Warren Gatland claims that Wales will surprise some teams at the World Cup later this year with how much they will have improved.

Wales finished the Six Nations in fifth after a 41-28 loss to France in Paris on Super Saturday.

Expecting rapid development

Gatland’s return to the helm did not go as smoothly as he would have hoped, with losses to all teams but Italy. However, Wales seem to have started to find their feet, and the veteran coach believes things may be different at the global showpiece.

“We will surprise some teams in the World Cup by how good we will be and how much we will improve having that time together to prepare,” he said.

“We have taken steps in the right direction during this campaign but we have a lot of work to do.

“We have developed some youngsters who will learn from these experiences, and we will review stuff and what are the things we need to keep working on to not allow some of those soft tries we did concede.

“Today against a team like that when they get on top of you (Wales trailed 34-7 early in the second half), they can really punish you. A bit like the All Blacks.

“But the boys didn’t capitulate. They showed some heart and character. That is what we are looking for as a starting point.

“Some of the variation in the second half in terns of our game-management was much better. We put a few little kicks in behind and varied it nicely. I was pleased with the ambition of what the players were trying to achieve.”

Hard work required

Skipper Ken Owens echoed his coach’s sentiments and believes through hard work, the team will come right.

Owens added: “From the outset, we knew we wouldn’t be in a 12-9 arm-wrestle. We knew we had to score tries and we showed that.

“I am confident we will get better the more time we have together with that conditioning work and putting ourselves under pressure in training.

“That will solve those inaccuracies in our game that we’ve seen throughout the tournament.

“Personally, for me and a lot of the boys, it probably will be our last Six Nations game. It’s got to come at some point.

“I have seen enough over the last eight weeks of the work that the players, management and coaches are putting in. One thing with Welsh people, we work very hard.

“The more time as a Welsh team we spend together, the better we get. We will raise some eyebrows at the World Cup.”

Owens had missed some of the training week for the birth of his child, and he looks to get back to his family.

“Obviously, I haven’t trained much this week. That is probably why I was hooked (taken off) on 45 minutes,” he said.

“I was proud of Carys and becoming a father again. Everything went OK and it will be back to the family. Hopefully, Dwayne Peel (Scarlets head coach) will give me a nice little week off to enjoy with the family.”

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Premier League side West Bromwich Albion are very close this morning to sealing the loan signing of PSG’s Polish international and defensive midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak.

The player wants an experience in the Premier League, and only another side from the top division in England could block this deal, if Krychowiak prefers them over West Brom.

SFR Sport report that Leicester City in particular remain interested in the player.

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Ireland fly-half Johnny Sexton says that it would be a special achievement should he captain them to their fourth-ever Six Nations Grand Slam.

Andy Farrell’s men are just one victory away from winning the title and etching their names into the history books following Sunday’s 22-7 triumph over Scotland.

They now face an England team who are licking their wounds after a record home defeat to France on Saturday.

The Red Rose went down 53-10 to Les Bleus which was their biggest-ever loss at Twickenham.

Ireland are expected to get the job done relatively comfortably, despite their injury issues, but Sexton knows that they need to focus.

Big week

“It was a very special day (against Scotland) but ultimately it was a semi-final and the big one is next week,” he said.

“It would be the stuff of dreams really. It’s what you grow up wanting to do.

“I don’t know why you grow up wanting to be captain of Ireland, maybe because the players you admire the most were captains, but to do it would be dream-come-true stuff.

“It’s a great group of lads, so to lead them is very special. Who wouldn’t be proud?

“It’s going to be a big week, there will be lots of hype, plenty of distractions, tickets and family and all that and we need to get down to business and get a big performance.”

Sexton is wary of the threat a wounded England could pose, knowing that Steve Borthwick’s men have little to lose, but Ireland are determined to claim the title in front of their fans.

Previous Grand Slam successes in 2009 and 2018 have been done away from the Aviva Stadium, so this would be extra special for the Irish.

“It’s obviously dangerous because they’ve nothing to play for but it will mean a hell of a lot to us to play at home and to try and win something at home,” the fly-half said.

“The times when we have won things, they’ve all been away from home. That’s something we acknowledged from the start that doesn’t come around too often, so it will hopefully be a special day.

“They’re going to be hurting. They’re going to be wanting to show what playing for England means to them and they’re a good team; they’re a better team than they showed (against France).”

Six Nations points record

Sexton kicked seven points on Sunday – two conversions and one penalty – to move level with countryman Ronan O’Gara on the all-time points-scoring list in the Six Nations.

Should the playmaker be fit to play this weekend, the Leinsterman will more than likely move ahead of O’Gara and into first place.

“Rog (O’Gara) will be paying me off to try and retire now,” he joked.

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“It’s obviously a nice thing. Hopefully (I will) get back on the pitch next week and it’s all about winning. These other things they can come along but they’re not at the forefront of my mind.”

Ireland will have to win the Grand Slam without the services of Garry Ringrose and Iain Henderson, who have been ruled out of their match with England.

An IRFU statement read: “Garry Ringrose is doing well today and has returned to Dublin. He will take no further part in this year’s Championship.

“Iain Henderson is due to undergo surgery today on a fractured forearm sustained in the first half of yesterday’s game. The uncapped Ross Molony is added to the squad to provide additional second-row cover.

“Both Dan Sheehan and Ronan Kelleher sustained shoulder injuries against Scotland and both will be managed in camp this week. Ulster’s Tom Stewart has been brought in as cover.

“Caelan Doris’ hip complaint will also be managed in camp this week.”

Yacouba Sylla has left Stade Rennais and will join Greek club Panathinaikos on a loan until the end of the season, with an option to buy at the end of the deal.

The Malian National Team captain joined Rennes from Championship side Aston Villa in 2015 for €1.5m after failing to nail down a place at Villa Park under both Paul Lambert and Tim Sherwood. However, Sylla struggled to get a good run of games under his belt at Rennes either, only playing 23 times for the club.

Last season, Sylla was sent out on loan to fellow Ligue 1 club Montpellier where he scored one goal in 20 appearances, but didn’t do enough to warrant the club making another move for the midfielder.

T.S.

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