Category: Rugby

Rugby News

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Dupont’s return heralds fizzing new era for what could be a spectacular Six Nations | Robert Kitson

The tournament looks ferociously competitive and, with attacking verve back in fashion, it promises to be a vintage year

Every now and again it is useful to be reminded of rugby union’s place in the grand scheme of things. “So, what’s next for you?” a non‑sporty friend asked the other day. He must have spotted my raised eyebrow. “Oh, yes, um, it’s the Six Nations, isn’t it?” Even on Planet Zog, inhabited by people who think a cauliflower ear is a tasty veggie option, they have heard of the annual rugby equivalent of Glastonbury.

And, traditionally, that has been the sport’s saving grace. Millions with limited interest in club rugby gather to cheer on the lands of their fathers, grandmothers and wolfhounds. The technical intricacies matter less than pouring a Guinness 0.0 – seemingly the pint du jour – and announcing to no one in particular that England are coming in nicely under the radar.

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BBC’s ‘Repair Shop’ rescues iconic Welsh rugby shirt

Before the likes of David Watkins, Barry John, Phil Bennett, Jonathan Davies, Neil Jenkins, Stephen Jones and Dan Biggar made the No 10 jersey so iconic with their world class performances, Welsh outside halves used to wear No 6. And the last man to wear the No 6 on his back was Bryan Richards in […]

The post BBC’s ‘Repair Shop’ rescues iconic Welsh rugby shirt appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.

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Sydney to host 2027 Rugby World Cup final as Melbourne settles for last-16 games

  • Semi-finals and third-place playoff also to be played in Sydney
  • Melbourne to host nine matches in total; opener to be played in Perth

The eyes of the rugby world will again fall on Sydney after it was chosen to host the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup final, 24 years after the Wallabies’ heartbreaking defeat to England at the city’s Olympic Stadium.

Accor Stadium at Homebush, with a capacity of 82,000, will again host the decider as well as the semi-finals, the third-place playoff and two quarter-finals at the 11th edition of the global showpiece, which will take place in Australia for the first time since 2003.

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Beddall’s boys ready to make more history in French test

When Harry Beddall leads Wales U20 onto the pitch in Vannes in Saturday night’s opening game in the U20 Six Nations he will be hoping for a big change in Welsh fortunes. Only once in the U20 Six Nations has a Welsh team won on French soil, a 27-13 triumph in Clermont Auvergne, and they […]

The post Beddall’s boys ready to make more history in French test appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.

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Wales excited for French challenge

Warren Gatland believes all the expectation will be on the French side when Wales open their Guinness Six Nations campaign in Paris on Friday night. After some strong performances by French teams in the Investec Champions Cup this season, and with Antoine Dupont back to skipper the side having missed the 2024 championship, the home […]

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Henry Slade confident England have fixed defence after sloppy autumn

  • Centre says there will be less emphasis on blitz
  • ‘We know what we’re doing. That’s a step forward’

Henry Slade believes England have taken significant strides to fix their defensive frailties on the basis that “we know what we’re doing”, with the players adopting a more hands-on approach following a disappointing autumn.

Slade is the first senior player to admit England had difficulties getting up to speed during a “rushed” transition to the defensive system employed by Joe El-Abd, who was parachuted into the setup for the November international series after the shock resignation of Felix Jones.

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Six Nations team news: Penaud blow for France as Ntamack and Dupont return

  • Bordeaux wing to miss Friday’s opener against Wales
  • Former England prop Henry Thomas makes first start

France’s Romain Ntamack is set to line up at fly-half for the first time in almost 18 months but the Six Nations favourites will be without the wing Damian Penaud for Friday night’s opener against Wales, adding to a list of key players unavailable for the curtain-raiser at the Stade de France.

Ntamack missed the 2023 World Cup with a knee injury and his planned comeback last November was curtailed by a calf injury, but he will reprise his highly regarded combination with the returning captain, Antoine Dupont. Penaud had been expected to return to the team but suffered a toe injury in training and Théo Attissogbé will line up on the wing instead.

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Wales team for Guinness Six Nations opener against France

Senior men’s head coach Warren Gatland has named the Wales team to play France in the opening match of the 2025 Guinness Six Nations at Stade de France, Paris on Friday 31 January (KO 20.15h GMT, live on ITV and S4C). Josh Adams, Liam Williams and Dafydd Jenkins return to the Wales starting XV at […]

The post Wales team for Guinness Six Nations opener against France appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.

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Walters first Welshman named in Lions squad

Aled Walters still recalls watching the British & Irish Lions win the 1989 series against Australia as an eight-year-old and celebrating Ieuan Evans try in the third Test. Now he will be joining Evans, who is the current chairman of the Lions Committee and tour manager this summer, on the 2025 tour Down Under after […]

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Close bond between Smith and Murley can benefit England’s Six Nations tilt | Gerard Meagher

Harlequins duo are firm friends and can boost the cohesion of Steve Borthwick’s side against Ireland on Saturday

The buildup to a fixture between England and Ireland has not truly begun until someone mentions the C-word, so step forward Steve Borthwick to name his side for England’s daunting Six Nations opener in Dublin two days early and officially set the hare running.

It is getting a little tired now but the narrative goes that Ireland can boast a level of “cohesion” that is the envy of the world while England are a mishmash, thrown together from nine different clubs and trying desperately to get on the same page.

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The Breakdown | Simon Easterby: welcome to the precarious world of the backroom boss

The Ireland interim coach’s deputy tag may soon be cast off if he leads his country to a historic repeat triumph

History shows it can be done. In 2013, with Warren Gatland having stepped away to prepare for that summer’s British & Irish Lions tour, Rob Howley took over as interim Wales head coach and they ended up as tournament winners. Beating England by a record 30-3 margin in Cardiff will forever rank among the great Welsh rugby days.

This time the “deputy dawg” with the interim sheriff’s badge on his tracksuit is Ireland’s Simon Easterby. Andy Farrell will not be too far away but his Lions responsibilities have left his assistant in temporary charge. Win a third successive title, in the process becoming the first nation to do so since the tournament expanded 25 years ago, and the coaching tweak will be a minor footnote. Should Ireland endure a significant dip, though, perceptions can swiftly change.

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Fit-again Alex Mitchell set to rekindle England partnership with Marcus Smith

  • Scrum-half took full part in Monday’s training session
  • Willis will get second cap and Smith keeps fly-half role

England have been handed a major boost for their Six Nations opener against Ireland on Saturday with Alex Mitchell passed fit to start at scrum‑half. Mitchell gave Steve Borthwick a scare after sustaining a knee injury this month but he has been deemed ready to rekindle his half-back partnership with Marcus Smith in Dublin.

Mitchell sat out England’s entire autumn campaign with a neck injury and was missed as Borthwick’s side fell to three defeats out of four. He has emerged as the head coach’s first‑choice scrum-half, however, and – having taken a full part in the session on Monday after being unable to train last week – he is poised to retake the No 9 jersey against the defending champions.

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