Here are your rugby early morning headings for Saturday August 5.
North backs Max power
George North is backing Wales young weapon Max Llewellyn to charm on his Test launching as he seeks to put down a World Cup marker to Warren Gatland today.
The Gloucester bound centre is among 3 brand-new caps who will line up versus England, with his Cardiff front-row associates Corey Domachowski and Kieron Assiratti likewise in the mix.
Llewellyn’s choice has actually gone rather under the radar compared to the call-ups for Domachowski and Assiratti, Jac Morgan’s elevation as captain and the intrigue to see simply how young Scarlets playmaker Sam Costelow addresses No.10.
But as Llewellyn lines up beside North in a huge new-look centre mix, the Wales veteran anticipates his young partner to get his possibility in the Principality Stadium cauldron.
World Cup locations are up for grabs today and North said: “I’ve got to know Max in the last few months and it’s gone really well. He thoroughly deserves his place after his performances for Cardiff last season.
“He’s obviously still young in the game but I’ve been really impressed physically by him and his rugby brain as well. He’s trained really well throughout this pre-season period. We’ve got a really good group of centres across the whole squad. It’s great for Max to get his opportunity and I’m sure he’ll do well.
“I’ve been really impressed with the way he’s stepped up to international rugby. Across the board, from the front row to 15, you just look at the change in the athletes and the physicality of the game’s demands since I first started.
“The game has really evolved, conditioning has evolved. I was a trendsetter maybe, rather than a freak when I arrived on the scene. We have a good combination between the younger ones coming through and a few of us older guys.”
Today’s clash is one of three World Cup warm-up games for Wales and for players like Llewellyn to prove to Gatland they should be going to the World Cup.
Gatland has always been an admirer of the youngster and his power-packed 12-13 pairing with North may prove a combination Wales want to unleash on the tournament when they head to France this autumn.
A good showing from Llewellyn and North today will enhance the prospects of that happening.
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Cipriani offered I’m A Celebrity deal
Former England star Danny Cipriani is reportedly being paid a six-figure sum as ITV bosses look to get him to appear in the next edition of I’m A Celebrity.
The 16-times capped mercurial Red Rose No.10 is said to be a prime target for the show’s producers.
“Danny is one of the most exciting signings for this series,” an I’m A Celebrity source is quoted as saying. “There is also huge anticipation that he will reveal secrets from his showbiz style. But he has a sense of humour too which will ensure he is popular amongst his camp mates but also with those watching at home.”
England – We just have to find a way
England’s players also know World Cup places are at stake when they run out in Cardiff today, but skipper Ellis Genge insisted the team simply have to find a way to win.
England boss Steve Borthwick will spend Saturday evening in a conference room at the team’s Cardiff hotel finalising his World Cup squad, which he will then announce on Monday.
Wales coach Gatland doesn’t plan to announce his own party until after the three warm-up games, two versus England and a Cardiff showdown with world champions South Africa.
England captain Genge knows there is a bigger picture today, with a umber of fringe players needing big games to get the nod from Borthwick as he goes early with his selection.
But Genge said: “We don’t want to reinvent the wheel and find this magic way of playing. If you find out a way to win in Cardiff you’re probably gonna be all right emotionally, aren’t you? Finding a way to win is the most important thing. I know it’s a huge game for some people.”
Huge day of Test rugby already underway
A huge day of international rugby began in Dunedin in the early hours as New Zealand came from behind to beat Australia in Dunedin.
Eddie Jones’ Wallabies threw away a 14-point half-time lead to lose 23-20 in a heartbreaking defeat that means they have actually lost all four of Jones’ matches in charge. A late Richie Mo’unga kicked a late penalty to settle the win, but it was a very sloppy performance from an All Blacks side that showed 12 changes from last weekend’s 38-7 destruction of the same opposition.
The overnight Rugby Championship clash kicked off a busy Saturday which sees Scotland meet World Cup hosts France at 3.15pm.
Then comes Wales versus England at the Principality Stadium at 5.30pm, before two games in the evening – Ireland versus Italy and Argentina against South Africa.
Wales’ World Cup opponents Fiji are also in action this morning. They will jump above Gatland’s side in the world rankings if they beat Japan and Wales lose to England.
READ MORE: How to watch the summer rugby matches for FREE: TV channel and kick-off times
Steward backs red card law change
Freddie Steward has welcomed the introduction of the ‘Bunker’ review system after enlisting the help of a psychologist to move on from the controversial red card he received against Ireland in March.
England’s full-back was sent off at the Aviva Stadium for making a dangerous tackle on Hugo Keenan but a hugely contentious decision was subsequently overturned by a disciplinary hearing.
World Rugby has since trialled a procedure designed to help referees make the right call that will be in place throughout the Summer Nations Series, which will see England face Wales in Cardiff in their opening match today.
The Bunker enables a foul play official to review yellow cards at the request of the referee, with the scope to upgrade them to a red if warranted by the offence.
Any incident will be analysed while the match continues and the player is in the sin-bin, thereby preventing the type of delays witnessed when Jaco Peyper deliberated over Steward’s red card.
“It’s a good step forward. Games are significantly affected because when it’s 15 v 14 it’s a different game,” Steward said.
“If the right decision is made or the wrong decision is made, it gives an opportunity to correct that which is good for the game.
“Also when a decision like that takes about five or 10 minutes out of the game, it’s not good for the spectators or the players to have that break.
“It’s a truly good initiative to keep the game flowing and ensure the right decision is made.”
Keenan was concussed during the incident that took location in the climax to the Six Nations won 29-16 by Ireland, but there was little Steward could do to avoid the collision.
The disciplinary hearing determined that Steward has been reckless only and that the offence should have been limited to a yellow card, but the saga still left its mark on the 22-year-old Leicester star.
“We actually played at the Aviva Stadium a couple weeks after it happened,” Steward said. “I had done a bit of work with the psychologist David Priestley and he said to me before the video game ‘go and stand where it happened, on that bit of turf, and just replay it and park it’.
“Since then that was the line in the sand and it’s not truly something that I’ve thought about because. It definitely helped. To be back in that exact same spot, it was so much easier to think ‘it took place, handle it’. And that was that.”
