Dawson must do it all again

RUGBY NEWS: Coach Wayne Smith expects scrumhalf Matt Dawson to spill blood for Northampton in Saturday's English Cup final at Twickenham just as he did in England's Grand Slam triumph in Dublin.

Dawson had 13 stitches in the nose injury suffered against Scotland the previous weekend and, almost inevitably, the cut re-opened.

Saints coach Smith, anticipating running repairs will be needed again, has made sure his shadow scrumhalf Johnny Howard has been fully involved in all this week's preparations in case he has to make cameo appearances as a blood replacement against Gloucester at Twickenham.

The Northampton medical staff are working on Dawson's nose to try to seal the cut, but Smith said: "We expect our replacement scrumhalf to get a bit of time on and off the bench. He has trained the whole session with the team today."

With four players - Dawson, hooker Steve Thompson, left wing Ben Cohen and replacement outhalf Paul Grayson - returning this week from action in England's winning trip to Dublin, Smith admits he has made concessions in training for his stars.

But he insists there were none when it came to selection and there will be none at Twickenham on Saturday as Northampton aim to atone after losing previous finals to Wasps in 2000 and London Irish last year.

"I did ease up during the week," added Smith. "We talked to them individually to see how they were, what they needed and what training they should take part in.

"Come Saturday there will be no concessions at all. Expectations are very high. This is a big week for these guys who have won the Grand Slam. They can achieve what no other players have achieved. They have got it all to play for."

Far from being shattered by their efforts for England, Smith expects his returning quartet to keep the momentum going.

"I don't expect them to be tired. They have played well in a high-quality game and I would rather they'd have had a game the week before than not from a rhythm point of view.

"If you can't get excited about a final you can't get excited about much.

"Gloucester have beaten us twice this season and have beaten us up twice in the forwards but we also know that if we put our game together and get it right on the day we are in with a chance," he said.

The European Rugby Cup board have accepted the Welsh proposal that five teams will take part in ERC tournaments in the 2003-04 season.

Several details are yet to be resolved, including tournament participation and shareholding commitments, and the board are to meet again next Tuesday to resolve these urgent issues.

Four of the five teams are thought likely to take part in the European Cup, with the other going into the Parker Pen Challenge Cup.