A full round-up of the latest rugby news and headlines on the morning of Monday, January 17.
Peel dishes out home truths
Dwayne Peel reflected on the Scarlets’ Heineken Champions Cup misadventure in Bordeaux before declaring: “We have to look at ourselves in the mirror and get better.”
Peel could have hidden behind excuses after a 45-10 thrashing at Stade Chaban-Delmas, with the west Walians having played just once over the previous three months and suffering late withdrawals.
Instead, the Scarlets head coach bemoaned his side’s poor ball retention and the mistakes that put them under pressure against a Bordeaux team who had suffered multiple Covid-related issues heading into the game.
"We are disappointed,” said Peel.
“The reality is we did not respect the ball and turned it over too cheaply. putting us under pressure.
"For large periods we held them up for as long as we could. Offensively, especially during one spell, we put some good sets together but unfortunately we let it slip under pressure.
"If we can't keep hold of the ball you put yourself under sustained pressure.
"We had two late changes but we prepared for all situations and you have to adapt. Morgan Jones did well after coming in and having a guy like Samson Lee to come in and I thought Harri O’Connor did well, too, after he came on.”
Liam Williams and Gareth Davies scored consolation tries but Bordeaux ran in seven touchdowns themselves and applied pressure in all areas. The Scarlets looked rusty from the start but didn’t help themselves.
Of his side’s lack of rugby, Peel said: “That's a part to play but we are not going to dwell on stuff we have not played.
"We have to look at ourselves in the mirror and get better. We were not good enough.”
The Scarlets conclude their European pool campaign with a home game against Bristol on Saturday evening.
READ MORE: New Wales name enters Six Nations selection talks after outplaying England sensation
Scarlets pair add to Pivac’s concerns
Scarlets Scott Williams and WillGriff John threw late concerns Wayne Pivac’s way ahead of Wales’ Six Nations squad announcement on Tuesday.
Centre Williams left the field on 46 minutes in the Heineken Champions Cup clash against Bordeaux-Begles at Stade Chaban-Delmas, while prop John withdrew with a back issue sustained during the warm-up.
It was hardly what Pivac would have wanted in the run-up to his Wales squad reveal.
And with Blade Thomson also pulling out late on as well, it didn’t help the Scarlets much as they crashed 45-10 to the Top 14 leaders.
Dwayne Peel didn’t confirm Williams was injured but when asked about him and John, the head coach said: “We will wait and see and see where we are come Tuesday when we meet up back home."
READ MORE: Ian McGeechan says Wales will lose their Six Nations title because of Shaun Edwards
New England star compared to Barry John
Shane Williams says Eddie Jones should be sacked immediately if he doesn't start Marcus Smith ahead of Owen Farrell in the Six Nations, even comparing the new man to the great Barry John.
Smith led Harlequins to a last-gasp Heineken Champions Cup victory over Cardiff at the Arms Park on Friday night and a clamour is growing for him to wear the England No.10 jersey ahead of England's skipper Farrell.
Former Wales wing ace Shane has joined the Smith bandwagon and even made the analogy with The King.
"What a performance, what a player. At a ground where Barry John used to strut his stuff here was a player from a similar mould as 'The King'," the wing legend wrote in his Rugby Paper column.
"If Eddie Jones doesn't give him first shot at the England No.10 jersey in the Six Nations, then the RFU should sack him immediately.
"He makes things happen around him and he must be a nightmare to play against.
"Three tries came from his superb kicking game and he scored one himself as well. Is there anything he can't do."
Smith has earned rave reviews over the past year, with Williams' former Wales team-mate Adam Jones dubbing him 'an absolute superstar'.
Former prop Jones has watched Smith's work close up in his capacity as part of the Quins' coaching team.
READ MORE: Wales' final Six Nations calls at Monday's decisive selection meeting as fly-half set to miss out
Lawes boost for England
Northampton Saints have allayed concerns over Courtney Lawes' injury ahead of Eddie Jones' England Six Nations squad announcement.
Jones is due to name his squad for the upcoming northern hemisphere tournament this week, with Lawes among those expected to be included.
The 32-year-old gave Jones and the Saints a real scare on Sunday as he was forced off the pitch in the 64th minute of his side's narrow 24-20 Champions Cup defeat to Ulster.
However, Northampton's forwards coach Phil Dowson has played down concerns over Lawes' situation following his withdrawal at Franklin's Gardens on what the towering lock's 250th appearance for the Gallagher Premiership outfit.
“We thought we’d bring some fresh legs on so it was more precautionary than anything else,” said Dowson.
“He was exhausted, and we had lots of forwards on the bench to bring on. Courtney is experienced enough, old enough and 250 games ugly enough to tell us when he’s done. He’s OK.”
England begin their 2022 Six Nations campaign against Scotland in Edinburgh on Saturday, February 5.
Jones names his squad on Tuesday.
Boss embarrassed by 'basketball score'
Philippe Saint-André could not hide his embarrassment following Montpellier's 89-7 Champions Cup loss to Leinster, despite the fact 18 members of his squad had contracted Covid-19 in the last two-and-a-half weeks.
The French side - who are currently fourth in the Top 14 - were awarded a 28-0 triumph against Leinster earlier on this season after the Irish outfit were unable to field a side due to a coronavirus spread within their camp.
It was a decision that irked Leinster head coach Leo Cullen at the time, and his side produced a ruthless display which included 13 tries to see off the French club at the RDS Arena on Sunday.
And Montpellier head coach Saint-André says he expected more from his admittedly under-strength team in Ireland.
“You know, I am not a member of EPCR, it is not my job. As a story I am not worried with Leinster, today they get five points, they are already qualified I think,” said the former France boss.
“It is difficult for me to give one opinion, rather than the EPCR make the decision with medical staff, with one specialist of the parliament. Like us last week we wanted to play but we did not have enough front rows to play against Toulouse so the game was cancelled and you can see what we showed today.
“When you have a cluster in your squad, you hurt. You have to revise quickly, you have to return fitness-wise and we showed this today.
“It’s not a rugby score, it’s a basketball score. We fight last year to win the shield (Challenge Cup) and win the competition, and to not show more than this is very painful after we have three or four more positive cases three days ago, a lot in the back line. Today our back line was very young with little experience but I was expecting more than we showed but Leinster were amazing.
“Today we managed to have a team but we changed three times the team during the week. We were struggling from the first to the last minute, I coached for a long long time. I never lost by this score. There is not so much to say."
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