The Six Nations has barely started but, suddenly, all roads lead to Twickenham. If Wales have enjoyed the most spectacular start to this year’s tournament, there was enough sharpness and intent about England’s first outing of the year to suggest Saturday’s tribal collision will not disappoint. On the evidence of this seven-try Roman romp, the…
Month: March 2019
Women’s Six Nations preview: sevens spotlight gives sides another battle
On the face of it, optimism abounds before the Women’s Six Nations. Last year’s tournament shattered records for attendances and broadcasting figures and there remains an afterglow, six months on from the World Cup. There have been three different winners of the championship in the past three years and the enduring image of the 2017…
Eddie Jones faces up to England’s style shortfall after defeat by Scotland
Click:lion dance costume costumes Even before things turned ugly on his Sunday morning train this was always going to be a bumpy week for Eddie Jones. Encountering a few mouthy fans on his return south may have been unpleasant but it was nothing compared with the intense discomfort his team endured at Murrayfield last Saturday…
England work on countering Six Nations threat of Wales’s Scott Williams
England have been preparing for the Six Nations showdown against Wales on Saturday with a training drill designed to combat the tactic of stripping the ball in contact, with Eddie Jones highlighting Scott Williams as a key threat. Wales have troubled England with the tactic in the past and during the match in Cardiff last…
Italy’s Sebastian Negri: from fleeing Zimbabwe to Six Nations debut
Hartpury College has long been established as one of England’s rugby treasured institutions but of late it has taken on an Italian flavour. Sebastian Negri, the Zimbabwe-born flanker, made his Italy debut in 2016 when studying for a BA in sports business management in Gloucestershire and he will make his first international start on Sunday,…
Frenzied Wales v relentless England promises to be Six Nations classic
Two minds and a few dozen bodies will collide at Twickenham on Saturday when Warren Gatland aims to inflict a first home defeat on Eddie Jones. A fixture that at the start of the month looked a probable home win has become more intriguing after the manner of Wales’s victory against Scotland. It was against…
Women’s Six Nations: England not taking Wales lightly
England are taking nothing for granted as they prepare for their first home match of their Women’s Six Nations campaign. Simon Middleton has named a strong XV to face Wales at The Stoop, making just two personnel changes from the side that eased to a 42-7 win away to Italy last Sunday to lay down…
Six things to look out for in the 2018 Six Nations
Fast start for France? More than a quarter of the initial Lions squad will miss the opening weekend of the Six Nations owing to injury. It is a startling statistic and it does make you wonder whether players such as Courtney Lawes, who has played an awful lot of rugby already this season, will last…
Sarah Hunter hat-trick provides highlight of England’s win in Italy
The England captain, Sarah Hunter, scored three tries as the defending champions defeated Italy 42-7 in their Women’s Six Nations opener in Reggio Emilia. After the teams went in at half-time at 7-7, the Italians having replied to Sarah Bern’s early try through a Valentina Ruzza effort, England powered to a bonus-point victory by crossing…
Six Nations: Ben Youngs ruled out for season with knee injury
England will continue their pursuit of a record-breaking third consecutive Six Nations title without Ben Youngs after the scrum-half was ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury. Youngs was taken off on a stretcher 10 minutes into England’s 46-15 win against Italy on Sunday and a scan on Monday afternoon…