They have gussied up Twickenham, building a new swooping facade on the back of the old East Stand and a pair of wrought iron gates with the words to Jerusalem stencilled into them around the other side of the ground. It looks a little awkward, all these pretty little frills on those brutal old pressed…
Author: THEJOHNANTONIOBLOG
Black Ferns’ dominance of Wallaroos continues with second Test rout
The Wallaroos played second-fiddle to the world champion Black Ferns for a second straight week, losing their women’s rugby Test 45-17 in Auckland. A well-drilled New Zealand scored seven tries to three at Eden Park and pulled away in the second spell, having led 19-10 at halftime. As with last week’s 31-11 loss in Sydney,…
RFU in turmoil after chief executive Steve Brown’s shock resignation
Increasing disquiet about the Rugby Football Union’s financial position has triggered the abrupt departure of Steve Brown as chief executive. Brown will leave the world’s wealthiest union next month after less than 15 months in the role amid claims by one of his predecessors, Francis Baron, of financial mismanagement at Twickenham. The former England captain…
Rugby union: talking points from the second round of autumn Tests
1) England on the way back up In 2012 England also went 15-0 up on New Zealand at Twickenham and went on to win 38-21. This time they could not score a point after the 25th minute, instead allowing the All Blacks to snatch a 16-15 victory in a classic encounter of its type. Which…
England’s Eddie Jones seeking display of ‘real steel’ against Wales
Not for almost two decades have England headed for Cardiff sounding as quietly confident as they have done this week. It guarantees them nothing, of course, but it is years since a visiting Six Nations coach came across as more expectant than Eddie Jones on the eve of a fixture that has haunted England so…
Michael Cheika seizes back control of Wallabies as Stephen Larkham exits
Click:EPCOS B43564-S9488-M1 Capacitor There were no bland euphemisms to describe Stephen Larkham’s departure from the Wallabies coaching staff just eight months out from the World Cup in Japan. In a statement released by Rugby Australia on Monday, Larkham was straight to the point about his broken working relationship with head coach Michael Cheika: “We have…
Leicester Tigers finally bare their teeth as Manu Tuilagi savages sorry Scarlets
Leicester and England have both been waiting a long time for a rejuvenated Manu Tuilagi and finally the big man is back. With his national coach, Eddie Jones, in attendance, the fit-again centre chose the perfect night to produce his most compelling display of the season and help the Tigers secure the bonus-point victory they…
Conor Murray seals bonus-point victory as Ireland survive Italy scare
This victory was far from routine but as disappointing as Ireland were, they nevertheless left Rome with the five points they had targeted. And thanks to Wales’s victory against England, Joe Schmidt’s grand slam winners of a year ago still have a chance of retaining the Six Nations title. England run in nine tries in…
Sam Underhill to miss England’s Six Nations campaign after ankle surgery
Sam Underhill will miss England’s Six Nations campaign after undergoing an ankle operation. Meet the Clealls: the Saracens twins forging a winning partnership The flanker will be out of action for up to three months as he recovers from surgery required after damaging ligaments during Bath’s victory against Leicester on 30 December. It was thought…
France turn screw with late fourth try as Scotland’s losing Paris run continues
France have remembered at last. Beautiful rugby is all very well but without the route to victory they have found it empty of late. On a sunny afternoon in Paris they played beautifully and with the bloody-mindedness to make sure that, this time, there would be no forgetting to win. Scotland arrived with a team…