Here is your rugby news for Thursday February 17.
Springboks still keen on Six Nations
South Africa are ready to ramp up plans to join the Six Nations and could replace Italy in the tournament within four years, according to fresh reports.
The Springboks have committed to playing against New Zealand and Australia in the Rugby Championship until 2025, a move announced on Wednesday afternoon.
However, separate newspapers are claiming South African plans to integrate into the world's greatest annual rugby competition are still very much on.
The Guardian reckon the world champions are actively exploring the move as part of the planned radical overhaul of the global rugby calendar.
And the Mail go a step further by claiming the Springboks "would replace struggling Italy, which would enhance the competitiveness of the event" from 2026 onwards.
They call it "a seismic move for rugby's globe structure."
Springbok involvement would also put a definitive end to talk of promotion and relegation to and from the European showpiece.
It is said CVC, the private equity firm who have bought a £365million stake in the Six Nations and the United Rugby Championship, are one of the main driving forces behind the ambitious proposal. They see huge financial benefits to the plan.
Already South African teams the Bulls, Sharks, Stormers and Lions have joined the URC, meaning they meet the four Welsh regions, plus sides like Glasgow, Leinster, Munster and Benneton on a regular basis.
From next season they will also face crack English and French teams in the European Cup and Challenge Cup.
The next logical step, it would appear, is for the national team to move into the Six Nations.
Time zones would make Six Nations matches more feasible for South Africa than the Rugby Championship, although the issue of travelling support is a clear problem given visiting fans are a major part of the tournament's huge popularity.
The Mail reckon "Well-placed sources have suggested that the most likely plan is for the six-team format to be retained, rather than any expansion of the championship."
If so, that would spell bad news for the Azzurri, who continue to lose games. However, were South Africa to do annual battle with Wales, England, Ireland, Scotland and France, it would increase the intensity and appeal of the tournament with no easy games.
The Guardian point out that even though the Springboks have committed to the Rugby Championship until 2025 in line with broadcast arrangements, that still "signals a significant sea change because less than 18 months ago a similar commitment was made until 2030."
Proposals for a World Nations Championship, the new competition to be held every two years in between World Cup tournaments and Lions tours, appears to be the in South Africa are looking at for their Six Nations hopes.
READ MORE: You can see full details about that new tournament here
They are thought to want to use the global re-set to push their Six Nations plans and have previously put their current southern hemisphere colleagues on alert.
“South Africa did put us on notice they were exploring their options – that was well before Christmas,” confirmed Sanzaar chief executive Brendan Morris.
“We’ve got a number of international and local broadcast deals that are extended to 2025. There was never any cause for alarm that we were never going to meet those obligations."
Six Nations chief executive Ben Morel says he is “extremely cautious” about expansion, but CVC are said to feel South African involvement would bring enormous commercial gains and make an already legendary tournament even greater.
Quins in dark over Eddie's Marler plans for Wales
Harlequins admit they are in the dark about Joe Marler's involvement for England against Wales next weekend after Eddie Jones released him from this week's training camp.
Marler has lots of history against Wales, infamously hitting the headlines for grabbing the testicles of Alun Wyn Jones the last time Wayne Pivac took his team to Twickenham.
Marler received a 10 week ban as a result of the controversial incident and has become something a a figure Welsh fans love to hate.
He was also involved in previous Twickenham controversy with Wales prop Samson Lee.
Marler came on as a replacement in England's opening games with Scotland and Italy, but has been released back to Harlequins as Jones retains Leicester's Ellis Genge and uncapped Sale youngster Bevan Rodd as his loosehead options in training.
It means Marler is available for Quins' English Premiership clash at home to Wasps this weekend and Harlequins boss Tabai Matson says he is unsure exactly where that leaves Marler for the big clash with Wales on Saturday week.
“I can’t comment on that. I honestly don’t know,” said Matson at his weekly media briefing.
“I’m sure and I think there is a bigger picture, he is not going to compromise the Six Nations campaign so this could be perfect for him leading into that Welsh game as well, but I have no idea to be fair.
"I haven’t spoken with Eddie (Jones) since well before the tournament started.
"Joe did say before the tournament, ‘If for whatever reason in those fallow weeks I am not getting game time I’d love to come back and play for Quins’.
"That is a testament to the man. Clearly, that has happened and we are very happy that he is going to be rolling in.
"Joe loves the club and it is clearly always good for us when there is a Joe Marler on the field in the Quins jersey. He is a talisman."
Tuilagi to power into Wales
Wales have been warned Manu Tuilagi is ready to power into them and bring the 'bang' back to England's midfield after his recall into Eddie Jones' squad for next week's clash.
The blockbusting Sale centre, who is pivotal to the way England play, has recovered from a hamstring problem and proved his fitness in two dominant English Premiership wins for his club this month.
Jones has immediately recalled his powerhouse and Sale boss Alex Sanderson said in the Mail : "'Manu is loving it at the moment and wants to keep cracking on here, but he is made for a bigger stage and his country needs him."
The Sale director of rugby continued: "He's ready to go, he doesn't need any more game time, unfortunately for Sale.
"What he needs is to have a week of increased loading so that when he goes into full training next week to prep for Wales, he doesn't break down when he plays in that game.
"There's no-one with the same bang or the same power-to-punch ratio."
Jones is set to go for a 10-12-13 axis of power and flair, with Tuilagi in between Marcus Smith and Henry Slade.
Smith is like Carter - Dawson
World Cup winning scrum-half Matt Dawson is also on the England v Wales bandwagon and reckons new fly-half sensation Marcus Smith reminds him of the great Dan Carter.
Smith has started at 10 for England's openers against Scotland and Italy and will line up for arguably his sternest test yet against Wales on Saturday week.
The Wales-England rivalry is historically intense and Wayne Pivac's side will be looking to play on Smith''s inexperience.
However, Dawson reckons the youngster can continue to shine on the biggest stage and even made a comparison to New Zealand legend Carter, widely regarded as the greatest 10 of his generation.
"Marcus Smith played brilliantly against Italy. It was not a fancy performance, it was more in the style of New Zealand great Dan Carter, where you thought he was just better than everyone else," Dawson wrote in his coulmn for the BBC.
England's 2003 scrum-half continued: "It was a bit like Antoine Dupont. He just does it every single time. That is how he plays the game and England are lucky they have got someone at fly-half to do that.
"Smith made a try out of nothing, just using his brain, his skills and his footwork He can see the way England are attacking. They are using the speed, vision and capabilities of Smith and they want a fast-paced game. They have got the type of players to play that throughout.
"I am not sure Owen Farrell would get in the side at the moment. Where are you going to put him? You are certainly not going to put him at 10.
"Not even George Ford can play the way Smith is playing at the moment. England's game is increasingly based around what this youngster can do."
Dawson went on: "England must think their destiny is in their own hands. They have to forget about their opening loss against Scotland because they are going in the right direction.
"They will focus on their next game against Wales, who were much-improved in round two when they beat Scotland.
"If England play with the accuracy and intensity they had against Italy, they should be really confident."
Pienaar takes over Saracens
Legendary South African World Cup winning skipper Francois Pienaar is part of a consortium who have completed a £32million takeover of fallen English giants Saracens.
Pienaar, famously played by Matt Damon in the hit film Invictus which charts the Springboks conquering the world in 1995, used to play for Sarries and returns to the club.
He helps form a six-person consortium in charge after Saracens owner Nigel Wray agreed to sell his controlling stake in the club.
The former English and European champions were relegated to the Championship after a huge points deduction, but have since won promotion back to the top flight and are second behind leaders Leicester in the Gallagher Premiership.
Pienaar led the Springboks to victory at the 1995 World Cup on home soil, receiving the trophy from South Africa president Nelson Mandela in that iconic image.
The former flanker made 44 appearances as a player-coach for Saracens between 2000 and 2002.
Wray, who first invested in the club in 1995 and took full ownership in 2018, has been looking to reduce his stake for some time.
To get the latest rugby news and analysis delivered straight to your inbox, you can sign up for our Welsh rugby newsletter.
