For all World Rugby’s efforts to give emerging nations greater exposure to the leading teams in between World Cups, Tonga’s match with Wales in Cardiff on Saturday is only their third against a tier-one country in three years. They will match that tally in the opening three rounds of next year’s World Cup in Japan…
Month: March 2019
Bold England are contenders for World Cup but don’t write off Ireland
Eddie Jones has been around long enough to appreciate that destiny lies at the end of a road blighted with potholes and misleading signposts. After his greatest triumph on Saturday he was gracious in victory, 11 months after he had been booed by some home supporters at Twickenham after Ireland had secured the Grand Slam…
England sweat on the fitness of Maro Itoje following knee injury
England are sweating on the fitness of Maro Itoje amid concerns he could be ruled out for the rest of the Six Nations tournament, while Manu Tuilagi also faces an anxious wait to learn if he will be sanctioned for a dangerous clear‑out on Ireland’s Jacob Stockdale. Henry Slade scores twice as England stun Ireland…
Owen Farrell says England ready for any Wales dirty tricks in Cardiff
England’s players have insisted they will be ready for any underhand attempts to unsettle them before Saturday’s Six Nations grand slam eliminator against Wales. Two years ago in Cardiff England’s bus went the wrong way on approach to the Principality Stadium, delaying their warm-up, and in 2015 Chris Robshaw memorably stood his ground in the…
Long-awaited return of Manu Tuilagi increases England’s options
It is six years since New Zealand lost in Europe. It was not so much a sickness bug that laid them low at Twickenham but Manu Tuilagi who went on a one-man rampage in England’s emphatic 38-21 victory. Eddie Jones’ England to prepare for World Cup in heat of Italy The Leicester centre was then…
Six Nations: talking points from opening round of fixtures
1) Slow coach Ireland have won every match in the final round of the Six Nations under Joe Schmidt, but they have won only one of their last four on the opening weekend – in France last year when Johnny Sexton’s late, late drop goal took them past France. They were seven points down against…
Resurgent Toulouse leading the French rugby renaissance
To say French rugby is overdue a renaissance is easier than predicting precisely when it will occur. Last time out in November the national team were beaten at home by Fiji; it is now almost nine years since Les Bleus won a Six Nations title. Since the 2015 Rugby World Cup they have managed only…
Six Nations 2019: team-by-team guide
Ireland Coach Joe Schmidt Captain Rory Best Last year Champions Having beaten all their tier-one rivals in the past 15 months strength in depth is no longer a problem and Ireland were able to overcome the loss of Conor Murray in the autumn, when New Zealand were among their victims. Six Nations could be tougher…
Wales v England: remembering six of their best meetings down the years
1) 1967: Jarrett shatters Triple Crown hopes (34-21) Wales, with a delirious commitment to handling rugby which at times made one wonder at the reality of it all, completely shattered England’s delusions of winning the triple crown and sharing the Championship. It must be said that in the making of this, one of the greatest…
Wales angry that Samu Kerevi has escaped punishment for late tackle
Wales cannot understand why the Australia centre Samu Kerevi escaped punishment for a late tackle on Leigh Halfpenny last weekend that left the full-back concussed. Halfpenny, who suffered his fourth concussion in as many years, was injured six minutes from the end of Wales’s victory when Kerevi attempted a charge down and clattered into the…