Toulouse have shown signs this season of regaining the eminence they enjoyed in the formative years of the European Cup but they were given a reminder in draughty Dublin of how far they have to go as the holders, Leinster, moved to the top of the group with a bonus point victory. Gloucester out after…
Category: Rugby
Josh Bassett try gets Wasps back to winning ways against Northampton
The future shape of English club rugby is again a subject of heated debate but for Wasps the soothing balm of this much-needed victory was all that mattered. After only one win in their previous 13 games they badly needed a confidence-building start to 2019 and the return of England’s Joe Launchbury helped secure a…
Adam Thompstone salvages losing bonus point for Leicester at Racing 92
On balance Leicester could have picked a better weekend to head to Paris. At least there were no riots or tear gas canisters inside Racing’s stunning new indoor home but an 80-minute water cannon bombardment might have been less arduous than some of the on-field punishment they soaked up en route to a 14th defeat…
Chris Ashton to miss England clash with Wales because of calf injury
England have suffered a major blow in the buildup to their Six Nations grand slam eliminator against Wales on Saturday after Chris Ashton was ruled out with a calf strain. Ashton suffered the injury during a training session at Twickenham on Friday and after further assessment over the weekend he was left out of the…
Michael Cheika focused on All Blacks not job security, says Michael Hooper
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has ignored any talk of his job security as the Wallabies prepare for their Bledisloe Cup clash with the All Blacks in Auckland on Saturday, according to captain Michael Hooper. Cheika’s side were beaten 38-13 by the All Blacks in Sydney last week and pundits have said the team’s performance in…
Leicester must play ‘million times better’ after Bristol loss, says Spencer
The Leicester lock Will Spencer pulled no punches after the Tigers found themselves drawn into the midst of the Premiership’s relegation battle, conceding his side need to be “a million times better” following the heavy defeat by Bristol. Kyle Eastmond sees red as hapless Leicester crash to defeat at Bristol Leicester went down 41-10 at…
Wasps scrum-half Dan Robson to stake England claim with overdue first cap
For a sense of just how long overdue Dan Robson’s first England cap is, Dai Young’s explanation for taking him off in the latter stages of Wasps’ defeat by Leinster on Sunday is revealing. “I wouldn’t live with myself if he got a bump in the last 12 minutes.” Granted Wasps’ European campaign was long…
A coach-less Wallabies team at the World Cup? It’s not as mad as it sounds
With Rugby Australia’s board scheduled to meet on Monday to discuss the immediate future of Michael Cheika, one argument being trotted out for the retention of the Wallabies coach is that there is no genuine alternative. Most leading coaches are already locked up for the World Cup in Japan next year and Rugby Australia would…
Wallabies hit record low in world rankings after loss to Argentina
The Wallabies have fallen to their lowest ever world rugby ranking after Saturday’s 23-19 loss to Argentina in the Rugby Championship. Australia dropped two places to No7, their worst position since the current rankings system began 15 years ago. The Wallabies are now just ahead of France, Argentina and Fiji, while at the top Ireland…
How juice drink billionaire bankrolled Germany’s Rugby World Cup charge
Hans-Peter Wild is a billionaire, with a billionaire’s idea of what “a little bit of money” means. That is how much his local rugby club, Heidelberger RK, asked him for in 2003. “They didn’t want very much, maybe €20,000,” he says. Fifteen years later, €20,000 has turned into €20m. Wild, whose family made their money…