Wales U20s fly-half Carwyn Leggatt-Jones has been called in to train with the senior Wales squad this week, as coach Steve Tandy looks at young talent.
The Scarlets playmaker started both of the region's recent matches in South Africa, impressing against the Stormers and Bulls. Having made his senior debut last season as a schoolboy, Leggatt-Jones still has plenty of time left in age-grade rugby.
This is not the first time this autumn that young players have been brought in as training cover. Young Newport wing Noah Morgan, Cardiff second-row Sonny McCabe, Ospreys second-row Ben Roberts and Scarlets full-back Iori Badham were called up during the first week of camp, while Cardiff's Lloyd Lucas and Ospreys' Cody-Ray David were present last week.
Francis targets fourth World Cup
Wales prop Tomas Francis says the chance to play in a fourth World Cup drives him on, having returned to the international game earlier this year. The 34-year-old had not played Test rugby for over two years following the last World Cup, having moved to French club Provence.
Were Francis to reach Australia next year, he would join an exclusive club - with only Gareth Thomas, Stephen Jones, Gethin Jenkins, Alun Wyn Jones and George North having done it so far.
"You never think far ahead and I was happy to get one cap then," said Francis, admitting he would have laughed if you had told him he'd be heading towards a fourth World Cup in 2015. "You just keep trying to improve and stay in that competition for the jersey. It's a great carrot to have."
After leaving the Ospreys for France three years ago, Francis stepped away from Test rugby to focus on his new life in France with his young family. "I think for about two-and-a-half years I was away for eight nights and I had two young girls," said Francis. "As a father you can't get that time back. I'd given my all for two World Cup cycles, so for Welsh rugby and me, it was right to have a little time away."
However, the door was never closed fully on a Test return. "I told Gats (Warren Gatland) if you need me I am around and he passed that onto Steve (Tandy)," said Francis. "You always want that chance to put that jersey on and it's been amazing to get back out there."
England manage Feyi-Waboso and Curry
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Tom Curry will be carefully managed between now and the World Cup as England look to give two key personnel the best possible chance of being available for the tournament. Feyi-Waboso will miss the rest of the autumn because of an ankle injury sustained in Sunday's 44-22 win over Australia, while Curry will sit out all four Nations Championship matches at Allianz Stadium this month after aggravating a long-standing hip condition in training last week.
Under the current agreement between England and the Premiership clubs, head coach Steve Borthwick now has greater control over the 25 members of his elite player squad, including final say on workload and medical matters. "The best high-performance environments have the right amount of care and the right amount of challenge," assistant coach Sir Kevin Sinfield said. "How Tom's managed, looked after and supported over this next period of time will be really important for him. He's still a young man and we're a better squad when he's around. He's a world-class player."
Sinfield also praised Feyi-Waboso's performance at Twickenham, describing it as "world class" and adding "he's our Jason Robinson" in reference to the cross-code great.
Former Crusaders player Daryl Lilley dies
Former Crusaders, Hurricanes and Newcastle player Daryl Lilley has died, aged 52. His death was confirmed by New Plymouth Old Boys' Rugby Club, who paid tribute to their former player and coach on social media. "The NPOB community sends their love and thoughts to the family, friends and loved ones of Daryl 'Flaza' Lilley who passed away last night," the club said. "He will be remembered for his legendary exploits on the field for NPOB, Taranaki and all the teams he represented. Daryl was a fierce competitor on the grass while being a genuinely good bugger off it."
Lilley played 84 times for Taranaki between 1993 and 2003, with only Kieran Crowley scoring more points for the union. He also represented Canterbury, playing 29 matches for the Crusaders in the late 1990s, being part of their first Super 12-winning side in 1998. He then spent a couple of years with the Hurricanes, playing 26 times between 2000 and 2002, and finished his career with a season at Newcastle before a couple of years with Viadana in Italy.
