World Rugby believes the controversial decision to disallow Sam Underhill’s late try in England’s one-point defeat by New Zealand was correct and the governing body is satisfied the referee Jérôme Garcès did not contravene its new TMO law trial during the incident. Underhill scored what looked like being the match-winning try after 76 minutes, having…
Month: March 2019
Eddie Jones says Jack Nowell can become a forward for England
Eddie Jones has made the remarkable claim he may break from convention and select nine forwards in his England side. Jack Nowell is also now seen as an option at openside flanker for the Six Nations as Jones considers ripping up the traditional playbook, predicting the emergence of a “new breed of player” equally adept…
Michael Cheika puts faith in Wallabies rookie Jordan Petaia for Italy Test
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has backed 18-year-old rookie Jordan Petaia to successfully make the transition to Test rugby. The Queensland Reds flyer has been named on the wing for the weekend’s clash with Italy in Padua – one of six changes to the side that lost 9-6 in Cardiff to Wales last week. Wales angry…
Eddie Jones: I won’t try to talk Manu Tuilagi out of leaving for France
Manu Tuilagi will bring a premature end to his England career with Eddie Jones’s blessing if he makes a lucrative move to Racing 92. Tuilagi was spotted at the Paris club last week and has been heavily linked with a three‑year deal at Racing worth upwards of £800,000 a year. Tuilagi would be turning his…
Israel Folau ’50-50′ to play South Africa in Rugby Championship
Australia fullback Israel Folau rates himself only a “50-50” chance to line up against South Africa in the Rugby Championship in Brisbane on Saturday as he races to recover from an ankle injury. Folau missed the Wallabies’ second round defeat by the All Blacks in Auckland just over a week ago after limping off in…
All Blacks unveil mammoth squad for Japan and Europe tours
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has mined the depth of New Zealand rugby to name 51 players for their tour of Japan and Europe. A 32-strong group, at close to full strength, will head to Yokohama for the third Bledisloe Cup Test on 27 October before an additional 19 players join them for a Test…
France recall Mathieu Bastareaud in bid to turn tables on England
It has been 14 years since France beat England at Twickenham in the Six Nations. “A long time,” says Jacques Brunel with a rueful grin. Brunel has not had a lot to smile about lately but he is hoping this latest incarnation of the French team will fix that. The head coach has made 10…
Warren Gatland targets clean sweep to continue World Cup momentum
Wales are not playing particularly well – their 9-6 victory over Australia and the previous weekend’s success against Scotland came after two of the worst Test matches of modern times – but they have momentum with, just as the World Cup appears on the horizon. Certainly, that has not previously been the case when applied…
Exeter’s Gareth Steenson on form but 14-man Castres still too strong
Exeter have never won more than three matches in the Champions Cup pool stage. They will need to win in Munster in January if they are to improve that record, and make the knockout stage, after failing to exploit the dismissal of the Castres No 8, Maama Vaipulu, on 36 minutes for a head-high challenge….
England’s Nathan Hughes suspended for six weeks after ‘what a joke’ tweet
Nathan Hughes has been suspended for six weeks and is unavailable for three of England’s four autumn internationals next month after his “what a joke” tweet led to two extra weeks being put on to his suspension on Wednesday night. Hughes will miss England’s matches against South Africa, New Zealand and Japan after his suspension…