WALES:Grand Slam winner Alex Cuthbert has given short shrift to Jim Telfer's reported jibe that the Wales players are "lazy".

Former Scotland and British and Irish Lions coach Telfer caused a stir with his comments. But wing three-quarter Cuthbert, who scored the decisive try when Wales beat France to be crowned Grand Slam champions last season, was quick to disagree.

“It’s his opinion, but I know how hard the boys work. We have shown in a lot of games where we come out on top as the fittest team, especially in last year’s Six Nations, and hopefully we can show it again. Everything we do is at a really high intensity . . . I’ve worked my arse off since coming into professional rugby. From where I started . . . my game has really progressed. I’m still developing and have a lot more to learn, but each game I will get more experienced.”

Cuthbert’s views were backed up by Wales’s Six Nations attack coach Mark Jones.

“There is absolutely nothing lazy about the work ethic of the coaches or certainly, the playing staff. Three Grand Slams in the last few years suggests being lazy isn’t something that goes on here.”

Cardiff Blues star Cuthbert will be an integral part of Wales’s attempt to dispatch Ireland on Saturday.

“Hopefully, we can do the job against Ireland. Our physicality won us the game last year . . . It’s going to be a hard challenge. Ireland are going to be up for it because we’ve beaten them the last couple of years. We did them over there last season and they are going to want and come over here and do the same.”