Rugby Union News
Scarlets hooker Harry Thomas heads to Scotland for the fourth round of the U20 Six Nations hoping to stay top of the try scoring charts in this season’s tournament. The 19-year-old has already plundered four tries in the previous three outings and could have had two more had the TMO not ruled out one […]
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Marcus Smith faces an uphill battle to regain his England place after Steve Borthwick sought to kickstart his side’s spluttering attack by axing the Harlequins playmaker, dealing a major blow to his British & Irish Lions hopes.
Borthwick dropped Smith for Sunday’s Six Nations fixture with Italy in a one-on-one meeting in England’s hotel bar and has offered him no assurances over his future place in the starting XV with Elliot Daly coming in at full-back. In his favoured position of fly-half, Fin Smith continues and with Fraser Dingwall replacing Henry Slade at inside-centre, Borthwick has picked five Northampton backs and highlighted the cohesion that brings.
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Head coach Richard Whiffin has confirmed his Wales U20 men’s matchday squad to face Scotland in the penultimate round of the 2025 U20 Six Nations at Hive Stadium in Edinburgh this Friday. (KO 7.15pm, S4C). Whiffin has made four personnel changes, as well as switching Tom Bowen from wing to full-back in a game where […]
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Jamie George questioned whether he had an England future after being left hurt by Steve Borthwick’s decision to strip him of the captaincy on the eve of the Six Nations. George said he was blindsided by the England head coach but after receiving advice from his inner circle – including the Saracens director, Mark McCall, Owen Farrell, and his family – he has set his sights on a fourth World Cup, revealing the cricketer Joe Root is his inspiration.
George was installed as captain for the 2023 Six Nations and despite a difficult run of results in his year in charge – England won five of their 12 Tests – he was a hugely popular leader, both within the squad and among supporters.
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Adam Jones has confirmed Gareth Anscombe will be available for selection to face Scotland in Round 4 of the Guinness Six Nations, but Josh Adams has been ruled out of the match in Edinburgh. “Gareth is fine, but Josh can’t play – he’s out. Gareth’s good to go and it’s good to have his voice,” […]
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Jack Woods couldn’t have asked for a better debut with Wales U20 than helping his side to beat Ireland for the first time since 2018 – especially as it came at his home venue of Rodney Parade. The Dragons full back stepped into the break at No 15 in place of Aberavon’s Scott Delnevo, who […]
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The former England captain Will Carling has questioned the quality of the coaching within the national set-up and suggested it is holding the team back. Carling, who was part of England’s backroom staff under Eddie Jones, has also rejected complaints from squad members such as Ellis Genge that ex-players are “out of touch” after their criticism of last month’s win over Scotland.
Carling, who captained England from 1988 to 1996 and presided over one of the country’s most successful periods, says the players look restricted by a gameplan that prevents them from replicating the ability they show at club level. “You look at the calibre of the England coaching team and you have to question whether that’s the best we can put out there,” Carling said on Radio 4’s Today programme.
Continue reading...Sport was a joyous business for the great Frank Keating: let’s hope for an uplifting Dublin classic in his memory
Sporting miracles do occasionally happen. And when they do the vivid memories cascade down for years and years. Think of dramatic Six Nations games between Ireland and France, say, and it is impossible not to be mentally transported back a quarter of a century. Baggy cotton jerseys, Irish underdogs and – magnifique! – a young Brian O’Driscoll scoring a hat-trick in Paris to beat France 27-25.
Not only was it Ireland’s first win in Paris for 28 years but that evocative mid-March weekend sticks out for a different reason. It also proved to be the final overseas rugby assignment for one of the great oval-ball chroniclers, the Guardian’s own Frank Keating. Frank adored Ireland and its revolving cast of quick-witted rugby characters and that night, once the two of us had finally located our hotel down a tiny street on the Left Bank, we duly raised a glass to the most lustrous of green days.
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Ebbw Vale put one foot firmly into the Super Rygbi Cymru Cup final after beating Gwent rivals Newport for the second time in nine days to move into pole position in Pool B. The ir 44-21 victory now means that a win at Swansea on 15 March will be enough to cement top spot for […]
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Head coach Sean Lynn has named a 48-strong extended Wales training squad for the 2025 Women’s Guinness Six Nations campaign. Lynn, who was appointed as Wales head coach in January, has named a squad based around the 15 Welsh internationals who featured in the Women’s Premier Rugby semi-finals. The Wales head coach’s own Gloucester-Hartpury, Bristol […]
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Llandovery are now all but assured of a place in the Super Rygbi Cymru Cup final after a thrilling 50-35 triumph over Bridgend Ravens at Church Bank. It maintained the Drovers’ 100 per cent winning record in Pool A and maximum points earned took them six clear of RGC with just one match to play. Euros Evans’ […]
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Saturday’s likely title decider in Six Nations renews an intense rivalry fuelled not by geography but the two teams’ brilliance
Saturday is a day that has been ringed in the calendar for months. The anticipation of France and Ireland renewing rivalries has been immense and what always shaped up as the likely decider for the championship will prove to be exactly that. Again. They have been the two most consistent, outstanding teams in the Six Nations for years now and they rarely disappoint when they lock horns.
It’s an intense rivalry but it isn’t fuelled by geographical reasons or historical antipathy. It is just a rivalry based on the brilliance of both sides, the two dominant teams battling out for the alpha status. It reminds me of Arsenal and Manchester United 20-25 years ago. Two teams separated from the rest of the pack by the quality they possess.
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Brython Thunder returned to winning ways with an impressive 17-33 victory against Glasgow Warriors in Round nine of the Celtic Challenge at the Scotstoun Stadium this afternoon. The Welsh side bounced back after last week’s defeat to Irish side Clovers with a big performance on the road in Scotland. Wales second row Gwen Crabb grabbed […]
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Name? Elliot Dee Position? Hooker What do your teammates call you? Shelby Go to coffee order? Double espresso What’s the first thing you do in the morning? Try and roll out of bed. First rugby memory? Training on the Welfare ground for Newbridge RFC U8s Are there any traditions or rituals you have before a […]
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Gwalia Lightning saw their title hopes falter after a 17-48 defeat to reigning champions and league leaders, Wolfhounds, in round nine of the Celtic Challenge at Ystrad Mynach this afternoon. Gwalia, unbeaten at home this season, found themselves pointless at half-time and down 39-0 after an impressive first half display by the Irish side. Replacement […]
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