Warren Gatland has said he is thinking about the World Cup rather than the match against England in Cardiff this month after making 10 changes from the side that defeated France last week for the match against Italy in Rome on Saturday. Jonathan Davies becomes the first back to lead Wales in a Six Nations…
Author: THEJOHNANTONIOBLOG
Warren Gatland’s ability to get best from Wales bodes well for World Cup
Before the start of the Six Nations this month, Ireland were regarded as Europe’s prime challengers in the World Cup. Then it was England after their emphatic victory in Dublin and denuding of France at Twickenham, but in the third round the odds on the favourites New Zealand becoming the first team to win the…
Wales feeling the pressure of closing gap on born-again Springboks
A week after Rassie Erasmus’s final match in charge of Munster last year, South Africa played Ireland in Dublin and suffered their record defeat by a Celtic nation, 38-3. The second most successful team in the history of international rugby after New Zealand had gone from being feared to a laughing stock and then an…
Owen Farrell thumb injury deals blow to England’s Six Nations preparations
Little more than 24 hours after Eddie Jones admitted he was tempting fate by remarking that England’s injury list going into the Six Nations was the lowest for three years, his key player and captain Owen Farrell has had surgery to repair a thumb injury and will be out of action for between a week…
Eddie Jones’s emphasis on attack puts down England marker for World Cup
It is a long time since a Six Nations game changed rugby’s landscape so significantly. For England’s players, in particular, this was a result – and, crucially, a performance – that suddenly makes all sorts of things seem possible. Not only was it their best display under Eddie Jones but their most impressive victory on…
Tonga wary of Wales changes as Scotland brace for Springboks clash
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…
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…