The latest rugby news and headlines from Wales and beyond

Aaron Wainwright during Wales’ captain’s run in Dublin(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)

Here are your rugby evening headlines for Thursday, March 5.

Wales receive Wainwright boost

Aaron Wainwright seemingly moved one step closer to featuring against Ireland after taking part in Wales’ captain’s run in Dublin on Thursday.

The No. 8 carried a knock from the Scotland game, making him a doubt to face Andy Farrell’s side at the Aviva Stadium on Friday night.

Steve Tandy had played down his injury concerns after naming him in the team on Wednesday.

“He had a little bit of a bump from the Scotland game and didn’t train much last week,” said the Wales coach. “But he’s trained fully this week.”

And the news that the Dragons back-row took at least some part in Wales’ training session – with only a section of their captain’s run open to the media – serves to allay fears that Wales could head into the match without their best ball-carrier.

Wainwright is second only to Ben Earl in this year’s tournament in terms of metres made in contact – having gained 87 throughout the campaign.

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Six Nations boss responds to complaints

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has responded to French complaints that the away dressing room at Murrayfield is “the smallest in the world”.

Ahead of their Six Nations clash with Townsend’s side in Edinburgh on Saturday, France boss Fabien Galthie has criticised the facilities at the home of Scottish rugby, saying the lack of space “sets the tone” for the fixture and claiming players will be forced to “change in the corridors”.

Galthie also accused Scottish Rugby bosses of turning down France’s request to use additional space ahead of the match, telling reporters: “The changing room is, in my opinion, the smallest in the world.

“It forces us to change in the corridors, for an international match. We have to call a spade a spade. We regularly ask them to give us the next room over, which is available and is the other part of the dressing room… well, we don’t have it.

“The referees’ dressing room is bigger than ours,” he added. “It sets the tone, we know what we’re getting into as soon as we arrive at the stadium.”

Asked for his response to Galthie’s comments on Thursday, Townsend admitted he was surprised by the criticism, telling reporters: “I think it’s the first time the opposition have complained about our away changing room publicly.

“It’s obviously the changing room Edinburgh use week in, week out. It’s a changing room every away team have used over the last 20 years.

“It’s not really my job. You’re asking me questions about things that are getting organised to accommodate their numbers. If it sets the tone, it’s interesting.”

“I don’t think players are too worried about [it],” he added. “I’ve been to a few changing rooms. I’ll not mention many, but you know the ones that are very small. And it doesn’t really bother the players.”

Lake admits ‘obvious gulf’ between Wales and Ireland

By Edward Elliot, Press Association, Dublin

Dewi Lake admits last year’s British and Irish Lions selection highlights “an obvious gulf” between Wales and Ireland.

But the Wales captain is relishing the underdog role and insists his side are capable of springing an upset on Friday evening in Dublin to end a run of 14 consecutive Guinness Six Nations defeats.

Flanker Jac Morgan, who is currently injured, and scrum-half Tomos Williams were the only two Welshmen picked by Ireland head coach Andy Farrell for the Lions’ triumphant 2025 series in Australia.

Ireland ultimately had 18 players on that tour, including three late additions as injury cover.

Speaking about the selection ahead of the first meeting between the teams since, Ospreys hooker Lake said: “It can’t not (show the difference), really, can it?

“Ultimately over the last 12 months, we haven’t been good enough as a team.

“I think the two individuals, Tomos and Jac, are world-class players, fully deserved to be on that tour.

“We haven’t put enough results together, we haven’t shown the team and the individuals we can be over the last 12 months.

“Obviously Ireland are a team that massively have grown and are a top-class team. It shows an obvious gulf at the minute.

“But, on our day, we believe we can beat anyone.”

Wales have won just one of the last nine meetings with Ireland and not registered a Six Nations success at the Aviva Stadium since 2012.

However, despite that poor record and current form issues, Steve Tandy’s side produced a vastly-improved performance in an agonising 26-23 defeat at home to Scotland in round three.

Ireland are heavy favourites and remain in title contention after racking up a record 42-21 victory away to England last time out.

“That’s probably our favourite place to be really – the underdog,” said Lake.

“Being Welsh, we’ve always loved being the underdog. Nobody giving us an opportunity.

“I think nobody really gave us an opportunity last week and we showed what we could do.

“I know ultimately we didn’t come away with a result in that game, but that game has given us belief and is only going to carry the momentum of this squad through this weekend.”

Ireland ‘nowhere near’ full potential ahead of Wales clash

By Edward Elliot, Press Association, Dublin

Captain Caelan Doris insists Ireland are “nowhere near” realising their full potential as they chase the minimum of the Triple Crown following a record win away to England.

Andy Farrell’s side retain an outside chance of reclaiming the Guinness Six Nations title ahead of back-to-back home games against Wales and Scotland.

Following a deflating opening defeat to table-topping France in Paris and a narrow Dublin victory over Italy, Ireland silenced their critics with a thumping 42-21 bonus-point success at Twickenham in round three.

“Obviously there’s a positive feeling after a good performance like that but it’s about the bigger picture, really, and it’s about continuing to grow,” said Doris ahead of Friday evening’s clash with Wales.

“We know we’re nowhere near our potential as a team and there’s a lot of hard work to be put in, and there’s a long journey for us to go on still.

“It was back to hard work, back to the learnings from the game, of which there were some, as well as some good stuff. It’s just about building on it.

“We’ve got a pretty clear plan of where we want to go in terms of structures and the way we want to play and it’s about chasing that down week on week.”

Ireland go into the penultimate round of fixtures in third place, six points adrift of reigning champions France, who can retain the title with a game to spare by securing a bonus-point success away to Scotland on Saturday.

Wales will run out at a sold-out Aviva Stadium attempting to avoid a 15th consecutive defeat in the championship following a promising display in a 26-23 loss to Scotland.

“I think they’ve grown throughout the tournament,” Leinster back-rower Doris said of Steve Tandy’s team. “You can see the progression game on game.

“Obviously they put it up to Scotland in the most recent fixture. They started well.

“They’ve clearly invested a lot of time in their attack. It’s a good attack and it’s going to be a challenge for our defence.

“I’m sure in camp they’ve been taking a lot of positives from that (Scotland) game.”

Jack Dempsey passed fit to return to Scotland’s starting XV for France clash

By Anthony Brown, Press Association

Jack Dempsey has been passed fit to return to Scotland’s starting XV for Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations showdown with France at Murrayfield.

The influential back-rower’s championship initially appeared to be over after he suffered a bicep injury in last month’s win over England.

But after sitting out the victory away to Wales last time out, Dempsey rejoined the squad to prepare for this weekend’s top-of-the-table clash with France.

Having proved his fitness in training this week, the 31-year-old has been restored as one of five personnel changes to the team that started in Cardiff.

Four of those are in the pack, including the entire front row. Props Pierre Schoeman and D’Arcy Rae start in place of Nathan McBeth, who drops out entirely, and Zander Fagerson, who is on the bench. George Turner replaces Dave Cherry at hooker.

Gregor Brown, who started in the back row against Wales, is moved into the second row, with lock Max Williamson dropping out.

The only change in the back-line sees Darcy Graham start in place of fellow Edinburgh wing Duhan van der Merwe.

Burgeoning Edinburgh back-rower Freddy Douglas, 20, is included in a Six Nations squad for the first time as a substitute, with Gregor Townsend opting for a 6-2 bench split. Hooker Ewan Ashman, who started the opener in Italy, is also among the replacements after missing the last two matches.

Scotland could move to the top of the table with a bonus-point victory while the French could seal the title with a win at Murrayfield.

Scotland: Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse), Darcy Graham (Edinburgh), Huw Jones (Glasgow), Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow), Kyle Steyn (Glasgow), Finn Russell (Bath), Ben White (Toulon); Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh), George Turner (Harlequins), D’Arcy Rae (Edinburgh), Gregor Brown (Glasgow), Scott Cummings (Glasgow), Matt Fagerson (Glasgow), Rory Darge (Glasgow), Jack Dempsey (Glasgow).

Replacements: Ewan Ashman (Edinburgh), Rory Sutherland (Glasgow), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh), Freddy Douglas (Edinburgh), Josh Bayliss (Bath), George Horne (Glasgow), Tom Jordan (Bristol).