Why isn’t Leigh Halfpenny playing for Wales against England and who is replacing him?
WALES are taking on England as they look to win the triple crown in the Six Nations.
The Welsh started with wins over Ireland and Scotland but will not have Leigh Halfpenny in their starting line-up today.
Why isn’t Leigh Halfpenny playing for Wales against England today?
Leigh Halfpenny has been left out of the Wales squad after picking up a concussion against Scotland at Murrayfield.
If a player picks up a concussion, they are not able to appear for their team again without completing World Rugby’s stringent Return To Play protocol.
This means they must not perform any exercise until they are symptom free.
When they do return to training they must remain free of symptoms throughout their rehabilitation.
And in order to return to matches, the player must be signed off in writing by a qualified healthcare professional trained in evaluating and treating concussions.
Two weeks ago, Ireland captain Johnny Sexton was unable to take part in their game against France after going off for a head injury assessment away to Wales a week earlier.
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Who will replace Leigh Halfpenny?
Liam Williams moves into Halfpenny’s full-back spot following an impressive display against Scotland at Murrayfield.
And that allows Josh Adams to return on the wing for the Dragons.
Dan Biggar will almost certainly take over Halfpenny’s kicking duties.
Wayne Pivac said of his backline: “It’s a position we’re happy to be in.
“A couple of weeks ago, we were scratching our heads as to how to go about the make-up of the midfield.
“But the medical team do such a good job in getting guys back available for selection and it made it a bit of a headache.
“It’s a good headache to have. We think we’ve got the three guys that will get the performance we need in that area of the field.”