Rugby Union News
Ireland dominated the second half to win in Dublin
4 mins. Marcus Smith finds a bit of space in the Ireland half before he’s hauled down and the phases start. He then drives a low cross-kick towards Tom Curry on the wing but it’s too long and into touch.
Mack Hansen has picked up an early injury and is replaced by Robbie Henshaw.
Continue reading...Gwalia Lightning ran out convincing 26-5 winners against Edinburgh in Round 3 of the Celtic Challenge at Ystrad Mynach this afternoon. The Lightning recorded their third win in a row in a convincing display against an impressive Edinburgh outfit. The Welsh side earned a bonus point victory and were well worth the win, with scrum […]
The post Confident Gwalia Lightning cruise to victory appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.
Brython Thunder are still looking for their first win of the Celtic Challenge after a round six 58-0 defeat against Clovers at the Kingspan Stadium, Belfast this lunchtime. A young and new-look Brython side were without a host of players against a Clovers side that was third in the table before this clash at the […]
The post Clovers cut loose against Brython Thunder appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.
Pre match reading
It’s 25 years since the Six Nations was created, thus rendering Scotland Five Nations champions in perpetuity. Relive the 2000 tournament here with this brilliant collection of images and memories.
Continue reading...Visitors can forge a winning new identity under Maro Itoje but the experienced Irish remain marginal favourites
Every Six Nations fixture is a grand occasion but some games are bigger than others. Ireland and England both know how crucial today’s Dublin eliminator will be in terms of establishing early championship momentum. Listening to the upbeat pre-match tone of the visitors’ new captain, Maro Itoje – “I think we have a team that’s ready to write our own stories” – this also feels like a pivotal moment for Steve Borthwick’s whole England project.
A lot has already been said and written since last March’s corresponding match when Marcus Smith drilled a last-gasp drop-goal through the sticks amid ecstatic Twickenham scenes reminiscent of Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally. England have subsequently played eight Test matches and lost six, beating only Japan twice. The majority of those losses have been tight but close doesn’t win any cigars at the elite level.
Continue reading...The back garden of the Emanuel household used to resemble “a war zone” when their sons Ioan and Steff were growing up. Straight and hard running was always the requirement when the two boys, who are only 18 months apart in age, played “one-on-one” rugby matches. It has stood them both in good stead and […]
The post Emanuel brothers ready to rumble together for Wales U20 appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.
If England can tighten up and not rely on individual brilliance, they’ll have a chance in their Six Nations clash with Ireland
Not long ago you wouldn’t have thought of England as a team who produce many magic moments. Their approach at the 2023 World Cup was certainly different but, as we saw in the autumn, England can produce something from nothing. My worry is that they can be too reliant on those moments. Marcus Smith is a magician, capable of some spellbinding stuff, but there are only so many rabbits he can pull out of a hat.
Put simply, England have some room for improvement in terms of precision from their launch plays. To win in Dublin for the first time since 2019 they need to show better shape and patterns, which in turn give Marcus more opportunities to do his stuff. In the autumn most of what Marcus showcased wasn’t as a result of shape or patterns, it was instinct – darting down the blindside, leading counterattacks or picking off an intercept against New Zealand.
Continue reading...France cruise to seven-try victory as Wales draw blank in 13th straight loss
There are a bunch of new laws in place for this year’s Six Nations:
Conversions must take place within 60 seconds.
Lineouts to be formed within 30 seconds (same as scrums)
No stoppage for lineouts that aren’t straight if the defending team doesn’t contest.
9s (or players at the base of a ruck, maul or scrum) have more protection from defenders (effectively given more space).
20 minute red card – players can still get sent off, but after 20 minutes they can be replaced by a teammate, which means we can hopefully stop talking about red cards ruining games.
Continue reading...As the Six Nations turns 25, we take a look back at the first tournament of the 21st century when the addition of Italy turned the Five Nations into the Six Nations
Continue reading...The England captain, Maro Itoje, has called for Six Nations organisers to keep the championship on free-to-air TV on the grounds that rugby union needs more exposure, amid fears the championship will disappear behind a paywall next season.
Itoje, who leads England for the first time in Saturday’s Six Nations clash with Ireland in Dublin, issued an impassioned plea, pointing to how he grew up watching the championship on the BBC and ITV.
Continue reading...Gwalia Lightning return home to Wales in Round 6 of the Celtic Challenge looking to do the double over Edinburgh at Ystrad Mynach, on Saturday, February 1st (KO:2pm). The Welsh side sit second in the league table after last weekend’s impressive 29-27 win on the road against the same opponents in the Scottish capital. Welsh […]
The post Gwalia Lightning search for Edinburgh double appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.
Brython Thunder hit the road again for Round 6 of Celtic Challenge when they travel to Belfast to face Clovers at the Kingspan Stadium on Saturday, February 1st (KO: Midday). The Welsh side is still looking for their first win of this league campaign and face a Clovers side with three wins and mid-table in […]
The post Thunder seeking first scalp of Celtic Challenge campaign appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.
Twenty-five years on from the first Six Nations, Murrayfield hosts battle between two teams who have come a long way in a quarter of a century
And so we head back to where it all began. The Six Nations is a quarter of a century old. Wednesday will mark 25 years since its opening fixture on 5 February 2000, but of more visceral significance will be Saturday afternoon’s encounter at Murrayfield between Scotland and Italy, a rerun of that first match, bathed in sunshine, when Italy, the new arrivals, announced themselves to the old championship with a shattering 34-20 win over the champions.
Those not yet in middle age may balk at the phrase “champions Scotland”. But it is true. They were quite often champions back then. In 1999 they won the last Five Nations, outplaying the rest in what must still rank as the greatest championship of them all. England squeaked past them at Twickenham in round two, but Scotland had run rings round them all match, just as they would all-comers that year. When England fell to the most dramatic defeat of them all on the final Sunday, against Wales at Wembley, Scotland were crowned worthy champions, having thrashed France in Paris, no less, the day before.
Continue reading...Wales travel to Japan this July as a two-Test match series against the Brave Blossoms is confirmed. First up Wales head to Kitakyushu where the first Test takes place on 5 July at Mikuni World Stadium. Following that the squad heads to Kobe for the second Test on July 12 at Noevir Stadium which, like […]
The post Wales summer fixtures in Japan confirmed appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.
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