The latest rugby news stories as the third round of the Six Nations gets under way
Wales head coach Steve Tandy(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)
Here are your rugby morning headlines for Saturday, February 21.
Wales try to put finger on key failing
Wales have spent the last week focusing on eradicating the slow starts that have plagued them under Steve Tandy.
The first two rounds of the Six Nations have seen them blown away before half-time, with Wales desperate to become more competitive earlier on in the match.
“If you start dissecting the third and fourth quarters, there have been some real positives but the game has gone too far away,” said Tandy. “That’s linked to the opposition and where they are at as well.
“There has been a lot of impetus from our bench, but the start of the game everyone is totally in.
“Looking at last year’s game against Scotland it was a high score at half time. It’s something for us to focus on to be more disciplined at the start and to be more accurate. Hopefully that will get us to a place where the game is tight.”
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He added: “I do believe that (this team can be competitive). The England game was the biggest disappointment, but we are playing the form teams in the world.
“I believe in this group and that over time they will become a really competitive team. I think we have enough talent coming through but unfortunately to get to that point you have to go through some harsh lessons, which we are.
“We have to learn and adapt. There were some more positives in the game against France in terms of discipline and the set-piece, as well as the intent to attack. Every week we are looking to accelerate that performance.”
Captain Dewi Lake reiterated on Friday that Wales are targeting the slow starts.
“That’s something we’ve definitely spoken about, not giving ourselves a mountain to climb after 15 or 20 minutes of rugby,” said the hooker. “We are a group that will fight and battle back.
“You saw that on the weekend getting back to 19-7. Getting a foothold back in the game. We’ve come down from 14-0 here against Argentina to 14-all.
“We don’t want to have to do that. We don’t want to give ourselves that battle, that mountain climb, to start chasing things. So that first 20 will be vital for us.
“Some of it partly last week was individual brilliance. I think we played a team we knew were dangerous on transition. We probably didn’t get things perfect. When you don’t do that against a team as dangerous as France, they’re going to score points.
“Some of those tries were freakishly good. England, we weren’t there as a group, and we’ve spoken about that. Mentally we were all ready, but physically we didn’t turn up the battle, which is probably what explains that. The importance is on us being accurate, nailing our stuff.
“When we don’t do that, it’s very hard to stop good teams from getting into their flow. Like I said, we’ve put a lot of work in defensively this week, but also a lot of work on our accuracy and how good we can be in areas of doing our jobs.”
Sione Tuipulotu reveals important role Wales boss Steve Tandy had in his career
By Phil Blanche, Press Association
Scotland skipper Sione Tuipulotu has thanked Wales boss Steve Tandy for turning him into the leader he is today.
Tandy spent six years as Scotland defence coach before returning to his homeland last summer to become Wales head coach.
The pair will be reunited in Guinness Six Nations battle at Cardiff on Saturday as Scotland seek to build on their stunning victory over England and add to Welsh misery.
It provides a fascinating sub-plot as Australia-born centre Tuipulotu says he would not have become a Test captain had Tandy not developed a “personal relationship” with him and brought him “out of my shell”.
Scotland won the Calcutta Cup in style last weekend(Image: AFP or licensors)
Tuipulotu said: “He was the first coach I had a personal relationship with when I moved a long way away from home.
“He could see that if I’m around people I don’t know, then I’m very shy. He put his arm around me and learned about me as a person before a rugby player.
“I trusted him a lot and I could confide in him in stuff outside rugby as well.
“In those early stages of my development in Scotland, he played a massive part of just bringing me out of my shell.
“He saw the leader in me that maybe I didn’t even see at that time. So I owe a lot to him for the job he did in my career.”
Tandy has had a rough start to his reign with five defeats in six games and heavy Six Nations losses to England and France, in which Wales have shipped 15 tries and conceded 102 points.
Wales fans hope Tandy’s familiarity with Scotland will make them more competitive in the third round of games.
“I’ve always wanted to be a fly on the wall and see what he’s saying about our lads,” said Tuipulotu.
“We obviously know how Steve coaches, but I’m really glad he’s here because I know how passionate he is to be Welsh.
“It’s not my place to say, but I feel maybe what Wales needed is a proud Welshman behind them with coaching identity and stuff like that.
“He hasn’t got the results over the past couple of weeks, but I know Tanz (Tandy) will be getting his boys ready to put in a really big performance and shock us.”
Scotland, who lost their tournament opener in Italy, have struggled to back up wins against England in the past.
Gregor Townsend’s side have lost their next match four of the five times they have beaten the Auld Enemy.
Tuipulotu said: “It is always tough backing up an emotional performance like a Calcutta Cup game.
“But in order for us to stay in this tournament, we’ve got to be just as desperate, emotional and clinical as we were last week.
“I know you can’t lose two games in this tournament and think you’re going to be there at the back end for anything.”
Caelan Doris: Ireland need to pile pressure on new England starter Henry Pollock
By Edward Elliot, Press Association
Captain Caelan Doris says Ireland must put targeted pressure on Henry Pollock in an attempt to take control of a tantalising back-row battle against England.
Pollock will make his first international start during Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations showdown at Allianz Stadium Twickenham after being selected at number eight, alongside Tom Curry and Ben Earl.
Ireland number eight Doris will be flanked by recalled duo Tadhg Beirne and Josh van der Flier in south-west London as his side seek to build on last weekend’s nervy 20-13 win over Italy.
Asked how to nullify 21-year-old Pollock, Doris replied: “(By) cutting out time and space as much as possible.
“He’s got the ability to make something happen from not a whole lot, so we’re going to need to pressure him.
“As a back row, they’ve got a lot of breakdown threats, but also the ability with ball in hand to make something happen so it’s going to a good battle there.”
Pollock, whose previous seven Test caps came as an impact replacement, was a team-mate of many of Ireland’s squad during last summer’s British and Irish Lions tour of Australia.
Leinster skipper Doris missed that series due to a shoulder injury sustained in his province’s 37-34 Champions Cup semi-final loss to Northampton last May in which Pollock was among the opposition’s try scorers.
“I’d seen quite a bit of him (before that match),” Doris said.
“He’s obviously scored a lot of very good tries. He’s had some big moments and I’m sure he’ll be hoping to do the same tomorrow.
“For us it’s about putting him under pressure as much as possible, cutting out time where possible, and being connected around him.”
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has made five personnel changes to his starting XV, with the decision to start Jack Crowley at fly-half and drop Sam Prendergast from the matchday squad the standout call.
Crowley, who has Ciaran Frawley providing back-up on the bench, enjoyed an impressive cameo against Italy following a difficult afternoon for Prendergast.
“The 10 has a big part in leading the attack during the week – Jack’s been great at doing that this week,” the 27-year-old forward said.
“He’s an exciting attacking runner. He was very good last week when he came on and brought another level to our attack so I’m excited to see him with ball in hand and making things happen tomorrow.”
Ireland returned to winning ways in unconvincing fashion against the Azzurri after beginning the tournament with an emphatic 36-14 loss away to reigning champions France.
England, meanwhile, suffered a Calcutta Cup upset at the hands of Scotland in round two following a routine victory over Wales, having been tipped to be the greatest threat to Les Bleus’ hopes of retaining the championship title.
Ireland have won five of the past six meetings between the sides, but are regarded as underdogs this time around.
“There’s always enough motivation playing against England,” Doris added.
“There’s an eagerness to hunt them down, to get after them, to show what we’re about.
“We feel there’s an ability and plenty of potential within the team. We want to show as much of that tomorrow as possible.”