Wales will be able to call on Holmes and Moriarty next month as they wrestle with the conundrum of how to beat Australia, their World Cup pool rivals in Japan next year, who have won the past 13 Tests between the countries. Australia are the second of Wales’s four opponents at the Millennium Stadium in…
Category: Rugby
Sale’s Steve Diamond ‘moves on’ and underlines his record with players
Steve Diamond has launched a vehement defence of his managerial style at Sale as he pointed to a number of high-profile players to commit themselves to a club he claims has the “lowest injury count in the Premiership”. Sale’s uncompromising director of rugby has come under scrutiny after he confronted a journalist following Saturday’s victory…
England’s Eddie Jones defends dropping ‘superman’ Danny Cipriani
Eddie Jones has defended his controversial decision to axe Danny Cipriani from the England squad on Thursday on the basis the fly-half has been overhyped as “Superman” by armchair critics who have been seduced by his showreels. Cipriani’s shock omission casts into doubt his World Cup chances precisely 12 months before the tournament begins and…
2019, World Cup fever No 3: rugby union hits Japan amid uncertainty
World Cups always feel like watersheds. Eddie Jones has reminded us often enough that everything else is just sparring; that all that matters is the date of the final – 2 November – and ensuring England are at their peak when the latest four-year cycle comes to an end. Except 2019 seems different, not least…
Danny Cipriani faces Owen Farrell but his real England rival is George Ford
A montage on the wall of the Gloucester team room at their Hartpury training base is centred around the acronym B.R.A.V.E. As the club’s fly-half Danny Cipriani ponders his latest omission from an England squad before a confrontation on Sunday at Allianz Park with Saracens and Owen Farrell, one of the players preferred to him,…
Plans to revamp English rugby union’s top flight under discussion, says Ritchie
The Premiership clubs have moved to play down reports of a breakaway league and “a war” with the Rugby Football Union over ringfencing but relegation from the top flight remains a thorny issue for both parties. It emerged on Sunday that last April the club owners discussed the possibility of an “unregulated competition” if the…
Leicester sacking of Matt O’Connor described as ‘grossly unfair’ by union
Leicester’s decision to fire Matt O’Connor one match into the Premiership season has been described as “grossly unfair” and part of “a disturbing trend” by the coaches’ union. After firing O’Connor on Monday Leicester have appointed Geordan Murphy on an interim basis and it is believed the Irishman, who spent 16 years at the club…
Premiership provides entertainment but is struggling to boost attendances
Click:national clothing asian costume Some years ago at Cardiff Arms Park, a man was considering a question from a young boy about the difference between the two codes of rugby. Eventually he replied: “It’s like comparing chess and draughts.” Union resembled chess in its greater complexity and tactical variation. League was more like draughts with…
Premiership clubs likely to agree £240m sale of stake to former F1 owner CVC
Premiership club owners are likely to vote for a proposal to give a minority stake to the private equity firm CVC in return for more than £200m, two months after they turned down a takeover bid. CVC, which held a majority stake in Formula One between 2006 and 2017, came back with a new offer…
Israel Folau to wing it for Wallabies against Argentina
Israel Folau has been named to make his Wallabies return against Argentina – but not in his usual position. Instead, coach Michael Cheika starts Folau on the right wing for Saturday night’s Rugby Championship clash on the Gold Coast, meaning the in-form Dane Haylett-Petty will remain at fullback. Folau hasn’t started a Test match on…