Category: Rugby

Rugby News

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Manchester United, Ryder Cup and Lions tour: 12 sport storylines for 2025

Everton’s new stadium, Women’s Rugby World Cup and potentially close Ashes series – new year has much to offer

Next season one narrative will surely dominate F1 when Lewis Hamilton dons his new scarlet race suit and climbs into a Ferrari for the first competitive session at the opening race in Australia. His move from Mercedes after 12 seasons and six titles was a huge shock and this new start could not be more gripping. How will he fare in a new team at the age of 40, a new culture at Maranello, a team that has a history of making and breaking drivers? Better still the prospect of him ending Ferrari’s drivers’ title drought that now stretches back to 2007 and in so doing claiming a record-breaking eighth world championship across three different teams. Or will it be a testing and turbulent opening year, far from his comfort zone? One way or another Hamilton and Ferrari will be impossible to ignore and it’s mouth-watering stuff. Giles Richards

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Arise Sir Gerald! Davies knighted in New Year’s Honours as Phillips gets MBE

The former Welsh Rugby Union president Gerald Davies has been knighted in the New Year’s Honours list for services to rugby union and voluntary and charitable service in Wales. He becomes only the third Welsh rugby international to be honoured in this way following in the footsteps of Sir David William Evans in 1925 and […]

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Arise Sir Gerald! Davies knighted in New Year’s Honours as Phillips gets MBE

The former Welsh Rugby Union president Gerald Davies has been knighted in the New Year’s Honours list for services to rugby union and voluntary and charitable service in Wales. He becomes only the third Welsh rugby international to be honoured in this way following in the footsteps of Sir David William Evans in 1925 and […]

The post Arise Sir Gerald! Davies knighted in New Year’s Honours as Phillips gets MBE appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.

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Ravens get back to winning ways in north Wales

Bridgend head coach Scott Baldwin praised “class act” Luke Price after he orchestrated a stunning six-point, 38-19 win for the Ravens at RGC. Former Ospreys man Price, who was an early replacement for Ben Burnell, who was forced off with a hamstring injury, pulled the strings at outside half for the visitors – while adding […]

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Steelmen take their revenge to say top of SRC

Ebbw Vale avenged their Gwent derby defeat at Pontypool with a thoroughly convincing 34-3 win in the return clash at Eugene Cross Park. Tries from No 8 Ryan Jenkins, skipper Joe Franchi, right wing Harry Rees-Weldon and replacement Ieuan Morris, along with a penalty try, helped secure the maximum six points for Ebbw. Outside half […]

The post Steelmen take their revenge to say top of SRC appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.

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Wales captain Dewi Lake a major doubt for Six Nations after biceps surgery

  • Hooker expected to be unavailable for up to 12 weeks
  • Coach Warren Gatland left with a selection dilemma

Dewi Lake is in danger of missing the Six Nations after having biceps surgery.

The Wales captain suffered the injury in training with Ospreys before Christmas and on Monday the region’s head coach, Mark Jones, was able to give a more accurate prognosis. He revealed the 25‑year‑old hooker could be out for as long as 12 weeks, which would rule him out of the entire Six Nations.

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Lightning strike to storm to top of Celtic Challenge table

Gwalia Lightning did the double over Brython Thunder in the second Welsh derby over the festive period in a tense and tight affair at Parc y Scarlets on Saturday afternoon with a 10-0 victory. Wales prop Maisie Davies and fly half Carys Hughes scored all visitors points against their Welsh rivals in Llanelli. Davies scored […]

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Northampton round off memorable 2024 with nine-try rout of Newcastle

  • Northampton 61-0 Newcastle
  • Davison and Pearson excel for champions

Trevor Davison scored two tries against his former club as Northampton returned to form with the thumping victory, running in nine tries in what was their final match of a memorable 2024.

The Saints had lost their last three league games, leaving them eighth and desperately needing to start picking up wins in order to make up ground on the teams above them. This was just the response the champions required as they look to retain the title they won back in June.

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SRC leaders Ebbw Vale aim for revenge over Pontypool

Ebbw Vale are hopeful of restoring Evan Lloyd to their side for the return game against Pontypool in Super Rygbi Cymru after he was forced to pull out in the warm-up at Pontypool Park last weekend. Without their ace goalkicker and chief tactician The Steelmen fell to a 23-16 defeat as they lost ground at […]

The post SRC leaders Ebbw Vale aim for revenge over Pontypool appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.

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Raffi Quirke leads rampant Sale to demolish Bristol in statement win

  • Bristol 0-38 Sale
  • Sharks score four tries to move into playoff places

Sale stopped free-scoring Bristol in their tracks as they moved into the Premiership playoff places with a stunning 38-0 victory at Ashton Gate. Bristol had high hopes of going top above their West Country rivals Bath, but Sale did not allow them any time or space on the ball and Bears’ trademark running game hit the buffers.

The scrum-half Raffi Quirke set the tone when he breached Bristol’s defence inside three minutes, and the Sharks never looked back. Tom Roebuck added a second try before half-time, then the captain Ben Curry’s interception score sealed the deal midway through the third quarter, before Roebuck’s fellow wing Tom O’Flaherty secured a bonus point 14 minutes from time.

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Handré Pollard relishing chance of another Twickenham masterclass

Leicester fly-half returns to scene of South Africa’s autumn triumph, where his opposite number is also a familiar face

There will be those at a sold-out Twickenham on Saturday who will be sick of the sight of Handré Pollard. The 30-year-old fly-half returns to the stadium with Leicester six weeks after his accuracy from the tee kept the Springboks out of reach against England, his goalkicking once more a dagger to the heart of Steve Borthwick. That his opposite number will be Harlequins’ Marcus Smith only heightens the sense that England’s bete noire is back.

As was the case in the 2023 World Cup semi-final, Pollard began November’s victory over England on the bench, only to come on and turn the screw from the tee. He is the elder statesman of South Africa’s pool of No 10s but is at home playing the role of safe hand on the tiller, just when Rassie Erasmus needs it. For the Springboks it has been a year of experimentation, all the while maintaining their place at the top of the world rankings, but Pollard’s reliability, whenever Erasmus calls upon him, has been consistent. Cast your eye around the global game and there are no better candidates to shoot for goal if your life depended on it than South Africa’s double World Cup winner.

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Geoff Wheel to be remembered at Swansea’s SRC game

Swansea RFC will stage a minute’s silence ahead of their Super Rygbi Cymru game against Aberavon at St Helen’s on Saturday 28 December to honour the memory of one of their greatest players, Geoff Wheel. The 32-times capped Wales second row passed away on Boxing Day at the age of 73. He had been suffering […]

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