Glasgow spent last week in Largs, a seaside town on the Firth of Clyde, preparing for their opening match of the European Champions Cup on Sunday, when they hope to beach Saracens, the continent’s unbeaten form team. “Saracens will ask a lot of questions and we will find out a bit about ourselves,” Dave Rennie…
Greig Laidlaw lambasts referee Romain Poite after Stuart Hogg is injured
Click:Concrete Block Machine Greig Laidlaw will not be happy if Romain Poite takes charge of the World Cup match against Ireland in Yokohama in September after the Scotland captain said the referee “does not seem to like us” minutes after the defeat by Ireland at Murrayfield. Scotland were upset Poite did not award them a…
Ross Moriarty’s recovery ‘massive’ for Wales as they prepare for France
When Warren Gatland named his squad for the Six Nations last week, he chose 39 players because so many were carrying injuries and he wanted to ensure he could hold opposed training sessions. But now only three of them will not be considered when the Wales head coach ponders his 23 to face France in…
Exeter target finest Champions Cup feat with qualification on line at Munster
Exeter are being challenged to pull off one of the great escapes in European rugby history when they face Munster in their Pool Two decider in Limerick. The Chiefs’ director of rugby, Rob Baxter, believes making the last eight ahead of the Irish province would rank as his club’s finest Champions Cup achievement but says…
Abbie Scott warns England that Wales are different beast at home
After such an emphatic start to the Six Nations, chalking up two wins and 92 points, complacency might be the most dangerous opponent for England’s women in Cardiff at lunchtime on Sunday. Not so, according to the Red Roses’ new captain, Abbie Scott. “Wales will be a big challenge,” says the Harlequins lock. “They’re a…
Hamed v Eubank, Nani mocks Rio, and Jossy’s Giants cameos
1) On Saturday, James DeGale and Chris Eubank Jr will finally settle their longstanding beef: who was made to look sillier by George Groves? On which point, Naseem Hamed delivered a brilliantly withering assessment of Eubank’s performance against Groves, so withering that it required a second stanza; perhaps he was avenging this absolute rinsing he…
Leigh Halfpenny ruled out of facing England in Six Nations after setback
The full-back Leigh Halfpenny will not be considered by Wales for their crucial Six Nations match against England in Cardiff next weekend after his planned comeback for the Scarlets at Treviso on Saturday, three months after he suffered concussion, was aborted. Halfpenny returned to full training last week and was released to the Scarlets by…
Chris Ashton: ‘A year ago I’d never have thought I’d be playing France’
It does not take long in Chris Ashton’s company to get the feeling he is still pinching himself. Since returning to the England fold last autumn he has won four caps, made two starts and scored one try but still he speaks of how surreal it is that only 12 months ago the closest he…
Steven Luatua commits to Bristol and draws line under All Blacks career
Steven Luatua has given up any hope of playing again for the All Blacks by signing a two-year contract extension with Bristol in the belief that the Bears will soon challenge for the Premiership title. Matt Symons: ‘I was eligible to play for New Zealand but I am English’ The other end of the table…
Leicester sack head coach Matt O’Connor after first match of the season
The season is barely one game old but Leicester have already seen enough to persuade them to part company with their head coach, Matt O’Connor. The Australian has left Welford Road with immediate effect in the wake of the Tigers’ 40-6 opening weekend mauling at Exeter. Even by the increasingly brutal standards of professional sport…