Ireland are hopeful centre Garry Ringrose will be available for Sunday’s Guinness Six Nations match against Italy in Dublin.

Leinster co-captain Ringrose is “progressing nicely” in his recovery from the shoulder injury which caused him to miss his country’s 38-17 round-one win over France.

The 29-year-old was again absent from training on Wednesday but Ireland’s coaching staff expect to have a fully-fit squad in contention for the Azzurri’s visit to the Aviva Stadium.

“We are pretty confident that everyone will be fit to train fully tomorrow,” assistant coach Mike Catt told reporters, according to RTE.

“There are a few guys obviously with a few bumps and bruises from Friday night. There are a couple that are still rumbling around.

“Calvin (Nash), Hugo (Keenan), Ringer is coming through nicely. He obviously didn’t train today, but he is progressing nicely.

“We will see how they pull up over the next couple of days.”

With Ringrose sidelined, Robbie Henshaw partnered Bundee Aki in midfield for Friday evening’s impressive bonus-point triumph in Marseille.

The statement success over the pre-tournament favourites fuelled talk of Andy Farrell’s Ireland becoming the first team to win back-to-back Grand Slams in the Six Nations era.

Attack coach Catt urged players to ignore the “external noise” and focus on immediate challenges.

“There’s no need to (get ahead of ourselves), is there,” he said.

“Andy has always spoken about the next performance, that’s been the key thing.

“From the players’ point of view, too, the Grand Slam will take care of itself if we perform to a level we are capable of performing.

“It’s making sure we put our focus on that and don’t worry about the external noise.”

Head coach Farrell is contemplating changes for the clash with Gonzalo Quesada’s side.

Italy have only once beaten Ireland in the Six Nations – 22-15 in Rome in 2013 – but pushed England close in a 27-24 defeat on the opening weekend.

“What I liked about the Italy performance (against England) was, they didn’t have a great World Cup,” said Catt, who was part of the Azzurri’s coaching staff between 2016 and 2019.

“I think they put their hands up to that as a group of players.

“And for them to turn around and put in a performance like that against a good England side was very impressive.

“They are obviously trying to impress the new coach as well and I just thought the way they played, they didn’t go away from their DNA in terms of (how) they’ve played over the last couple of years.

“I think with Quesada, they’ll tighten things up a little bit but when they get going, they caused some serious problems by scoring some very, very good tries.”

Cameron Winnett and Alex Mann were junior school pupils when Wales last beat England in a Six Nations game at Twickenham.

But 12 years on from that Triple Crown-clinching victory, both Cardiff prospects will feature in one of rugby union’s most fierce rivalries after being selected to start against England on Saturday.

Their sporting careers have a symmetrical appearance, as both were promising footballers – Mann a centre-back in Cardiff’s academy – and they made debuts together for club and country.

They first played for Cardiff across the A316 from Twickenham against Harlequins as teenagers, while Winnett started the 27-26 Six Nations home loss to Scotland last weekend and Mann went on during Wales’ remarkable fightback from 27 points adrift, scoring his team’s fourth try.

Full-back Winnett, 21, was born on January 7, 2003 – flanker Mann on January 6 the previous year – and they look likely to be part of Wales squads heading towards World Cup 2027 in Australia and beyond.

Winnett describes Mann as being “like a big brother” and there is a noticeable chemistry between them, partly forged by their time together for Wales Under-20s, a team that Mann captained.

Reflecting on his Wales debut, Winnett said: “It was amazing, and everything I had worked for since I was a little kid with a dream.

“I was thinking about all the sacrifices my parents made, taking me to sessions, and all the coaches who had helped me get to that point.”

Mann added: “That is what we work for, really. All those days that are dark days or good days.

“Standing there was a bit surreal, I was just soaking it all in, really. It was probably the best day in the world.”

Mann’s football connection extended to events last Saturday, with his friend Isaak Davies scoring the winning goal for Belgian Pro League club Kortrijk against Charleroi at roughly the same time Mann appeared off the bench for his Wales debut.

Davies moved on loan from Cardiff to Kortrijk last summer, and Mann added: “He was the first I FaceTimed afterwards because he was in Belgium playing and he scored, funnily enough the time I came on, so it was a proud day for us both.”

“I started with Cwmbach, got scouted, and then went straight into the (Cardiff City) academy. The professional set-up, I think that has helped me a lot from a young age.

“Then I started playing rugby again in school, and I knew straightaway that was for me. It just came naturally, the way I am.”

Winnett played soccer as a junior at Rhondda club Cambrian and Clydach Vale, where Terry Venables was chairman and president. Venables’ mother Myrtle hailed from Clydach Vale.

“It had always been rugby and football,” Winnett said. “I played for my local team Porth growing up, and then Cambrian, where I had two seasons.

“After those two seasons, I thought I couldn’t keep on playing two games of soccer and rugby on the same day, so I decided to play rugby.”

Attention now turns to Twickenham as Wales target ending a run of seven successive defeats since toppling England there during the 2015 World Cup.

Mann said: “The senior boys in the group have helped us loads, settling us in. Anything I want to ask, they are more than happy to help.

“I am trying to be like a sponge, really, trying to listen to it all and take it all in.”

Ireland are hopeful centre Garry Ringrose will be available for Sunday’s Guinness Six Nations match against Italy in Dublin.

Leinster co-captain Ringrose is “progressing nicely” in his recovery from the shoulder injury which caused him to miss his country’s 38-17 round-one win over France.

The 29-year-old was again absent from training on Wednesday but Ireland’s coaching staff expect to have a fully-fit squad in contention for the Azzurri’s visit to the Aviva Stadium.

“We are pretty confident that everyone will be fit to train fully tomorrow,” assistant coach Mike Catt told reporters, according to RTE.

“Ringer (Ringrose) is coming through nicely, he didn’t train today, but progressing nicely.

“(There are) a few guys with bumps and bruises, a couple that are still rumbling around.”

Wales boss Warren Gatland has made seven changes to the starting line-up for Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations clash against England at Twickenham.

Centre George North returns from injury for his 50th Six Nations appearances, lining up alongside Nick Tompkins in midfield.

Fly-half Sam Costelow, who went off injured during the first-half of Wales’ 27-26 loss to Scotland last weekend, is replaced by Ioan Lloyd, with Tomos Williams at scrum-half.

Gatland has also selected a new front-row of Gareth Thomas, Elliot Dee and Keiron Assiratti, with Cardiff flanker Alex Mann handed a first Wales start following his try-scoring appearance off the bench against Scotland.

Freddie Steward has called on England to win back the support of Twickenham as they launch a new era with Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations clash against Wales.

In their most recent home fixture, Steve Borthwick’s side were booed by fans after falling 30-22 to Fiji in the build-up to the 2023 World Cup – the first time they had ever lost to the Islanders.

Keen to dispel the funeral atmosphere last seen at Twickenham, Jamie George’s England are determined to reconnect with their support by delivering results and displaying ambition and passion.

Fans rallied behind the team during their march to third place at the World Cup and flocked to Rome for Saturday’s narrow win against Italy, but Steward knows it is the backing they receive in south west London that is critical.

“Being back at home is also synonymous with us being a new group,” said the Leicester full-back.

“This is essentially a fresh start. We have had our World Cup and we are on the start of a new cycle with fresh faces, new coaches. This is our chance to draw a line in the sand.

“As players when you play for England you are expected to win and when you don’t win, understandably you don’t have the fans on your side and there was a bit of that in the warm-ups to the World Cup.

“I would never blame the fans and say they need to lift us. They do that on the back of what we do, so the responsibility is ours.

“During the World Cup when we got to the semi-final it felt like that is what it can be like. As players we want that all the time but we have to put the performances on the field to earn that.

“The fans are the heartbeat of what we do. We want Twickenham to erupt and we want it to be a place we want to go and play in front of our fans and represent them.”

England’s tactics during the first year of Borthwick’s reign were conservative as he tried to shape a side that could challenge at the World Cup just nine months after replacing Eddie Jones as head coach.

The focus on kicking and stats-based approach turned off many supporters, but at the Stadio Olimpico there was greater enterprise and a willingness to attack from their own half.

“There’s the mentality side of it in terms of being braver by attacking further from the line and trying to challenge the opposition, giving them something to think about,” Steward said.

“We were probably guilty early doors of being too one-dimensional in terms of teams knowing what we were going to do.

“But hopefully by evolving the attack it will ask a few more questions of the opposition. The more time we’ve had together, it helps.

“For us as players, we want to play winning rugby. Whatever style that is, we want to win Test matches, we want to win tournaments and have successful campaigns.”

Defence coach Steve Tandy insisted Scotland would have no concerns about throwing recently-appointed co-captain Rory Darge into Saturday’s showdown with France following six weeks on the sidelines.

The 23-year-old flanker sustained a knee injury while playing for Glasgow against Edinburgh on December 30 and has not played since.

He was initially rated doubtful for the entire championship but has recovered quicker than anticipated and is expected to be ready for this weekend’s match against Les Bleus.

Darge’s return to contention is particularly timely after fellow flanker Luke Crosbie and veteran lock Richie Gray were ruled out for the rest of the tournament with shoulder and bicep injuries respectively.

“Dargey’s trained and he’s looking good,” reported Tandy on Tuesday. “He came through training last week, he trained again today, so all being well in the rest of the training week he’ll be available.”

Asked if he felt Darge could slot straight back into the Test XV having not played for almost a month and a half, Tandy said: “Definitely. He’s done it before, after injuries.

“Knowing Rory and the guy he is, how diligent he is and how he looks at and studies the game, we have no doubts. Physically, it feels like he’s adding layer on layer as he gets a little bit older.

“He’s physically ready and even when they are injured, the boys are still lifting (weights) – it’s not as if they’re sitting there doing nothing. They’re active in and around what the strength and conditioning guys and the medical team want.”

Tandy lamented the loss of back-rower Crosbie and second-rower Gray after the pair – both of whom started the match – picked up tournament-ending injuries in Saturday’s 27-26 victory away to Wales.

“First and foremost, with the characters they are, they’re awesome individuals,” said the coach. “Richie brings lots of experience around the group and he’s got better with age.

“He’s great to work with and you see the energy and clarity he brings to the group. He will be sorely missed.

“Luke has fought so hard to get to the international scene. You see the warrior he is on the field, but there is also the character he is and how he leads in the training environment, how he speaks in meetings.

“We’ve got a great squad though. If you look at the back-rowers, there are loads of form players so we’re lucky enough to have an abundance in those positions.

“If someone misses out, everyone else is ready to step into the shirt.”

Tandy admitted there were “lots of learnings” for Scotland after a game in Cardiff where they went dangerously close to squandering a 27-0 lead.

However, he also felt there were plenty of positives to be drawn from their first win in the Welsh capital in 22 years, ahead of back-to-back home games against France and England.

“It’s important not to get too far ahead,” said Tandy. “We’ve had a really good result, going to Wales and getting that job done, but now it’s just about focusing on France.

“Coming back to Murrayfield is massive. We’ve got to improve bits of our game and continue lots of the stuff we did in the first half and at the back end of the Wales game.”

Alex King believes Wales need to have a “no fear” approach when they face England at Twickenham on Saturday.

Wales last toppled their fierce rivals in a Six Nations game on English soil 12 years ago.

And they have lost on seven successive occasions at English rugby headquarters since beating England there during the 2015 Rugby World Cup, although five of those losses were by only six points or less.

Wales will head to south west London after coming unstuck in a Cardiff classic against Scotland, although 26 unanswered points from being 27-0 adrift meant they almost completed the biggest comeback the Six Nations has seen.

England, meanwhile, were pushed hard by Italy in Rome before recording a 27-24 verdict after trailing at half-time and being outscored on tries.

“They (England) have got a decent team – finishing third at the World Cup is testament to that,” Wales assistant coach and former Wasps fly-half King said.

“I think we need to show a no-fear game going down there, and put the pressure back on them.

“We’ve just got to take the game to England. We can’t wait for them to see what they do, especially with 70,000 people shouting for them.

“We have got to present ourselves as we want to play, and not wait to see what England can do before we start responding.

“It is important to show the lads that England are a good team, but they are not unbeatable. That is the reality.

“They have obviously got good players and they are well-coached, but Twickenham is just another stadium. I am looking forward to going back there. I’ve got my Welsh hat firmly on there.

“They won some important games at the World Cup, and they pushed South Africa close. They won some close games at the World Cup – they were able to get over the finish line in certain games.

“Like every team, they have got their weaknesses. It is up to us to exploit them on Saturday.”

Wales boss Warren Gatland, meanwhile, will have to make at least one change from the Scotland match as flanker James Botham has been released from the squad due to a knee injury.

Botham, who is the grandson of England cricket great Sir Ian Botham and scored Wales’ opening try against Scotland, will rehabilitate at his club Cardiff.

Botham’s Cardiff colleague Seb Davies has been added to the squad, while experienced Harlequins prop Dillon Lewis also gains a call-up.

Elsewhere, fly-half Sam Costelow went off before half-time in the Scotland encounter, and King added: “He is being assessed for a neuro issue with his neck.

“The positive thing is it wasn’t a concussion. He is up for selection, but it is a question of whether he gets through his medical protocols.”

Ex-Bristol back Ioan Lloyd, who replaced Costelow with impressive effect against Scotland, would be favourite to wear the number 10 shirt if a change is made.

“Twickenham this weekend is a place where we need to start well. We have been very honest in our review, and are moving forward,” King said.

“The pleasing thing is we came out and responded (against Scotland) and were magnificent. It’s a shame we couldn’t nail the victory with the momentum of the last 10 minutes.

“The attitude of the boys was spot-on. Now we have to use that to go to Twickenham.

“The boys showed huge character, and it was frustrating not to win in the end. But if we are honest, we can’t have a half like that at Twickenham.”

Ollie Lawrence could reinforce England’s Guinness Six Nations in time for their round-three clash with Scotland as he steps up his recovery from a hip problem.

Lawrence sustained the injury while on European duty for Bath against Toulouse a fortnight before the Championship began and it was initially feared he might miss the entire tournament.

But the powerful centre could return to England’s Surrey base as early as this week, boosting Steve Borthwick’s options in the number 12 jersey he would have worn against Italy last Saturday.

“Ollie is potentially coming in at the end of this week, maybe next week. He’s not available against Wales this weekend,” attack coach Richard Wigglesworth.

England are optimistic that Ellis Genge will overcome his foot damage in time for the visit of Warren Gatland’s men to Twickenham on Saturday.

Genge withdrew from the bench on the morning of the 27-24 win in Rome with Beno Obano taking his place among the replacements.

“Ellis took some part in training today (Tuesday) and we are hopeful that he is available for the weekend, but we’ve obviously got to get through the rest of the week,” Wigglesworth said.

Second-row George Martin is receiving treatment for his knee injury and could also be back for the trip to Murrayfield, but there is still no date set for Marcus Smith’s return from a calf problem.

Smith sustained the damage during training at England’s camp in Girona and could miss the whole Six Nations.

“It looks like it will be further back in the tournament – if we get him back. It won’t be in the next couple of weeks,” Wigglesworth said.

“Marcus has an incredible attitude. He was gutted but we were gutted as well. We know he’s an international quality player.

“We are blessed in that position because we’ve got George Ford and Fin Smith, but that doesn’t distract from what a top player he is and the impact he potentially would have had.

“His attitude was ‘I’ll just come back better’. I’ve no doubt that if we see him later in the tournament or if it’s after that then he’ll come back in and put his hand up like he did.”

Flanker James Botham has been released from Wales’ Guinness Six Nations squad due to a knee injury.

The Welsh Rugby Union said that Botham, who is the grandson of England cricket great Sir Ian Botham, was hurt during Saturday’s 27-26 defeat against Scotland.

Cardiff forward Seb Davies has been called into the squad, while experienced Harlequins prop Dillon Lewis has also been summoned by Wales head coach Warren Gatland ahead of next Saturday’s Twickenham appointment with England.

The WRU said: “James Botham (Cardiff Rugby) has been released from the squad due to a knee injury picked up during Wales’ 26-27 defeat to Scotland on Saturday.

“He will continue his rehabilitation back at his club.”

Botham scored Wales’ opening try during a thrilling second half against the Scots that saw them fight back to within a point after trailing 27-0.

His Cardiff team-mate Alex Mann, who also touched down, replaced him on his Test debut and now looks a likely starter against England.

Botham’s problem is another back-row injury blow for Gatland, with World Cup co-captain Jac Morgan and 104 times-capped number eight Taulupe Faletau out of the tournament.

Lewis, who has won 54 caps, was a surprise omission from Gatland’s original Six Nations squad.

And he now becomes the fourth tighthead in the group, joining Leon Brown, who started against Scotland but went off at half-time due to an injury, Keiron Assiratti and uncapped Bath forward Archie Griffin.

Scotland have suffered further injury woe after forwards Luke Crosbie and Richie Gray were ruled out for the remainder of the Six Nations.

Edinburgh back-rower Crosbie went off in the second half of Saturday’s 27-26 victory away to Wales with a shoulder issue, while Glasgow second-rower Gray was forced off in the first half with a bicep problem.

The injuries have now been assessed and Scotland confirmed on Tuesday morning that the pair – who both started in Cardiff – will be sidelined for the rest of the tournament.

Scotland were already missing some key players going into last weekend’s opener as co-captain Rory Darge was not deemed fit enough to feature due to a knee injury sustained at the end of December, while Toulouse full-back Blair Kinghorn and Edinburgh wing Darcy Graham were ruled out of at least the first two matches with knee and quad problems respectively.

The Scots are hopeful that Darge will be fit enough to return in Saturday’s Murrayfield showdown with France, which would offset the loss of Crosbie in the back row, while Edinburgh lock Grant Gilchrist is available after suspension to take the place of Gray.

Ethan Roots believes his barnstorming England debut was given special meaning by his unorthodox route into professional rugby.

Roots was named man of the match for a powerful display at blindside flanker in Saturday’s 27-24 Guinness Six Nations victory over Italy, continuing a breakthrough season for the Exeter Chief.

Yet as a teenager he fell out of love with the game when his lack of size prevented him from making an impact and instead he turned to jiu-jitsu and kickboxing.

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Before long he had his only MMA fight – which ended in a draw – and was competing at jiu-jitsu, only to be expelled from his club for dating his coach’s daughter.

Driven back to rugby, he benefited from a growth spurt and, upon being presented with several contract offers, opted for the Crusaders in 2020 only to then be limited to a single appearance.

It drove the Maori All Black to seek his fortune in the UK and, having impressed at Ospreys, he joined Exeter last year, with his form soon alerting Steve Borthwick that England might have found their successor to Courtney Lawes in the number six jersey.

“Playing rugby professionally again and enjoying it – I’m so glad that I stuck at it,” the 26-year-old said.

“I had a bit of a rough patch and came out of the end of it. I was lucky when I came out the end of that rough patch to still be in a professional set-up and I fell back into it, I fell back in love.

“The last six or seven months have been pretty hard to process. Everything has happened really quickly and everything has gone really well for me.

“A win in a tough place like the Stadio Olimpico and coming away with man of the match is pretty special. So I’m pretty happy.”

Roots was greeted by his mum Cara after the game in an unexpected visit and hopes she will also be present for Saturday’s round-two fixture against Wales, when he will face some of his former Ospreys team-mates.

“My dad is back in Auckland but my mum flew out and surprised me – it was the first time I had seen her for quite a while,” he said. “That was pretty special.

“She arrived the night before the game. I don’t know how she planned it all. Her and my partner landed at the same time. It was a nice surprise.

“It is a long trip but she is going to see my brother when she is in London and hopefully catch another game.

“I know a lot of those boys in Wales and it would be great to have a hit-out against them. It is a big occasion and it would be my first Test at Twickenham, so I would be really excited about it.”

Sir Gareth Edwards has described his former Wales and British and Irish Lions half-back partner Barry John as a “mercurial” player who was “a catalyst for so much success”.

John’s death at the age of 79 was announced by his family on Sunday.

He won 25 Wales caps between 1966 and 1972, and was a pivotal performer for the 1971 Test series-winning Lions team against New Zealand.

Such were the quality of his performances on that tour that he was nicknamed ‘The King’ by New Zealand journalists.

John played his club rugby for Llanelli and then Cardiff, where he struck up a half-back partnership with Edwards that went on to flourish for Wales and the Lions.

Edwards and John played together 23 times in Wales colours, plus one Lions Test against South Africa in 1968 and all four in New Zealand three years later.

They won Five Nations titles, Grand Slams and Triple Crowns together, and were dominant figures during Welsh rugby’s golden era.

“There is no doubt that the world of sport – and Welsh rugby in particular – has lost a legendary figure following the death of my great mate, Barry John,” Edwards said.

“He was one of a kind, a mercurial figure on the field, and was a catalyst for so much success for Wales and the British and Irish Lions.

“I spoke to him only last week, and he seemed in good cheer. I was devastated, as were my family and so many others to hear the news of his passing. All our thoughts are with his wife Jan and his family.”

Edwards recalled one of their early rugby meetings ahead of a Wales trial match early in 1967.

“We were both students then,” Edwards said. “He was at Trinity College, Carmarthen and I was at Cardiff Training College, and I rang him up and suggested we should meet before we played together.

“I had a car and was happy to drive from Cardiff, so we arranged to meet on a pitch in Carmarthen. When I arrived at Trinity College, Barry was nowhere to be found.

“There I was, looking immaculate in my green college tracksuit, boots in hand, ready for action, but Barry had apparently forgotten about our meeting.

“I bumped into someone I knew and he said he had seen Barry enjoying himself at a party the night before. He went off and found him, and when he eventually turned up he looked a bit scruffy and didn’t have any boots, just plimsolls.

“I was concerned about my pass, because everyone said it wasn’t very good, and so we had a bit of a throw about.

“He was slipping all over the place, and in the end he came up with the immortal line, ‘Gar, you just throw it and I’ll catch it!’. And that’s how it was for us from there on.”

They travelled the world together, thrilling crowds with their magical brand of rugby and earning global acclaim.

“Lots of people ask me to compare Barry with the other great outside-half I played with for Wales, Phil Bennett,” Edwards added.

“Phil had to have the ball in his hands before he decided what he was going to do, whereas Barry’s computer-like brain was always scanning and summing up his options before he got hold of the ball.

“Barry didn’t have the shuddering sidestep of Cliff Morgan, Dai Watkins or Phil, but he was lithe and much quicker than people gave him credit for, and he could simply glide past people.

“On top of that, he was a fantastic kicker and was never afraid to try things on the international stage that were out of the ordinary.

“What a player, team-mate, friend he was. He may be gone, but he will never, ever be forgotten.”

Huw Jones says that Scotland will expect a reaction from France in next Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations clash.

Les Bleus head to Edinburgh on the back of a crushing 38-17 home defeat against Six Nations title and Grand Slam favourites Ireland.

It followed their shattering World Cup quarter-final loss to South Africa, and they now face a tough examination at Murrayfield, where recent history does not favour them.

Scotland have won three of the last four Six Nations Tests at home against France, and they are fresh from a first victory over Wales in Cardiff for 22 years.

It might not have been exactly how they planned, with Wales scoring 26 unanswered points to threaten the biggest comeback victory in Six Nations history.

But Scotland managed to hold on for a 27-26 success, ending a run of 11 successive defeats in the Welsh capital.

“We’re really happy to have won, but there are still things we need to fix if we are to continue to grow,” Glasgow centre Jones said.

“This is a great chance to learn from our mistakes because it always feels better when you have won. We can take this momentum into next weekend.

“We will be expecting a reaction from France and from ourselves as well. We watched their game, and Ireland did their job very well.

“We have got to keep playing and manage whatever they throw at us. We want to kick on.”

Scotland are set to have co-captain Rory Darge available after he missed the Wales game due to a knee injury, while lock Grant Gilchrist has served a one-week suspension that sidelined him last weekend.

And it is a timey double development for Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend, given that lock Richie Gray (biceps) and flanker Luke Crosbie (shoulder) were forced off injured at the Principality Stadium.

Townsend said: “We know that next weekend is a totally different challenge.

“A team that has been one of the best in the world for a number of years on the back of a defeat, so they will be a big threat to us and we will have to be better.

“You look at yourselves, and if you get things right and you manage to get into the opposition 22, then opportunities will arrive, especially with the players we have.

“If we can get the ball into Finn’s (Finn Russell) hands more often, the players outside him, then when you do have one on ones and you have space to attack, then we will get behind the defence.

“The second half (in Cardiff) we just didn’t have enough ball. We had hardly any ball until the end of the game.”

Aaron Wainwright has highlighted energy and accuracy as key ingredients for Wales when they tackle Guinness Six Nations rivals England at Twickenham.

It is 12 years since Wales beat England away from home in the tournament, a Triple Crown-clinching victory that was secured by centre Scott Williams’ late try.

Wales went on to win the title and secure a Grand Slam that campaign, but apart from their 2015 World Cup pool win, Twickenham has not been a happy hunting ground during recent seasons.

Seven successive defeats – albeit five of them by six points or less – mean that Wales will arrive as underdogs to south-west London next Saturday.

But despite losing a pulsating Six Nations opener 27-26 to Scotland in Cardiff, Wales’ remarkable second-half fightback saw them end the game with two losing bonus points.

Changes can be expected for the England clash, with fit-again centre George North, scrum-half Tomos Williams, hooker Elliot Dee and prop Keiron Assiratti among those likely to come under strong consideration from head coach Warren Gatland.

Given the impact made by Wales’ substitutes – Williams, Dee and Assiratti all went on for the second half and played key roles during a memorable burst of 26 unanswered points – it would be a major surprise if they are not promoted to starting XV duty.

Had Wales defeated Scotland, it would have been the biggest comeback to win a game in Six Nations history, easily surpassing them overturning a 16-point deficit against France in 2019.

And it would also have threatened the all-time Test record held by Korea, courtesy of beating Chile 38-36 eight years ago after they had trailed by 29 points in Santiago.

“Another five minutes, and we probably would have got the win,” Wales number eight and player of the match Wainwright said.

“A game of two halves sums it up perfectly. It was not the start we wanted, but we showed what we can do when we start putting some stuff together.

“We knew we had to keep digging in after they scored early, because there was still a long way to go.

“That was one of the encouraging things – how we kept fighting and put ourselves in with a chance to win. That is going to give us momentum for next week.

“We need to take the energy of the second-half and build that within ourselves, make sure we are ready from the first whistle and make sure it doesn’t take a first-half like that to get going. It will give us confidence.

“Looking back at the second-half performance, if we can replicate that for the full 80 minutes that is exciting.

“They were perhaps panicking a bit, and a bit more composure from us in the dying moments could have turned it. Next weekend we need to go with full energy and accuracy.

“We need to be more accurate. Going for the corner, a tap-play move, we weren’t accurate enough, didn’t keep the ball.

“Whether it is execution or role knowledge, we need to fix that, and doing it from the first whistle will be key.”

Wainwright’s only previous Twickenham appearance was a World Cup warm-up game in 2019 that Wales lost 33-19.

On their last Six Nations visit two years ago, it was a four-point reversal, although Wales went close after trailing by 17-0 at one stage.

France prop up the Guinness Six Nations table for the first time in over a decade while Wales narrowly missed out on a record-breaking comeback win.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the key statistics from the opening weekend.

Les Bleus feeling the blues

A 38-17 home defeat at the hands of Ireland left France bottom of the men’s standings for the first time since they finished with the wooden spoon in 2013.

In the Six Nations era, it was the first time they have conceded five tries in a home game and only once have they conceded more points at home, losing 43-35 to Wales in 2001 – indeed it is only the sixth time they have conceded 30 or more at home.

A 21-point margin made it by far their heaviest home defeat – they have lost only 14 of 61 such games and it is only the fourth by double figures. England won 24-13 in 2008 and 31-21 in 2016 while Wales won 16-6 in 2013.

For Ireland, it was only a fourth Six Nations win in France and beat their record points total away to Les Bleus, previously set in a 43-31 loss in 2006.

Wales fightback falls just short

Last place was assured for Les Bleus as Saturday’s two games both finished close, Wales and Italy gaining losing bonus points.

It did not look like being that way when Warren Gatland’s side trailed 27-0 to Scotland shortly after half-time, but James Botham’s try sparked a remarkable comeback that came up just short of setting a new Six Nations record.

Wales’ own win over France in 2019, when they trailed 16-0 at half-time before winning 24-19 with two George North tries, was the largest deficit previously overcome to win a game in the Six Nations or its predecessors. Scotland drew games from 31-0 down against England in 2019 and 25-6 against Wales in 2001.

Had Wales managed to finish the job on Saturday it would have matched the third-largest comeback win in Test history.

Korea’s 38-36 victory over Chile in 2016 holds the record, having trailed by 29 points at 36-7. Fiji recovered from 28-0 and 31-3 down to beat Tonga 41-38 in 2010 and Chile were on the receiving end of another stunning comeback in 2007, leading Uruguay 27-0 at the break but losing 35-34.

England’s win did not require the same drama even as they trailed twice in the first half in Rome. The visitors pulled out to a 10-point lead before Monty Ioane’s converted try four minutes beyond the regulation 80 made the final score 27-24 and earned Italy’s bonus point.