“Obviously there’s an awful lot of quality opposition competing for those back slots, but I felt I was pushing really hard."

Scotland head coach Vern Cotter has made two changes to his side ahead of Saturday’s final RBS 6 Nations clash with Ireland at BT Murrayfield.

Welsh newspaper The Western Mail had a very cutting message for Neil Francis and Keith Wood today.

The dream of a Grand Slam is over for Ireland, Wales claimed victory in a thrilling encounter in the Millennium Stadium this afternoon.

Ian Madigan has refused to mimic Johnny Sexton even though he admitted his Ireland rival is the “in-form fly-half in the world”.

“I didn’t know if it was a knee or a shoulder or whatever. I tried to get on with it but it stiffened up and I had to come off.”

Ireland captain Paul O’Connell predicted his side’s hardest test for Grand Slam glory will come in Wales after England were beaten 19-9 in Dublin.