless penalties.

Irish took full advantage of their extra man straight from the kick off, as positive play took them from 22 to 22, where Lamb put another deft chip through causing chaos in the Wasps defence. The ball popped up to Dean Bowden to dab under the posts – though there was more than a sniff of a forward pass in the build up – and Lamb easily converted.

Walder retaliated instantly with his fourth kick from five, but the second half didn’t get going until the 60th minute.

The Exiles spurned two opportunities just meters from the Wasps line in quick succession as Nick Kennedy was turned over when an extra pass would have seen Topsy Ojo cross the whitewash, and then Steffon Armitage left his rival England openside flanker - Tom Rees - for dead, only to knock it forward under pressure from the covering tackle.

The Exiles were dominant in this period and a score could have buried their hosts. But from nothing, Wasps turned the game on its head.

From a scrum on the half way line, man-of-the-match Jacobs ghosted through the opposition defence, feeding Joe Worsley. Quick ball again from the breakdown left the home side with a huge overlap, allowing Kefu to stroll over. Walder added the extras to put his side back in the lead 23-18 and they never looked back.

Worsley did what his team mates couldn’t earlier and smashed Hala’ufia on the Wasps 10-meter line, where his back row partner and captain Rees turned the ball over to launch an instinctive counter attack. Varndell was given the ball in space and there was no stopping the flying wing. The conversion stretched Wasps’ lead to 12-points with just five minutes remaining.

Irish thought they had secured at least a losing bonus point when substitute prop Paulica Ion went over with 90-seconds remaining, but Wasps, who finally won a penalty against the Irish scrum, kicked three points to ensure a 33-25 win, and an empty handed return trip down the M40 for Toby Booth’s men.

American football doesn't start any fires in London

Fireworks, lights, sparkle, glitz, glamour, beer, excitement, passion, hot dogs, music, superstars, exhilaration, big – American.

Last weekend the National Football League (NFL) of America rolled into London and dominated the spiritual home of English sport like nothing else. Red, white and blue didn’t just drape the inside of the stadium, but outside there was a remarkable ‘Tailgate Party’ serving beer, food, American Football-influenced fairground-esque attractions, a mock stadium and a live music stage.

Merchandise stalls hawked the wares of all the NFL franchises showing this event was not just about the San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos, but was an opportunity for every fan of the sport in Britain to celebrate the game.

The scale of the event was unreal – something not seen in the UK even at the biggest sporting occasions – yet this was just a regular season game.

Hundreds of figures decorated the parameter of the pitch from TV crews, cheerleaders, a drumming band brought especially from San Francisco and of course the players – the huge squads took a side of the pitch each dwarfing ‘soccer’s’ technical areas as just about big enough for the huge Gatorade containers.

It is a shame the players – those competing in the sport – are the ones mentioned last, as amongst the razzmatazz the game is lost.

As flames reach to the sky and multi-platinum musicians are rolled on-and-off the pitch the spectacle overshadows the actual event.

When only an hour of actual play is scheduled, but it takes getting on for four hours to complete, there is something wrong – especially at the scheduled cheerleader displays with two minutes remaining of each quarter irrespective of the momentum of the teams or how close the game may be.

A further gripe is the number of players used. Huge squads are rotated for every play depending on the situation, with the sportsmen competing clearly labelled as only possessing a single discernable skill – to tackle, to run, to throw, to catch, to kick or to get in the way – as was the case of the 6’3” Denver Bronco who ticks scales over the 24-stone mark.

There were some awesome moments in the game – spectacular fakes, unbelievable catches, huge hits and incredible excitement – and when there was a few quick phases and a flow to the game it was exciting to watch. But these occasions were far too far apart and often lost as your eyes were caught by the shiny added extras around the side rather than the grind of the main event.

American Football is an institution in the States as families attend with BBQs on the back of their pick-ups and treat it as a day out, and perhaps my nonselence about it is ingrained with the British vs. American psyche as I expect most of our cousins across the pond view 11-men dressed in white and standing on a field all day, for five days, with breaks for lunch and scones a tea-time as somewhat peculiar.

When the NFL came to Wembley it was incredible event – the atmosphere was like no-other and the excitement was phenomenal – but the game was forgotten.

P.S – 49ers won 24-16.

Boarding Pass - Steve Borthwick

Name: Steve Borthwick
Club: Saracens
Position: Second Row
International Honours: England (57 caps), England A

There are two schools of thought surrounding Steve Borthwick: the first argues he has been made a sacrificial scapegoat by Martin Johnson - dropped after a dreadful run of results for England to keep the Twickenham boo-boys at bay. While the second believes his omission is deserved for an over-rated player who never should have been given the captaincy let alone for the length of time he held it.

As events transpired, Johnson was given a get-out clause when push-came-to-shove, as he picked up an injury ruling him out of the summer tour.

While away, and in Australia especially, England impressively dominated the scrum and of course beat the Wallabies in their back yard for the first time since their World Cup victory in 2003.

After this historic win, the likes of Tom Palmer and Courtney Lawes who have also impressed so much at their club, cannot be dropped – while Simon Shaw remains as the iconic leader of the Three Chariots after his performances for the Lions in South Africa and evergreen stature.

Every coach who has selected Borthwick has openly admired both his performance and leadership qualities, while most of those who have watched him seem to miss the good work he reportedly does around the field.

Indeed Brendan Venter, after Saracens’ 24-17 win over Northampton at the weekend, praised his captain’s overall contribution to the victory.

It was a shame Borthwick wasn’t able to compete against Lawes at Vicarage Road – his younger compatriot rested by Jim Mallinder as part of the England Elite Performance Squad agreement – but his performance was not as deserving as Venter’s admiration suggested and a long way away from what would be required of a lock donning the red rose on his chest.

When taking the ball into contact he looked half-hearted and often went backwards against the committed Northampton defence - making only four meters during the 80-minutes.

Further, last year’s defeated Premiership finalists seemed to draw their inspiration from the South African contingent of particularly Neil de Kock, Derick Hougaard and Jacques Berger - not their skipper.

And the line-out wasn’t being dominated by Borthwick as much as one would expect based on his reputation.

Chances of going to New Zealand; 6.5/10 – The disappointment of Borthwick’s omission from the EPS squad was intensified as he heard the news while on his honeymoon, but despite this, he isn’t in the international wilderness. He is in the Saxons squad and with an unfortunate yet likely injury inevitably going to occur to one of his competitors in England’s engine room, Borthwick is the next in line to be called up.

Johnson clearly rates Borthwick by making him captain and retaining faith with him for so long, and come September 2011 Borthwick will at least be an experienced option who wouldn’t be intimidated by his surroundings, potentially giving him the edge over someone like Newcastle’s James Hudson or Dan Ward-Smith.

Not bad, hey?

Hougaard's boot KOs Northampton as Saints fall

Saracens vs. Northampton Saints
September 26, 2010
Vicarage Road, Watford

HT: 15-12
FT: 24-17

Saracens extended their winning streak against Northampton Saints and in doing so ended the Premiership’s only remaining 100 per cent record this season, winning at Vicarage Road 24-17.

Last season’s beaten Premiership finalists were the more composed of the two sides who didn’t become overawed by the visitors making the better start to the game, and capitalised with the metronomic boot of South African fly-half Derick Hougaard kicked in difficult conditions,

Saints travelled to Watford without the injured Chris Ashton and rested Courtney Lawes as part of the England Elite Performance Squad agreement and couldn’t recreate the cutting edge and spark which has optimised their exciting performances this season.

Boarding Pass - Jonathan Davies

Name: Jonathan Davies
Club: Llanelli Scarlets
Position: Centre
International Honours: Wales (7 caps), Wales U20s

Over the past seven days the news has all been about a certain Welsh centre – or ‘fly-half’ – but this is going to focus on another – Jonathan Davies.

At just 22 the centre has the raw materials to go far, and will hope if his form at Llanelli continues he can add to his collection of caps he has already begun to amass.

With Henson only performing in front of television cameras for the next few months, and Jamie Roberts out of Wales’ autumn internationals after undergoing wrist surgery, Davies has the best opportunity he could wish for to impress Warren Gatland and make the red 12 shirt his own.

Boarding Pass - David Strettle

Name: David Strettle
Club: Saracens
Position: Wing/Centre
International Honours: England (6 caps), England Sevens

Sometimes a change is good for the soul – and if David Strettle’s first 40-minutes as a Saracen is anything to go by, his move may prove to be the reigniting his career has been looking for.

He scored after his introduction at the weekend against Sale, and some of the pace and strength which won him his first six England caps and the 2007 Professional Rugby Players’ Association Young Player of the Season was back.

But since then, two injuries have hampered his development which saw him miss the World Cup in France and then pull out of the Six Nations a year later, and the fear was another English talent had gone to waste.

The signs from Saracens’ 28-13 victory looked extremely positive for the winger and there were glimpses of his old best. At 27 he is not the spring chicken his looks would lead people to believe and he has an awful lot of competition to wrestle his place back into England’s starting XV.

Though he was selected in Martin Johnson’s Elite Performance Squad, he still has Mark Cueto, Chris Ashton and Matt Banahan to contend with along with the likes of Ugo Monye and Tom Varndell breathing down his neck.

Chances of flying to New Zealand: 7/10 – As long as Strettle stays fit, his jinking running akin to Jason Robinson should see him easily make his long awaited trip to the World Cup. Unlike the more direct and powerful runners also on offer for England, he is a different option which could unlock some of the world’s best drilled defences with his unpredictable lines and squirming knack to find his way over the whitewash.

Southend teach Hinckley lessons about National rugby

Southend continued their perfect start to the season as they again picked up maximum points in a 10-53 victory away at Hinckley.

The visitors were clinical in their attack and devastating with quick offloading out of the tackle to see them run in eight tries to the Leicestershire side’s one.

Hinckley are still awaiting their first win after returning to the National leagues for the first time in 10 years and will not look back on this game fondly as defensive lapses, especially around the tackle area, and being slow to react and reorganise after turnovers proved decisive.

Boarding Pass - Ryan Lamb

Name: Ryan Lamb
Club: London Irish
Position: Fly-Half
International Honours: England U21, England Saxons

With 12-months to go until the World Cup in New Zealand, players across the planet are fighting it out to secure themselves a seat on the plane to the competition.

To begin what will be a weekly look at men who are making a claim and demanding their selection, I turn to London Irish’s Ryan Lamb.

At just 24, the fly-half has appeared to be around longer than his young age suggests while not always enjoying an entirely glowing career - arrested and charged for assault last year before being dropped by his home town club, Gloucester.

He has always showed glimpses of promise but has not been able to put a streak of form together and his kicking has been unreliable. Indeed last year he was not always first choice in the number 10 jersey for The Exiles, often finding himself on the bench behind Chris Malone.

However, under the tutorledge of Mike Catt, Lamb may well have a guide who can transform him into the player he has threatened to be. He has impressed during Irish’s pre-season, especially in Wales against the Newport Gwent-Dragon and continued his form through to the opening weekend of the Aviva Premiership.

Against Saracens at Twickenham, Lamb kicked 13 of his side’s 33 points and provided a perfect cross-field kick for Sailosi Tagicakibau to touch down in the second half. His passing created dangerous opportunities for the free-running and free-flowing London Irish backs, and he wore a cheeky smile of confidence throughout the game as he outshone another contender – Alex Goode.

With the departure of Danny Cipriani to Australia –seemingly knocking the Melbourne Rebel out of England reckoning – there are greater possibilities at 10.

But with the likes of Jonny Wilkinson, Toby Flood, Charlie Hodgson and Shane Geraghty all with more international experience and currently ahead of him in Martin Johnson’s pecking order, Lamb is going to need to put in some very strong performances if he is to break into the side and make his full international debut.


Chances of flying to New Zealand: 3.5/10 – Lamb needs to put months not minutes of form together and hope his attacking play is helped by powerful finishing from the team-mates around him, but he may have to rely on injury and poor performances from his competitors if he is to get his chance.

London Irish staff fear French dominance

Northampton’s appearance as England’s only club in the quarter-finals of last season’s Heineken Cup may be a less of a blip and more of a trend according to London Irish’s coaching staff.

With the wage cap in England topped at £4million a year,Toby Booth is concerned the larger budgets and squad sizes in France will facilitate them to perform more consistently in both domestic and European competitions.

He said: “Dave [Ellis] and I had a little chuckle last week about operational budgets in France compared to the Premiership. There is Bayonne, I believe, who have just increased their budget by €4.3 million - they have increased their budget by the wage gap that we actually work on, so from that point of view it certainly isn’t going to get any easier, and makes things tough.

Hard grind needed for Exiles' success

Printed above the door to the weights room at London Irish’s Sunbury training ground are the words: ‘Earn the Right’, and Toby Booth, his players and his staff know it is only hard work which will reap any rewards this season.

The Exiles kick off their Premiership campaign against Saracens at Twickenham on Saturday, but training for the season began on June 15 with players returning to get physically primed for the season ahead.

“We are looking to increase the physical levels of the previous season and are always trying to take a step up,” Irish’s Head of Strength and Conditioning Allan Ryan noted as the key aims for pre-season. “It is important to try and make sure the players get through injury free and are prepared for the season ahead.”

Manchester City’s second-rate millionaires will not bring medals

An awful lot has been made about Manchester City and Sheik Al-Mansur’s Middle Eastern millions, but the fundamental flaw is the calibre of player they are bringing in.

Criticism has been levelled at a number of clubs in the Premier League for favouring the import of cheaper, foreign talent at the detriment to home grown kids - not least Manchester City. This summer alone they have welcomed through the doors Aleksander Kolarov, Yaya Toure, Mario Balotelli and James Milner at a huge expense, though it is the capture of David Silva which highlights their failings.

Three to push for World Cup stardom

With the World Cup just over a year away players across the planet are looking to the coming season as an opportunity to secure, or in some instances snatch last minute tickets to New Zealand.

Martin Johnson, Warren Gatland and company will hope to go into the Autumn Internationals with a settled squad - the majority of which will form the core of their party to launch their challenge to be World Champions.

But changes are inevitably with injury and loss of form, and three players who will hope to capitalise and wrestle their way to the top are featured after the jump – Dave Attwood, Jason Tovey and Jon Clarke.

All Blacks run riot as Australia look back on basic errors

Australia vs. New Zealand
July 31, 2010
Docklands Stadium, Melbourne

HT: 14-32
FT: 28-49

Experience and cool heads ruled over the youthful enthusiasm of Australia as New Zealand ran a mockery in Melbourne, winning 28-49.

Australia were trying to build on a strong start against South Africa last week, but handed the opportunity for the All Blacks to continue their unbeaten streak in the 2010 Tri-Nations through lack of discipline and failure to perform the basics. Their opposition were clinical in their finishing and oozing confidence as they extend their streak of Bledisloe Cup wins to 14 in 16 attempts.

Drew Mitchell was sent off due to two questionable yellow cards issued by South African referee Craig Joubert just inside the second half which scuppered Australia’s chances, but embarrassing mistakes at the restart in particular is what coach Robbie Deans will be most worried about.

Cheating... Or a great penalty? The latter

This is just simply insane... Ezequiel Calvente for Spain U19s v Italy U19s, July 24, 2010 at the European U19 Championships.

McCartney tasked with making Britain shine golden

It has been announced fashion guru Stella McCartney will be designing the Great Britain 2012 Olympic kit for London.

Working with Adidas who have kitted out British athletes since 1984, she has the rather difficult task of taking men and women of all different sizes with a limited canvas to work from.

Blue, white and red are her palette and once the number and iconic three strips have been added, there isn’t a lot of room left for the catwalk queen.

She has already had gold medallist Victoria Pendleton model for her, and she kitted out Danish tennis player Caroline Wozniacki for Wimbledon, but this should be an interesting experiment.

It could be brilliant, or like these examples of sporting shockers, it could turn out to be a bit of a nightmare.

Pictures after the jump...

Has England’s World Cup proved club triumphs over country?

It cannot be denied England performed abysmally during their four matches in South Africa. They lacked spark, creativity, basic skills but most importantly passion.

The depths of despair came against Algeria, when the ability to pass a football ten yards or control it escaped players of the calibre of Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard - simple technical points one would expect from those who earn upwards of £100,000-a-week.

It was unexpected, these men just don’t perform that way when they are at their clubs playing in the Premier or Champions League – but perhaps this is just the problem.

Power, Points or Pride?

England struggled to their first win on their tour of Australia without scoring a try for the second game in succession, while the Saxons in America are scoring for fun.

I am not suggesting the standard of opposition is comparable – Martin Johnson’s men are clearly fighting a much harder battle than the second-level competition in the Churchill Cup – but what confuses me is the mentality of the backlines who line-up with Red Roses on their chests.

Westwood needs to show his Major credentials

Lee Westwood missed out on another key title after a poor final round at the Players Championship which cast further doubts over his nerve and temperament.

The 37-year old lost an overnight lead going into the final day, as he did almost a month earlier when Phil Mickelson claimed his third green jacket at Augusta.

Richard Hill cycles for charity

Ex-Lions, England and Saracens star Richard Hill is beginning to rediscover the passion which made him such a menace on the rugby field with the help of a custom made bike.

It is a slow road to fitness after major knee surgery as he trains for The Lexus Great British Bike Ride, but Hill’s desire for competition soon reared its head again when he came up against some fellow cyclists: “Cycling was all new to me, and I was overtaken by an elderly couple when out on the road.

“But it was when I got over taken by some more, that the competitive edge came back and I followed their route to see if I could keep up with them.

Dallaglio on St George's Day prospects

When Wasps host Bath at Twickenham next weekend it will not only be a great celebration of Englishness, but an opportunity for some to seize a summer tour boarding pass.

As two of the Guinness Premiership’s most decorated sides fight in a must-win match for the last playoff position, England head coach Martin Johnson will be keeping a close eye on a number of the players on show.

Lawrence Dallaglio who captained his country thinks there are still a number of opportunities in the inaugural St George’s Day game. He said: “We are now in the business end of the season and you can prove yourself in these types of games – and it’s not just for the younger players.

Stade rise to beat Clermont and dent their title ambitions

Next season’s Stade Français coach Michael Cheika was in the stands to watch his future side claim a moral boosting victory against Clermont Auvergne today in the Top 14.

Coach Jacques Delmas described Stade’s season as a “black year” but this result showed signs the side is capable of pulling off good results and should ease Cheika’s mind somewhat about the task he faces beginning in the summer.

An exciting first half, which initially looked like Stade were in for a long afternoon, was not matched in the second, as the razzmatazz of cheerleaders and a Jean of Arc imitation riding on horseback across the Stade de France prior to kick-off fizzled out over the 80 minutes.

The Great British Cricket Tea

As the rain begins to fall all over the country, it must mean it is the cricket season. But whenever water falls from the sky while you people are in their flannels it means they have another opportunity to nibble at the highlight of any cricket match - the tea.

Dear friend, and extremely talent food-journalist Fiona Roberts has written us a few words on why it is such a vital cornerstone of British society.

Prydie to Become Youngest International Ever for Wales Against Italy

WALES coach Warren Gatland has reacted to last weekend's defeat to Ireland with five changes which will see Tom Prydie become the country's youngest ever international.

The wing will come in for Cardiff Blues's Leigh Halfpenny against Italy on Saturday, while Martyn Williams who led the side last weekend has been dropped from the match day squad altogether and has been replaced by Sam Warburton. The other changes see a return for Lions trio Ryan Jones, Gethin Jenkins and Mike Phillips with Paul James and Gareth Delve dropping to the bench.

England's Starting XV for the 2011 Rugby World Cup

As England put out the latest inept, impotent and uninspiring performance I want to offer a challenge to Martin Johnson.

He was a fantastically efficient player who did all the jobs asked of him to the top level, but he must throw off the shackles and put out an England team which will show life and excite England fans.

So for the first match of the 2011 World Cup against Argentina on September 10 in Christchurch, this is the 15 I believe Johnson should put out:

1 – Matt Stevens
2 – Dylan Hartley (capt)
3 – Dan Cole
4 – Courtney Lawes
5 – Nick Kennedy
6 – Steffon Armitage
7 – Tom Croft
8 – James Haskell
9 – Danny Care
10 – Shane Geraghty
11 – Ugo Monye
12 – Riki Flutey
13 – Matt Tait
14 – Chris Ashton
15 – Ben Foden

The pack needs dynamism, power, pace, skill and agility to perform in the modern game. If Stevens continues at Saracens as he did before his ban, along with Hartley and Cole, England will have a front row which could equally double up as extra flankers – though they may lack at scrum time.

Kennedy and Lawes in the second row will provide a fantastic platform from the lineout, and the back row mixes powerful running, with commitment and passion.

At half backs I think we need to move on from 2003 and leave Wilkinson out. He hasn’t repeated the form he shows at Toulon, and so we should throw in Geraghty and give him his international chance at his normal position.

The centre partnership has not had a chance to demonstrate its full running potential because of England’s slow ball during the Six Nations. Given the chance they certainly have the chance to cause devastation.

Foden has shown brilliance at full back for Northampton, and during his limited England opportunities, while his club team mate Chris Ashton has an unbelievable try record and there is no reason why he can’t carry this over for England. Monye has been one of the only half-decent performers for England over the past 18-months.

Bright Spark Bale Excites for Wales’ Future

WELSH starlet Gareth Bale's recent club form should give Wales manager John Toshack some hope going into tomorrow's friendly with Sweden, as well as the 2012 European Championship qualifying campaign.

The Tottenham Hotspur left back has been in startling form in the Premier League this season.

His recent first-team opportunities have come as a result of the injury to Benoit Assou-Ekotto, culminating in a match-winning performance at the weekend in Spurs's 2-1 victory over Everton.

This will hopefully brighten up the mood of Welsh fans after the horrific injury Aaron Ramsey suffered last Saturday.

Wales' Nathan Cleverly Is a True Contender

Wales’s Nathan Cleverly became the country’s only European boxing champion when he beat Italian Antonio Brancalion in five rounds.

The fighter from Cefn Fforest added to his growing list of titles, which include the British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight belts.

Cleverly, who won by technical knock-out at Wembley Arena on Saturday night, said: “I’m really pleased with the win and absolutely ecstatic to pick up another championship belt, and with it move up another level to the European stage.”

Byrne to Discover his England Fate

The Wales team for the first Six Nations match is expected to be announced tomorrow after the ERC confirmed the decision on Lee Byrne’s ban will be made this evening.

Byrne was banned for two weeks after the Ospreys had 16 men on the field for a brief period of play in their crucial Heineken Cup group match against Leicester Tigers. The full back and Welsh coaching staff are hoping the ban will be overturned so he is available for selection against England in the Six Nations opener on Saturday.

It has been quite a selection headache for Wales as they hope to claim their fourth win over England in as many years to kick start their campaign.

England Six Nations Preview

Tournament Background/Pedigree – Despite reaching the last two World Cup finals, England have failed to win the Six Nations since 2003.

Indeed since their all conquering year seven seasons ago they have been in a continual limbo, and unable to shake off the successes of the Woodwood-era and create another world beating team to move forward with.

This time around England are far from tournament favourites, especially with three of their matches away from Twickenham.

In 107 editions of the tournament – beginning in 1883 with just the Home Nations – England have been the most successful side winning 25 which has included 12 Grand Slams and 23 Triple Crowns.

Key Man – Jonny Wilkinson: The hero of 2003 is a rejuvenated player after his summer switch to French Top 14 side Toulon.

He has been plagued with injuries since dropping the winning goal in Sydney, but so far this season he has managed to stay on the pitch and kicked his goals.

In the Autumn he played far too deep. Whether this was under international management’s orders this is not how he has been playing for his club, and England’s backline lacked penetration as a result.

He is still one of England’s few genuine ‘world class’ players and his country have won 54 of the 73 games he has featured in.

He still strikes fear into opponents not only due to the potency of his boot, but when ticking and fully fit, his attacking play and tackling is devastating.
 

One for the future – Dan Cole: Although only selected in the England Saxon’s squad initially, the Leicester loose head has already been called up to the full squad due to injury, with David Wilson the only other specialist number one in the squad

At just 22-years old he has shown fantastic form for Leicester, with the prop’s seminal game during his club’s 34-8 victory over Wasps at Welford Road. He dominated current England tight-head Tim Payne at scrum time, winning numerous penalties, and showed his fitness with a last ditch try saving tackle against the same opponent.  
 

Manager/Coach – Martin Johnson has had a baptism of fire over the last 18-months, taking the Head Coach role of England as his first coaching position. The lack of experience is supposedly remedied by the coaching set up he has implemented around him – though this has received criticism from many quarters.

Equally the 2003 World Cup winning captain has been accused of favouring those he played alongside seven years ago and players from his old club Leicester.

Particularly in his own position, the second row combination of Steve Bothwick and Louis Deacon – the former as captain – has generated widespread condemnation. Simon Shaw will certainly start if fit, while Northampton’s young upstart Courtney Lawes has also been receiving a lot of popular attention.

The 20-year old has shown dynamism and passion in the Guinness Premiership this season, and Nick Kennedy – currently in the England Saxons squad – continues to show brilliance at the line-out and is unfortunate to miss out on the full squad.

Johnson’s management has been overly conservative, and only time will tell if he allows the free-flowing footballers in the squad such as Ben Foden, Riki Flutey and Matt Tait to demonstrate their running rugby abilities.
 

Why They Will Win It – England will always provide competition up front – Lewis Moody will disrupt the opposition’s access to quick ball and be a constant nuisance to opposition half-backs. Strong back row running will allow quick ball for Danny Care to feed Wilkinson, flat on the gain-line to unleash the side’s undoubted attacking potential.

Why They Won’t Win It – The unimaginative, static and sterile form shown in the Autumn will continue into 2010. Johnson will not have the confidence to give some of the unproven though certainly more daring options he has at his disposal a run, resulting on an over reliance on an injury prone Wilkinson’s boot.

Prediction – There are truly two ways the 2010 Six Nations could go for England. Option one – perhaps the most likely – will see continued conservatism from the management and flat performances across the board, with the team ending up towards the foot of the table.

Or secondly, Johnson puts faith in some of the younger flair players the fans are calling for with a view to the 2011 World Cup. This will still not see them win the competition but will create a much more positive atmosphere around English rugby.

If they were a celebrity they would be... – Tom Cruise: Confident with a whiff or arrogance, they feel they deserve to be eating at the top table but all too often uninspiring and come up short.

Neil Jenkins Supports Wales A Team

Welsh legend Neil Jenkins has hinted he would be in favour of a Wales A team.

The current national team kicking coach said: "It would be nice to have an A team.
"I know England play so many games a year with it, and go to the Churchill Cup. Its up to the WRU to decide."

All of the other nations who make up the Six Nations field A teams, including the Italians, and it gives players an extra stepping-stone before entering the caldron of senior international rugby.

Johnny Sexton is the latest success story to emerge from this level. He had a fantastic season last year with his province, helping Leinster lift the Heineken Cup with a decisive penalty in the final to defeat Leicester. In the summer he was called upon by Ireland A as they went onto lift the Churchill Cup.

After appearances against the likes of England Saxons - their equivalent to an A team - and the senior sides of Argentina, USA, Canada and Georgia, Sexton ended November in possession of the full Ireland outside-half spot, ahead of Ronan O'Gara, aided by his experience in international rugby’s second tier.

Kristian Phillips has had to drop down to the Wales under 20 team having been released by Warren Gatland, alongside players who have yet to even feature for their province.

Meanwhile Shane Geraghty, who has been dropped by Martin Johnson after some unconvincing displays in the autumn, has the opportunity to impress and re-establish himself in the Saxons squad - an opportunity he took with 12 points, including a try in the win against Ireland A in Bath last Sunday (Jan 31).

Wales last put out an A side in 2002 and scraped it in 2003 due to financial reasons.

Why the 2010 Six Nations may be the key for the 2011 World Cup

The inclusion of a number of exciting youngsters in this season’s Six Nations squads proves coaches are looking forward to the 2011 World Cup in just over 18-months time.

It is the last real chance for players to put their hands up and gain the required international experience necessary to compete at the pinnacle of their sport.

Wales head coach, Warren Gatland, said: "We are now at the beginning of our countdown to the World Cup and this slightly larger squad reflects that.

"We have brought in some youngsters to put some pressure on some of our senior players and to help increase the depth we have in certain positions.”

Wales Hope for Success in the Six Nations and Beyond

After an autumn of discontent for Welsh rugby, Warren Gatland will be hoping to repeat the successes of 2005 and 2008 in this year’s 6 Nations Championship.

Wales were unfortunate against the All Blacks, uninspiring against Samoa and Argentina, and embarrassed by Australia; though it is should not be all doom and gloom for Wales in the upcoming 2010 Six Nations.

The Welsh start their campaign against England at Twickenham (Sat 6 Feb) having dropped to eighth in the world rankings, behind the likes of their hosts and Argentina. There is no doubt they will have  to improve their standard of play as they look to recapture their Grand Slam winning form of recent years, but there are a number of positives for the Welsh.

They will welcome back some key Lions who were sorely missed in the autumn – the dynamic Lee Byrne and Adam Jones while Mike Philips seems to be losing the battle to be fit.

The free-running Byrne should add a cutting edge which was lacking, and will be hoping his Ospreys’ team-mate, Shane Williams, will rediscover the form which made him IRB International Player of the Year in 2008 and has seen him notch up 50 Test tries.

Wales captain Ryan Jones is certainly positive: “Expectations are high. We live in an environment down here in Wales where everyone expects us to win, and wants us so dearly to do so.

“As a group of players we have been working extremely hard behind the scenes. The Six Nations is a competition we love, and we hope to thrive in. Our goal, I suppose, is to go out and win all our games.”

Omens do bode well for the Welsh. Their last Grand Slam win two years ago began with a 19-26 victory at Twickenham, tries from Philips and Byrne.

Going into 2008 Wales were unfancied having just lost to Fiji and failed to advance from the groups of the 2007 World Cup, in France, while England had rallied to reach the final, before narrowly losing to South Africa.

This time around the two sides are those in greatest disarray ahead of the Championships. Both had torrid Novembers, though with home advantage, England will once again be slight favourites.

Ryan Jones looks forward to the challenge: “They don’t come any bigger, physical, or faster than Tests against the likes of England at Twickenham.

“It’s a great place to go and play. I experienced it for the first time two years ago it is a pretty daunting place - there is an awful lot of history there.

“The England team are on the up and it will be a hell of a challenge, but that’s why they are called Test matches - when you test yourself against the best and see how good you are.”

Martin Johnson’s men do not possess the formidable scrum which has been key during their success during and since the Woodwood-era. Gethin Jenkins and a fit Adam Jones can cause the English pack problems, and if Wales turn up with a reinvigorated back-line, a marker and base akin to 2008 could be set.

Wales will then enjoy back-to-back home matches, first against Scotland on Valentine’s Day weekend, and secondly, in what will surely be an extra-special match, against France on the night of Friday 26 February.

Ex-England coach, Andy Robinson, has breathed new life into a whaling Scottish side, which culminated in their gritty 9-8 victory over Australia. It is the two Scottish franchises – Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby – who are dominating the domestic game by topping this season’s Magners League.

The Scots are beginning to create an exciting blend of experience and youth: on the one hand record points-scorer and the country’s most capped player Chris Paterson continues to turn out performances, while the exciting young wing, Thom Evans, has been scoring for fun.  

The French are one of the form sides in world rugby along with New Zealand and Ireland. Their attacking game is a delight to watch and their 20-13 win against the Springboks was one of the rugby highlights of 2009.

Against France, Wales will need to produce a special performance to win under the lights. Despite a 20-13 win over World and Tri-Nations champions South Africa in November, the French are renowned for not showing up for matches, and particularly away from home.

Wales’s toughest test will be the trip to Croke Park to face 2009 Grand Slam champions Ireland. It was against this opposition last year where Wales came within a kick of winning the Championships themselves, leaving them fourth in the table, a false position according to captain, Jones: “We finished fourth but we were one kick away from finishing first.

“There comes a point where you have to put everything on the line and risk it really, and we did that - unfortunately we came off second best. I don’t think that was a true reflection of the way we actually performed.

“Of course we were bitterly disappointed, you want to be at the top end of the table, because people only remember the teams that win it.”

The midfield battle in this game will be intense and engulfing. The Lions centre partnership of Jamie Roberts and Brian O’Driscoll - one of the highlights of the South Africa tour – will line up against each other. Indeed they could play directly opposite if Gatland chooses to play James Hook at inside-centre with the return of Byrne ousting him from full-back.

Wales will hope their final game at home against the minnows of the tournament, Italy, will prove to be a stroll to their third Grand Slam in six attempts. Although continually improving since their introduction into the Six Nations, and the prospect of a franchise entering into regular competition in the Magners League on the horizon, the Italians do pose a threat.

Despite a poor autumn there does seem to be a great amount of confidence surrounding the Wales camp in the run up to the Six Nations and invariably the 2011 World Cup. The likes of Alun Wyn-Jones and Jamie Roberts are still very young, but vastly experienced and should be looking to be physically and mentally ready to tackle the biggest challenge in 18-months time.

Jones concluded: “Leading up to the Six Nations we are targeting and looking forward to playing. We have three home games, which are key to a successful campaign.

“They are the biggest games you can pay in. It’s just a great challenge, every year we pit ourselves against the best and were getting closer and closer I think.”

Will the African Nations Cup Help Africa in the South Africa 2010?

The African Nations is yet to kick off but it has already been marred in controversy after the Togo team bus was attacked and the side subsequently withdrawing from the competition.

However, if we assume the tournament continues terror-free will it, so close to the World Cup give the African continent a huge advantage going into South Africa 2010.

England managers from Capello to Keegan have continually complained they do not have enough time with their players – and when they do their most important assets are withdrawn by their clubs through injury, but are remarkably fit the following weekend to play in the Premier League.

The last competitive game England will play before their first World Cup game is the 3-0 victory over Belarus on October 14.

Ivory Coast, Ghana and Cameroon though now have at least two weeks to train together, in a competitive environment, with their likely World Cup squad.

Coaches will be able to give their first 11 a good test and tweak tactics before football’s biggest challenge.

Of course the European nations have an opportunity to try out new tactics and personnel in the March friendlies – but it is at that time of the year where Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea stars get mysterious injuries which stops them playing at Wembley, but allows them to play in the next match of the Champions League.

There has been hushed murmurings of a physical, well organised and increasingly skilful African nation winning the World Cup in the first edition of it being hosted in that continent – and I think the tournament starting in Angola tomorrow will be a huge boost to that possibility.

Matt Prior: England's Un-Hyped Hero

Since succumbing to just 51 in the second innings at the beginning of the year against the West Indies at Kingston, England have gone from strength to strength.

They failed to win the series in the Caribbean but claimed victory in the return two-Test series at home, before famously claiming the Ashes for the second time in three attempts.

Continuing on, the first two Tests against second in the world South Africa have seen Andrew Strauss’ men take a lead and set themselves up fantastically with one-and-a-half games remaining.

Much of the media attention has been focussed on Andrew Flintoff, Stuart Broad, Jonathan Trott, Graeme Swann and the captain Strauss – while Matt Prior has been largely overlooked.

The wicketkeeper position since the retirement of Alec Stewart in 2003 was a huge problem for England. Chris Read and Geraint Jones swapped gloves, with neither cementing their place nor performing with much certainty.

Prior got his chance in 2007 before Tim Ambrose took the hot seat for most of 2008 – however the Sussex man regained his spot during the winter and hasn’t looked back.

He averages just over 42 in his 25 Tests and after initial question marks over his glove-work, he has improved significantly to be a reliable figure behind England’s stumps.

His batting for the calendar year 2009 was at an average of 43.52, which included one century and six half-centuries at the bottom of the England order.

Helped with the likes of Broad and Swann who can hold a bat, England’s tail which traditionally never wagged has been as lively as a hamster on speed.

The situation tomorrow (Jan 5) in Cape Town sees Prior needing to lead the England batting as they trail South Africa by 50 runs with three wickets remaining.

The improved ability and reliability at the bottom of the England order has been crucial in their success – notably hanging on the draw at Cardiff against the Australians.

A lot of off-spinner Swann’s success can in some part be put down to Prior’s improved form as a wicketkeeper. The Nottinghamshire player has gone from near-international obscurity at the beginning of 2009 to be the tormentor of Australia and having success currently in South Africa.

Prior has been performing quietly and confidently, and as England strive to get to the top of the Test hierarchy their wicketkeeper will surely be key to their success.