Ex-England boss Woodward on French shortlist May 18, 2015 ENGLAND’S World Cup-winning head coach Sir Clive Woodward could soon be plotting his former side’s downfall after emerging as a candidate to replace Philippe Saint-Andre in charge of France. Woodward is believed to have expressed a desire in taking over from Saint-Andre, who is set to leave his position with Les Bleus after the World [...]
Growth culture for SMEs July 5, 2015 Gunnercooke’s Darryl Cooke tells William Railton what SMEs can learn from rugby and cycling coaches WE DON’T keep time sheets. Instead, our clients agree a budget for our services before they sign on the dotted line, to eliminate unforeseen costs.” This is the kind of progressive thinking which drives Darryl Cooke, the founder of disruptive [...]
I’m being denied top-level rugby, says Abendanon May 6, 2015 NEWLY-CROWNED European player of the year Nick Abendanon has complained that England’s policy of not selecting overseas-based players is depriving him of the chance to compete at the highest level. The 28-year-old full-back joined Toulon back-row forward Steffon Armitage in the international wilderness when he signed for Top 14 side Clermont Auvergne in February 2014, [...]
Lancaster: I had no choice over England exiles May 20, 2015 ENGLAND head coach Stuart Lancaster has defended the exclusion of overseas-based players from his World Cup training squad after resisting pressure to relax the Rugby Football Union’s stance. The policy meant there was no place for Toulon flanker Steffon Armitage or Clermont Auvergne full-back Nick Abendanon in Lancaster’s 50-strong squad for the summer’s training camps, [...]
BMW’s Peter Walker says being an official partner of England Rugby is no joke for his firm April 26, 2015 Before April finally gives way to May, let us take you back to the start of the month, and the avalanche of sometimes extremely entertaining, sometimes immeasurably unamusing April Fools that organisations feel duty bound to overwhelm us with to show how cutting edge or just plain “one of us” they are. BMW did one. [...]
Chelsea mull relocating to Twickenham September 28, 2014 CHELSEA have held exploratory talks over a temporary move to Twickenham as the Premier League leaders look to expand the capacity of Stamford Bridge, the Rugby Football Union has confirmed. The Blues revealed their intention to overhaul their 41,837-capacity ground earlier this year, having been frustrated in attempts to relocate to a new stadium at [...]
Sport Comment: World Cup has been huge credibility boost for women’s rugby August 17, 2014 IT IS the nature of our sporting world that football is the rich man from whose table every other sport has to eat the scraps, and so amid all the hoopla in the week of the resumption of the Premier League it has been particularly bad luck for English cricket and British athletics that their [...]
Forgotten man Launchbury itching to make comeback May 7, 2015 FORGOTTEN England and Wasps second row Joe Launchbury admits he is desperate to issue a reminder of his talents after an injury nightmare which threatened to leave his World Cup aspirations in tatters. The 24-year-old is set for a place on the Wasps’ bench for their crunch clash against play-off rivals Leicester tomorrow, in front [...]
“We’re not happy with being second. That’s not being arrogant, just the belief we have” April 16, 2015 Mike Brown explains to Ross McLean why England believe they can win World Cup ENGLAND full-back Mike Brown is not prepared to sidestep the question of what constitutes the minimum requirement for his side at this autumn’s World Cup on home soil: “Winning it. Winning it or else none of us will be happy.” His [...]
England reach final in Paris August 13, 2014 CLASSY England out-gunned Ireland in Paris yesterday to reach the final of the Women’s Rugby World Cup for the fourth time in succession. The Red Roses have lost the previous three finals to New Zealand but will line up against Canada on Sunday after Gary Street’s side recovered from an early 7-0 deficit to maul [...]