Barbarians poised to give Tomkins a taste of union November 20, 2011 ENGLAND starlet Sam Tomkins is being lined up for a surprise union debut just days after insisting his immediate future remained in rugby league. Tomkins, part of the side beaten 30-8 by Australia in Saturday’s Four Nations final in Leeds, ruled out a code switch for at least three years when he signed a lucrative [...]
WHO WILL FILL THE HOT-SEAT? November 16, 2011 JIM MALLINDER The popular Northampton director of rugby has worked wonders with the Saints, masterminding their transformation from a second tier side to one of Europe’s finest and most exciting outfits. His biggest drawback may be he lacks the Test experience of some of the more heavyweight candidates. GRAHAM HENRY New Zealand’s recent World Cup [...]
Edwards had no contact from England November 14, 2011 WALES defence coach Shaun Edwards has admitted he was open to offers but received no approach from England chiefs before committing to renewing his contract. Edwards, 45, was widely tipped as a likely addition to the England coaching set-up after his deal with the Wales Rugby Football Union expired last month. But despite being inundated [...]
SPORT | IN BRIEF October 24, 2011 Villas-Boas waits on ref probe FOOTBALL: Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas will learn tomorrow whether he is to face punishment for his outburst at referee Chris Foy following Sunday’s defeat at QPR. Rangers, meanwhile, will speak to defender Anton Ferdinand today regarding his on-field row with Blues skipper John Terry, after which Terry denied making racist [...]
Johnno should have turned down England November 17, 2011 ENGLAND’S World Cup winning coach Sir Clive Woodward revealed he advised Martin Johnson to turn down his old job back in 2008 and believes the Rugby Football Union took a gamble that was always likely to backfire by hiring a rookie manager. Johnson, who resigned on Wednesday after three-and-a-half years in the role, led the [...]
Johnno should have turned down England November 17, 2011 ENGLAND’S World Cup winning coach Sir Clive Woodward revealed he advised Martin Johnson to turn down his old job back in 2008 and believes the Rugby Football Union took a gamble that was always likely to backfire by hiring a rookie manager. Johnson, who resigned on Wednesday after three-and-a-half years in the role, led the [...]
Warburton says red was right November 3, 2011 Wales captain Sam Warburton says referee Alain Rolland was right to send him off for a tip tackle in the World Cup semi-final defeat by France. The incident sparked controversy with Rolland accused of being too harsh. “The IRB [International Rugby Board] said if you lift up a player and drop him it’s a red [...]
Tindall reinstated in England squad and fine cut on appeal November 28, 2011 FORMER England captain Mike Tindall has been handed an international lifeline after he was reinstated to the elite player squad last night, following a successful appeal over the ban he received for his conduct at the World Cup. The Gloucester centre was reprimanded after the controversial night out in Queenstown that followed England’s opening win [...]
Tindall reinstated in England squad and fine cut on appeal November 28, 2011 FORMER England captain Mike Tindall has been handed an international lifeline after he was reinstated to the elite player squad last night, following a successful appeal over the ban he received for his conduct at the World Cup. The Gloucester centre was reprimanded after the controversial night out in Queenstown that followed England’s opening win [...]
Stadium row forces Saracens to abandon South Africa tie but they plan to be back November 17, 2011 SARACENS chief executive Edward Griffiths insists the club will resurrect attempts to hold a European tie in South Africa, despite yesterday’s dramatic U-turn which saw the Premiership champions axe January’s Heineken Cup match at Cape Town Stadium. The groundbreaking fixture against Biarritz, due to take place on 14 January, had sparked a row in South [...]