Rugby Union News
Tyler Olding’s try three minutes from time settled a cracking Super Rygbi Cymru clash at the Talbot Athletic Ground where Newport edged Aberavon 36-32. Centre Oli Andrew scored twice for Newport in the first half, while Dragons’ wing Ashton Hewitt – on the comeback trail after injury – marked his first Newport appearance since September […]
The post Hewitt returns with a try as Newport triumph at Aberavon appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.
Emotional success against France captures imagination and showcases the charm and unpredictability of the Six Nations
After it was all over on Saturday night, England’s players peeled away to seek out their loved ones in the stands. Fin Smith’s parents, Andrew and Judith, were awaiting their match-winning boy and the shared family embrace, when it came, was among the more heartwarming things you’ll see in sport all year. All those unsung hours on school and club touchlines, all those youthful ups and downs, distilled into a tight group hug of the purest emotional joy.
In a strange way it also captured the tangled charm of the Six Nations. Andrew Smith is a proud Scot who met his wife – whose father Tom represented Scotland and the British & Irish Lions – at a post-match curry night in the clubhouse at London Scottish. What a Proclaimers-style 500-mile walk it has been from there to celebrating one of England’s more stunning modern wins with their red-rose-wearing son. Heaven knows how they will feel when Scotland head south next week for a Calcutta Cup clash now laden with even more resonance.
Continue reading...Gwalia Lightning went down to league leaders and reigning champions, Wolfhounds 21-15, in Round 7 of the Celtic Challenge at Virgin Media Park, Cork this afternoon. Wales full back Jenny Hesketh and Maisie Davies crossed for the Welsh side’s tries in an intense, physical and abrasive contest in a freezing Cork. Both teams were ferocious […]
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England are hopeful George Furbank and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso will be back for the business end of the Six Nations campaign to bolster their title push after keeping their hopes alive with victory against France.
The Northampton full-back Furbank has been out of action since December with a broken arm while Feyi-Waboso is nursing a shoulder injury and both were considered in danger of missing out on the entire championship. But after the last‑gasp win on Saturday kick‑started England’s campaign Steve Borthwick revealed both players could yet return for his side’s run-in.
Continue reading...Last-gasp Six Nations victory over France could signal a new dawn but may simply be the law of averages at play
Not quite the complete works of Shakespeare, but eventually the monkeys and their typewriters were going to script a last-gasp England victory. Leaving a frazzled Twickenham on Saturday night you could not help but wonder how much significance the history books will end up affording this thrilling contest.
Has a corner been turned, has “the dam broken” as Ben Earl had promised it would, or was this, as captivating as it was, simply evidence that a stopped clock tells the right time twice a day? That while there are no certainties in professional sport, if England kept putting themselves in contention in the final throes of matches, that if they came up against a side with what at times looked like a nihilistic contempt for the try-line, eventually, after all those near misses, they would end up on the right side of the scoreboard. Is this a new dawn or simply the law of averages at play?
Continue reading...Ireland’s forwards and Sam Prendergast make it 11 wins in a row for Ireland over Scotland.
Cycling legend Chris Hoy hands referee James Doleman the match ball.
He’s almost welling up. Nice touch.
Continue reading...Richard Whiffin admits that if he had any hair to pull out he would have been taking handfuls as he watched the final few moments of his Wales U20 side’s dramatic 20-18 win over Italy in Treviso. Having seen Harri Ford kick Wales into a two point lead with a penalty in the 69th minute […]
The post Whiffin frustrated despite claiming last-gasp win against Italy appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.
Dafydd Jenkins and Liam Williams have been withdrawn from the starting Wales XV for this afternoon’s Guinness Six Nations clash against Italy in Rome. Jenkins has been ruled due to illness while Williams misses the game due to a knee injury. Gloucester’s Freddie Thomas now starts in the second row, while Scarlerts’ Blair Murray comes […]
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Brython Thunder recorded a first win of the season with a dramatic 38-32 victory against Edinburgh in Round 7 of the Celtic Challenge at Parc y Scarlets this afternoon. Wales centre Hannah Bluck’s two tries in the dying moments secured a famous win in a pulsating contest at the home of the Scarlets. Bluck came […]
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Warren Gatland said he “understands people’s frustration” after his Wales team slumped to a 14th consecutive defeat and a worst‑ever world ranking of 12th, one place below Georgia, losing 22-15 to Italy in Rome.
Speaking to the Welsh language broadcaster S4C, Gatland empathised with his team’s supporters. “I can understand people’s frustration and we are frustrated and disappointed as well because we created opportunities but we have made mistakes and the penalty count was disappointing,” he said. “As a coaching team and players they are not hard fixes but we need to make sure we focus in those key moments.”
Continue reading...Another week, another Welsh defeat, another 80 minutes in which those in red gave their best as individuals but proved that it is nowhere near good enough for this level. A 14th straight defeat has dropped them to 12th on World Rugby’s rankings, one place below Georgia and the lowest position in their history. In Roman rain, Warren Gatland’s Divine Comedy descended another circle.
Perhaps the most damning point of all is that this never felt like a contest. The losing bonus point, procured at the death with a penalty try after two Italians received yellow cards, felt undeserving and failed to gloss over the preceding dross. Even with so much riding on this result, and even with the weather stifling Italy’s attacking threat, Wales simply failed to manufacture a challenge. Forget about a Plan B, Gatland’s team now appear bereft of any plan at all beyond aimless kicks, toothless carries and unjustified hope.
Continue reading...Elliot Daly’s try at the death delivered a crucial win for Steve Borthwick
4 mins. The first scrum of the game is a French one near halfway, which they win snappily and move it to the right. Dupont jabs a grubber towards the touchline but Penaud can’t reach it before it dribbles over the line.
2 mins. Ben Earl has a carry up towards halfway and the recycle Fin Smith dallies a bit and this allow Alldritt in to charge it down. The ball bobbles all over the place and mercifully back in English hands to kick clear.
Continue reading...Wales slumped to their 14th consecutive defeat after a hugely disappointing display in Rome
8 mins. Will Rowlands loses a lineout under pressure from Cannone, but Page-Relo ruins the work of his team-mate by booming his clearing kick out of the full from outside the 22.
6 mins. Wales are off their feet at the ruck as Italy venture into their territory. Allan calls for the tee and opens his account for the day.
Continue reading...If England are blown away up front, Will Smith might as well be playing fly-half for all the difference it will make
Once upon a time France headed to London with a certain amount of trepidation. For 18 years they could not buy a Six Nations win at Twickenham, to the point where people muttered about mental blocks and psychological hang-ups. Until a couple of years ago, that is, when Steve Borthwick’s England were torn apart 53-10 in the heaviest home defeat the old cabbage patch has ever known.
At a stroke all that historical baggage was gloriously jettisoned. Which is precisely what England would now love to replicate on a chilly February day in their retitled concrete citadel. There is no sweeter feeling in sport than unexpected success, particularly when a home victory is widely viewed as up there, in terms of probability, with Donald Trump’s vision for a “Gaza Riviera”.
Continue reading...The world’s greatest teams know who plays when everyone is fit and horses-for-courses selection won’t help Steve Borthwick
When it comes to team selection, it’s important to remember that everything is subjective. Different coaches, five million different fans and the 80,000 people in the stadium will all have different views, different affiliations and different opinions about who should be playing for England. It plays a large part of every Test week and it’s fantastic because it creates debate, it gets people talking.
It is not specific to England either but the problem with Steve Borthwick’s recent team selections is that I just wish it felt like it was coming from a place of understanding exactly what his best team is and precisely how to deliver their best gameplan. I’m not sure we have clarity on either of those things yet and as much as I understand the notion of horses for courses, I would much prefer to have a sense that selection is first and foremost about yourselves rather than the opposition.
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