Here are the latest rugby headlines on Thursday March 3.
Alun Wyn keeps his head down
Jonathan Davies has revealed Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones has been a fairly inconspicuous presence as he returned to Wales camp this week.
The second-row, who holds the record for the most Test caps in world rugby, has linked up with Wales to continue his rehabilitation from shoulder injury.
However, due to the nature of a Six Nations fallow week, Jones has largely remained unseen to his team-mates.
"I think he's doing a rehab week this week," Wales centre Davies said.
"Obviously the nature of the week, we haven't been in that much. I'm sure he's working hard, getting his rehab done.
"It's good to see he's in a place that, after the injury he's had, he's worked extremely hard to get to. You see him around about a bit, but the nature of this week is you don't really train so you don't see much of him."
Davies admitted he is yet to bring the troops together with a rousing speech, adding that recovering from injury is Jones' current focus.
"No, I feel he wouldn't find it that comfortable, not putting words in his mouth," Davies added.
"He has his own agenda at the minute, making sure he gets himself fit. When you're injured, the best thing you can do for the team is making sure you get back fit.
"That's probably what he's focusing his mind on now."
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'Worst Scotland coach' slammed
Scotland international John Beattie has lambasted former national team coach Matt Williams for his outspoken criticism of Gregor Townsend's side.
Williams told the Scotland players to "shut up" after defeat to Wales, saying they had made themselves look like fools ahead of the game in Cardiff by talking up their own title credentials before going on to lose at the Principality Stadium.
The Australian, who is now a pundit for Virgin Media Sports, coached Scotland in 2004 and 2005, winning just three of his 17 games in charge. He has the worst record of any Scottish coach in the professional era.
And Beattie, who played under Williams, accused him of treating players like schoolboys during his tenure, adding in his Rugby Pass column : "After Scotland lost in Cardiff, Matt Williams – who has the lowest win percentage of any [professional] Scotland coach – advised the Scots to ‘shut up’ until they ‘action out their talk’, referring to a hype and arrogance that doesn’t actually exist among any of the players.
"Most Scottish rugby folk will have ignored the notoriously bombastic Australian. Plenty will have laughed. I was only involved with one camp during his tenure, my first with the national team.
"Now, I don’t know Matt at all, but it is frustrating to hear, statistically, the worst Scottish coach of all time slamming Gregor Townsend, who is statistically the best."
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Wales incident ends England star's Six Nations
Luke Cowan-Dickie will play no further part in England's Guinness Six Nations title challenge because of the knee injury he sustained against Wales.
Hooker Cowan-Dickie could be ruled out for the rest of the season by the damage sustained in the first half of Saturday's 23-19 victory in round three and will miss England's last two matches against Ireland and France.
"It's a pretty significant injury," Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter said.
"It's knee ligament and a bit of cartilage damage.
"There's further assessment going on but he's definitely going to be out for a significant period of time, possibly the rest of the season."
Cowan-Dickie will undergo surgery next week with a view of returning in time for the summer tour to Australia and his absence will see Jamie George take the hooking duties for the final phase of the Six Nations.
He suffered the injury during a tackle by Ross Moriarty.
Key Ireland man's tournament over
Ireland prop Andrew Porter has been ruled out of the remainder of the Six Nations due to an ankle issue.
The 26-year-old limped off early in the second half of Sunday's 57-6 win over Italy in Dublin.
Ireland return to action away to title rivals England on Saturday, March 12, before completing the championship seven days later at home to Scotland.
Leinster player Porter has been in fine form for Andy Farrell's side, successfully switching from tighthead to loosehead this season.
He is the second member of the Irish front row whose Six Nations campaign has been ended by injury after hooker Ronan Kelleher sustained a shoulder problem in the round-two defeat away to Grand Slam-chasing France.
The Irish Rugby Football Union has confirmed Porter - who was selected by the British and Irish Lions last summer only to miss out due to a toe issue - will return to his province for medical treatment following the results of his scan.
Leinster's Cian Healy and Munster's Dave Kilcoyne are in contention to replace Porter at Twickenham, having each featured off the bench during the tournament.
Speaking of Porter's injury immediately after the Italy game, head coach Farrell said: "He went over on his ankle slightly. He was running it off and he would have been able to carry on but we thought we'd get him off at that stage."
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