Tonight's rugby news as England star reveals painful axing after Wales game and Warburton names Welsh 'machine'

Your rugby evening headlines on Thursday, April 25.

Sam Warburton names Wales 'machine'

Sam Warburton has branded rising star Christ Tshiunza a 'machine'.

As part of an interview with RugbyPass, Warburton discussed the demands of being a Test match rugby player in the modern game, citing Tshiunza as an example of someone who is cut out to make it at the highest level.

"People don’t like me saying this but to play international rugby you have to be a certain level of athlete – it’s a different sport. I won’t name names but there are certain players who will excel at club level who get bigged up by the media who say, ‘get them in the Test side’, but I think, ‘no he won’t’," explained the former British and Irish Lions captain.

"If you’re not physically extremely powerful, fit or have a superpower in another aspect of your game, you won’t make it. It’s as simple as that. Some might argue Justin Tipuric wasn’t huge but I can tell you he was a lot stronger than you thought he was and he was insanely fit and highly-skilled. He was incredible."

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Tshiunza, who can operate as a flanker or in the second row, has earned 10 caps for his country. Having now returned from a foot injury which ruled him out of the Six Nations, he will have the summer tour of Australia in his sights to broaden his horizons in the international arena.

Warburton explained that Tshiunza's exemplary gym work and genetic heritage will put him in good stead for years to come.

"You don’t look like Christ by accident," he said. "The central African genetics are crazy good. Christ’s tall and explosive. You don’t look like that floating round the gym once-a-week for four years. He’s put the work in for three-four years and now he’s a machine. We should be rewarding and endorsing that drive, mindset and work ethic. It isn’t employed by enough young people.

"Christ is only in the foothills of what he can achieve. He has another decade of progress."

Steward reveals emotion after being dropped

England star Freddie Steward has revealed the psychological impact of being dropped during the Six Nations.

Steward is widely regarded as the best high-ball expert in world rugby, but was dropped for England's clash against Scotland in the Six Nations. George Furbank was named at 15 instead and Marcus Smith named on the bench.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Steward opened up how he felt after being axed following a positive showing against Wales in the previous round.

"Playing for England means everything to me," he explained.

"It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do and every time you pull on that shirt is special. When you don’t get that opportunity, it hurts. That first week in particular, and the following week were difficult. I did struggle. But as much as I was deflated and upset – because all you want to be is in that 23 and playing – I still had that responsibility to help the team. My role was just different and I didn’t ever want my disappointment to ebb into the team or to take away from the environment.

"It was really challenging; up there with the most challenging weeks of my career, definitely. For me, it was understanding that this is sport and it happens. I was certainly not the first for it to happen to and I definitely won’t be the last. It was a case of dealing with those emotions.

"It is hard because you can’t escape from it. You find out the news and you can’t just go home and be around your family and spend time away. You’re in camp and you still have a job to do."

Despite the struggle, Steward is an integral player for England, and it looks likely that he will go head-to-head with Hugo Keenan for the starting berth at full-back in the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour.

Plumtree v Plumtree as Scarlets name team

Scarlets have named their team to face Hollywoodbets Sharks in the United Rugby Championship.

Taine Plumtree has been named as blindside flanker, and his dad John will be coaching the Sharks against his son in Llanelli.

Scotland international second row Alex Craig has been ruled out with a hamstring injury, so Morgan Jones comes in the replace him in the boiler house. This is the one and only change to the team that lost to Edinburgh Rugby last weekend.

Seventeen players in the match day 23 have come through the Scarlets pathway system.

Peel said: "We were obviously disappointed by the result in Edinburgh last weekend especially after leading the game on the hour mark. We spoke about showing fight and playing with a bit of freedom and there were elements of that in our game. We need to stay in that fight for 80 minutes.

"This week, we have prepared for the best version of the Sharks, they can put out a Springbok pack if they want and that is a massive challenge and an exciting one. Every time you play a South African side it is going to be physical and you have to step up."

Sharks have named an incredibly strong side, which includes Springboks such as: "Makazole Mapimpi, Lukhanyo Am and Eben Etzebeth.

Scarlets XV: Ioan Nicholas, Tom Rogers, Johnny Williams, Eddie James, Tomi Lewis, Sam Costelow, Gareth Davies; Kemsley Mathias, Ryan Elias, Sam Wainwright, Morgan Jones, Sam Lousi, Taine Plumtree, Dan Davis, Vaea Fifita.

Replacements: Shaun Evans, Steff Thomas, Harri O'Connor, Jac Price, Carwyn Tuipulotu, Kieran Hardy, Dan Jones, Ryan Conbeer.

KO: 7.35pm, Friday, April 26 (BBC One Wales)

Wales name team for Italy clash

Ioan Cunningham has named his Wales side to take on Italy in the final round of the Six Nations. Like the men's team, Wales' women's side are facing a whitewash after losing every game so far. However, they have a chance to save some pride with a fixture against the Azzurri at the Principality Stadium.

There are four changes to the team that lost 40-0 at home to France. Hannah Bluck will make her first start of this year's campaign alongside skipper Hannah Jones in midfield. Recent debutant Jenny Hesketh returns to fill the role of full-back.

Keira Bevan is named at scrum-half and will be partnered at half-back by Lleucu George. Lisa Neumann is named on the wing, and the pack remains unchanged from last week.

Cunningham said: "Nobody needs to tell us how important this game is for us within the tournament, or for what follows, but our focus is totally on what we need to do as a team.

"The Welsh supporters have been a big part of our successes, and we look forward to them getting behind us again. Against France, we created pressure and opportunities, and we just need to be more clinical and finish off those opportunities.

"Hannah Bluck has trained well all through this campaign and deserves the opportunity to start at against Italy and the experienced Lisa Neumann comes in on the wing. Our focus has been on what we need to do this week. We’re looking forward to the challenge and finishing the tournament on a high."

Jasmine Joyce and Kayleigh Powell have returned to Great Britain Sevens duty.

Kick-off for the match is at 12.15pm on Saturday, April 27.

Wales XV: Jenny Hesketh; Lisa Neumann, Hannah Jones (captain), Hannah Bluck, Carys Cox; Lleucu George, Keira Bevan; Gwenllian Pyrs, Carys Phillips, Sisilia Tuipulotu, Natalia John, Abbie Fleming, Alisha Butchers, Alex Callender (vice-captain), Georgia Evans.

Replacements: Kelsey Jones, Abbey Constable, Donna Rose, Kate Williams, Gwennan Hopkins, Sian Jones, Niamh Terry, Nel Metcalfe.