Lancaster ready tinker as key trio return from injury
ENGLAND head coach Stuart Lancaster admits he will shuffle his pack to accommodate the returns from injury of Manu Tuilagi, Toby Flood and Courtney Lawes ahead of Saturday’s crunch Six Nations showdown against Wales.
Tuilagi (inset), who has not represented his country since leaping from a ferry in New Zealand following England’s World Cup exit in October, returned from a hamstring injury for Leicester at the weekend and is in contention to play some part against Warren Gatland’s men who, like the Red Rose, have won two from two.
“It’s nice to have people like Manu coming back into the equation,” said Lancaster. “It’ll be an interesting decision but I think he’ll be playing some part.
“Manu, Toby and Courtney haven’t played a lot recently and to play international rugby you have to be playing at the sharp end of domestic rugby. I’m delighted they got some game time at the weekend.”
Lancaster’s regime has thus far yielded morale-boosting, albeit narrow victories away from home against Scotland and Wales.
The former Saxons coach named the same team on both occasions but admitted he would make alterations for the visit of Wales to Twickenham.
“There will be one or two changes from the Italy game and we certainly think our bench will be an important factor going into the second half,” he stated.