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Cracknell says Wales have turned a corner(Image: Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency)

These are your evening rugby headlines on Wednesday, March 11.

Cracknell: We’ve turned a corner

Wales backrower Olly Cracknell believes Steve Tandy’s side have turned a corner and are ready to take the next step.

Following a difficult start to the Six Nations, Wales were vastly improved during narrow defeats to Scotland and Ireland with the physicality of the pack much better. Cracknell believes Wales are now ready to kick on and end the Six Nations with a victory over Italy.

“I think so,” said Cracknell when asked whether he thought a corner had been turned. “To be honest, I felt that in the France game. You look back on the result and just think ‘Oh, that’s a write-off’.

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“But actually, one of these things, the feel of it, it’s hard to know. But I certainly felt actually if we just do what we’ve said we’re going to do and set out to play the way that we’re supposed to as a team, then we’re going to be alright and we’re going to be in games.

“So, yeah, I certainly feel like that. Intent was a bit of a theme for us, particularly last week. Obviously you have a new game and learning all new stuff, different plays and line-outs.

“You get that done by the back end of the week and then you have to let that go. Bring yourself back round and let your instinct kick in. As a team we did that really well.

“So I think that’s a base we need every week if we’re going to be competing in these games. It is a base, but there’s more that you need to win those games because they’re so competitive.”

Cracknell has been in and out of the side throughout the course of this Six Nations but made a huge impact with his carrying game as a replacement against Ireland in Dublin.

The form of the outstanding Aaron Wainwright has made it difficult to become a permanent member of the starting XV.

“It’s good as more competition is going to make me better,” he said. “Obviously, the Scotland game where I was left out, I found that disappointing. But you learn and Steve takes the time to explain decisions. I came away from speaking to him after that Scotland week, and I was clear on what he was going for and little bits that I could add to my game.

“At the end of the day it always comes back to yourself and just trying improve your own performance more. But it’s good to have competition.”

Wainwright will be a teammate of Cracknell’s at Leicester Tigers next season after the Dragons No 8 opted for a move away from Rodney Parade. It means the Tigers could field an all-Welsh backrow with Tommy Reffell also at the club.

“It will be good,” he said. “Before last season it was Jasper Wiese I was competing with. We had a lot of back rowers last year, so I think you need competitive squads.

“It’s going to make me better having Waino there, so I’m excited for him to join. I’ve been speaking to him about where he’s going to live. It’s quite a big move for him because he’s been at the Dragons quite a long time. I get on well with Waino and I’ll help him get settled.”

Welsh trio sign deals in England

Bath Rugby’s young Welsh trio Ioan Emanuel, Ieuan Davies and Thompson Cowan have signed new contracts with the English side.

The talented three are part of the club’s senior academy and, alongside six other players, have now extended their time in blue, black and white for another season.

Loosehead prop Emanuel, 21, is one of Wales’ most highly-rated young front row players, having proved himself as a powerful scrummager and explosive carrier during his time with the national U20s side.

The brother of Cardiff centre Steffan Emanuel, he spent time on loan at Arms Park earlier this season, as did scrum-half Davies, also 21.

Cowan, meanwhile, rejoined Bath’s senior academy in 2021, with the back rower called up to the Wales squad for the U20s Six Nations the following year.

The trio have signed new deals at the club alongside English talents Alfie Griffin, Will Jeanes, Scott Kirk, Isaac Mears, Max Pearce and Claudius Wheeler.

On retaining services of nine young players, Bath’s head of rugby Johann van Graan said: “We’re committed to providing our club with the best developing talent Bath has to offer and we remain consistent in our approach to this.

“Instilling continuity across all aspects of our squad, including the Academy and our Pathway, is crucial to developing good players into great players.

“We’ve now competed in three NextGen U18 PREM finals in three years, our partnership with the University of Bath sees the Men’s Rugby side sitting top of a very competitive log, and we’ve reached PREM Rugby Cup knockouts two years running.

“This is why it’s great that we are supporting both our homegrown talents and our age-grade international talents. Retaining our young talent plays an important part in all of these achievements and I’m happy these young men will be continuing their journey at the club.”

Darge: We can rise to the pressure

By Anthony Brown, Press Association

Rory Darge believes Scotland are primed for the pressure of ‘Super Saturday’ after showing they can handle playing must-win rugby since losing their Guinness Six Nations opener in Italy.

Gregor Townsend’s resurgent side go into their final match in Ireland knowing victory could secure them a first Six Nations title, if France slip up at home to England later in the day.

The Scots have kept their championship hopes alive with consecutive victories over England, Wales and France, and Darge is adamant those experiences will stand them in good stead for what promises to be a dramatic weekend.

“Our backs were against the wall after Rome,” said back-rower Darge, alluding to the 18-15 defeat by the Azzurri in round one. “I think Sione had said in the press and to the group that you can’t expect to lose two games and still be in the mix towards the end of the campaign.

“So for a while now, it’s been win or you’re not going to be in with a shout. Obviously to be in with any sort of chance this weekend, we’ll have to win. It’s massively exciting, no getting away from it. I’ve never been in this position before.

“I’ve played in a few Six Nations now and to be going into the last weekend with what’s at stake, it’s really exciting. But ultimately we just have to focus on the performance against Ireland and then come what may.”

While the Scots’ title destiny is out of their hands, they know a victory in Dublin would at least guarantee them a first Triple Crown since 1990. Darge said such an achievement would be “huge”, given that Scotland have failed to defeat Ireland since 2017.

“I’ve not beaten Ireland before, they’re a tough team to beat and they’ve been right up there as one of the best teams in the world,” he said. “Obviously we’re fully aware of the challenge that lies ahead. Ireland are an outstanding team and our record against them hasn’t been great so we know it’s going to be difficult, but we’ve got to back ourselves.

“I think Ireland will pose a different threat to France. They’re both top, top teams but they play a different style, defend differently. I think there will be things that we’ll have to change, but there will also be a lot of our game that we’ll stick to.”

Flanker Darge ended up playing the closing stages of the 50-40 triumph over Les Bleus at centre after Huw Jones went off injured.

“It was a bit of a weird one, it was a bit hectic towards the end,” he said of his stint in the midfield. “We had bodies out of position but I thought we managed it well. I had to get some help from the guys around me, but they all kept me right.”

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