For more than 12 centuries pilgrims have travelled to northern Spain in search of spiritual fulfilment and emotional comfort. Stuart Lancaster has only to alight from Leinster’s team bus at Bilbao’s San Mamés stadium rather than walk the trail to Santiago de Compostela but, after two-and-a-half years, his journey to professional redemption is finally complete….
Month: March 2019
Eddie Jones expects Maro Itoje to overcome ‘second season’ syndrome
England’s head coach, Eddie Jones, believes Maro Itoje is experiencing “second season” syndrome and is still feeling the after-effects of the British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand last year. He predicts, however, the Saracens forward will emerge stronger from his current dip and prove a formidable presence at the Rugby World Cup next…
Dylan Hartley’s place on England tour of South Africa in jeopardy
Click:Sasuke Sword (Naruto) Dylan Hartley’s place on the England tour of South Africa this summer is in question after Northampton admitted the national captain’s latest concussion lay-off is a cause for concern. Hartley has missed Northampton’s past two matches – including the 50-point thrashing by Saracens on Saturday – after showing symptoms of concussion following…
Conor O’Shea happy with Italy progress but desperate to beat Wales in Cardiff
Conor O’Shea is one of rugby’s glass half-full characters but even his ebullience in adversity is being tested by Italy’s dire run in the Six Nations. They face Wales in Cardiff on Sunday looking to end a 15-match losing streak in the championship, a sequence that stretches back to before the 2015 World Cup. Seven of…
Gregor Townsend demands Scotland improvement in time for World Cup
It has been a rollercoaster of a Six Nations Championship for Scotland who have hit the highs and the lows, admitted Gregor Townsend after they wrapped up their tournament with a scrappy late win in Italy. Scotland snatch Six Nations victory over Italy with late Greig Laidlaw penalty The head coach said the group had…
Eddie Jones set to name English replacement for coach Paul Gustard
Eddie Jones has revealed that the list of candidates to be his new defence coach is exclusively English as he closes in on Paul Gustard’s successor. The Australian also confirmed it would be a like-for-like replacement rather than a quick fix and dismissed suggestions Gustard’s position on the South Africa tour next month would be…
Mallinder’s Northampton downfall has parallels with Wenger
Longevity has come up short. Last week’s announcement that Arsène Wenger would leave Arsenal meant this season was the last for the longest-serving club heads in football and rugby’s premierships. Similar to Wenger at Arsenal, Jim Mallinder at Northampton had gone from managing the champions to missing out on a place in the top four…
Nick Phipps and Lukhan Tui in for Australia’s decider with Ireland
Halfback Nick Phipps and blindside flanker Lukhan Tui have won starts for the Wallabies’ series-deciding Test against Ireland in Sydney. Phipps replaces the injured Will Genia, while Tui’s promotion has forced David Pocock to move to No 8 for Saturday night’s showdown at Allianz Stadium. Wallabies’ tactical kicking game goes missing in loss to Ireland…
Exeter ease into final as Don Armand try seals one-sided win over Newcastle
The half-time statistics did not lie. Exeter enjoyed 92% of the possession and attempted 10 tackles to their opponents’ 169. Nine-tenths of possession allowed the Chiefs to lay down the law and they did so in the patient and efficient manner that has become their hallmark, taking play through several phases while taking very few…
George North disciplined but will see out season with Northampton
The Northampton wing George North has been “disciplined internally” after missing a training session – but he will see out the season with the club. Warren Gatland says George North is welcome to ‘come home’ to Wales early North was absent for the Premiership home defeat by Sale on 3 March and afterwards Saints’ coach…