Rugby Union News
Newport will have to make a return trip to Eugene Cross Park this weekend for a decisive Super Rygbi Cymru Cup clash and head coach Ty Morris will be hoping for a better performance than in the 20-5 league defeat to Ebbw Vale. The Black & Ambers currently top Pool B with two games to […]
The post Steelmen return to top of SRC with big Gwent derby win appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.
Wales centre Owen Watkin may be resigned to missing the rest of this season due to injury, but he can look forward to an extended stay at the Ospreys after signing a new contract. The 28-year-old midfield ace was injured in the opening Guinness Six Nations tie against France in Paris, but has now followed […]
The post Watkin signs up for more with the Ospreys appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.
Steve Borthwick will have to forgo a crucial training camp and guide England into this year’s autumn internationals with a week’s less preparation after the Rugby Football Union arranged an extra lucrative November Test against Australia.
England habitually play three autumn internationals in the same year as a British & Irish Lions tour but the RFU arranged a fourth, which could generate up to £10m in revenue, after its latest accounts reported record losses to reserves of £42m.
Continue reading...Dafydd Jenkins believes Wales are learning from the hard times and can take heart from pushing the Irish, one of the best teams in the world, so far and hard at Principality Stadium in Round 3 of the Guinness Six Nations. The former Wales skipper put in a stellar 80 minute performance in the 27-18 […]
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Wales captain Jac Morgan says his team are ready to build on their performance against Ireland over the next fortnight as they prepare to take on the Scots at Murrayfield in two weeks time. Wales led at the interval thanks to a try by Morgan on the stroke of half-time that overturned a 10-point deficit to […]
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Making tries worth more could be worth considering but for now Steve Borthwick’s men remain in Six Nations hunt
Style and beauty count for only so much in top‑level sport, as Welsh and Scottish supporters were eventually reminded on Saturday. There are no marks for artistic merit, no specific rewards (beyond a try bonus point) for throwing the ball around in the name of entertainment. Occasionally, though, there are days when the losers’ enterprise and energy leaves the deepest impression.
None more so, at long last, than Wales. After barely four training sessions under their interim head coach, Matt Sherratt, they looked a team who have not so much had an extreme makeover as assumed a whole fresh identity. Last time out they were gloomily trudging through Italian treacle; suddenly they were running and passing with elan and briefly threatening to cause the mother of all tournament upsets.
Continue reading...If there were questions over France’s ability to finish teams off after coughing up numerous chances against England a fortnight ago, they have been thoroughly put to bed. A ruthless 11-try demolition of a handy Italy side on their own patch served as a reminder that, on their day, there are few better outfits in rugby than a French team in full flow.
Fabien Galthié, the head coach, made some bold selection decisions, dropping his ace wing Damian Penaud and fly-half Matthieu Jalibert from the match-day 23. A seven-one bench split was a sign of the plan and France’s power game duly delivered. They stomped over the gainline with just about every carry, unloaded six heavies off the bench in one go on 48 minutes and pulverised the Italians, who sparkled on rare occasions but were totally outgunned.
Continue reading...The kicking game – whether coaches or players initiated it – saw off Scotland. But there’s a reason the crowd booed
About an hour after the final whistle on Saturday, England’s victorious players still swigging from the Calcutta Cup, Steve Borthwick was deep inside Twickenham discussing how his players finally got their hands back on the trophy. He was justifying their route-one tactics, explaining why England showcased so little with ball in hand; essentially, why they seemed to revert to a tactical approach that wins matches but few admirers.
Borthwick was asked a perfectly reasonable question – was it the coaches’ decision to do so or the players adapting on the hoof in response to Scotland’s gameplan? – and he did not answer it properly. He was bristling, looking for hidden meaning in the question that just wasn’t there. He was asked it again and once more failed to provide an answer. Make no mistake, Borthwick cares a great deal about how his team are perceived. The boos sting, the derogatory implications of “Borthball” bother him.
Continue reading...Tommy Freeman has admitted that England understand supporters’ frustrations amid a chorus of boos during the scrappy win against Scotland, but he believes Steve Borthwick’s team are still alive in the Six Nations title race after back-to-back wins.
Borthwick has revealed that Freeman’s Northampton teammate George Furbank is unlikely to feature in the final two games, against Italy and Wales, having suggested previously that he could, but England go into the second fallow week third in the table with favourable fixtures to come.
Continue reading...After an end-to-end start, France roared away from their hosts with 11 tries to bounce back from England defeat in style
Anthems done. Not long to go now.
Italy are looking to make it three straight home wins for the first time in the Six Nations.
Continue reading...Having turned around their defeat to the Scarlets in the semi-finals of the Regional Academies U18 tournament, Josh Turnbull’s Cardiff side will now turn their attention to getting even with the Ospreys in the final at the Arms Park on Sunday 23 February Revenge was certainly sweet for the young Blacks & Blacks on their […]
The post Cardiff and Ospreys chasing Scarlets U18 Regional Academies title appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.
Matt Sherratt asked his players to enjoy the experience of playing at home in front of a packed Principality Stadium and they did just that despite going down to a 27-18 defeat to Ireland. And the man who has been brought in to guide Wales through the final three Guinness Six Nations matches following the […]
The post Proud Sherratt sets Wales fresh challenge appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.
England regained the Calcutta Cup in a nailbiter
10 mins. Both teams are already trading penalties at the breakdown as their combative backrows spoil possession and win turnovers. The latest is Ritchie setting up a lineout platform in the England half.
7 mins. England hit back into the 22 via lineout. There are lots of phases after the initial drive, but they are one-out runners that are being contained by the Scottish line defence. Scotland are offside and on the advantage Freeman calls for the ball close to the ruck to force over under the attention of a couple of tacklers.
Continue reading...Brython Thunder went down to a 7-94 defeat to Irish powerhouse Clovers in Round 8 of the Celtic Challenge at Parc y Scarlets this morning. The experienced Irish side proved to strong for a young and inexperienced Welsh side and underlined why the two sides across the Irish sea have dominated the League. The Thunder […]
The post Brython Thunder swamped by rampant Clovers appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.
Gwalia Lightning returned to winning ways with an impressive 19-31 victory on the road over Glasgow Warriors in Round 8 of the Celtic Challenge at Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow this afternoon. Welsh internationals Sian Jones and Gwennan Hopkins, centres Molly Anderson-Thomas and Kelsie Webster all crossed for tries to secure the bonus-point. Fly half Carys […]
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