With two weeks left to impress the coach, which players have put their hands up in the Six Nations and who might miss out on the tour to New Zealand?Leigh Halfpenny looked the Test full-back from the start in 2013, not least because of his goal-kicking, but with Owen Farrell able to fill that role it is more open this year. Stuart Hogg offers the most in attack but his defence is suspect while the reverse is true of Halfpenny, whose threat with the ball in hand seems to diminish every year. Mike Brown’s “they don’t like it up ’em” approach is not likely to be enough in New Zealand while pace is an issue for Rob Kearney. Full-back may...
The caretaker Wales coach has been blamed for performances lacking fluency and knows the style of rugby must change as he auditions for Warren Gatland’s jobWales’s interim head coach, Robert Howley, was asked after he had named his Six Nations squad whether the evolution in playing style, with its greater emphasis on retaining possession and seeking space, meant that the side had been one-dimensional before.If his players detect a trap as quickly, Wales will be contenders for the title this year. Howley smiled, paused and then said that by answering the question he would be agreeing with it. He neatly sidestepped it, pointing out that Wales had not done badly in the Six Nations since the current management team came...
Lions coach named Andy Farrell, Steve Borthwick and Rob Howley in his backroom team but also has a few fascinating elements in place for the New Zealand tourThe beauty of every British & Irish Lions tour is the delicious uncertainty, despite the rather limited shock factor created by the announcement of Warren Gatland’s three assistant coaches.Gatland continues to believe the odds can be overturned in New Zealand and, together with his lieutenants Andy Farrell, Rob Howley and Steve Borthwick, has been busy incorporating some fascinating elements into his plan for next summer. Related: Warren Gatland names Steve Borthwick and Andy Farrell in Lions coaching team Continue reading...