Class of 2011 excite record breaker Wilko February 27, 2011 ENGLAND fly-half Jonny Wilkinson believes Martin Johnson’s emerging side are beginning to show similar characteristics to that of the 2003 World Cup winning team. Saturday’s attritional 17-9 win over France at Twickenham kept alive England’s hopes of a first RBS 6 Nations clean sweep since that era of Red Rose dominance eight years ago. Wilkinson, [...]
Cohen may retire at season’s end March 3, 2011 RUGBY?UNION:?Sale’s World Cup-winning winger Ben Cohen may retire at the end of the season after being told he is surplus to requirements at Edgeley Park. “I’ve got another couple of years left in me so I’ll try to get a club in the Premiership. If not, I’ll retire. So we’ll just have to see what [...]
England must find another gear March 10, 2011 THE Grand Slam might be there for the taking, but it would be premature in the extreme to compare this current England team to the class of 2003. True, there is a certain amount of symmetry in that a first RBS 6 Nations clean sweep in eight years is likely to boil down to winning [...]
White admits interest in RFU job January 18, 2011 RUGBY UNION: South Africa’s World Cup winning coach Jake White is considering applying to become the Rugby Football Union’s new performance directo. “I am interested but I am waiting for a detailed job description and to find out how much responsibility the director will have,” said White, who is spending this week with London Irish [...]
England can make toast of French in Le Crunch February 24, 2011 ENGLAND Vs FRANCE Tomorrow – 5.00pm BBC1 MARC LIÈVREMONT does not like the English. The French coach admitted so this week, initiating the mind games ahead of ‘Le Crunch’ tomorrow. The fact is hardly surprising, given that it is the English that stand in the way of a Grand Slam for Les Bleus, while England [...]
England can make toast of French in Le Crunch February 24, 2011 ENGLAND Vs FRANCE Tomorrow – 5.00pm BBC1 MARC LIÈVREMONT does not like the English. The French coach admitted so this week, initiating the mind games ahead of ‘Le Crunch’ tomorrow. The fact is hardly surprising, given that it is the English that stand in the way of a Grand Slam for Les Bleus, while England [...]
England seal warm-ups August 12, 2010 ENGLAND will warm up for next year’s Rugby World Cup with a double-header with Wales and a Test against Ireland. Martin Johnson’s men line up at Cardiff and Twickenham before travelling to Dublin on August 27 of next year – just two weeks before England’s World Cup opener against Argentina in Christchurch. The national side [...]
England the chief threat to France’s title defence February 2, 2011 But don’t expect another grand slam, says former England scrum-half FOR RUGBY fans February means one thing, and that’s the mouth-watering prospect of another RBS 6 Nations Championship. It’s shaping up to be a two-horse race, but don’t expect to see yet another grand slam. England go into this year’s competition as favourites, a status [...]
Andrew axed as RFU opens door to Woodward January 6, 2011 ENGLISH chiefs have begun the search for a performance director in a move that opens the door for the possible return of World Cup-winning coach Sir Clive Woodward. Former South Africa boss Jake White and Australian Eddie Jones are also leading contenders for the new role, while elite director Rob Andrew has seen his role [...]
Time for Johnson to make the Red Rose bloom again February 2, 2011 ENGLAND begin this year’s RBS 6 Nations as the bookmakers’ favourites and, with an encouraging autumn series behind them and three home games in the championship, the initial predictions were that Martin Johnson’s ripening side, currently ranked fourth in the world, would be able to live up to those lofty expectations. In mid-November a record [...]