Lawes keen to return for showdown with Scots

With a two-week suspension behind him, Courtney Lawes is keen on returning to England's starting XV for Saturday's match against Scotland - and the 114kg second row gave his country's arch-rivals a warning that he is not about to change his hard-hitting game.

Lawes, who was suspended for dropping a knee to the head of Argentina's Mario Ledesma in England's Rugby World Cup 2011 opening Pool B win on 10 September, missed the victories over Georgia and Romania.

"It is hard when you are stuck on the sidelines. There is nothing you can do but it is over now,'' Lawes said on Monday. "I have been training as hard as I can and trying not to injure the boys."

Lawes did not file an appeal because he did not want to miss out on the chance of playing Scotland.

"There was no point in risking it,'' he said. "If I miss out on Scotland then I might struggle to get back into the team for the quarter-finals.

"I thought it (the suspension) was harsh but you just get on with it, take it on the chin."
Lawes also said the suspension will not make him change the way he plays.

"I am always a physical player and that is what I do. This (suspension) has never happened before. I didn't do anything malicious.

"I will just keep doing what I do. I just have to make good hits when they come and do my job."