Kyle Sinckler sets about winning his England place back on Monday with a spring in his step after a timely reminder of his talents, coming off the bench and almost immediately bulldozing over for the decisive try in Harlequins’ gritty win against Bath – a first in the Premiership in 2018. Joe Simmonds’ early flurry…
Category: Rugby
Soft-spoken Joe Launchbury out to show England’s hard edge in Scotland
The problem for Joe Launchbury has always been one of perception. At first Eddie Jones was not convinced – and neither was Warren Gatland when selecting his Lions squad – but as Launchbury prepares to win his 50th cap against Scotland on Saturday there will be few players more certain of their name on England’s…
Israel Folau to face disciplinary World Rugby hearing
Wallabies fullback Israel Folau will face a hearing in front of World Rugby officials after receiving a warning over a second incident separate to his yellow-card offence in Australia’s series-deciding loss to Ireland in Sydney. Folau was sin-binned in the 31st minute on Saturday for unnecessary contact with Peter O’Mahony during an aerial challenge that…
‘A bloody idiot’: Waratahs player Nick Phipps apologises for urinating on bar
Wallabies and NSW Waratahs halfback Nick Phipps has been fined $4,000 after admitting to urinating on a bar during his buck’s night, an act he said made him look “a goose” and “a bloody idiot”. Dressed in a cow suit, Phipps was taken out of Sydney’s Woollahra Hotel on Saturday, 21 April for an incident…
Wales recall Leigh Halfpenny and Dan Biggar for Ireland clash
Warren Gatland has called on his Wales team to use their experience to deal with an expected aerial assault from Ireland in Dublin on Saturday. Wales have made three changes from the side that lost 12-6 at Twickenham in the last round, with each one aimed at adding to their kicking game in defence and…
Flashing lights, seven-point tries and rolling subs – it’s World Series Rugby
A new tournament starts in Australia on Friday. Called World Series Rugby, it will involve matches played by Western Force in Perth, which was dropped as one of the country’s super rugby sides at the end of last season, against the three Pacific islands, Hong Kong, the Rebels and the Crusaders. It was devised by…
Sione Kalamafoni shows his class as Leicester launch comeback at Bath
It was more bash than clash as Leicester, picking up the scent of the play-offs as they tend to do at this time of the year, powered their way to a bonus-point victory to move into the top four and leave Bath, who have lost seven of their last 10 Premiership matches, facing the European…
Dan Carter rolls back years while Pro14 dominance leaves England on outside
Racing is not a word associated with Dan Carter’s running style, which is more a languid glide as he assesses his options with defenders wrong-footed, but his cameo from the bench at Clermont Auvergne on Sunday took Racing 92 into a semi-final with Munster in Bordeaux. Racing were trailing 17-16 when the fly-half, who moved to…
RFU’s Steve Brown defends £195 tickets for England v All Blacks at Twickenham
Top-priced seats at Twickenham for England’s blockbuster fixture against New Zealand in November will cost £195 apiece when they go on sale this week, with the Rugby Football Union dismissing any prospect of a Test revenue-sharing agreement with less‑wealthy visiting nations. Steve Brown, the RFU’s chief executive, says the “heavy” top-range tickets are comparable with…
Sale’s Denny Solomona charged with ‘homophobic’ abuse of Worcester player
Denny Solomona has been charged by the Rugby Football Union after allegedly aiming homophobic abuse at a Worcester player during an incident in Sale’s victory over the Warriors last weekend. Worcester’s fly-half, Jamie Shillcock, can be heard making a complaint of homophobic abuse by a Sale player, soon after a scuffle with Solomona in the…