Jelena Ostapenko and Laura Robson are both Junior Wimbledon champions, but that is where the similarity ends at the moment. Three years after her junior triumph at the Championships, the unseeded Ostapenko won the French Open women’s title on Saturday in Paris, making the kind of dramatic transition into the senior ranks that Robson seemed Read More …
Warren Gatland bemoans the recurring questions about “Warrenball” while Sonny Bill Williams steps in to deflect attention from Tana Umaga over that infamous Brian O’Driscoll incident in 2005 In this age of carefully choreographed press conferences and limited access to players governed by ever increasing media management teams assigned to major rugby outfits, isn’t it Read More …
ALL BLACKS great Sean Fitzpatrick believes the most daunting fixture schedule to ever face the Lions will ensure they are battle-hardened for the three-Test series against the reigning world champions in New Zealand. The Lions start the 10-match tour with the easiest game — against the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians on Saturday — and, as Read More …
Joe Launchbury is the best player not in the British and Irish Lions tour squad and frustration could dominate his every waking hour, but the chance to lead Wasps to the Aviva Premiership title against Exeter at Twickenham on Saturday is demanding all of his attention. Launchbury picked up yet another Man of the Match Read More …
Lawrence Dallaglio believes Owen Farrell and Billy Vunipola are the two most improved players in World rugby and their key roles in Saracens European Champions Cup 28-17 win over Clermont Auvergne has given the British and Irish Lions a template of how to tackle the All Blacks this summer. Farrell, named the European Player Read More …
Saracens are Europe’s rugby powerhouse and can confirm this status by retaining the European Champions Cup at Murrayfield tomorrow against a Clermont Auvergne team that consistently fails to win the big finals. Like Clermont, Sarries know all about the pain of falling at the final hurdle, but while the French Top14 outfit continue to be Read More …
England’s hope of winning the 2019 World Cup suffered a major blow today when for the second successive tournament they were drawn in the Pool of Death – this time with France and Argentina. Two years ago England failed to reach the knock out stages having been drawn with Australia and Wales with just two Read More …
Suggest to Saracens captain Schalk Brits it is a major gamble to rest key players when you are trying to defeat Premiership leaders Wasps on their own pitch and ensure a home play-off semi-final and be prepared for an abrupt answer.” We don’t care what other people say about our selection.” The problem for Saracens Read More …
exclusive Saracens, the reigning European Champions Cup and Premiership champions, have been given permission to spend more than £20m on a new West Stand to turn Allianz Park into a world class stadium . However, despite replacing the current ageing stand in 2018 with a new complex including changing rooms and medical facilities, the overall Read More …
Neil Jenkins believes the British and Irish Lions boast a quartet of world class kickers who can deliver a test series winning edge against the All Blacks in New Zealand. Jenkins, the Lions kicking coach, stands third in the all-time points scoring list on 1090 in tests behind Dan Carter and Jonny Wilkinson and the Read More …
