ONE of the fiercest rivalries in world rugby had a distinctly Forest flavour to it last weekend as a number of players, once on the books of Dean sides, battled for national bragging rights in the Six Nations Championships.

With a depleted club programme at a local level, all eyes were on England’s trip to Wales that saw ex-Cinderford wing Josh Adams score the game-clinching try at the Principality Stadium, Cardiff.

Adams, a loanee at Dockham Road in 2016 from Premiership club Worcester Warriors, caught a lofty cross-field kick from replacement fly-half Dan Biggar to kill off any hopes of an England win.

Wales won 21-13 to break their record of 11 consecutive Test wins, crushing England’s Grand Slam dreams.

There was further English disappointment for another man with Forest links as the Under-20s lost 11-10 to Wales in Colwyn Bay.

Jack Bartlett, a Lydney and Cinderford youth product now at Gloucester Academy, came off the bench for England in their third Six Nations fixture.

FULL STORY IN THIS WEEK’S FORESTER