Autumn Internationals: Kevin Sinfield attempts to strike gold for Leeds Rhinos

Ten years ago Kevin Sinfield would have been forgiven for fearing he would never strike gold, but a chance meeting with Spandau Ballet singer Tony Hadley set the wheels in motion for the Leeds Rhinos captain to try to get his hands on precious metal at Wembley on Saturday.

I look back now and think it happened for a reason. Perhaps at the start I needed lows to help me along the way. At the time it was the most difficult thing to have happened to me in my life. Looking back and putting it into perspective helped me as a rugby player and a person. You learn so much from the bad times as well as the good ones.

There are whole arrays of different things that have happened to me such as losing Challenge Cup final and Grand Finals but that’s part and parcel of sport, Sinfield said.

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Since Murrayfield, Sinfield, 29, has inspired Leeds to four Super League Grand Final successes and two World Club Challenge titles but the Challenge Cup has remained beyond his grasp.

Many have bounced back and done equally good if not better things. The response from rugby league players in general when they have faced adversity is very positive.

They are difficult times but you have to be resilient and prove people wrong. When you are not picked you tend to question yourself more. But do not get me wrong I am not unique. This happens to rugby league players all the time.

I believe everything happens for a reason and for whatever reason I have not been able to get my hands on the Challenge Cup and we will perform as well as we can to put that right but if it does not happen for whatever reason, he said before trailing off. I live my life like that. Things happen. Circumstances appear and opportunities happen because they are supposed to.

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I understand why people say it is the missing piece in the jigsaw and I am aware of what the fans think because they tell me every time they see me but the important thing is that we focus on the game because if we take our focus off we will be beaten, Sinfield said.

That philosophy is probably something drilled into me since I became a professional because the life as a sportsman is very much a roller coaster. You have fantastic moments you would not even dream about but there are real low moments when you think.

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FORFAR-BASED RUGBY COACH'S AUTUMN INTERNATIONALS!

LOCAL rugby coach Colin Robertson has completed his own special 'Autumn Internationals 2010' after two decades of working with the nation's rising stars.

Much of his work in achieving the full England set was achieved during a 20-year career with the SRU in which Colin worked in a series of development and coaching roles, taking him firstly at national level to the technical coach position with the U-19s in the 1990s.

From 2004-07 he was head coach of the U-18 side before moving to take on the same post with the U-20 squad in World Cup and Six Nations campaigns.

The withdrawal of an U-17 coach opened the door for Grampian Institute of Sport manager Colin to take up the milestone appointment for the latest group of fixtures, which included an outing last week against a Newcastle Falcons Academy outfit.

"It's an honour to have the full set and I believe I'm the first person to have been head coach and assistant coach for all the age groups at national level - the only team I haven't coached is Scotland!" said Colin.

"There have been many highlights - the U-18 team in 2007 was the most successful, beating Wales, France and Italy in the Six Nations and there were only five points in the game against England.

"Coaching the U-20s to a World Cup where you are playing five games and maintaining that level of performance was also a memorable experience, and the with the U-19s we beat England and South Africa in World Cups so there have been many great memories," he added.

Pride over Colin's achievement is also shared at Strathmore Rugby Club in Forfar, particularly amongst the Strathie Sharks junior section which he has been instrumental in building since moving to the town from his native Gala in 1992.

Colin's closest Strathie interest centres around the progress of his son Struan's involvement in the club's Under-15s but, through his former SRU development role, he is very familiar with the good work being done at venues like Inchmacoble.

"It is the opposite end of the spectrum from the national teams, but Strathie is a great community environment," added Colin, who is counting on the club meeting one of his, so far, unfulfilled dreams.

"It is a frustration that nobody from Angus has played for Scotland and it would be great to think that with clubs like the Sharks continuing with their development that it could happen."

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Fai Mika hopes a move to Tasman will catapult him into the Samoan reckoning for next year's Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

Mika who made 29 appearances for Southland since debuting in 2007 will head north tomorrow after transferring to Tasman on a one-year deal.

The versatile 29-year-old, who can play both sides of the scrum, has struggled for regular starting opportunities with the Stags behind Highlanders props Jamie Mackintosh and Chris King.

He was optimistic the shift to the Makos would see him gain more playing time as he looks to crack the Manu Samoa squad for the first time.

"It's a big move, but one I'm really excited about," Mika told The Southland Times yesterday.

"I've always wanted to try out for the Samoan boys. It's a matter of getting game time. I went to the (Samoan) trials a couple of months ago and they said they had heard of me, but never seen me play."

Tasman have been big improvers in the Air New Zealand Cup in recent seasons and Mika said he was excited about the chance to bolster their propping stocks.

Mika will play his club rugby for Waimea, in Nelson, and was looking to play his first match in the next few weeks.

He said it was extremely difficult to be leaving Southland at a time when the union was on a massive high after winning the Ranfurly Shield for the first time in 50 years late last year.

"It is sad, but it's also exciting ... It's hard to beat that Ranfurly Shield. It's unreal. I still get shivers up my spine just thinking about it."

Southland appear to be pretty well covered in the front row, with rising talents like Micheal Peterson and Nic Barrett expected to play more of a role in the Stags squad this season. Mika predicted that both players had big futures ahead of them.

Rugby Southland boss Roger Clark said Mika had been a fantastic servant for the province.

"He's done a really good job. There's a lot of history there, too, with his brother. We've got plenty of props. It's a win-win situation."

Clark felt the time was right for Peterson and Barrett to make the step up to Air New Zealand Cup level.

"We've got two local boys, who are raring to go. They're both very good players ... We're not in the business of hoarding people."

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New Zealand-wide Rugby Festival Revealed - England V New Zealand Rugby

Rugby is the catalyst but plans for a nationwide festival during Rugby World Cup 2011 will also showcase Kiwi culture, food and wine, and passion for the outdoors.

As the countdown to RWC 2011 continues, the New Zealand public has had a first glimpse of the six-week festival - scheduled to run in the lead-up to and during the tournament - with the unveiling this week of the first confirmed events.

From wild foods and adrenalin hits to fine wine and waka-racing - locals and visitors to Rugby World Cup 2011 will have the chance to experience the full spectrum of Kiwi life and culture, ensuring a non-stop party atmosphere throughout New Zealand.

According to the official coordinating body - the New Zealand 2011 office, the festival will be the biggest ever staged in New Zealand and will feature more than 1000 events.

While the New Zealand 2011 office is a government organisation, the festival will be largely driven by the regions.

Festival Director Briony Ellis says every region is taking the opportunity to showcase the best of its culture, people and landscapes, as well as local flavours and attractions.

She says the festival will touch every part of New Zealand, well beyond the 23 centres hosting games and teams.

Many events highlighting iconic New Zealand activities and landmarks are already showing on the online festival programme - www.corporatehospitalitygroup.com which will continue to grow in the lead up to the tournament.

On the South Island’s West Coast, locals are planning to serve up an exciting new food fest - the Great West Coast Whitebait and Wildfoods Challenge - that promises to put some of New Zealand’s iconic and unusual wild foods on the plate.

Visitors will be invited to sample and judge the challenge dishes that will be created at restaurants and eateries the length and breadth of the West Coast - from huhu grub bruschetta to the regional must-have fresh whitebait pattie sandwich.

Wellington is planning a rugby village, centred around a giant wharewaka - or canoe house - on the waterfront. The new development, scheduled for completion in early 2011, will be close to Te Papa national museum and the civic centre. Auckland is also planning a central city waterfront development.

Rugby will also dominate central Christchurch as the city turns Cathedral Square into a World Cup playground, featuring a giant dome and rugby field, for up to 10,000 fans.

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Danny Cipriani lays down a World Cup challenge to England coach Martin Johnson

Danny Cipriani has challenged England coach Martin Johnson to pick him for next year’s World Cup. The sidelined fly-half pledged his availability for selection in an exclusive interview on Saturday night.

Ignoring Johnson’s warning that his transfer to Melbourne Rebels on a two-year contract would effectively rule him out of the tournament, Cipriani said: ‘If I am playing well enough at the time, I would like to think I could make the England squad for next year’s World Cup.

‘I have not had a chat about this with Martin Johnson, but it is my intention to make myself available.’

Last night the 22-year-old, who lines up for Wasps against London Irish today, was full of confidence about his move and his hopes for an Test recall.

He said: ‘Playing for England has always been my ambition, and it still is.

‘I am pleased with the decision I have made to join Melbourne Rebels, and I want to come back to England a better player for the experience.

‘I see it as a break to improve me as a player and as a person. I hope to return to the England squad faster, fitter and better than before.

‘If I play well enough for Melbourne, I would like to think that I could make the 2011 World Cup.’

Although Cipriani has slipped to sixth in England’s fly-half pecking order, he is still highly regarded at Twickenham.

Cipriani’s celebrity status has not endeared him to Johnson, but yesterday he said his

girlfriend, actress Kelly Brook, would be joining him in Melbourne for a trip he hopes will restore his status as the heir to Jonny Wilkinson.

Further south, Dunedin is planning live entertainment and a big television screen in the Octagon that will create a focal point for fans in the heart of the city.

Queenstown - New Zealand’s adventure tourism resort - won’t be hosting any games but is still expecting to draw crowds of tourists and locals into its own lakefront fan zone.

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Robinson crusade could turn Murrayfield into a lonely place for England | Autumn Internationals 2010

Andy Robinson would chop off both his arms and eat them in return for Scotland beating England tomorrow. He might not need to.

He has more than a fighting chance too, even if his team is rock bottom of the Six Nations table on zero points and an attack more constipated than England's.

Scotland have just lost to Italy, not scored a try in four of their last five games and their ace goal kicker Chris Paterson is injured.

They're staring at the Wooden Spoon and, in all probability, a humiliating whitewash if they lose this one as they finish up playing Ireland at Croke Park.

England's inability to score tries is well known but against Ireland they showed they can't stop them either.

So what do they do? Drop Lewis Moody, their best player this season, and again ignore Ben Foden, the one guy with the form to make something happen.

What is attack coach Brian Smith doing? He's supposed to be the left-field thinker on England's coaching staff.

Left-field? He's further right than Margaret Thatcher. England don't change their angles any more in the back line. There's no running off the ball, no change of direction. They don't even do simple switches any more.

His strategy must be to try and wear Scotland down for an hour and then send on Moody, Foden, Ben Youngs and Courtney Lawes to raise the tempo through the roof.

Problem is I reckon England will be in a hole by then. I take Scotland, with their impressive back row, to be ahead after an hour.

And history shows Murrayfield after dark, with all the passion Scotland fans bring to this fixture, is no place to be chasing a game.

Never before have I gone into a rugby game between England and Scotland thinking that Scotland will win. This is the first time.

So how do England go about keeping the smirk off Robbo's face? They can start by kicking a million times better.

Play with more tempo and more ambition, look after the ball and actually back themselves to beat people. In short, show some courage.

One player did that in the last game, Jonny Wilkinson. How on earth he came in for criticism I just don't know. He was England's best back by a country mile.

People need to look either side of him. Riki Flutey went completely missing against Ireland, Danny Care was not much better. He takes three steps and passes with his shoulders closed to the opposition so he never pulls the fringes in.

I would play Shontayne Hape at inside-centre and instruct him to be within five metres of Jonny at all times.

Jonny would then have someone to draw the focus off him, a big presence to beat people, to provide a change of angle and who Jonny can offload to under pressure.

But England haven't done that. I can only think Johnno has given these players a final warning. Deliver now or it's adios. If he hasn't he'd better get a move on.

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England's new captain will not change - Autumn Internationals

England's latest rugby captain Lewis Moody insisted on Friday he would not compromise his playing style despite his new-found responsibility.

The Leicester flanker was named as skipper for Saturday's Six Nations match against France in Paris after Steve Borthwick was ruled out with a knee injury.

Moody, known as 'Mad Dog', became the first Englishman to be sent off at Twickenham when he was dismissed against Samoa in 2005.

But the backrower, also renowned as one of the bravest players in the game, has vowed not to change his all-action style.

"It is just another game for me - for me it is all about playing," Moody told reporters at England's training base in Surrey.

"The most important part of being captain is playing the game. It is not going to change me in any way whatsoever.

"I am not going to talk more than I have done - I am just going to play the way I do and hope that is enough."

Moody has captained his club side Leicester on a handful of occasions but is adamant his inexperience in the role will not be a handicap at Stade de France.

Moody who has won 60 caps and played in two World Cup finals, including England's win over Australia in 2003, was dropped for last week's 15-15 draw with Scotland at Murrayfield.

A week later he finds himself captain as England attempt to derail France's hopes of a Grand Slam.

"It is part of professional sport, they make the decisions and as players we have to go with it. I couldn't be happier about it after last week," he added.

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Rugby sevens: Penalty solutions sought – Autumn Internationals

New Zealand coach Gordon Tietjens will be seeking to meet with Hong Kong rugby sevens match officials after his side was hammered in the penalty count at last weekend's Adelaide tournament.

Tietjens has pored over a video compilation of the penalties awarded against his side at Adelaide and said he would take any concerns to a meeting with match officials before the tournament kicks off on Friday.

New Zealand had to settle for the second-tier Plate final in Australia after being knocked out of the Cup in the quarterfinals by an in-form Samoa.

Tietjens was baffled at a lopsided penalty count that saw New Zealand concede 22 and be awarded just four in their first four matches.

In the quarterfinal they were penalised six times to Samoa's none.

"The players are puzzled. We talk about discipline and it's still happening. We were getting smashed in the penalty count over there," Tietjens said.

"We're still working through it but there's no doubt the officiating was below average from a lot of perspectives.

"We want clarification on whether those rulings were right or wrong."

Samoa went on to win the final and cut New Zealand's lead in the world series to a slender two points with three stops remaining.

Tietjens said two dubious Samoan tries during their 24-19 extra-time quarterfinal triumph had undermined his under-strength side.

But there is no denying New Zealand's discipline was a contributing factor - particularly after Kurt Baker was yellow carded for dissent, to gift Samoa a man advantage in golden point overtime.

New Zealand also lost two players to the sin bin against Scotland and one in their final pool match against Argentina.

Leka Tupuola was also marched after the hooter in the Plate final against South Africa for a ruck infringement.

Despite losing to Samoa for the fourth time in the series, Tietjens was upbeat although he will miss the experience of two key performers.

Sherwin Stowers failed a fitness test on an ankle tweaked in Las Vegas while Lote Raikabula injured a bicep during training in Adelaide and remained sidelined.

"We're still going into Hong Kong with a lot of confidence," he said after naming the same squad as the one which fell short in Adelaide.

"I thought we performed pretty well, we had a tough draw and got the closest of anyone to Samoa."

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England line up summer tour Tests against Australia

England will head to Australia in June for two Tests against the Wallabies.

Martin Johnson's squad will face Australia in Perth on 12 June and in Sydney a week later.

England will also play the Australian Barbarians on 8 and 15 June before travelling to Napier in New Zealand to face the New Zealand Maori on 23 June.

"The tour presents all the players and coaches with a great opportunity to test themselves against some excellent teams," said Johnson.

"All five matches will be very tough and give us the opportunity to look at some players who may not have had the opportunity to play on this tour if it had been restricted to two Test matches.

"The games will be great occasions and to play the New Zealand Maori in their centenary year is a huge honour."

England will travel with a 44-man squad, with members of the Senior Elite Player programme supplemented by England Saxons players.

RFU elite rugby director Rob Andrew said: "It will give England squad members an excellent opportunity of experiencing a full tour before they potentially get selected for the  Rugby World Cup.

"The squad will include players that would otherwise have travelled to Denver for the Churchill Cup with the England Saxons in May and June.

"It also gives a number of players the opportunity to step up into the Saxons squad via the Elite Player Pathway and they will benefit from the experience."

It is England's first five-match summer tour since South Africa in 2000.

In their most recent match against the Wallabies, at Twickenham last November, they were beaten 18-9.

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Australia reverse the roles to seal Grand Slam – Autumn Internationals

"When we play England, we are a team with small balls." So said a leading chronicler of Australia rugby a couple of hours before kick off on Grand Slam night in the City of Light, adding, in deeply pessimistic tones: "When we play them in the rain, we are a team with no balls at all." Whatever Marc Lièvremont's newly crowned Six Nations champions do or do not possess below the belt it is difficult to know for sure without looking, and no one wants to raise the subject with Sébastien Chabal – there was a whole lot of shrivelling going on during a wet-weather game that took Les Bleus to the point of emasculation.

To the point, but not past it. When the blood pressure eases and the nerve-endings are restored to their unravaged state, the Australia may look back on this victory as the moment when their pathological fear and loathing of Anglo-Saxon rugby that grimly functional mix of method, cohesion and discipline was finally overcome. They beat England, by the shortest of short necks, in conditions guaranteed to give them the heebie-jeebies. Should the two teams meet again at next year's World Cup in New Zealand, where the rain never stops, they will start the match knowing that victory is not quite an impossibility.

The fact that they prevailed against an England side playing their most dynamic rugby of the tournament Toby Flood and Ben Foden fully justified their promotions while dear old Mike Tindall made a significant contribution in keeping the destructive Mathieu Bastareaud under lock and key – will make them feel better still, although Lièvremont, their highly capable head coach, might usefully spend the next few weeks pondering the tactical paralysis that prevented his young playmakers, Morgan Parra and Francois Trinh-Duc, making the most of a magnificent scrummaging performance.

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England line up summer tour Tests against Australia

England will head to Australia in June for two Tests against the Wallabies.

Martin Johnson's squad will face Australia in Perth on 12 June and in Sydney a week later.

England will also play the Australian Barbarians on 8 and 15 June before travelling to Napier in New Zealand to face the New Zealand Maori on 23 June.

"The tour presents all the players and coaches with a great opportunity to test themselves against some excellent teams," said Johnson.

"All five matches will be very tough and give us the opportunity to look at some players who may not have had the opportunity to play on this tour if it had been restricted to two Test matches.

"The games will be great occasions and to play the New Zealand Maori in their centenary year is a huge honour."

England will travel with a 44-man squad, with members of the Senior Elite Player programme supplemented by England Saxons players.

RFU elite rugby director Rob Andrew said: "It will give England squad members an excellent opportunity of experiencing a full tour before they potentially get selected for the Rugby World Cup.

"The squad will include players that would otherwise have travelled to Denver for the Churchill Cup with the England Saxons in May and June.

"It also gives a number of players the opportunity to step up into the Saxons squad via the Elite Player Pathway and they will benefit from the experience."

It is England's first five-match summer tour since South Africa in 2000.

In their most recent match against the Wallabies, at Twickenham last November, they were beaten 18-9.

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Danny Cipriani says he gets no sympathy in UK to is off to Australia | Autumn Internationals Hospitality

Depressed Danny: I get no sympathy here.. that's why I'm off to Australia

Cipriani kicked a hat-trick of penalties at Adams Park where long-time leaders Saracens were denied a single scoring chance.

He then left the field applauding those who had made the effort to see one of his last performances in English rugby.

After the game the talk was of a gifted young English player who has "no limitations to play unbelievably at fly-half".

But even then the man being hailed by Saracens boss Brendan Venter was not Cipriani, but his full-back Alex Goode.

It was all rather sad, particularly viewed against the backdrop of Cipriani's admission the "negativity" towards him plunged him into depression as he was overlooked by Martin Johnson.

"There has been so much negativity surrounding me, from coaches, pundits, all sorts of others. It's been depressing. I've never made any secret of the fact I want to have a career with England. I could have improved so much by now if I'd been given the chance. The best way to get away from all the negativity is to go to Melbourne."

For Cipriani not to acknowledge any fault on his own part in this sorry saga is both revealing and highly relevant.

Unquestionably he is a talent but he has been his own worst enemy. What a pity that more of those close to him chose not to point that out.

"My rugby has made me depressed and I have to get back to feeling good about myself and back to being called confident, not arrogant," he said. When I came through as an 18-year-old I could never have dreamt I'd feel so down about my rugby as I have been lately."

The governing body's director of elite rugby, Rob Andrew, conceded yesterday that no such agreement exists, but insisted England had received assurances from the player's advisers that his contract covered all training sessions and rest periods between Tests. However, his contract does not contain such detail.

Stade owner Max Guazzini is incensed by the rigid stance of England and the RFU, given that his club have an injury crisis and have released their player whenever they have been asked to do so. They have issued a written warning to Haskell for missing training, brought in independent legal advisers to verify his absence and have made threats about re-negotiating his contract.

Haskell spoke to Stade yesterday and is aware of the scale of their anger. But the RFU are determined to avoid this becoming a test case which opens the way for French clubs to either withdraw players or demand compensation for allowing them to fulfil England duties.

Haskell has been told that if he goes back to play for Stade, he will be banished from the squad and may struggle to fight his way back. As one source put it: 'They're going to hang him out to dry and if it means he's the sacrificial lamb, then so be it.'

Cipriani put his disillusionment to one side yesterday to kick Wasps back into the Premiership's top four against long-time leaders Saracens.

The visitors crashed to their third defeat in four league games and left Venter cursing their lack of intensity in a first-half dominated by a rejuvenated Wasps pack.

Cipriani put them ahead with a penalty in the second minute and added a second eight minutes later. Before half-time he had the chance to bury Saracens yet missed two chances. But he sealed the deal soon after the break.

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David Beckham 'can swing England's 2018 bid in South Africa'

David Beckham's presence in South Africa this summer could prove a decisive factor in helping England win the bid to host the 2018 World Cup finals, according to the head of this year’s tournament, Danny Jordaan.

The chief executive of South Africa 2010 said he expected Beckham to accept Fabio Capello’s offer to travel with the England squad, even though he has been ruled out through injury from playing.

“I think David Beckham will still come,” Jordaan said. “There is already an indication that he will be part of the team and also England is making a bid for 2018 and I’m sure that the bid team will use him during the World Cup. He’s an important factor.

Beckham is already a bid ambassador for 2018 and Jordaan added that he felt England had a “realistic” chance of being successful.

With just 80 days to go now until this year’s tournament kicks off in Johannesburg, Jordaan conceded that there would be fewer fans around 100,000 fewer attending than as originally estimated. He said that an assessment of how many supporters would travel was currently being carried out by the organisers with a report expected to be submitted next month ahead of a final drive to push ticket sales.

However Jordaan dismissed claims that security fears and the lack of infra-structure adequate transport links and accommodation had led to fans’ considering missing the event. Instead he blamed the cost a lack of spending money brought about by the economic crisis.

“We did our calculations in 2004-05 and then in 2008-09 we had a global economic crisis which reduced the amount of spare cash people had,” he said.

“So we are now making an assessment of what the impact of that will be. The original figure was that we expected 450,000 visitors and we have asked for a new assessment. We are probably now looking at around 350,000.”

So far 65,000 tickets for matches have been sold in the United Kingdom the highest figure is the 120,000 sold in the United States although Jordaan estimates there are around 2.5 million England supporters already living in South Africa.

“The major tasks have been complete, all the stadia are complete,” Jordaan said adding that the transport plans were being “fine-tuned”. He said: “We are playing matches, all the countries have chosen their base camps and the training pitches are being put in, everything will be fine.

“We want to present it as an African World Cup. The continent of Africa has supported us and there were huge celebrations when we were awarded the event. In many of the countries they understand the importance of a successful World Cup in South Africa because the world is not only going to judge South Africa but the whole of Africa.

“It will help Africa for the world to look at Africa through different eyes not as just one big block where everyone is blamed for everything on every corner of the continent and also to show that Africa can deliver on its promises, can perform and host the biggest event on the earth. If we can do that successfully then the world will have to re-examine the way in which calculations, opinions are made.”

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England coaching team to remain unchanged for summer tour of Australia and New Zealand

England's coaching team is expected to remain intact until after the summer tour of Australia and New Zealand, despite a record of just eight wins from 19 games under Martin Johnson's tenure.

It is understood that a full review by the Rugby Football Union looking at the performance of Johnson, the England manager, and his coaching team of John Wells, Mike Ford, Brian Smith and Graham Rowntree will not take place until July, despite widespread frustration at the team's performance during the Six Nations Championship.

By that time England will have completed a five-match trip to Australia and New Zealand, their longest tour since the excursion to South Africa 10 years ago.

Johnson's position is understood to be safe, while a significant upturn in performance and results for England, who will be taking a massive squad of 44 players on tour, would also be likely to secure the positions of his coaching team until after the World Cup in 2011. If the tour was deemed a failure, however, some changes are expected.

England will play two Tests against Australia, in Perth on June 12 and Sydney on June 19, and three midweek games, two against the Australian Barbarians, on June 8 in Perth and June 15 in Gosford, and the New Zealand Maori on June 23 in Napier.

Armitage's replacement, Ben Foden, scored the only try of the night and made a widely-acclaimed first start for England.

"I was disappointed in myself," Armitage said. "I haven't been playing well. Fair play, Foden has been putting his hand up for a while and he deserved his chance and he took it.

"That is disappointing for me but I am really happy for him because I think it is about time they gave him a shot and he played really well.

"It is just going to make me a stronger player and I want to get back into that England squad. Maybe I was taking it for granted and I wasn't working as hard as I promised myself I would once I had the shirt.

"Now that I am back at London Irish, I know where I need to go to get back into the squad and work on the stuff that wasn't firing during the Six Nations."

Wasps lock Simon Shaw is expected to be out of action for three weeks after damaging his right shoulder during the first half in Paris.

Shaw has injured his A/C joint, the same injury he sustained in his left shoulder during the match against Ireland, which forced him to miss the Calcutta Cup game in Edinburgh.

Ireland full-back Geordan Murphy, 31, is likely to finish his career at Leicester after agreeing in principle to a new three-year contract.

Leinster are hopeful that their centres Brian O'Driscoll and Gordon D'Arcy, who were both injured in Ireland's 23-20 defeat by Scotland, will be available for their Heineken Cup quarter-final against Clermont Auvergne on April 9. O'Driscoll has a knee problem, while D'Arcy injured his groin.

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England on verge of something special | Autumn Internationals 2010

Scrum-half Danny Care believes England are ready to produce "something really special" in their Calcutta Cup match against Scotland on Saturday.

Martin Johnson's side have been dogged by an inability to finish try-scoring chances but will be looking to avoid a third straight defeat at Murrayfield.

"And when it does click I think it will be something really special. Hopefully we can do that this weekend."

England have failed to score a try in either of their previous two Calcutta Cup matches at Murrayfield, but the Harlequins number nine is adamant that will change on Saturday.

"We have shown glimpses of how good we can be. We have just lacked a clinical edge in finishing off the tries," he continued.

And the 23-year-old was quick to defend half-back partner Jonny Wilkinson, who has come under criticism in recent weeks.

"I think Jonny and I are improving every week. He is obviously the best 10 I have ever worked with. It is great to have him outside you," stated Care.

"Ireland were very good at getting over the ball and slowing it down. It is frustrating when you are playing against players like that because you want the ball on a plate and you have to dig for it a bit.

The RFU has not moved from the line that Haskell, an England regular during the RBS Six Nations Championship, must remain with them during the second break in Six Nations action. It insists that his club contract allows the union his services in an England squad period, but Max Guazzini, the Stade president, said he could be in breach of contract if he does not return.

Guazzini is in no mood to back down. This week he has brought in a legal officer to witness Haskell’s absence from two training sessions in the run-up to Saturday’s game with Toulouse at the Stade de France. The player’s image has been widely used in pre-match publicity and Guazzini is by no means alone in believing the RFU’s attitude to be inflexible, although attempts could resume today to find a compromise.

But Stade receive no compensation when he is away, unlike English clubs, whose umbrella body, Premier Rugby, struck an eight-year deal with the RFU in 2008 over player release. French clubs were asked by the RFU to sign a letter of intent that covered, broadly, release periods but which they do not believe would stand up in court. Guazzini, in any case, did not sign it.

"This week we have worked a lot on our contact skills and our ruck drills and hopefully we can take that into the game and get some quick ball."

England full-back Delon Armitage was more succinct.

"We've got players whose strength is coming from deep and beating players and we haven't used them. We've talked about it but we haven't done it," said Armitage.

"We can't keep saying we're going to use it. There's no better time than right now to do it."

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Martin Johnson resists England coaching changes in Autumn Internationals

The England manager, Martin Johnson, will resist any attempt to get him to change his coaching staff as part of a Rugby Football Union review of the international season. England won three of their eight Tests and finished third in the Autumn Internationals, which they have not won since 2003.

Johnson will this morning meet the RFU's elite rugby director, Rob Andrew, to discuss the season and plot a way forward, with the 2011 World Cup 17 months away. The manager's position is not under threat but he will come under pressure from some at the RFU to review the structure and make-up of his coaching team.

Since 2004 England have won four of 24 matches against the three major southern hemisphere nations, have beaten Ireland once, and have lost more matches than they have won against France and Wales in the Six Nations.

Since 2003, in 26 away Tests against New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Ireland, Wales, France, Scotland and Argentina, they have won three times twice in Paris and once at Murrayfield.

The former England prop Jeff Probyn has led calls for a coaching shake-up, arguing that Johnson has decisions to make because of a poor Six Nations campaign. If that meant Johnson letting go some of his friends, Probyn said, he should do so.

But because Johnson is in such a strong position, he will have the coaching team he wants and he will not be browbeaten into making changes he does not want. Andrew, who recommended two years ago that Johnson be appointed team manager, despite his lack of experience in coaching, will in the coming weeks have to justify his own department's performance. England lost out to Ireland in the Under-20 Six Nations and only one Premiership side has made the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup.

England's away record in the last six years may be poor but they did not concede a try away from Twickenham in this Six Nations and they have conceded only two in five championship matches on the road under Johnson, a record no other side can match. However, after being the top try-scorers in last season's tournament, with 16, they managed to score only six in this year's tournament.

When the RFU signed an agreement regarding the management of elite players with Premier Rugby two years ago, it said the time for excuses was over. The clubs have since delivered everything that was asked of them but the national side has yet to show the benefit in terms of results, something Andrew will be asked by his employers to explain.

The England second-row forward Simon Shaw, who left the field against France after 15 minutes with an injury to his right shoulder, will be out of action for three weeks. That will almost certainly rule him out of Wasps' Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final against Gloucester next month.

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Jeff Probyn calls for overhaul of England rugby team

England prop Jeff Probyn has called for an overhaul of Martin Johnson's coaching set-up and for Steve Borthwick to be stripped of the captaincy.

"I don't think it's time for Johnson to go - I think it's time for his coaches to go," Probyn told BBC Sport.

Probyn, who won 37 England caps between 1988 and 1993, wants sweeping changes after a campaign in which Johnson's side won only two of five games and were widely derided for playing unimaginative rugby, before improving in the 12-10 defeat by France on Saturday.

Johnson now has 18 months to get things right before the World Cup in New Zealand.

Despite Johnson's consistent efforts to defend them, Probyn lays the blame for England's lacklustre displays firmly at the door of back-up coaches John Wells, Brian Smith, Mike Ford and Graham Rowntree.

"There's nothing wrong with the players," he said. "They are playing week in week out with their clubs, playing a different style of rugby and an exciting style of rugby.

"Johnson has got to start making the decisions a manager has to make and if that means some of your friends have got to go, they've got to go."

Probyn said he would like to see Northampton coaches Jim Mallinder and Dorian West brought in to work alongside Johnson.

Former England coach Dick Best does not think the Rugby Football Union will make any changes to the coaching set-up so close to a World Cup, but wants Johnson's long-term successor to be identified and brought up through the ranks.

That will be followed by a tricky autumn series against Australia, Samoa, world champions South Africa and New Zealand.

As well as the coaching shake up, Probyn is calling for a change of captain, with flanker Lewis Moody having pointed the way forward to a more dynamic style of leadership against the French after taking the armband from the injured Borthwick.

"The unfortunate thing for Borthwick is that he's never played well as a captain.

"The tempo was better under Moody, there was none of this finger-wagging at referees and calling for yellow and red cards. That was a feature of Borthwick's captaincy, which is not the sort of thing you expect an England captain to do.

"I'd probably go for Moody in the short term until one of the other players holds up their hands."

The RFU will hold a review of the national team set-up in July, after Francis Baron steps down as chief executive.

Best, who was a coach on the 1993 British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand, says Baron's departure could open the door for the return of Sir Clive Woodward, England's 2003 World Cup-winning coach.

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Warren Gatland ready to shake up Wales’ selection for Samoa Test

Rugby Correspondent SIMON ROBERTS expects Warren Gatland to gamble again for Wales’ Samoa test

WARREN GATLAND has a reputation for making bold selections as Wales coach.

The New Zealander, who masterminded Wales’ Grand Slam in 2008, is not afraid to take a calculated gamble when it comes to team selection.

But can we expect him to do the same for Wales’ clash with Samoa at the Millennium Stadium on Friday night?

Gatland’s decision to select 13 Ospreys for his first game in charge for the 2008 Six Nations opener against England resulted in Wales’ first victory at Twickenham for 20 years.He was widely criticised for the move but it proved to be a masterstroke and set Wales up for a second Six Nations clean sweep in four years.

Gatland’s gambling instincts were on view again 12 months ago when Wales emerged with a low-key 34-13 victory over Canada in Cardiff.

Ditto last March when Gatland made nine changes for the Six Nations trip to Italy, Wales edging home 20-15 in Rome.

Gatland was widely accused of throwing away the Six Nations title with that selection but the Kiwi has always had his sights on the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.

All three selection gambles ended in victory, but does Gatland do the same against Samoa?

Or does he pick the same side which lost to New Zealand en bloc just to get a morale-boosting win?

Gatland is a born winner but, with the World Cup only a couple of years away, he knows he must add to the depth of his current squad.

That is why it is a pretty safe bet that a host of the young guns named in his 28-man squad for the Autumn Test series will get the nod today.

Yet this Samoa side are not to be taken lightly. The perception that they are a side Wales should
be beating at the drop of a hat is arrogance beyond belief.Most of their best players are scattered across the top sides in Europe and should not be underestimated.

They have travelled to Wales with a squad full of northern hemisphere-based players and will include Seilala Mapusua and George Stowers in their line-up, even if a third London Irish star, the powerful wing Sailosi Tagicakibau, will be missing.

In their original 27-man squad there were 10 players from England’s Guinness Premiership, five based in France and Glasgow’s Justin Va’a. The rest play in New Zealand or Samoa.

What they lack in organisation and time to really bring a side together, they make up with sheer passion for the Samoan jersey.

There is the added emotional dimension of this being the first game played by Samoa since the tsunami there at the end of September, which wiped out whole villages and left the death toll at 100 and rising.

Samoans are a proud and emotional people and they won’t be playing against Wales, but for those who lost their lives back home.

Gatland, as a coach, knows how important emotion is at Test level and he will be wary of Samoa’s extra incentive on Friday.

But his primary focus will be on Wales and seeing what he has coming through the system behind his frontline players.

He will also be under no illusions that selecting an inexperienced side against the tough-tackling Samoans could be yet another gamble.

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Scotland's rugby team given a make-over by Andy Robinson

Head coach Robinson – who succeeded Frank Hadden this summer – has selected just five of those who started March's RBS Six Nations Championship defeat to England for his first match in charge against Fiji on Saturday. "The guys that haven't been selected that are on the bench, they've got an impact to make as well. It's about the whole squad and how that works."

Asked if the team represented the Robinson blueprint going forward, he replied: "It's a team to play Fiji and win the game and the key for us is that we understand that rugby is a physical game; you have to win the collisions, you have to establish a go-forward.

"But it's also to be able to have the skill levels to open up the spaces.

"I'd like to think that we've got the balance there in the 22 to be able to deliver that."

The Scarlets and Wales back row forward Dafydd Jones will undergo surgery on Tuesday on the shoulder injury he suffered against New Zealand on Saturday.

Jones, who came on as a second-half replacement for Andy Powell, sprung his A/C joint and will ultimately miss the rest of the four-match series in Cardiff. He is also likely to be out of action until the new year, at the earliest.

The injury means 21 year-old Dragons flanker Dan Lydiate is certain to make his debut against Samoa on Friday with coach Warren Gatland likely to make wholesale changes after the 19-12 defeat at the hands of the All Blacks.

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Jeremy Guscott | Six Nations

Jeremy Guscott Q&A
Former England and Lions star Guscott is a BBC rugby union pundit

The autumn internationals are in full swing, and it's been a depressing start for the northern hemisphere with both England and Wales falling to defeat in their opening matches.With seven defeats from 12 Tests, England boss Martin Johnson and his coaching set-up comes in for particular scrutiny, while Wales' latest near miss is also up for discussion. Other topics include former Australia star Lote Tuqiri's arrival in the Premiership, the absence of Saracens players from the England squad and the perils of signing autographs. If you have a

question for Jerry, you can submit it by using the form in the top right-hand corner of the page. He will answer as many as possible next week.

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