Rugby evening headlines as injured Dan Biggar out of Northampton game while England handed Lawes boost

Here are your rugby evening headlines for Friday, February 18.

Courtney Lawes is in contention to feature for England against Wales in the Six Nations after resuming full training.

The big-hitting Lions Test man missed the opening two rounds of the championship because of concussion.

But he has completed his return-to-play protocols and could go straight back into Eddie Jones’ team for the clash at Twickenham on February 26.

“Courtney trained fully today (Friday), which is obviously really good news for himself and England,” defence coach Anthony Seibold said.

“That was the last box for him to tick. He’s had a very thorough return-to-play integration and did everything in the session.”

The availability of Lawes, who started all three Tests for the Lions in South Africa last summer, is a significant boost for England.

Jones picked Maro Itjoe at blindside flanker for the game with Italy in round two, but with Lawes fit again the Saracen can revert to his usual role of lock with his fellow Lion potentially filling the No. 6 jersey.

England will also need to decide whether to hand Lawes back the captaincy after he led the side in the autumn nations finale against South Africa.

Dan Biggar will sit out Northampton's home Gallagher Premiership clash against Sale on Saturday after injuring himself playing for Wales against Scotland.

The Wales captain hobbled off towards the end of the 20-17 victory over the Scots in the Six Nations and was said to be playing on one leg.

He’s technically available to Northampton this weekend as it’s a fallow Six Nations week, but they are not pressing him into action a week ahead of Wales meeting England at Twickenham.

"He's taken a bang on the quad and he's got a fairly significant dead leg,"