Saracens are confident Maro Itoje will sign a new deal and disappoint other clubs keen to make him one of the best-paid players in the country. With Itoje’s current contract at the Premiership champions due to expire next summer, the Guardian understands Harlequins could be among the suitors should the England forward opt for a…
Category: Rugby
Newcastle’s Simon Hammersley: ‘A decent team is going to go down’
It has never been tighter at the bottom of the Premiership. Newcastle go into Sunday’s home fixture against Gloucester at the foot of the table despite winning their last two matches and are one of four former champions in the wrong half of the table. The Falcons made the play-offs last season after finishing fourth,…
Bath hang on for first home win as Saints’ Dan Biggar misses final kick
Two weeks after Bath’s opening home match of the season had ended in a draw when they conceded a late try and conversion, they again faced the prospect of throwing away victory at the climax when failure to clear their line allowed Tom Collins to plunder a try that presented Dan Biggar with the opportunity…
Danny Cipriani avoids ban as RFU decides to take no further action
Danny Cipriani is free to make his first Gloucester appearance on Thursday after avoiding any further punishment from the Rugby Football Union on Wednesday night, escaping with what amounts to a slap on the wrist. The RFU charge of “conduct prejudicial to the interest of the game” was upheld after around five hours of deliberation…
Dan Cole and Ben Moon back at England coalface for heavy duty France game
England have kept France guessing by naming Joe Cokanasiga, Brad Shields, Dan Cole and Ben Moon in a 25-man squad for Sunday’s Six Nations game at Twickenham. The quartet replace Mike Brown, Harry Williams, Ellis Genge and the injured Maro Itoje, with the fit-again centre Ben Te’o also surplus to requirements. The recalled Cole and…
Dylan Hartley’s knee injury troubles continue as Six Nations looms
Dylan Hartley has been ruled out for Northampton with a knee injury for the second consecutive week, less than a month before England begin their Six Nations campaign. Paul Gustard: all I wish for England is for them to win the World Cup The England co-captain has been omitted from the 23-man squad to face…
Manu Tuilagi threatens England power surge against South Africa
England’s players and coaches have warned the Springboks to beware a fully fit and firing Manu Tuilagi in the opening Test of the autumn series at Twickenham on Saturday. The Leicester centre has not started a Test for England since June 2014 but his teammates believe he is finally ready to make up for lost…
Stuart Hooper to replace Todd Blackadder at Bath in 2020
The former Bath captain Stuart Hooper has been earmarked to replace Todd Blackadder as their director of rugby but not until 2020 at the earliest after the club confirmed the New Zealander’s contract extension. Bath moved to end speculation over Blackadder’s future by announcing in an open letter to supporters that he will remain as…
Premiership rugby clubs set to reject CVC offer in quest for better deal
A £275m offer tabled by the private equity firm CVC Capital Partners to buy 50% of Premiership Rugby is set to be rejected at Tuesday’s scheduled meeting of the leading club owners. A unanimous vote is required for the bid to succeed but it is understood a significant minority of owners are firmly against the…
Danny Cipriani faces ban after RFU ignores calls to drop charges against him
The escalating club versus country row over Danny Cipriani took a new twist on Tuesday when the Rugby Football Union ignored calls by the players’ union to drop its case against the England fly-half, revealing he will learn his fate on Wednesday. Cipriani is in the dock for the third time in a week after…