England Internationals Stunned by Gatland’s ‘Crazy’ Six Nations Decision
Warren Gatland’s surprising omissions from Wales’ Six Nations squad leave England stars baffled and questioning his choices
Wales, England, Rugby, Six Nations, Warren Gatland, Maro Itoje
Cardiff: So, the latest rugby buzz is all about Warren Gatland’s head-scratching decisions for the Six Nations. England’s Danny Care and Chris Ashton are totally baffled. They can’t believe Max Llewellyn got left out of the squad. I mean, he was starting every autumn international!
Ashton was on the BBC podcast saying he had to double-check the list. He called it “madness.” Care chimed in, agreeing that Llewellyn is in great form with Gloucester. They both think it’s just plain weird that he’s not in the mix.
Care also mentioned his teammate Jarrod Evans, who seems to be overlooked too. There’s some confusion about a 25-cap rule, but the Welsh Rugby Union cleared that up. Care thinks it’s a missed chance to bring Evans back into the squad.
Gatland said Llewellyn didn’t get enough ball against South Africa, but Ashton wasn’t buying it. He pointed out that Llewellyn is getting plenty of action at Gloucester. It’s up to the coaches to get him involved in the game.
Care wrapped it up by saying he’s a bit confused and worried about the whole situation. If Wales ends up losing a bunch of games, he thinks Welsh fans will be pretty upset.
On a different note, Steve Borthwick is backing Maro Itoje as the new captain for England. He’s got big plans for him leading into the next World Cup. Borthwick met with Itoje and said he was all smiles about the role.
Jamie George, the previous captain, is now vice-captain after a tough year for the team. Borthwick believes Itoje can really make the captaincy his own and lead the team well.
In other news, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Sam Underhill are out for the Six Nations due to injuries. Feyi-Waboso dislocated his shoulder, and it looks like he’ll need surgery. Borthwick confirmed he’ll be out for about 10-12 weeks.