Brad Barritt backs Farrell to handle England captaincy pressure

Brad Barritt  believes the support of key members of the double winning Saracens leadership team will ensure Owen Farrell handles the pressure of the England captaincy as he attempts to guide the team to glory at the World Cup in Japan. Farrell’s form has been patchy in the warm-up tests for the tournament with one Read More …

Tom Jones gives his verdict on England’s players as they defeat Italy 37-0.

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 …

Mako delivers some good news for England’s Rugby World Cup preparations

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 …

King predicts Saracens machine will nullify French World Cup threats

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 …

Martin Johnson verdict on Dylan Hartley’s place in England World Cup squad

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 …

Mike Brown should be part of England’s World Cup armoury says All Black Evans

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 …

Award winner Goode hits back at Saracens critics

Alex Goode, the European Player of the Year, believes the constant criticism and claims of salary cap breaches has helped turn Saracens into triple Heineken Cup champions. Saracens defeated Leinster 20-10 in Newcastle, a win that confirmed their status as the best club team in Europe and Goode’s personal award only increased questions about why Read More …

Do not compare Cokanasiga to Jonah Lomu says former team mate Brooke

Zinzan Brooke believes Joe Cokanasiga has the talent to become a force for England at the World Cup but does not deserve to be compared to Jonah Lomu, his former All Blacks team mate. Brooke was at Twickenham to see Cokanasiga help England defeat Italy and although the Bath wing failed to get on the Read More …

Maro Itoje sent back to Saracens as injury rules him out of Scotland match

England head coach Eddie Jones has finally accepted that Maro Itoje needs to be allowed to fully recover from the knee injury that has ruled him out of all but one of England’s Six Nations matches with the Saracens lock sent back to his club in the build up to Saturday’s clash with Scotland at Read More …