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Northampton flanker Tom Wood will make his England debut against Wales in Friday night's RBS 6 Nations showdown after following Martin Johnson's route to the top.

The 24-year-old will start on the blindside at the Millennium Stadium with James Haskell to make his first Test appearance at openside after injuries forced England to reshuffle their pack.

Lewis Moody and Tom Croft are both missing while Northampton lock Courtney Lawes is in danger of being sidelined for the whole championship with a knee injury.

Wood was not included in England's original 33-man Six Nations squad but he has been promoted straight into the starting XV after an impressive season with Northampton.

The 6ft 5in flanker moved to Franklin's Gardens in the summer after three years at Worcester, following a stint playing provincial rugby in New Zealand.

Johnson, now the England team manager, launched his own glittering career with a two-season spell playing for King Country.

And after growing stale at the Worcester academy, Wood found his own season with North Otago to be the perfect rugby education.

"I wanted to break the mould. I had a real good time at Worcester's academy and I felt I was progressing well but I wanted to be in the real world and play some rugby," Wood said.

"To a certain extent, being part of an academy becomes the norm and being a professional rugby player is about prestige.

"I wanted to go back to the good old amateur days. There are boys out there who work four days on a farm and will run over hot coals to make a Tuesday training session.

"I wanted to get back to that and get the real desire to play rugby back into my game.

"I went to New Zealand for about eight months. I felt it was a real good experience for me in life as well in rugby.

"It was a similar kind of thing (to Johnson). It obviously worked for him so why not? I had my own reasons as well.

"I went out there primarily for rugby but I enjoyed the whole experience. I worked full-time and managed my rugby around it and tried to keep a professional attitude to my training.

"I think I came on leaps and bounds. I felt I went out there a boy from the academy and came back ready to play in the first team."

Johnson has spent all week steeling his team for the hostile reception they will receive in Cardiff but he has no qualms about throwing Wood in at the deep end.

"He has impressed everyone with his demeanour and his manner. He came in and without saying it just showed 'I'm not here to make the numbers up, I'm here to have a crack'," he said.

"He's been nothing less than impressive every day he's been with us."

Wood offers England a key back-row line-out option in Croft's absence - but he is just as confident of matching the Welsh forwards on the ground as in the air.

Given Wales' gameplan is often centred around counter-attacking from turnover ball, Wood and Haskell have a key role in nullifying Sam Warburton and Dan Lydiate.

"People see me as a line-out forward but there is more to my game than that. I feel like I am equipped to tackle and graft," Wood said.

"The Welsh back row is very competitive. There is no better way to start.

"I don't really know any other way than to get stuck in. That is the approach I took when I arrived in the squad.

"I think you have to earn the respect of the guys around you. I do feel part of the team but I don't think you fully earn the respect of the guys until you have played alongside them.

"It has been a big build-up and the sooner I get on the field the better."

Haskell, who was preferred to Joe Worsley, is traditionally a blindside flanker but after Friday he will have started a Test in all three back-row positions.

"He's better over the ball than people give him credit for. His handling game has really come on as well since he's been in France," Johnson said.

"He's a strong carrier but to be effective in Test match rugby you have to be able to do everything."

Tindall, the 66-Test veteran and the only remaining 2003 World Cup winner in England's starting team, was preferred to Nick Easter as captain.

"Mike's a natural leader anyway with his knowledge of the game and the way he marshals the backline. It was a natural thing for him to step in," Johnson said.

"Nick's got a big job to do anyway leading the pack. Leadership is important in order to retain our composure when you go to a place like the Millennium Stadium."

Labels: EXPERIENCE, MAKING, Sportinglifecom, ZEALAND

Captain Andrew Strauss kept his cool to help England scrape an opening World Cup win over the Netherlands after enduring a "shemozzle" of a performance in the field.

Strauss resisted the temptation to vent his frustration as England verged on the shambolic with a series of mis-fields, dropped catches and comical mis-communications

to allow the Netherlands to pile up 292 for six.

Ryan ten Doeschate took advantage with a career-best 119, before England responded to a largely self-inflicted mini-crisis with a well-drilled run chase, sealing victory with six wickets and eight balls to spare.

Strauss (88), who shared a century stand with his new opening partner Kevin Pietersen at their first attempt, and Jonathan Trott (62) scored the bulk of the runs.

But an unbroken half-century stand in under six overs between Paul Collingwood and Ravi Bopara was needed to complete the job and ensure there would be no repeat of the defeat to the Dutch at the start of the 2009 ICC World Twenty20.

Asked if it amounted to an acceptable performance in their first match of the tournament, Strauss said: "Certainly not with the ball and certainly not in the field.

"The first 50 overs was a very poor performance, and certainly the last 10 overs was exceptionally poor."

England's worst moments were a reprieve for Ten Doeschate on 47 - when James Anderson and Pietersen let an outfield catch drop between them - and then a needless no-ball for deploying too many men outside the fielding circle which meant Peter Borren was recalled after being bowled by Stuart Broad.

Strauss could hardly believe his eyes at times, but did not lay into his team-mates or start throwing the crockery between innings.

"We were a little bit shellshocked by what happened in those last 10 overs," he said. "But it wasn't a time to be dwelling on it, it was time to move on.

"There were a few teacups on the field, but not in the dressing room. You can't afford to drop that many catches and we were pretty untidy on the ground as well.

"That meant Holland probably got 30 or 40 more than they should have done. We were way off where we want to be in the field.

"We came in very determined to start the tournament well. But it was one of those days in the field where everything seemed to go wrong.

"There were balls bouncing everywhere, shies at the stumps taking deflections and going for four, mis-communications between fielders going for catches, and certainly the last 10 overs was very frustrating."

As for Borren's no-ball escape, Strauss admitted a breakdown in communication between himself and Collingwood was to blame.

"It doesn't often happen but it did and, needless to say, when things are going against you, you happen to take a wicket off that ball," Strauss added.

"It was a bit of a shemozzle on the field and we need to improve pretty quickly."

Even so, Strauss stressed that Essex all-rounder Ten Doeschate deserved the plaudits.

"I think you've got to give a lot of credit to Ryan ten Doeschate for the way he played," he added. "We've seen him do that for Essex, but on the big stage it's a hard thing to do and he played exceptionally well."

Strauss was also heartened by England's successful run chase.

"We needed to get back on the horse pretty quickly with the bat and make sure we put in a good, solid, professional performance," he added.

"It was a little bit tighter than we wanted it at the end, we probably didn't use the powerplay as we would have liked, but I think we always had the batting under control.

"We can take some confidence out of that."

Ten Doeschate, who also took two wickets, gave his side a great chance of a shock win.

He said: "It's a massive disappointment. You could see it when we came off the field there.

"We genuinely thought we had a chance of defending 290 and at a lot of stages in the game we looked like doing that."I don't think it was our best bowling performance and I think if we'd bowled well we would have won that game.

"I didn't strike it all that well for the first 20 balls or so. But then, as does happen in cricket, I got into that zone and felt like I could hit every ball.

"I guess those are the days where you've got to cash in and score some heavy runs."

Labels: England, ESCAPE, EXCEPTIONALLY, Sportinglifecom

Wales' coaching staff held a "long debate" about handing James Hook the fly-half playmaker's role for their RBS 6 Nations showdown against England.

Versatile Hook will start at full-back on Friday night, but could easily have ousted 95 times-capped Stephen Jones instead.

Backs coach Rob Howley admitted Hook had made a strong case following his fly-half cameos for the Ospreys during their Magners League games over Christmas.

Howley said: "We spoke about James going into 10. It was a long debate. We've gone for Test-experienced half-backs, two British and Irish Lions (Jones and Mike Phillips). Steve hasn't done anything wrong.

"James showed that when he played for the Ospreys over the Christmas period, when he went in at first receiver, he offered a running and creative threat.

"It's up to us as a backline to get him into the game as often as possible. That is one of the goals for Friday night.

"But we also believe that what Steve can bring us is a certain structure you need in the international game. It's about earning the right to play in those channels and about being direct.

"Steve and Mike, physically, over the autumn series were really effective defenders, which is key."

Jones has been part of Wales' fixtures and fittings since making his Test debut in 1998, and remains a tactical controller of the highest class.

But such is Hook's game-breaking prowess that Wales feel they must find room for him somewhere, whether at full-back, fly-half or in the centre, where head coach Warren Gatland has gone for a midfield partnership of Jamie Roberts and Jonathan Davies.

Jones said: "The way I look at it is it's always the same when I come into camp. It's a massive honour to be here and you never expect to be given the jersey. If you are lucky enough to be given the honour, you make the most of that.

"You can't worry about external things, the things you can't control. All you can do is concentrate on your own performance."

Hook's selection in the number 15 shirt means new Clermont Auvergne signing Lee Byrne occupying an unfamiliar bench role, where his fellow substitutes will include former captain Ryan Jones and 2005 Lions Test scrum-half Dwayne Peel.

Howley added: "Lee Byrne misses out solely by virtue of the fact he has had limited game-time after injury.

"He will offer us some impact from the bench, which is fairly experienced in itself and will undoubtedly be utilised during the evening."

Elsewhere, Scarlets' Morgan Stoddart fills the right-wing vacancy created when Leigh Halfpenny suffered an ankle injury earlier this week, while Ospreys props Paul James and Craig Mitchell take over from injured Lions Gethin Jenkins and Adam Jones.

Gatland resisted any temptation to switch James across the scrum from loosehead, while 24-year-old Mitchell wins his fifth cap, but makes a first Test start.

There are seven changes from Wales' autumn Test series finale against New Zealand in November, plus a positional switch as Hook moves from centre to full-back.

Roberts, meanwhile, returns after missing the entire autumn series through injury, and Wales' record try-scorer Shane Williams has recovered from a dislocated shoulder to win his 76th cap.

Assessing the front-row selection, Gatland said: "We were really impressed with the way the Ospreys scrummaged against Toulon (last month).

"We see Paul James as a genuine loosehead and we wanted to leave him in that position.

"The thing with scrummaging at the moment, with the amount of re-sets in the game and penalties at scrum-time, the question is can you get an effective platform to work off?

"If you look at the game at the moment, there are probably only two or three opportunities during the game to get that platform. That will be key for both teams."

Wales will go into the England clash having lost six and drawn one of their last seven Tests. They have not won since the final weekend of last season's Six Nations tournament.

But Gatland added: "It's an important game for both teams, we've both got aspirations for the Six Nations. If you win this game you get off to a good start, which breeds confidence and breeds momentum.

"It's important for England as well. You are going to see two really motivated teams on Friday night that are desperate to get a performance and a result."

Labels: CLOSE, FLYHALF, HOWLEY, Sportinglifecom

Mark Wilson was thrilled to net his first Celtic goal in five years at the club as his side ran out comfortable 3-0 winners over 10-man Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

The defender celebrated his call-up to the Scotland squad for next Wednesday's Carling Nations Cup clash with Northern Ireland by heading his side's second goal as they defeated the Dons for the third time in 11 days.

The former Dundee United player has endured a series of injuries throughout his career - most notably numerous knee operations and recent groin trouble.

But he has emerged as a key player in Celtic's recent good run of form, which has seen them consolidate top spot in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

Wilson, who netted in the 75th minute, said: "I'm delighted as it's my first goal in five years and with the Scotland call-up it is a pretty fortunate day.

"I don't think there will be many more goals for me like that one - especially headers.

"I will certainly take it and it was a good time of the game for us to get a goal as you don't want to be going into the last bit of the game just the one goal up.

"It is always pretty nervy so the second goal settled us."

Wilson partnered fellow full-back Charlie Mulgrew in a makeshift central defence amid injuries to Daniel Majstorovic, Thomas Rogne and Glenn Loovens along with Celtic's failure to land Stoke's Abdoulaye Faye or Nottingham Forest's Kelvin Wilson during the January transfer window.

So the 26-year-old was doubly pleased that the Hoops managed to keep another clean sheet, although Andrew Considine's second-minute red card did not help Aberdeen's cause.

Wilson said: "I know a lot of people would have been thinking that Charlie and myself is not the ideal partnership.

"In all honesty it isn't but the two of us are defenders first and foremost and, when the team needs you, you step in and do your best and that was what happened with the two of us.

"Efrain Juarez also came in at right-back, even though it isn't his natural position, and did well.

"There is no doubt the sending-off helped us as it took a lot of pressure off the back four but it is terrific to keep a clean sheet again and big Fraser Forster made some important saves."

Labels: PREMIER, SCOTTISH, Sportinglifecom

Captain Andrew Strauss admitted England's injury crisis had left him a bowler short as Australia completed their highest-ever run chase to win the sixth one-day international in Sydney by two wickets.

Jonathan Trott hit a career-best 137, from 126 balls, to play the lead role in stifling heat as England cast their recent batting woes aside to post 333 for six.

But it was not enough as a depleted bowling line-up allowed Australia, led by 82 from their under-fire acting captain Michael Clarke, to run down their record chase with four balls to spare.

It was a morale-sapping defeat for England made worse by a back injury to Paul Collingwood which was suffered attempting to heave the final ball of the innings and prevented him from bowling.

With Collingwood already filling an unfamiliar fifth bowlers' role due to England's injury problems, it was left to Trott and Kevin Pietersen - who also briefly left the field after rolling his ankle - to make up the lost 10 overs.

It proved costly as they conceded 72 runs between them to allow Australia to maintain their blazing start, after opener Shane Watson hit 51 from 34 balls.

"At the moment we are a bit short on bowlers full stop," said Strauss, after news during the game that quicks Ajmal Shahzad (hamstring) and Chris Tremlett (side) were set to fly home tomorrow due to injury.

They join Graeme Swann (back/knee) and Tim Bresnan (calf) in leaving the tour early,.

Strauss added: "We have been forced into (playing a bowler light) right at the moment.

"It's not ideal, I need five bowlers, there is no doubt.

"Ideally you will have six bowlers at your disposal; five specialists and a Collingwood-type bowler."

Strauss is likely to have more options when the World Cup starts later this month, with all of his bowlers due to be fit in time for the February 22 opener against Holland.

"We are going to have to decide what the best way of winning games out on the sub-continent is," he added.

"The likelihood is there are going to be two spinners involved and that allows you to play with six bowlers."

Strauss blamed the batsmen after they conceded the series with a 51-run reverse in Brisbane, but after Trott anchored a cohesive batting performance he was left to lament another defeat which leaves England 5-1 behind heading into the final match of the series in Perth on Sunday.

"It's very frustrating because it was a top-notch batting performance all-round," Strauss said.

"For Trotty to bat through the innings in that sort of heat was an outstanding performance, it was a monumental innings. He deserved to be on the winning side.

"We weren't helped with Paul Collingwood not being able to bowl his 10 overs, but ultimately we allowed then to get off to far too fast a start with the new ball."

Strauss also revealed that Collingwood's injury could rule him out of the final match in Perth.

"He had a back spasm so he couldn't walk very well and he certainly couldn't bowl," he added.

Trott's century was his second of the series and his fourth of a rich tour of Australia with the bat.

The right-hander may not have been regarded as an automatic selection in England's one-day team before the series, but he is now set to head into the World Cup as the in-form batsman.

"I don't think it's about proving anyone wrong, it's about proving to yourself more than anything," said Trott, who was forced to call a runner soon after bringing up his milestone after he started to cramp in the heat.

"I've always felt I can contribute towards the team in one-day cricket and all forms of the game.

"It's nice to be able to do it but it feels better when you are winning games."

Clarke has silenced a number of his critics in the past two games with back-to-back half-centuries, having been booed to the crease during Sunday's victory at the Gabba.But after receiving a rousing reception from his home-town crowd, Clarke produced the decisive innings as he hit 82 from 70 balls.

He was run out by Trott with seven needed, but his side snuck home when John Hastings' inside edge ran to the boundary in the final over from Chris Woakes.

"To make some runs is always satisfying and it's great to make them in front of my family and friends, my home crowd," he said.

"I love playing at the SCG. Like I've said before I've had a lot of support from a lot of people. They just don't happen to be in the paper."

Clarke also said the chase would stand the team in good stead for their World Cup defence on the sub-continent.

"The boys are stoked. It's a huge win for us and again we can take a lot of confidence from that run chase going into the World Cup," he added.

"I think there's going to be some pretty big scores in the World Cup, some pretty flat wickets similar to that."

Clarke also revealed that all-rounder Steven Smith would not travel with the team to Perth tomorrow due to a hip injury that left him needing the use of a runner in Australia's chase.

Labels: BOWLER, England, INJURIES, LEAVE, SHORT, Sportinglifecom, STRAUSS

Former Aberdeen boss Jimmy Calderwood admits he could stay at Ross County for the long term after being appointed manager until the end of the season.

Calderwood has been unveiled after Willie McStay was removed from his post, having failed to win any of his nine games in charge.

Calderwood has been without a job since saving Kilmarnock from relegation in a short-term post last season and has been handed the same target by the Irn-Bru First Division side's chairman, Roy MacGregor.

Calderwood told BBC Scotland: "I was obviously out the game this season, there were a few things that I thought might be happening, all abroad, and never materialised. I'm not one for sitting about the house.

"People that have been up here and I have a lot of respect for, Craig Brewster, Alex Smith, Dick Campbell, they always spoke very highly of the club, the set-up and facilities.

"The chairman is a very successful businessman but his enthusiasm and plans for the club are very exciting.

"We'll have a look at each other until the end of the season and we'll see what happens.

"It gets me out training again, which is what I love. It's my life and it's difficult being on the outside looking in."

Labels: Premier, Scottish, Sportinglifecom

The weights for this year's John Smith's Grand National were announced on Tuesday with favourite Ballabriggs hardening at the top of the market.

Several firms, including Sky Bet, trimmed the market leader's odds from 16/1 to 14/1 after hearing the news that the Donald McCain-trained horse will have to carry 11st.

Speaking about the weights, McCain said: "I've no complaints with that for Ballabriggs. He's a Cheltenham Festival winner so it was always going to be around the 11st mark.

"The bonus is that Don't Push It is likely to run so the weights aren't going to change at all. I've no complaints.''

Sky Bet cut Ballabriggs to 14s from 16s and Richard Horner, Sky Bet's Head of Racing, said:

"By way of comparison, I frame my own National weights each year and Phil Smith, the BHA's official handicapper, has once again compressed the weights to favour those at the top of the handicap."

Sky Bet make it 4/7 for the National winner to carry less than 11st and 5/4 to shoulder 11st or more for only the second time in the past decade after Hedgehunter (11st1lb in 2005) and Don't Push It last year.

The 2010 champion is a general 20/1 shot to win again, with Neptune Collonges drifting to 40s (from 33s) with numerous firms following the announcement.

Coral's David Stevens said: "No name is more linked to Grand National success than that of the McCain family, and in Ballabriggs, Donald McCain has a leading contender for this year's race, as he bids to add his own winner to the four trained by his father Ginger."

Ballabriggs is 2/1 to go off favourite for the race with Victor Chandler, who currently have Paul Nicholls' Niche Market as their 14/1 market leader.

Given 10st 9lbs, Oscar Time was one who the layers would appear to think has been given a handy weight.

Sky Bet's Richard Horner certainly does. He said: "Oscar Time is my idea of the one to have been handed a fair weight below the 11st threshold."

bet365 immediately went 20/1 from 28/1 with other firms making similar moves.

Meanwhile, Betfred cut The Midnight Club to 16/1 co-second favourite.

Willie Mullins' 10-year-old has been allotted 10st 13lbs after a fine seasonal debut when he was a fast-finishing second in the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park.

Betfred spokesman Jon Wilde explained: "Rich Ricci, who owns The Midnight Club, has made it no secret that the National is the horse's big target this term.

"It was a most encouraging reappearance in the Thyestes and this improving stayer should thrive for an extreme test of stamina."

The Midnight Club is now one of the worst results in the firm's ante-post book, along with Ballabriggs.

William Hill and Sky Bet offer 6/1 that champion trainer Paul Nicholls wins the race for the first time, although Coral are prepared to dangle 8/1 that one of his 10 entries lands the prize.

The aformentioned Niche Market is his leading contender around the 16/1 mark and Hill's spokeswoman Lucy Rhodes explained the bookies would want to stay on the right side of all the sport's big names.

She said: "Last year's monumental gamble on Don't Push It and AP McCoy will live long in the bookies' memories. The Grand National is horse racing's shop window event and any combination of (Ruby) Walsh, McCoy or Nicholls could well inflict further wounds in 2011."

Sky Bet and Coral make McCoy, on board Don't Push It 12 months ago, 12/1 to ride back-to-back National winners, while Ladbrokes go 7/2 that the winner is trained in Ireland.

Coral's Stevens added: "Another famous name now on the Aintree roll of honour is AP McCoy, who hit the bookies for a fortune last year, and with Don't Push It allotted top weight this time around, the champ may face a tough choice when it comes to picking this year's National mount, although whatever he rides is sure to be extremely well-backed on the day."

McCoy would appear most likely to be on Don't Push It again at present, although no decision has yet been taken.

The race takes place at Aintree on April 9.

Labels: BALLABRIGGS, NATIONAL, Sportinglifecom, TRIMMED

Rubens Barrichello topped the timesheets on the final day of pre-season testing at the Jerez circuit in southern Spain.

The veteran Williams driver saved the best for last as he posted the quickest time of the whole four days of the multi-team test, his mark of one minute 19.832 seconds some seven tenths quicker than second-placed Kamui Kobayashi in the Sauber.

Williams' day was not without drama, however, the new FW33 stopping late in the day with a hydraulic problem which triggered a red flag.

"We completed some long runs today and looked at trying some different things on the car. This morning was also the first time we could run a few new sets of tyres and get some momentum," said Barrichello.

"The car performed as it should do so I am happy with that. The day went with minor problems, but we have some good direction and it is great to get some more mileage on the car."

Kobayashi's best time of 1min 20.601secs came after a spin into the gravel in the morning session, but he recovered to rack up a total of 86 laps.

Fernando Alonso was third for Ferrari, the Scuderia again enjoying impressive mileage as the Spaniard completed 115 laps.

Toro Rosso's good pace continued as they claimed fourth with Sebastien Buemi at the wheel, while Lotus Renault reserve Bruno Senna - who looks set to lose out to Nick Heidfeld in the race to replace the injured Robert Kubica - took fifth place.

Lotus again looked strong as Heikki Kovalainen claimed sixth place, while Nico Rosberg was restricted to 45 laps owing to an engine problem as he took seventh for Mercedes.

World champions Red Bull were again circumspect, the team happy to concentrate on long-fuel runs as Sebastian Vettel took the RB7 to eighth place.

Jenson Button complained of handling problems as he ended ninth for McLaren, while Jerome D'Ambrosio was 10th for Virgin Racing and Force India new boy Paul di Resta brought up the rear.

The third pre-season test gets under way at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona on Friday.

Labels: BARRICHELLO, IMPRESSES, Sportinglifecom, TESTING

Hearts boss Jim Jefferies can only see positives at Tynecastle after his quest to claim third place in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League got back on track with a 2-0 win at Hamilton.

After a 1-0 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox in their last outing, a Stephen Elliott double got the Jambos back on track to go 15 points ahead of fourth-placed Kilmarnock, who lost to Hibernian.

A comfortable win in Lanarkshire was achieved despite Jefferies being unable to call on strikers Kevin Kyle, Calum Elliot and David Obua, with Ryan Stevenson restricted to a bench appearance due to flu.

The former Killie boss is keeping his fingers crossed that he will have all four players fit soon to add to a squad which has been boosted by the recent return of Andrew Driver, who made another substitute appearance following his recovery from a thigh tear.

Jefferies had the added bonus of Scotland defender Andy Webster making his second debut for the club after re-signing on transfer deadline day.

"We have been talking about getting third place and it's 15 points which is a big gap," the Gorgie boss said.

"After that we can enjoy it because there is no pressure on us if we can't go any lower. If we achieve that early then it will be fantastic.

"Ryan Stevenson was unwell and couldn't make it but we decided to put him on the bench.

"Driver is short of match fitness, he needs to get 90 minutes but he is a quality player and I thought Webster looked as if he had never been away

"We will assess Kyle on Monday after he gets an injection (for groin injury), Calum Elliot (knee) should be back training next week, big Obua should be okay and Ryan Stevenson will shake off the flu."

Bottom side Accies are five points behind St Mirren but have a game in hand over the Paisley club.

Hamilton boss Billy Reid claimed that there had been no threat from the visitors until Elliott had headed the opener in the 22nd minute from a Lee Wallace cross, which was true.

However, there was little entertainment for the New Douglas Park supporters who have not seen their side win a home league game this season.

Consequently, a band of Accies fans in a crowd of 2,876 again showed their disgruntlement, especially at the break when the players were given stick as they headed down the tunnel after a first half in which the home side's defensive formation saw them simply surrender possession to Hearts.

While defender David Elebert admitted that the last thing the players need to hear was boos and jeers, Reid said: "When you are losing games at home you are going to get that from any supporters.

"I think they are pretty fair to be honest with you.

"We have not won a game at home and they are paying their money.

"They want to see a winning team and if they want to shout at me then no problem.

"But it was a wee bit disappointing when Marco Paixao comes on the park as substitute and there is a bit of huffing and puffing but I thought his attitude was brilliant."

Reid continued: "I am trying to take the positives out of the game. I thought we played pretty well in the second half.

"There are two schools of thought - it's easy to play when you are 2-0 down, or sometimes you can fold.

"But I thought some of our one-touch play was excellent.

"We have to go and win games and we certainly did try to do that in the second half."

Labels: Premier, Scottish, Sportinglifecom

Captain Alastair Kellock lamented Scotland's costly losses of possession in the RBS 6 Nations opener against France - and head coach Andy Robinson warned Wales are as capable as Les Bleus of exploiting such lapses.

For the 11th time in 12 Six Nations tournaments Scotland suffered defeat on the opening weekend as defending Grand Slam champions France earned a 34-21 victory at the Stade de France last night.

Kellock scored his maiden Scotland try, but it was ultimately in vain as he suffered a first Test defeat as captain.

The Glasgow Warriors second row, who led Scotland to a 2-0 series success in Argentina last June, believes the tone of the match was set when Maxime Medard scored a third-minute try after France had seized possession in midfield.

Kellock said: "I was very pleased with the way we'd started. We'd gone out with the intention of attacking, straight from the kick-off we did reasonably well and then we were turned over out wide.

"It was probably the story of the game; when they did turn us over they were incredibly clinical.

"It's disappointing, but something we've got to deal with."

Scotland, whose solitary win on the tournament's opening weekend came in 2006 against France, must address it quickly as on Saturday Wales visit Murrayfield intent on ending an eight-match winless streak.

Robinson knows Wales, like France, have runners capable of capitalising on loose play.

The head coach said: "The Welsh are very good off counter attack and they score a lot of tries off counter attack, so if we give them that amount of ball, we'll be put under pressure.

"I think it's going to be a cracking game."

Scotland's bid for a first Six Nations win in Paris - they had two previous wins in 42 years, the most recent coming as part of the Five Nations Championship-winning campaign in 1999 - was made difficult from the start and the visitors were always chasing.

Following Medard's opener, Francois Trinh-Duc added a drop goal to establish a 10-0 lead.

Kellock burrowed over for his first Scotland try, but France hit back and the Scotland scrum disintegrated, with referee Wayne Barnes awarding a penalty try.

Tighthead prop Euan Murray appeared culpable and observers were left to wonder if the British and Irish Lion's lack of action was to blame.

Murray, who was substituted for Moray Low with 10 minutes remaining, moved from Northampton to Newcastle last month and had played twice for the Falcons prior to the Six Nations.

A factor in Saints' decision to allow Murray to move on was his refusal to play on Sundays for religious reasons and he will miss the matches with Ireland and England and may yet be replaced in next weekend's clash with Wales.

Kellock was unhappy with his side's performance in the scrum.

"It's not acceptable," said the skipper.

"If we're going to win games in this Six Nations, which we intend to do, we need to have a stable platform for our backs to attack off, so we have to sort it out."

Tries from Kelly Brown and Sean Lamont showed Scotland can still be a force to be reckoned with in the Six Nations and despite the loss of scrum-half Rory Lawson through injury at half-time they continued to attack their hosts.

However, each time Scotland - with second row Richie Gray outstanding throughout - responded, France stepped up a gear.

A sublime through-the-legs pass by Trinh-Duc set up Imanol Harinordoquy to race under the posts, while Damien Traille touched down after a jinking run by Medard.

France's fourth try earned them a 31-14 lead with 11 minutes remaining - effectively sealing the win.

Lamont then scored, but Dimitri Yachvili stroked over a late penalty to ensure victory.

France, confidence restored following the 59-16 November mauling to Australia, next go to Dublin to play Ireland, aware there is room for improvement.

Captain Thierry Dusautoir said: "There was very good team spirit. Of course there were some mistakes and some things we need to work on.

"We lost a few balls after making breakthroughs but the Scots also had a great game.

"It was a good start; we know what we need to work on for the next game."

Coach Marc Lievremont is likely to have to tinker with his back division once more, with centre Maxime Mermoz set to miss the Ireland match with a shoulder problem.

Labels: CALLS, KELLOCK, POSSESSION, Sportinglifecom

Telegraph.co.uk

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