Within English club rugby there is increasingly little patience for the theory that the world’s most successful coaches all hail from the southern hemisphere. Saturday’s Premiership semi-finals reinforce the argument: all four of this season’s top the teams are overseen by British or Irish‑reared coaches who have dominated the domestic honours list for more than…
Category: Rugby
Chris Ashton back at Twickenham with point to prove to Eddie Jones
There is something irresistible about the possibility of Chris Ashton and Danny Cipriani lining up as opposing full-backs when England host the Barbarians on Sunday. Arguably the two most gifted English players of their generation, neither has graced the Twickenham turf as often as his talents warrant in recent years, with England’s management either unwilling…
Faf de Klerk: ‘Altitude was a factor in England’s loss to South Africa’
South Africa believe England were the architects of their own spectacular demise in the first Test on Saturday because Eddie Jones’s squad failed to acclimatise properly. Instead of preparing at altitude before the Johannesburg contest Jones had chosen to base his players at sea level and saw his initially dominant team collapse to a 42-39…
Gregor Townsend shakes up Scotland as redemption sought against France
The anguished will gather in Edinburgh on Sunday. France suffered the most agonising of defeats in round one, scuppered by the Drop Goal from the End of the World, while Scotland can only dream of anything so dignified as agony. Such was their humiliation in Cardiff they were finished long before there was opportunity to…
France take the Fall over World Rugby’s lack of clarity on laws
Steve Hansen was asked this week if he would consider putting the series trophy on the line for the All Blacks’ dead rubber against France on Saturday. The answer was unequivocal – “We’ve got it, so we’ll keep it” – while pointing out the decision is not his to make, but the very fact the…
Northern lights Sale and Newcastle face off in Premiership top four battle
Not since Sale won their only Premiership title 12 years ago have English rugby’s northern lights shone so brightly. With three rounds left both the Sharks and Newcastle are strong contenders for Europe’s Champions Cup qualification with a top-four spot hinging on the outcome of Friday ’s shoot-out at Kingston Park. Power in danger of…
Scarlets coach Wayne Pivac on Wales shortlist to succeed Warren Gatland
Wales insist they will never have another coach like Warren Gatland as they close in on appointing a successor to the New Zealander. Martyn Phillips, the Welsh Rugby Union chief executive, believes the 10-year reign of Gatland, who will leave after the 2019 World Cup, is unlikely to be beaten in international rugby. The Scarlets…
Ireland’s Jacob Stockdale at the double against Scots to secure Six Nations title
The title is Ireland’s with a game to spare – and a third grand slam in their history may follow next week at Twickenham. A trip to Dublin proved an assignment too far for Scotland after the euphoria of the Calcutta Cup a fortnight ago and Ireland duly secured a third consecutive bonus-point win at…
England full-back Anthony Watson ruled out for six months
England’s woes were compounded on Monday night with confirmation that Anthony Watson has sustained a torn achilles and faces around six months out of action. Eddie Jones revealed after the defeat by Ireland on Saturday that he was prepared to rest some of his British & Irish Lions contingent against South Africa in the summer…
Eddie Jones tells England: ‘Playing France is a test of your manhood’
By the time England emerge from the dressing rooms at the cavernous Stade de France their Six Nations title prospects could be floating away down the Seine. For the first time in the Eddie Jones era they are playing catch-up and a bonus-point win for Ireland over Scotland in Dublin on Saturday would all but…