They have gussied up Twickenham, building a new swooping facade on the back of the old East Stand and a pair of wrought iron gates with the words to Jerusalem stencilled into them around the other side of the ground. It looks a little awkward, all these pretty little frills on those brutal old pressed…
Category: Rugby
Rugby union: talking points from the second round of autumn Tests
1) England on the way back up In 2012 England also went 15-0 up on New Zealand at Twickenham and went on to win 38-21. This time they could not score a point after the 25th minute, instead allowing the All Blacks to snatch a 16-15 victory in a classic encounter of its type. Which…
RFU in turmoil after chief executive Steve Brown’s shock resignation
Increasing disquiet about the Rugby Football Union’s financial position has triggered the abrupt departure of Steve Brown as chief executive. Brown will leave the world’s wealthiest union next month after less than 15 months in the role amid claims by one of his predecessors, Francis Baron, of financial mismanagement at Twickenham. The former England captain…
Michael Cheika seizes back control of Wallabies as Stephen Larkham exits
Click:EPCOS B43564-S9488-M1 Capacitor There were no bland euphemisms to describe Stephen Larkham’s departure from the Wallabies coaching staff just eight months out from the World Cup in Japan. In a statement released by Rugby Australia on Monday, Larkham was straight to the point about his broken working relationship with head coach Michael Cheika: “We have…
England’s Eddie Jones seeking display of ‘real steel’ against Wales
Not for almost two decades have England headed for Cardiff sounding as quietly confident as they have done this week. It guarantees them nothing, of course, but it is years since a visiting Six Nations coach came across as more expectant than Eddie Jones on the eve of a fixture that has haunted England so…
Conor Murray seals bonus-point victory as Ireland survive Italy scare
This victory was far from routine but as disappointing as Ireland were, they nevertheless left Rome with the five points they had targeted. And thanks to Wales’s victory against England, Joe Schmidt’s grand slam winners of a year ago still have a chance of retaining the Six Nations title. England run in nine tries in…
Leicester Tigers finally bare their teeth as Manu Tuilagi savages sorry Scarlets
Leicester and England have both been waiting a long time for a rejuvenated Manu Tuilagi and finally the big man is back. With his national coach, Eddie Jones, in attendance, the fit-again centre chose the perfect night to produce his most compelling display of the season and help the Tigers secure the bonus-point victory they…
France turn screw with late fourth try as Scotland’s losing Paris run continues
France have remembered at last. Beautiful rugby is all very well but without the route to victory they have found it empty of late. On a sunny afternoon in Paris they played beautifully and with the bloody-mindedness to make sure that, this time, there would be no forgetting to win. Scotland arrived with a team…
Sam Underhill to miss England’s Six Nations campaign after ankle surgery
Sam Underhill will miss England’s Six Nations campaign after undergoing an ankle operation. Meet the Clealls: the Saracens twins forging a winning partnership The flanker will be out of action for up to three months as he recovers from surgery required after damaging ligaments during Bath’s victory against Leicester on 30 December. It was thought…
Eddie Jones’ England to prepare for World Cup in heat of Italy
England will break new ground in their bid to win the Rugby World Cup by heading to Italy next year for two training camps in intense summer heat. Eddie Jones’s squad are in Portugal for a prolonged warm-weather workout before the autumn Tests next month and those who do not like it hot can expect…