Pienaar: Walshe can take step up

Saracens chief Francois Pienaar today urged England to let Nick Walshe revive his club back-up role to Kyran Bracken for the opening Six Nations Championship game with Scotland at Murrayfield on 2 February.

With Matt Dawson out injured for five weeks and Austin Healey facing a possible six-week suspension for foul play, England have few experienced scrum-halves to pick from.

Besides England A international Walshe, the candidates are Martyn Wood, of Wasps, Leeds' Scott Benton, Newcastle's Hall Charlton and Leicester's Harry Ellis.

Pienaar said: "I have no doubt that Nick would do a very good job for England."

Meanwhile, the Rugby Football Union and insurance giants Royal & SunAlliance today announced a ground-breaking sponsorship - SEE U @ RUG B - aimed at attracting more youngsters to the game from inner cities and areas of social deprivation. This latest RFU initiative, aimed at 12-18-year-olds, will see R&SA investing £750,000 over the next three years and involves becoming sponsor of SEE U @ RUG B as well as a sponsor of England Youth Rugby.

It is part of the RFU's attempt to help reverse the decline in playing numbers in England. Activities include the introduction of a floodlit league in Manchester's Moss Side district.

The RFU will be creating a number of new inner city junior clubs as well as staging a series of school development programmes.

England international Jason Leonard, who boasts 93 caps, summed it up when he said: "It is important that our sport continues to grow in popularity, particularly in inner city areas where young people have not had the opportunity to experience the game."

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