Here are your rugby morning headlines for Friday, November 22.
Former Wales captain questions Welsh rugby’s plan
Former Wales captain Ken Owens has questioned what the overall plan is for Welsh rugby, as he lamented the constant cycle of scraping around for a funding agreement.
The former Scarlets hooker said that it was “frustrating that we probably haven’t moved on as far as we should have from the strike action 18 months ago”, as he explained how Welsh rugby has been stuck in a rut for some time because of the lack of an overarching strategy.
READ MORE: WRU want exiled star back in Wales in new position as Gatland drops major Six Nations hint
“The national team can have a plan, but does that fit in with what the plan is for the regional game,” said Owens on Scrum V: The Warm Up. “Where does everything fit?
“You can have a pop at the team on Saturday and the guys going out there. But it’s everything that underpins it is where I think we’re going wrong.
“There’s been funding issues in the game. Roger Lewis came out in 2015, or whenever it was, and (said) ‘peace in our time’ with this monumental agreement. But ever since then, we seem to have been on a constant renegotiation of this funding model.
“That doesn’t allow the planning of the national team or regions. We need to get everyone on the same page and put a plan or strategy in for everything so we can move forward, otherwise we’re going to be on this continuous cycle.
“I’ve spoken to a couple of the boys. They’re all in it together. They’re all backing the coaches and the coaches are backing the players. So I don’t think that’s an issue there.
“Test rugby is about winning, which we can’t hide from. The boys and coaches are going out to win every game. It comes down to what is the plan or strategy for the whole game, that then feeds into the national team?”
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Wales internationals near comeback
Wales internationals Josh Adams and Joe Roberts are nearing their return to rugby after a long spell on the sidelines with knee injuries.
After an injury hit campaign last season, 29-year-old Adams opted to miss Wales’s summer tour of Australia, but has yet to return to action for Cardiff and wasn’t selected by Warren Gatland for the Autumn Series. Scarlets star Roberts, meanwhile, suffered a horror injury on his Six Nations debut against France earlier this year and had to get a bone transplant flown in from America as he went under the knife.
But both men are back in training, with their respective clubs joining forces for a joint training session at Parc y Scarlets this week. The “very competitive” session saw Matt Sherratt’s side face Dwayne Peel’s men in training matches, with Cardiff fly-half Callum Sheedy admitting there was a “bit of niggle” between the two sides.
Footage of the training session shows Adams back at full flight as he was seen running with the ball, while Peel gave a positive update on Roberts’ return to action.
“Joe trained well yesterday,” said the Scarlets boss. “Although he didn’t take part today, as part of his plan to come back.”.
Reflecting on the training session, Sheedy said: “It’s really good to come up to a different environment and play against a different set of boys. I think it’s really beneficial for both sides and there’s some really good quality on show, so hopefully both sides got a lot out of it.
“The competition was really good and there was a bit of niggle as both teams wanted to win. A few of our long-term injured boys are back training and looking really sharp, which is really pleasing.”
Scotland backed to end Wallabies’ Grand Slam hopes
Former England international Austin Healey has backed Scotland to end Australia’s hopes of their second ever Grand Slam.
The rejuvenated Wallabies have already beaten England and Wales this autumn, prompting hopes down under they can replicate the achievement of the 1984 side in defeating Scotland and Ireland for a home nations clean sweep.
However, TNT commentator Healey believes Gregor Townsend’s side will spoil the party this weekend at Murrayfield. Speaking on the Autumn Nations Rugby Show on Quest, he said: “What’s really impressive is how they work the ball to the outside, that’s where their real strength is, yes they’ve got Finn Russell, but outside him they’ve got Huw Jones, who for me is the Lions’ outside centre, there’ no other 13 playing better than him currently playing in the Lions potentially or next year.
“I really think this is where their opportunities will come, they’ve got to back themselves to play that same way against Australia who are in a rich vein of form. And for me, I think Scotland are going to win.”
England star ‘desperate’ to end losing streak
By Duncan Bech, PA England Rugby Correspondent
Fin Baxter enters Sunday’s clash against Eddie Jones’ Japan with the twin aims of securing his first win for England and finishing the autumn on an upbeat note.
England are overwhelming favourites to end their five-Test losing run against opponents ranked 13th in the world having already fallen to New Zealand, Australia and South Africa at Allianz Stadium this month.
Baxter’s five caps have all been won during the nation’s worst sequence of results since 2018 but the 22-year-old prop is still able to appreciate his exposure to the unforgiving side of international rugby.
“We’re desperate to win and put in a performance to finish it off, but we’re not underestimating Japan by any stretch,” Baxter said.
“I’ve been thinking that if I can enjoy myself with things being as they are right now, when results are not going our way and the games are so close that it’s gutting, then when we win it will be incredible.
“I’ve actually enjoyed this time and when we go one step further it’s going to be pretty cool.”
England’s inability to score points in the final quarter has keen key to their downfall, adding to the sense of frustration given that in each defeat they have been in a strong position with 20 minutes to go.
“We’ve been saying that you don’t learn the things we’ve been learning without actually going through these scenarios. We have more tools now,” Baxter said.
“My biggest take away from this autumn has been that you can always affect the play, especially being a heavy tight five forward.
“And how the simpleness of the game is almost ramped up. As long as you run hard, hit hard and carry hard – everything gets ramped up.
“The off-the-ball work is the biggest difference to playing in the Premiership. In the Premiership if you’re not sprinting into position, you’ll probably be OK.
“Here if you’re not set and not jumping off the line as fast as you can, and therefore you’re not making a dominant hit, there’s a difference.”
Baxter is pushing hard to start against Japan after making all three of his appearances this autumn off the bench. Head coach Steve Borthwick names his team on Friday afternoon.
