Rugby Union: Loader hopes to face England

Christian Loader is taking inspiration from his Wales team-mate Allan Bateman in hoping for a quicker recovery from knee surgery than doctors predict.

The Swansea prop has been told he has no chance of facing England in next month's Five Nations game, but Loader entered hospital yesterday for a cartilage operation claiming that, like Bateman, he will be fit in a fortnight and will play.

France will have prop Franck Tournaire and fly-half Alain Penaud back in action against England at Twickenham on 1 March.

Scott Hastings, who earlier this week was dropped from the Scotland senior squad, has been left out of the A team to play Ireland A at Myreside a week tomorrow. His place at outside centre has gone to Hawick's Cameron Murray.