Courtney Lawes warns Wales he is back firing on all cylinders after concussion

England’s reinstated captain Courtney Lawes has warned Wales that he is back firing on all cylinders after needing to show patience to emerge from a significant spell out with concussion.

Lawes has been restored to the back row and taken over from Tom Curry as skipper to reinforce England’s Guinness Six Nations title push in time for Saturday’s collision at Twickenham.

His last match was for Northampton against Ulster on January 16, in the aftermath of which he became symptomatic and while a specialist was able to put his mind at rest over the severity of his condition, there was no quick fix.

“It wasn’t in one particular game. I had just taken a couple of little knocks the past month or two,” Lawes said.

“I guess pretty much the day after I had headaches which didn’t go away for a little while. I also had headrush-like symptoms.

“I was a little worried, obviously because it is to do with your head, but I came into camp and we got a scan and saw a specialist. He said it was nothing to do with my brain, which was a massive relief.

“It was to do with my vestibular system, so the connection between your eyes, ears and neck had essentially got a bit rattled.

“It was explained to me that with the vestibular system you get headaches because the connection’s been rattled and your brain is having to compensate. Maybe your neck doesn’t think your head is in the position it is.

“When your brain has to compensate with that you get things like headaches and trouble with the eyes, which is why I was getting headrush or those kind of symptoms.

“It was all explained quite well so I knew exactly what was going on. It can take a little while to come right, which is why I couldn’t get back fit, but it’s nothing from a long-term health