Munster’s long European love affair started 18 years ago at the Stade Chaban-Delmas and it is to Bordeaux they return on Sunday for another semi-final against a French club. When they faced Toulouse in 2000 it was their first semi-final in the European Cup but they are now playing in a record 13th. Standing in…
Owen Farrell ready for England’s ‘brilliant tour’ to South Africa
Owen Farrell is relishing the prospect of England’s summer trip to South Africa. The tour captain took time out of Saracens’ preparations for Saturday’s Premiership play-off against Wasps to speak for the first time since his appointment. “South Africa is a brilliant tour, a brilliant challenge,” he said of the land that hosted his first…
Gloucester power past Newcastle to make European Challenge Cup final
Johan Ackermann declared a sense of satisfaction after Gloucester reached their third European Challenge Cup final in four seasons. The Gloucester head coach’s first campaign in charge also takes his team close to securing Champions Cup qualification for next season. They will now face Cardiff Blues or Pau in the Challenge Cup final at Bilbao’s…
Rugby union: New Zealand’s national women’s side receive historic paid contracts
Twenty-three years after men’s rugby union was made professional, New Zealand’s national women’s team – the Black Ferns – will be offered paid contracts for the first time, valued at up to NZ$45,000 inclusive of allowances and other payments. England had previously funded a professional women’s XV ahead of last year’s Rugby World Cup, however…
USA beat Scotland in Houston for first win over major rugby nation
The USA rallied from 21-6 down in the first half and 24-13 at half-time to grab their first win over any tier-one international team, by a single point in a thriller. HR McMaster on rugby: ‘The warrior ethos is what a good team has’ The Eagles, now coached by former Worcester coach Gary Gold, took…
England’s misery in Paris underlines home truths facing Eddie Jones
This time 12 months ago England were sitting where Ireland are now. They had just stuck 61 points on Scotland to retain their Six Nations title with a week to spare and were looking forward to a grand slam tilt on the final Saturday. They had won their previous 18 Tests and their captain was…
Wallabies prove ‘tactically inept’ against smarter Ireland
The third and deciding Test between the Wallabies and Ireland in Sydney was billed as a grand final, the sense of occasion heightened by a record crowd for the last rugby international to be played at Allianz Stadium before it is torn down. But the occasion proved too much for the Wallabies, losing 20-16 to…
Eddie Jones puts heat on England in search for World Cup game changers
The heat is on Eddie Jones, after three successive defeats in the Six Nations ended his long honeymoon, and it will be turned on his England squad when they prepare for next month’s three-Test tour of South Africa with a machine humidifying the indoor training facility at their base in Bagshot. The head coach has…
Jonny May’s early tries take England over the line against battling Wales
England’s latest victory lacked the spikiness of the verbal exchanges in the buildup but the action was more telling than the words. The champions again showed the awareness and durability they have developed under Eddie Jones, defending a lead for once rather than coming from behind, but they are also profiting from an element they…
Calcutta Cup crucible can reveal real England and test Scotland resurgence
Several lively debates are raging around English rugby. Some reckon the national team are starting to plateau and, despite a striking win-loss ratio under Eddie Jones, could be vulnerable to a chilly blast of reality at Murrayfield on Saturday. Others argue that is nonsense and insist world domination is imminent. By Saturday evening the truth…