Back: Quinnell stands in England's way

As the Six Nations champions prepare for their first trip to Cardiff in four years, Back is big enough to admit that his criticism is no longer valid.

'What I wrote was correct at the time,' he said. 'But a lot of rugby has been played since then and certainly the two Quinnells are playing very well.

'Both are very fit and up for the challenge. I watched Scotty in some of the recent European Cup games and he is back to his very best, breaking holes in opposition defences and looking very powerful every time he has the ball.

'I know Craig has had a lot of injury problems and I'm glad to see he's now come through all that. As a squad, Wales are a lot fitter than they were when we played them last year.

'They certainly look hungrier, fitter and far better able to go the distance than they were 12 months ago. Their clubs have repeatedly proved that in European matches this season.

'It wasn't just the Quinnells I criticised in my book. I also made a general point that players in the professional game across the board could all be doing more about their fitness, myself included.

'All I did was reflect a feeling within the game at the time. There was a lot of criticism within Wales. I know that Steve Back, their fitness coach at the time, was very critical of some players.

'I don't think for a minute Scott or Craig have read my book and said to themselves: "Right, we'll go out and work our socks off î. But you've only got to see them in action to appreciate how good they are.'

The man on the wrong end of Back's earlier criticism took it all in unusually laid-back mode. Scott Quinnell, Wales captain last time out against South Africa two months ago, said: 'I respect Neil tremendously as a player and a fellow professional. What he said doesn't bother me. I am more than happy with my fitness.'

While Llanelli's cruel elimination from the European Cup gives Quinnell a blank Saturday, Back will be hurling himself into the other two-thirds of the Welsh back row - Swansea's Colin Charvis and Geraint Lewis - at Welford Road.

Mike Catt and Iain Balshaw, the utility backs injured during Bath's brave effort to save their European Cup campaign on Tuesday, will have their injuries assessed by England ' s medical team tomorrow. Manager Clive Woodward said: 'Both are confident they will be fit.'

Balshaw has a badly sprained wrist while Catt, a late withdrawal from England's victory over the Springboks last month and by no means certain to regain the inside centre berth from Will Greenwood, has been told that his knee problem is not serious.

He said: 'The X-rays showed that nothing was broken. I got a side - on tackle, fell awkwardly and the knee is badly bruised. The fluid has gone down and I should be all right.'

American agents are offering Six Nations tickets on the internet at more than 10 times their face value. Their hugely over-inflated asking prices range from £400 for Wales-England to £600 for England-France at Twickenham in April.