Joe Marler is available for Harlequins’ match with Gloucester on Saturday despite withdrawing from England’s training camp in Bristol for “personal reasons”. The veteran British & Irish Lions prop was due to join Eddie Jones’s 36-man squad on Sunday but pulled out that afternoon and has instead trained with his club. Although declining to expand…
Category: Rugby
Rugby World Cup could expand to 24 teams in 2023, say organisers
Expanding the Rugby World Cup from 20 to 24 teams is being given serious consideration by the game’s governing body. World Rugby says four more teams could feature in France in 2023, although the 2027 tournament would appear more likely. As things stand Canada, Kenya, Hong Kong and Germany will be involved in a play-off…
RFU’s full-time contracts for England women’s team ‘hugely significant’
The England women’s captain, Sarah Hunter, believes the decision of Twickenham to offer 28 full-time contracts from the beginning of next year is “hugely significant” and will encourage more to take up the sport. Rachael Burford expecting bigger things for Harlequins and Premier 15s Apart from a nine-month period before the 2017 World Cup, England…
New rugby union season makes Lions an ‘impossible challenge’, warns Spencer
John Spencer, manager of the British & Irish Lions in New Zealand last year, said he was “very concerned” about the future of one of the game’s most iconic brands after changes to the domestic rugby calendar, as future tours will be trimmed to eight games with no training week for the full squad before…
Premiership elite players to be limited to 30 games a season
The controversial 32-game limit for a Premiership player in a season is to change, the Observer understands. From 2019-20 elite players will be limited to 30 lots of 80 minutes or 35 involvements in a matchday squad, whichever comes sooner. Previously the limit applied only to members of England’s elite player squad but now it…
Rugby World Cup stadium opens as a symbol of ‘hope’ in tsunami-hit Kamaishi
On the afternoon of 11 March 2011, Akiko Iwasaki was preparing for another busy evening at her traditional inn when a magnitude-9 earthquake triggered a deadly tsunami along Japan’s northeast coast. Bledisloe Cup capitulation proves Australian rugby is in crisis Within 30 minutes, the waters of the Pacific Ocean that drew visitors to her ryokan…
Chris Ashton’s chance of England recall hit by ban-related lack of matches
Chris Ashton’s chances of a swift England recall have suffered another blow after Sale Sharks confirmed their winger will be ineligible to play any rugby before the national head coach, Eddie Jones, names his autumn squad. Ashton had hoped to play in his new club’s European Challenge Cup game in Perpignan on 12 October but…
Greig Laidlaw: ‘Italy always believe they can beat Scotland’
Gregor Townsend remembers only too well the last time Scotland began their Six Nations campaign against Italy. It was 19 years ago, Scotland were the title holders after Townsend had inspired them to the last ever Five Nations crown in 1999 – scoring a try in every match – and it was Italy’s first foray…
Scotland call up England youth player Sam Skinner for autumn internationals
Gregor Townsend has included the uncapped trio of Sam Skinner, Sam Johnson and Blade Thomson in his Scotland squad for the autumn Tests and the coach has told the players their audition for the 2019 World Cup starts next month. “I believe everyone in this squad can play in the World Cup,” he said. “There…
Sale delight in ensuring Billy Vunipola’s Saracens comeback ends in defeat
Perhaps something is beginning to stir at Sale after all. On a night when the Saracens forward Billy Vunipola marked his comeback from injury with a well-taken opening try and played the full 80 minutes it was the hosts who were celebrating a famous, third successive Premiership victory. On New Year’s Day Sale’s embattled director…