Monday Round-Up
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Monday Round-Up
Armitage keeps England door open
Steffon Armitage's England ambitions remain as strong as ever, but the Toulon flanker is focusing on his club form after being named Man of the Match on Sunday.
Armitage scored two tries for the European champions as they knocked out Irish giants Leinster with a win at the Stade Felix Mayol.
New England boss Eddie Jones is settling into his new role but has already backed the RFU's stance on not selecting overseas-based players.
However Armitage, 30, plans to keep grafting away with Toulon hoping that a chance will come along.
"I wouldn't say no, but my first thing is to keep playing well for Toulon and keep my place here," Armitage told the EPC Rugby website.
"That's the only way I am going to get anywhere at international level – keep my head down and keep pushing. Who knows what is going to happen in the future."
Mike Ford relieved after Wasps win
Bath head coach Mike Ford admitted that his side's dramatic late win away to Wasps had come just at the right time after some tough losses.
Anthony Watson's try in the corner set up England number ten George Ford for a match-winning conversion from the touchline, which he delivered for a 25-23 victory at the Ricoh Arena.
The win means Bath close the gap with Wasps to just two points in Pool 5 with a game in hand.
"We definitely needed that, in our profession it's not nice to lose a couple of games on the run and it took to the last kick of the game to win it this week," Ford told the EPC Rugby website.
"Wasps are a tough team and are dangerous all over the park. I thought we were in contention all over the park, we scored two tries and could easily have had three or four in that first half.
"They got back into the game, we gave them three or four easy penalties and they are a good side.
"I said before the game we needed to be more clinical and we had that at the end.
"The expectation on us this year is pretty big but all we can do is prepare well and we know we'll have to do the same again next week because they will be smarting."
