England are "really optimistic" Maro Itoje will be fit for Saturday's Six Nations showdown with Ireland.
The British and Irish Lions lock has been struggling with illness ahead of the round four clash at Twickenham.
Red Rose forwards coach Matt Proudfoot provided an encouraging update on Itoje on the eve of the game.
He said: "Maro was a little sick overnight so we're just giving him an opportunity to recover, but we're really optimistic he’ll be alright."
England prop Kyle Sinckler recovered from a back injury and will start against second-placed Ireland.
"Kyle fully trained. He had a great training session and looked really good," Proudfoot said.
England and Ireland have won two and lost one of their three matches ahead of a huge encounter in London.
Proudfoot says Eddie Jones' side are in great shape as they battle to win the title.
"For us it's a great opportunity to go after them. The team has trained really, really well and every week it’s got more and more competitive," he said.
"The preparation has been great and when they walked off the field today (Friday), you could see the confidence in the eyes of the players.
"We know we've got to go after them. Ireland have been together for a big part of the year because of their large Leinster contingent, so we know they have that as an advantage, but we're eager for the opportunity.
"It tends to be the deeper you go into the Six Nations, it gets more and more intense. This is probably going to be the most intense game we've played since the Springboks."
England to face Portugal in Milton Keynes ahead of Women’s World Cup
England will face Portugal on July 1 in their final home warm-up match before flying to Australia for the Women’s World Cup.
Sarina Wiegman’s side are due to leave for the tournament four days after the meeting with their fellow finalists in Milton Keynes, with the game to kick-off at 3:15pm and be broadcast live on ITV.
Their opening game of the competition, which is being hosted jointly by Australia and New Zealand, is against Haiti in Brisbane on 22 July, before the team fly to Sydney to face Denmark then finish the group stage against China in Adelaide.
Wiegman finalised her squad for the World Cup, which England are looking to win for the first time following their Euro 2022 triumph last summer, in May with Arsenal’s Beth Mead a notable absence through injury.
Portugal are competing for the first time in the World Cup and are building on their first major tournament appearances at the last two editions of the European Championships.
Canada will be England’s final warm-up opponents in a behind-closed-doors friendly on July 14.
“I am really pleased to have a competitive game for our last home fixture,” said Wiegman. “We had two big games in April against Brazil and Australia where we learned so much.
“This will be another challenging match against a team that have performed well and are going to their first World Cup.
“Portugal will also want to show they can be a threat to teams in Australia, and they have very technical players with good ability. For us, it will be important to come together again as a team after the end of the club season and feel the support of our fans.
“We will do our best to give them a good performance. It will only be three weeks until our opening World Cup game so it will be such an important moment in our preparation.”
The Football Association and Women’s Super League clubs had been in a dispute over the release date for players called up to the squad.
The FIFA-sanctioned date by which clubs must make players available is July 10, just 10 days before the tournament kicks off.
It was reported last week that the FA had planned for the squad to meet up on June 19, though a formal agreement between parties took time to reach.
That date has now been confirmed by the FA, which said in a statement: “We are grateful for the mutual understanding of the clubs, as we have collectively worked towards a solution with the wellbeing of players at the heart.”
England beat Portugal the last time the sides met competitively, Toni Duggan and Nikita Parris scoring the goals in a 2-1 win for the Lionesses in the Euro 2017 group stage.
Cory Hill withdraws from Wales World Cup squad to pursue club offer
Cory Hill has become the latest player to withdraw from Wales’ preliminary World Cup training squad.
The former Cardiff and Dragons lock, who had been playing in Japan, was recalled by Wales head coach Warren Gatland following two years out of Test rugby.
But 31-year-old Hill has pulled out of the squad to pursue a club contract opportunity outside of Wales, the Welsh Rugby Union said.
“I am gutted to be leaving the squad, but an opportunity has come up and I need to take it for my family,” Hill said.
“Wishing the boys all the best at the World Cup, and I hope to be back in a Wales jersey in the future.”
Gatland named a 54-man group last month for the tournament in France later this year.
Lock Alun Wyn Jones, flanker Justin Tipuric and scrum-half Rhys Webb, who have 291 Wales caps between them, subsequently announced their retirements from international rugby.
And Cardiff prop Rhys Carre was then released from the squad after he failed to meet individual performance targets.
The PA news agency understands that Gatland has no plans to call up a replacement for Hill, whose new club want him available for them during the World Cup period in September and October.
Hill made his Wales debut against Australia in 2016, while a 32nd and latest appearance came during the 2021 Six Nations against France.
Gatland’s remaining second-row options in his squad are Will Rowlands, Adam Beard, Dafydd Jenkins, Ben Carter, Rhys Davies, Teddy Williams and Christ Tshiunza.
Ben Stokes pledges England will play with no fear against Australia
England captain Ben Stokes has told his team-mates to enter the Ashes without fear.
England host their old rivals this summer, with the first Test getting under way at Edgbaston on June 16, having won just one of the last five series against Australia.
Stokes has led his team to victory in 11 of his 13 Tests since he was installed as permanent skipper at the start of last summer.
He and coach Brendon McCullum have overseen a change of approach in preparation for an attempt to regain the Ashes urn for the first time since 2015, following their 4-1 drubbing Down Under in 2021/22.
“It’s not like any other series,” Stokes wrote for the Players’ Tribune.
“There’s the pressure, the hype and the extra noise that comes with it, but we’re ready for all that this summer.
“We’ve had some good results in the last year and the mindset in the group is so strong. Everyone is fully committed to what we’re doing.
“We know how good we are and that on our good days we can beat anyone on their good days.”
Stokes, 32, who hit an unbeaten 135 as England battled back to chase down 359 and beat Australia in a memorable meeting at Headingley in 2019, wants the team to go into the latest series unburdened by any pressure.
“I promise you: We’re going to play without fear,” he added.
“We want to create an environment where everyone has the freedom to try things without fear. I know it hasn’t always been that way, even though we’ve always had the ability.
“Hold nothing back. Express yourself. Show us what you can really do.
“And you know what? If you fail, then you fail. So what? As captain, I’m not going to be chewing people out in press conferences or in the media for trying to play a big shot.
“And behind the scenes, you’re not gonna get a slap on the wrist from me or Brendon McCullum about it.
“I don’t want this to be taken out of context. Just because I say it’s alright to fail, it doesn’t mean I’m fine with losing. I hate losing.”
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