Six Nations 2014: 'Our line-out will throw Wales out of contention,' claims England's Courtney Lawes

 

Hugh Godwin
Sunday 23 February 2014 21:07 GMT
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Courtney Lawes has helped England win all but four of their line-outs during this Six Nations
Courtney Lawes has helped England win all but four of their line-outs during this Six Nations

Courtney Lawes is clear in his mind which two teams possess the best line-outs in the Six Nations – and neither of them belongs to Wales, who are England’s next opponents. “Certainly, ours and Ireland’s are the top line-outs and we need to use that going into the Wales game,” said Lawes, who is in charge of England’s sideline set piece. “I’ve been keeping an eye on Wales’ line-outs. There’ll be a decent chance for us to put pressure on them.”

The homework extended to a sweet family scene with a rugby twist in Lawes’ hotel room the night before Saturday’s technically fascinating win for England over Ireland at Twickenham. There was the lanky lock forward, his fiancée Jessica and their four-month-old daughter Nell – and the television on, showing Wales’ 27-6 defeat of France. “I thought it was very well done from Wales,” said Lawes. “They were really good, really physical, and it was a real response from their previous loss against Ireland.”

Luke Charteris is likely to pair up with Alun Wyn Jones – who missed the France match with a foot infection – in Wales’ second row at Twickenham on Sunday week. “[Luke] Charteris is a big boy, we’ll have to mark him,” said Lawes, and he had noted too Wales’ match-clinching try against the French, direct from a line-out.

And then there were the first three points of England’s 13-10 win, kicked by Owen Farrell after 23 minutes of set-piece nip and tuck. When Paul O’Connell resolved to put a stop to Lawes’ catching and made a full-on challenge for a steal, he was unable to get a hand to the ball, clattered his opponent in mid-air and conceded the penalty for jumping across the line.

Though there have been mishaps, the statistics are supportive: a 35-4 ratio of England line-out throws won and lost against France and Scotland, plus four steals. Wales have been warned.

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