Your evening rugby headlines on Friday, February 21.
Ospreys in 'pole position' to sign Ross Moriarty
Ospreys are in pole position to sign Wales international Ross Moriarty, report RugbyPass.
The 30-year-old back-rower is currently playing for Brive in the Pro D2 after leaving the Dragons at the end of the 2022/2023 season. However, it seems like the 54-cap international could be heading back to south Wales.
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Despite there being interest from both Scarlets and Ospreys, the report suggests that Ospreys are leading the race to sign Moriarty. Justin Tipuric is retiring at the end of the season, so they'll be losing a lot of experience in the back row, and Moriarty certainly has that.
Scarlets are also believed to be in the conversation due to No. 8 Carwyn Tuipulotu leaving to join Pau in the Top 14 earlier this month.
Moriarty's current contract with Brive expires next June and hasn't played a lot this term due to injury. When he makes his return in the coming months he will be attempting to help guide Brive back to the Top 14.
Moriarty last played for Wales in the 2022 Six Nations, where Warren Gatland's side lost in dramatic circumstances to Italy at the Principality Stadium.
Dwayne Peel: Easterby would be excellent Wales coach
Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel says that Simon Easterby would be a "great appointment" for Wales.
The pair were team-mates in Llanelli together, with Easterby going on to coach Scarlets for two years between 2012 and 2014. Peel is positive about the prospect of Easterby coaching Wales but recognises why the former Ireland international would want to stay put.
"Simon is a great guy and an excellent coach. He's a real professional and would be a great appointment if Wales were lucky enough to get him," said Peel.
"But is he available? He's coaching one of the best teams in the world and I know what coaching Ireland means to him. So there's a lot to cross.
"It's a bit disrespectful to talk right now about him leading Wales, but from my perspective he'd be excellent."
During Easterby's press conference on Thursday, he was asked about the Wales job links and his response suggested he is still very much committed to being with Ireland.
"Of course there's been speculation but that's all there is speculation, I'm not in control of that," said Easterby. "I love it here, I'm very fortunate with the people I get to work with here. For me, it's a dream job.
"It's speculation and not something I can control. Right now this is my only focus, whatever happens in the future, in a year's time I could lose my job and in sport it's very fluid people.
"I've had no contact with the WRU, for me it's all guns blazing towards Cardiff on Saturday and making sure me and the team prepare the team the right way. Whatever happens outside of that is outside my control."
Owen Watkin pens new deal
Wales international Owen Watkin has committed his future to Ospreys by signing a new deal.
Twenty-eight-year-old Watkin has won 43 caps for Wales, so if he signed for a club outside of the country he would still be eligible to represent the nation at Test level under the 25-cap ruling, but he's staying put at the Swansea-based region.
Having made 121 appearances for Ospreys, Watkin follows Jac Morgan, Gareth Thomas and Dewi Lake in signing a new deal with the region. Speaking about this, Watkin was pleased to commit his future to his boyhood club.
"I’m delighted to be extending my time with the Ospreys. This is an ambitious club, full of ambitious players, all trying to push each other to be the best version of themselves," explained Watkin.
"I’ve spent my whole career at this club, and what has always been a key determiner for me in that is the atmosphere. Coming to work every day here, with the boys we have, is a privilege.
"I was gutted to have picked up an injury on Wales duty, but I’m already looking forward to returning and pulling on the black jersey with some of my best mates."
Wales international out for 12 weeks
Wales international Dillon Lewis has confirmed he will be out for 12 weeks.
The former Cardiff Rugby prop had bicep surgery last week, and has posted a vlog to his Instagram detailing the process and confirming the length of time he'll spend on the sidelines.
Lewis has been in the gym since going under the knife, albeit in a sling with extended rest periods, and said he wasn't allowed to sweat while training. He then showed the doctor taking off his plasters.
"As it stands, this is a 12-week injury," explained Lewis. "But the wounds are looking healthy. Tim giving them a good clean and some prodding - I was not a fan of this, I had to be an extra brave boy."
Tommy Reffell relishing Jac Morgan linkup
Wales international Tommy Reffell is relishing lining up next to Jac Morgan this weekend.
Reffell and Morgan are two of the most gifted openside flankers in the northern hemisphere, and don't often play together as a result. However, interim head coach Matt Sherratt has decided to select both of them to face Ireland.
Morgan will shift over to the blindside to accommodate for Reffell on the open. The last time the duo started together was in the 2023 Rugby World Cup semi-final against Argentina, where Wales were knocked out.
"We have played together a couple of times, so it’s going to be interesting to go out there together this weekend," said Reffell. "Jac is a fantastic player and I’m looking forward to playing with him."
When asked if it was their job to slow the ball down, Reffell said: "Absolutely. Ireland are a very cohesive team. They have been brilliant over the last few years and they always seem to be on the same page.
"It will be a tough job, but we’ll see if we can slow them down a bit."
England vow to bring ‘nastiness’ in bid to regain Calcutta Cup from Scotland
By Ed Elliot, PA
England have vowed to bring “nastiness” to Saturday’s crunch Guinness Six Nations showdown with Scotland.
Gregor Townsend’s team, who are seeking a fifth consecutive Calcutta Cup success, were criticised for a perceived lack of physicality during a comprehensive 32-18 round-two loss to Ireland.
Steve Borthwick’s hosts are braced for a backlash when the Scots take to the field at Twickenham.
England scrum coach Tom Harrison said: “Most games come down to physicality, especially around the contact area, around the set-piece, around the collision.
“I expect Scotland to be fired up in that area and I think you’ll see a different Scotland when they play against England.”
Asked about England’s poor recent record in the fixture, Harrison continued “We’ve spoken about it as a group.
“Everyone says teams who play against England ‘they find a bit extra, they find a bit extra’ but actually there’s a nastiness to us.
“We want to win the Calcutta Cup back here. We haven’t done so and we want to do that.”
Following respective defeats to reigning champions Ireland across the opening two weekends of the tournament, the two sides each require victory at Allianz Stadium to retain realistic title hopes.
England’s only win over Scotland across the last seven meetings was a 13-6 Murrayfield triumph in 2020 en route to Six Nations glory under Eddie Jones.
They have not beaten the Scots in south-west London since 2017.
