Harlequins defended for most of the match against their erstwhile neighbours, but outscored Wasps by two tries to one after showing a side to their game that matched their black jerseys. Their snarling, defiant attitude was personified by their hooker Dave Ward who was sent to the sin-bin 10 minutes in for stepping on the…
Month: March 2019
France full of optimism after youngsters show their class
It might be too early to call them back, but there was something invigorating about watching France dismantle a fellow Six Nations side of pedigree, just a fortnight after they had been dubbed the worst France team of all time. That annihilation to England in round two seems a long way away already, as does…
Kyle Eastmond sees red as hapless Leicester are thumped by Bristol
Leicester were champions five years ago but a slow, gradual descent is gathering speed. They dropped into the bottom half of the table after a feeble, disjointed display against promoted Bristol, who recorded their second-highest Premiership victory after lacing their swashbuckling tendencies with a pinch of pragmatism. The Tigers played the final 56 minutes with…
Kieran Read suggests retirement plans before All Blacks beat Japan 69-31
All Blacks captain Kieran Read has said he is likely to quit international rugby after next year’s World Cup in Japan and take a contract overseas. Read, who turned 33 last week, will line up for his third World Cup next year after helping the All Blacks raise the Webb Ellis trophy in 2011 and 2015. …
Australia-born Sam Johnson to make Scotland debut against Italy
Gregor Townsend will hand a Test debut to the 25-year-old Glasgow centre Sam Johnson at home against Italy on Saturday. Gary Graham, the Newcastle flanker previously called up by England, and the Leicester hooker Jake Kerr could also win their first caps off the bench. The Edinburgh full-back Blair Kinghorn will start on the left…
Premiership Rugby aiming to finalise £230m CVC deal by Christmas
Premiership Rugby hopes to conclude a £230m agreement with a private equity firm before Christmas after a board meeting on Tuesday failed to tie up a few loose ends. When the 13 shareholders in Premiership Rugby, made up of the 12 clubs in the top flight plus London Irish, first discussed the proposal in September…
Brad Shields piles on the pounds and prepares for belated Wasps debut
As understatements go, Brad Shields describing his whirlwind summer with England as “unusual” takes some beating, for there was nothing ordinary about the circumstances in which the 27-year-old made his much-publicised Test debut in June. But if it was all a bit of a blur for the New Zealand-born flanker, perhaps the debilitating food poisoning…
Owen Farrell’s kicks and hits help England overcome South Africa
Owen Farrell’s relationship with referees became an issue when he led England in South Africa in the summer, hectoring rather than cajoling. Making him co-captain with the more persuasive Dylan Hartley yielded a dividend at the end of a match in which England led by a point despite being pummelled as rarely before in front…
Cipriani misses out but Morgan earns call-up for England’s autumn Tests
Danny Cipriani has been omitted from England’s squad for next month’s autumn internationals but Eddie Jones has handed a recall to Ben Morgan amid his back-row crisis and taken the surprise step of naming Dylan Hartley and Owen Farrell as his co-captains. The head coach has opted against calling on Cipriani, who started England’s most…
Tommy Seymour bags treble and Scotland score eight tries in rout of Fiji
Gregor Townsend believes Scotland will have to improve on their performance in the eight-try demolition job on Fiji if they are to stand any chance of halting South Africa next week. The Scots were utterly ruthless as they blew the Pacific Islanders away 54-17 at Murrayfield. Tommy Seymour grabbed a hat-trick and Allan Dell, Fraser…