Investec Champions Cup: Pool draw shows competition is best of the best draw reaction It may only be July but the Investec Champions Cup season got underway on Tuesday with the pool draws in Cardiff. The 24 clubs taking part – who qualified through their league position or by winning the second tier EPCR Challenge Cup – will compete across four pools of six in December and January before [...]
EPCR Investec Champions Cup and Challenge Cup pool draw in full This morning in Cardiff the draws were completed for the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup. The European competitions will see 42 teams battle it out for two trophies, with this year’s finals taking place in Cardiff’s Principality Stadium. Teams will play two teams in their pool at home and two teams away. Teams [...]
Michael Cheika: Who is he and where has the Leicester Tigers boss coached? behind the name Leicester Tigers this week announced that Australian Michael Cheika will become the new head coach after parting ways with Dan McKellar. But who is he, where has he coached, and what has he said about his appointment? Who is he? Cheika, 57, is an Australian rugby coach who spent his career at Randwick in his [...]
New Zealand favourites but England can cause issues June 28, 2024 The start of next month marks the start of England’s true test of strength, progression and ability as Steve Borthwick’s men look to topple the mighty New Zealand across two matches in the Land of the Long White Cloud. First in Dunedin and then in Auckland, England take on the All Blacks looking to win [...]
Northampton deserved Premiership title as Lawes leaves a legend June 11, 2024 Congratulations to Northampton Saints on winning the Premiership final. The East Midlanders’s 25-21 victory over Bath was a reflection of just how good they have been all season. They finished the Premiership top of the pile, level on points with their final opponents, and came out on top in a thriller at Twickenham to win [...]
England ‘determined’ to change losing habit in New Zealand June 10, 2024 England coach Steve Borthwick said he is “determined” to change a poor showing in New Zealand as he named his 36-man squad for the summer rugby tour. England will head to Tokyo later this month for a game against Eddie Jones’s Japan before two matches against New Zealand, where England have not toured since 2014. [...]
George Ford out of England’s tour to New Zealand June 9, 2024 England’s first-choice No10 George Ford has been ruled out of his side’s summer rugby tour to New Zealand this month. The Sale Sharks fly-half is still recovering from a pre-existing injury to his Achilles and will miss the two Tests against the All Blacks and the one against Japan in Tokyo. England head to the [...]
Front row dominance will be difference between Northampton Saints and Bath June 7, 2024 When Northampton Saints and Bath take on each other this weekend in the Premiership final at Twickenham, you wouldn’t be blamed for thinking that it is all going to be about speed of ball and free-flowing moves created by each team’s backs. But in reality the team that lifts the trophy on Saturday evening – [...]
Premiership Rugby chief slaps down Championship roadblock claims June 5, 2024 Premiership Rugby chief executive Simon Massie-Taylor has slapped down accusations from Championship clubs that his organisation have ignored their demands over the future of the game, saying “we’ve done everything we can”. Clubs in the second tier this week launched a sensational attack on the sport’s governing body the Rugby Football Union and Premiership Rugby [...]
Olympics on the mind for sevens star Meg Jones in Madrid May 31, 2024 Meg Jones knows rugby is unfair which is why she is giving it everything to get to the Olympics. The 27-year-old has spent the past season playing for the all-conquering Red Roses in 15s but has now returned to the sevens fold ahead of the HSBC SVNS 2024 Grand Final in Madrid. The tournament serves [...]