Round-Up: Narraway called up to replace Wood after heroics for Gloucester

 

Martin Pengelly
Monday 23 January 2012 01:00 GMT
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RHYS PRIESTLAND: The Wales flyhalf suffered a
knee injury as Scarlets beat Castres 16-13
RHYS PRIESTLAND: The Wales flyhalf suffered a knee injury as Scarlets beat Castres 16-13

Luke Narraway, the Gloucester N0 8 and captain, was last night called into England's training squad for the Six Nations Championship as cover for the injured Northampton forward Tom Wood, who is likely to miss the first three games of the tournament.

Outstanding in his club's famous Heineken Cup victory over Toulouse last Friday night, Narraway was unfortunate to be selected in the first place. In all, 36 players – including several who have yet to overcome fitness problems – will attend a camp in Leeds ahead of the Calcutta Cup game with Scotland in 12 days' time.

Leinster and Ulster were assured of their places in the Heineken Cup quarter-finals before they played on Saturday. Of the two Irish provinces, Leinster were more satisfied with how things then turned out.

Joe Schmidt's side, the Heineken Cup holders, beat Montpellier 25-3 in Dublin, scoring three tries. Munster's subsequent victory over Northampton secured the top seeding for the quarters but Leinster will still have a home draw.

Ulster will have to travel, after they lost 19-15 at Clermont Auvergne. Ruan Pienaar kicked five penalties for Ulster but Morgan Parra kicked four for Clermont and converted Ti'i Paulo's second-half try. Ulster have played a round 100 European games but have still yet to win in France.

Brian McLaughlin, Ulster's head coach, said: "We came here wanting to get a home quarter-final for our fans and I think that's why we're exceptionally disappointed." He added, however, that he was "exceptionally proud" of a team who were "more than capable of going further in this competition".

The Scarlets won in France on Saturday, to book themselves a place in the quarter-finals of the Amlin Challenge Cup. Tries from Aaron Shingler and Mat Gilbert helped the Welsh region beat Castres 16-13 after Northampton's collapse opened the door into the Amlin. A knee injury suffered by the fly-half Rhys Priestland, however, will be a worry for the Wales coach, Warren Gatland.

There was only one proper dead rubber on Saturday and Bath had more bounce in their step after it than Glasgow, having won 23-18 at The Rec. In Pool Four, Leicester's beat Aironi 33-6 at Welford Road but still went out after Clermont's win over Ulster.

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