An insurance wrangle between World Rugby and the Premiership is threatening to severely hamper World Cup preparations for nations such as Wales and Scotland who could be deprived of their players in the buildup to the tournament. If the dispute is not resolved, the Guardian understands Premiership Rugby Limited (PRL) intends to prevent players from…
Month: March 2019
Scotland’s Greig Laidlaw views Italy opener as launch pad for success
A fixture often positioned as an unloved epilogue to the Six Nations tournament has this year become an enticing opener for both teams at Murrayfield. Scotland and Italy have met in the last round of fixtures seven times since the five became six, but not since 2000 have they done so on the first weekend,…
England lead the way in turning to pace, not the set-piece, for tries
Spring has come early in the Six Nations. The opening two rounds have been relatively open, assisted by a sharp drop in the penalty count as referees look for fewer excuses to blow the whistle. With the emphasis this year on continuity rather than a contest for possession teams, led by England, are becoming less…
Cheika’s call for belief falls on deaf ears while Wallabies repeat mistakes
With almost religious fervour Michael Cheika implored long-suffering Walllabies supporters to “believe in advance” as they stumbled towards the World Cup in Japan next year. But the Wallabies’ are stretching their fans’ faith to the limit, their 37-20 loss to the All Blacks in Yokohama last Saturday making any successful World Cup campaign look incredibly…
Warren Gatland warns Wales to stay grounded or face slip-up in Scotland
Click:laser cnc cutting machine One of the differences Warren Gatland has made in his 12 years in charge of Wales is the way he has controlled emotions in a country where volatility used to breed inconsistency. There was a period when they were never more vulnerable than when they had beaten England, their oldest rivals,…
England 15-16 New Zealand: how the players rated at Twickenham
England Elliot Daly 6 The Springboks gave him an uncomfortable afternoon under the high ball but much improved display in defence and attack. Chris Ashton 7 Stunned New Zealand with a try in the first two minutes and was always a threat. Good defensive display on his comeback. Henry Slade 6 Had few chances to…
Steve Hansen declares Ireland Test decider for world’s best team
The All Blacks head coach, Steve Hansen, has wasted little time moving on from England after declaring the Test in Dublin on Saturday will decide the mantle of the world’s best team. England denied by All Blacks and late decision in Twickenham thriller Fresh from his side’s one-point escape at Twickenham, Hansen had only just…
Wales win over Australia would not be monkey off back, says Warren Gatland
Relieved to have started an autumn campaign with a win at last, Warren Gatland dismissed the notion that next Saturday’s assignment against Australia represents an opportunity to shake off another hex. The last time Wales beat Australia was 10 years and 13 matches ago. Eight of those defeats came here in the autumn. George North…
Kurtley Beale ready to move on after creating ‘bad image’ for rugby with videos
An apologetic Kurtley Beale says his focus is now solely on the rugby after admitting videos featuring him had created a “bad image” for the game. The Wallabies and Waratahs playmaker was forced into damage control last month after two videos were released of him in the presence of white powder. Crucial World Cup year…
Rugby union’s World League plans criticised as ‘under-cooked’
Imagine a tent on an exposed clifftop being buffeted by gale force winds. Those inside are already grimly clinging on, only for so-called friends to sneak round and remove all the pegs. Welcome to the world of professional rugby union, where just about every aspect of the game’s future is up in the air. From…