Australia fullback Israel Folau rates himself only a “50-50” chance to line up against South Africa in the Rugby Championship in Brisbane on Saturday as he races to recover from an ankle injury. Folau missed the Wallabies’ second round defeat by the All Blacks in Auckland just over a week ago after limping off in…
Category: Rugby
Warren Gatland targets clean sweep to continue World Cup momentum
Wales are not playing particularly well – their 9-6 victory over Australia and the previous weekend’s success against Scotland came after two of the worst Test matches of modern times – but they have momentum with, just as the World Cup appears on the horizon. Certainly, that has not previously been the case when applied…
France recall Mathieu Bastareaud in bid to turn tables on England
It has been 14 years since France beat England at Twickenham in the Six Nations. “A long time,” says Jacques Brunel with a rueful grin. Brunel has not had a lot to smile about lately but he is hoping this latest incarnation of the French team will fix that. The head coach has made 10…
England’s Nathan Hughes suspended for six weeks after ‘what a joke’ tweet
Nathan Hughes has been suspended for six weeks and is unavailable for three of England’s four autumn internationals next month after his “what a joke” tweet led to two extra weeks being put on to his suspension on Wednesday night. Hughes will miss England’s matches against South Africa, New Zealand and Japan after his suspension…
Exeter’s Gareth Steenson on form but 14-man Castres still too strong
Exeter have never won more than three matches in the Champions Cup pool stage. They will need to win in Munster in January if they are to improve that record, and make the knockout stage, after failing to exploit the dismissal of the Castres No 8, Maama Vaipulu, on 36 minutes for a head-high challenge….
Mario Ledesma has one eye on World Cup as coach bloods new Pumas
Mario Ledesma has made 10 changes to his Argentina team for their match against the Barbarians at Twickenham on Saturday. Ten months out from the World Cup the head coach is using the game as an opportunity to give some of his younger players another taste of international rugby, as he tries to increase the…
Girvan Dempsey knows Irish have the advantage over English clubs
In the past few weeks there have been two team sheets that have jumped off the page. Firstly, it was Bath’s “B team” against Saracens in the Premiership, then came Leinster’s all-star cast facing Wasps in the Champions Cup curtain-raiser on Friday night. The first prompted accusations that Bath were waving the white flag, the…
Warren Gatland’s Wales in no mood for ‘festival rugby’ against Scotland
Wales and Scotland may be facing each other in Cardiff on Saturday outside the Six Nations but it will be no friendly if the words of Warren Gatland at his team announcement come true. The Wales coach has named a strong side for the visit of a team who have not won in the Welsh…
Bledisloe Cup: All Blacks wow fans in win over Wallabies
The All Blacks have turned Harlem Globetrotters in a dazzling 37-20 victory over the Wallabies in Yokohama. The rampant world champions wowed enthralled fans on Saturday at Japan’s 2019 World Cup final stadium with some breathtaking rugby to complete a 3-0 Bledisloe Cup series wipeout. The Wallabies were anything but disgraced, mounting a spirited mid-match…
A Peter Brackley tribute, premature celebrations and Ironman triathlon
1) RIP Peter Brackley. He worked for Sky and ITV but for many, he was the voice of the 1990s as Serie A was beamed into our living rooms with Football Italia – it is a testament to his skill that the programme never felt poorer for a lack of co-commentator and there are few…