Wales insist they will never have another coach like Warren Gatland as they close in on appointing a successor to the New Zealander. Martyn Phillips, the Welsh Rugby Union chief executive, believes the 10-year reign of Gatland, who will leave after the 2019 World Cup, is unlikely to be beaten in international rugby. The Scarlets…
Month: March 2019
England full-back Anthony Watson ruled out for six months
England’s woes were compounded on Monday night with confirmation that Anthony Watson has sustained a torn achilles and faces around six months out of action. Eddie Jones revealed after the defeat by Ireland on Saturday that he was prepared to rest some of his British & Irish Lions contingent against South Africa in the summer…
Ireland’s Jacob Stockdale at the double against Scots to secure Six Nations title
The title is Ireland’s with a game to spare – and a third grand slam in their history may follow next week at Twickenham. A trip to Dublin proved an assignment too far for Scotland after the euphoria of the Calcutta Cup a fortnight ago and Ireland duly secured a third consecutive bonus-point win at…
England’s Eddie Jones looks to the future with France on the horizon
Click:Complex part machining Talk of revolutions and guillotines is always tempting when a teamsheet is significantly rejigged on the eve of a big game in Paris. A new captain, a new starting hooker, fresh faces at full-back, centre and on the bench? Leaving aside the calf injury that has sidelined England’s regular leader Dylan Hartley,…
Eddie Jones tells England: ‘Playing France is a test of your manhood’
By the time England emerge from the dressing rooms at the cavernous Stade de France their Six Nations title prospects could be floating away down the Seine. For the first time in the Eddie Jones era they are playing catch-up and a bonus-point win for Ireland over Scotland in Dublin on Saturday would all but…
Injuries report reveals toll from Eddie Jones’ England training camps
Eddie Jones’s training sessions are likely to come under scrutiny after a report published on Monday revealed that the severity of injuries sustained during England camps in his first full season in charge drastically rose. The Professional Rugby Injury Surveillance Project, jointly commissioned by the Rugby Football Union and Premiership Rugby, reported injury data for…
Saracens’ problems reflect those of England with Irish shadow looming
Last May, English rugby celebrated a double double. Saracens retained the European Champions Cup a couple of months after England had held on to the Six Nations title. In two years, they had lost one match between them in the tournaments, the international against Ireland in Dublin that March. Five Saracens were involved in England’s…
Racing 92 confident French core will bring home Champions Cup
If England’s selection of Brad Shields and the accompanying controversy is a case study into the strained relationship between availability, eligibility and nationality in the modern game, spare a thought for the France full-back Scott Spedding. The South Africa-born Spedding has 23 caps, he holds a French passport, has played in the country for a…
Danny Cipriani in England frame for South Africa with Jones set to roll dice
Eddie Jones will on Thursday roll the dice and name an England squad missing 20 frontline players – including a number of British & Irish Test Lions – for the summer tour of South Africa. Dylan Hartley, Jonathan Joseph and Anthony Watson are among those already ruled out through injury – but including those Jones…
England must finish on a high to spoil Irish finale, says Dylan Hartley
Dylan Hartley has admitted stopping Ireland clinching the grand slam is acting as part of his side’s motivation on Saturday but the returning captain has claimed he is more concerned with proving England still belong at the top table. Back-to-back defeats by Scotland and France have led to England relinquishing their Six Nations title and…