15 Antony Watson; Worked hard in an attempt to get involved in a dire first half performance from England. Watson was eventually rewarded with a try, hitting a clever line on the 74 minute mark. 6.5 14 Ruaridh McConnochie; Defensively sound. Didn’t get enough ball in space to really test the Italian defence. Solid debut. Read More …
Jacques Burger believes it would be a tactical masterstroke for South Africa to deploy veteran hooker Schalk Brits at No8 during the Rugby World Cup in Japan. Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has hinted that the 38-year-old former Saracens hooker could play in the back row during the Cup to give the first choice players in Read More …
Maro Itoje has warned the rest of the World Cup nations heading for Japan that Manu Tuilagi is an “absolute monster” after overcoming numerous injury problems to help England destroy Ireland in record breaking style 57-12 at Twickenham today. Try scorer Tuilagi put in a man of the match performance in the No13 jersey normally Read More …
Tom Curry’s all consuming desire to become England’s first choice No6 at the Rugby World Cup allowed him to shrug off a high shot from Ireland’s Rob Kearney at Twickenham which provoked widespread social media anger. While the match officials insist the angle they saw of the Kearney arm allowed them to rule it Read More …
Former England wing Christian Wade has reached the next key stage of his transformation from rugby union star to American Football player by putting on the extensive padding players wear to try and avoid the massive hits in the National Football League and the Buffalo Bills rookie admits the extra protection has given him a Read More …
Mako Vunipola will join England’s World Cup training camp having discarded his crutches and will tell head coach Eddie Jones he is confident of appearing in at least two of the warm up internationals before the squad heads to Japan. Vunipola revealed to RugbyPass the severity of the injury he suffered helping Saracens beat Leinster Read More …
A year ago Gary Gold guided the USA to an historic win over Scotland and now the Eagles head coach is planning to use the international success of the country’s sevens team to boost their confidence at this year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan. Mike Friday’s USA Eagles sevens held the No1 ranking until pipped Read More …
Alex King, the Montpellier backs coach, believes an England team based around the Saracens “machine” will nullify World Cup pool arch-rivals France despite the attacking firepower on show in Saturday’s Top 14 final between Toulouse and Clermont Auvergne in Paris. Both teams carry potent attacking options for French coach Jacques Brunel who has yet to Read More …
World Cup winning captain Martin Johnson is backing Dylan Hartley to be included in Eddie Jones’s England squad for this year’s tournament in Japan despite the Northampton hooker having been side-lined since December by a knee injury. Johnson knows what it’s like to triumph at the World Cup and also the problems associated with a Read More …
All Black Nick Evans believes Mike Brown has turned himself into an attacking force Eddie Jones must include in England’s World Cup squad in Japan despite the Harlequins full back having missed out on Six Nations action. Brown is stuck on 72 caps having been dropped for England’s November tests with Elliot Daly at No15 Read More …
