They may have been more lucky than good but the Wallabies lifted the gloom permeating Australian rugby by edging the error-prone Springboks 23-18 in Brisbane. The visitors dominated the first half, only for a freakish Matt Toomua try to keep them within touching distance at the interval, before desperate defence saw them hold out in…
Sam Simmonds’ worst fears confirmed in injury blow for England and Exeter
Sam Simmonds faces an uphill battle to feature at the Rugby World Cup next year after being ruled out for between six and nine months with a major knee ligament injury. Northampton’s Twickenham tribute to Rob Horne after horror injury The Exeter back-row ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament against Worcester last weekend and will be…
England’s Eddie Jones to boycott ‘waste of time’ referees’ meetings
Eddie Jones is so disillusioned about inconsistent decisions in Tests he plans to boycott all official meetings relating to the game’s laws. England’s coach believes a failure to stick to agreed protocols is undermining rugby and that attending talks on such issues is now “a waste of time.” With his side only halfway through…
Eddie Jones’ tactical rethink plants Owen Farrell at heart of power game
Graham Henry used to complain when he was in charge of Wales that rugby there was like a shower without a temperature control: it was either too hot or too cold. Eddie Jones is having the same problem in England. A few months after calls for his head following a fifth successive loss that led…
Maro Itoje commits future to Saracens with new deal until 2022
Saracens have confirmed Maro Itoje has signed a new deal until 2022. The England forward’s current contract at the Premiership champions was due to expire next summer but an announcement on Wednesday confirmed he has committed his future to the club. “I’m really pleased to be staying on at Saracens,” he said. “I’ve been at…
Warren Gatland among candidates to succeed Eddie Jones with England
The Rugby Football Union interim chief executive, Nigel Melville, is planning to speak to Warren Gatland as part of his search for Eddie Jones’s successor as England head coach. Gatland will leave his role as Wales head coach after nearly 12 years in the job after next year’s World Cup and is yet to announce…
Chris Robshaw injury has England’s back row looking paper thin
Eddie Jones’s mounting problems showed little sign of easing before England’s autumn squad announcement on Thursday. The latest casualty is Chris Robshaw, who has been ruled out for eight weeks following knee surgery and will miss next month’s series in company with Billy Vunipola, Joe Launchbury, Sam Simmonds and a host of other regulars. Billy…
Bledisloe Cup is ‘pinnacle’ of rugby, says Australia’s Will Genia
Australia scrumhalf Will Genia would never turn down a World Cup win if one came along but the Wallabies playmaker believes wresting the Bledisloe Cup away from New Zealand would be an even greater prize. Michael Hooper aims to combat Wallabies player drain with long-term deals The Wallabies, twice World Cup winners, have not held…
David Strettle’s late tries a bonus for Saracens at Northampton
Much was made in the buildup about the size of Northampton’s Australia wing Taqele Naiyaravoro but even approaching 20st he was no heavier than the four defeats the Saints endured against Saracens last season in the league and European Champions Cup. They leaked 237 points and 33 tries then and while the champions recorded another…
Irish clubs have strength in depth but Saracens can reach European final
Reaching the last eight of Europe may yet prove the easy bit for those involved in this season’s quarter-finals. With the United Kingdom currently due to leave the European Union on that same March weekend, there is potential for travel disruption although tournament organisers say that, in the event of a no-deal Brexit, they have…