These are your rugby headlines on Sunday, March 10.
Wales know it is do or die
Wales head into their penultimate Six Nations match in opposition to France realizing it is do or die if they’re to keep away from the dreaded picket spoon, after a day of shocks left them backside of the match desk and arguably favourites to complete final.
The competitors has been blown huge open after Italy claimed a well-known win over Scotland in Rome and England shocked Ireland with a final minute victory at Twickenham to derail their Grand Slam hopes. Down on the different finish of the desk, nonetheless, it makes for grim studying for Wales followers, with Warren Gatland’s facet sitting sixth and trailing by three factors.
A bonus level win in opposition to France would guarantee that they might transfer as much as fourth, whereas they might additionally obtain that with out scoring 4 tries if Les Bleus did not safe two bonus factors of their very own.
READ MORE: The ‘freak’ seemingly misplaced to Wales endlessly and the way it got here to this
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However, lose and Wales will go into their Super Saturday conflict away to Italy because the bottom-placed workforce, with the match in Cardiff set to be a shootout for the picket spoon.
Wales haven’t completed backside of the Six Nations since 2003, however with no win in Cardiff at this time they are going to be staring that risk within the face going into the ultimate weekend.
Feyi-Waboso in tears
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso impressed on his first England begin, and later broke down in tears throughout a second with team-mate Ellis Genge after serving to his facet to an enormous victory over Grand Slam hopefuls Ireland.
The Cardiff-born winger made an prompt impression off the bench in final month’s Calcutta Cup, scoring a attempt moments after getting into the sector of play, and was rewarded with a place within the beginning line-up for Saturday’s showdown at Twickenham. He performed the complete match as England secured a dramatic 23-22 win with a Marcus Smith drop objective within the dying seconds of the competition, and caught the attention together with his efficiency.
21-year-old Feyi-Waboso added a brand new dimension to England’s attack, which had faltered earlier within the match, together with his late break resulting in the decisive drop objective. He rightfully earned the plaudits on the full-time whistle, with him and man of the match Ben Earl singled out because the hosts’ high performers.
The Exeter Chiefs star was described as a “livewire” by former England worldwide Lawrence Dallaglio, whereas Wales hero Jamie Roberts additionally gave credit score to the young star after the sport.
Feyi-Waboso revealed how emotional he was, saying: “I had a second with Gengey the place I simply began crying! He did not even say something, he gave me a hug and I simply melted. It’s ecstasy, pure ecstasy.”
Watkin eager to show a degree
Wales star Owen Watkin says he’s hoping to “show a degree” when he begins in midfield in opposition to France later at this time.
The 37-cap worldwide has discovered himself out and in of favour since making his debut in 2017, lacking out on choice for final 12 months’s World Cup and that includes in opposition to Scotland in his facet’s Six Nations opener earlier than being omitted for the defeats to England and Ireland.
However, having been named alongside Joe Roberts in midfield, with centre companions George North and Nick Tompkins dropped, Watkin has one other probability to impress and is eager to seize the chance with each fingers when he traces up in opposition to Les Bleus.
“I’m positive Nick and George are dissatisfied at not taking part in, however Joe and I’ve been dissatisfied as effectively once we have not performed within the final two video games,” he mentioned. “I simply need to get on the sector, however I do take pleasure in taking part in at inside centre and it’s the place I’ve performed for a lot of the season on the Ospreys.
“Nick and George have performed collectively within the final two video games, and so Joe and I’ve been the opposition for them in coaching. You come to phrases with a mix fairly rapidly. Joe continues to be fairly young, however I’m trying ahead to seeing him getting out and taking part in on the weekend. Hopefully, we will build a partnership collectively.
“I’ve acquired an opportunity to show a degree and present I’m actually able to holding on to the 12 or 13 jersey.”
Asked concerning the menace posed by France, he added: “We know it’s going to be a large check for our back-line, however I feel we have a back-line that may trigger issues. France have not been constant, however you may by no means doubt a French workforce.
“They can flip up when they need, and whenever you have a look at their workforce they’ve some actually harmful gamers. We’ve acquired to be on our sport for 80 minutes.”
Owens requires regulation rethink
Nigel Owens has referred to as for a rethink of a rugby regulation after being left unimpressed throughout Italy’s well-known win over Scotland on Saturday.
The Azzurri survived a late Scottish fightback to clinch their first Six Nations home win in 11 years on the Stadio Olimpico, however an incident earlier within the match caught the attention of the legendary referee. As Italy full-back Ange Capuozzo surged in direction of the Scottish try-line, he was lifted and assist up by Duhan van der Merwe within the useless ball space.
As such, Scotland gained a goal-line drop-out. The legal guidelines of the sport state that when the participant carrying the ball is held up in objective, “play restarts with a objective line drop-out or a 5m scrum, relying on how the ball entered.”
However, Owens made it clear that he was not a fan of the rule, as he argued that it favours defensive efforts over attacking play. He took to X in the course of the match to voice his frustrations, writing: “That is why I don’t just like the objective line drop out held up regulation.
“We must be giving the advantage of the doubt and rewarding the attacking workforce not the defence. The sport is way an excessive amount of defence-oriented already.”
