The Rugby Football Union is “perplexed” at moves from World Rugby’s vice-chairman, Agustín Pichot, to drastically reform the international calendar by introducing a World League from 2020 onwards. Pichot’s proposal – in which the world’s top 12 teams would compete in an annual tournament switched between hemispheres every November – is set to be discussed…
Author: THEJOHNANTONIOBLOG
Charlie Sharples strikes twice as Gloucester rally to sink Bristol
Unbeaten Gloucester clambered to the top of the Premiership after coming from behind to defeat promoted Bristol who made a point even if they returned home without one. The Bears were ultimately undone by their own adventure, conceding two late tries after abortive attacks from their own line, but they had far more about them…
Bristol warn Eddie Jones and England that George Smith is not for hire
Click:Solution to the drum problem of high speed printing press Bristol intend to block any potential attempt by England to recruit the veteran Australian flanker George Smith to help fix their breakdown woes before the autumn internationals. England hopes hit by injuries to Anthony Watson and Jonathan Joseph Smith is well known to Eddie Jones,…
Alex Goode refuses to give up on England World Cup dream
Alex Goode has revealed he has not heard from Eddie Jones for nearly two years but the Saracens full-back has not given up hope of forcing his way into England’s World Cup squad. The 30-year-old was in magical form on Saturday, scoring one try and setting up another three as the champions romped to a…
Leigh Halfpenny to miss Six Nations start with concussion symptoms
Leigh Halfpenny is expected to miss at least the first two Six Nations matches after being told by a specialist he is at least three weeks away from a return from concussion. The Wales and Scarlets full-back was concussed against Australia in November – the fourth time in six years. He has not played since…
‘I hope to be an NFL player in a year’: Christian Wade on his exit from rugby
Christian Wade speaks to the Guardian from the back of a New York cab. Coventry it isn’t but the winger who left Wasps to shoot for the NFL hasn’t entirely succumbed to American glamour. For one thing it is typically bitterly cold. For another, halfway into our second question his car enters the Lincoln Tunnel,…
Premiership rugby clubs to discuss £275m takeover approach from CVC
Premiership Rugby will next week discuss a £275m deal with a private equity firm, CVC, but if it hands over control the Rugby Football Union would need to give its consent. A report this week said CVC would take a 51% controlling interest in Premiership Rugby in return for the money which would give each…
George Ford defiant over battle with Danny Cipriani to be England No 10
George Ford believes he has sharpened his attacking instincts after he was ousted by Danny Cipriani as England’s fly-half, but denied that losing his place was “a wake-up call”. Cipriani made his first England start in a decade in the third Test against South Africa in June with Ford dropping out of the squad altogether….
England dealt another blow as Mako Vunipola joins Eddie Jones’s injury list
England’s plans for the autumn series have been plunged into chaos after Mako Vunipola was ruled out for up to six weeks. He joins his brother Billy on the sidelines and swells the ranks of England’s walking wounded as Eddie Jones prepares to name his squad for Tests against South Africa, New Zealand, Japan and…
Manu Tuilagi ready to make ‘explosive’ England comeback, says George Ford
England’s Six Nations rivals have been warned to brace themselves for a resurgent Manu Tuilagi when the tournament kicks off in just over a fortnight. The injury-plagued centre has not started a Six Nations game since 2013 but his teammate George Ford believes the Leicester man is primed to make a significant impact this season….