Bonus points create positive rugby, Six Nations chief insists March 13, 2024 Six Nations chief executive Tom Harrison has defended the use of bonus points ahead of Super Saturday dispute a possible scenario occurring where England win more matches than Ireland but lose the title to their rivals. England have won three of their four matches and sit on 12 points while Ireland have the same winning [...]
Six Nations: England U20 crop must be given chance to shine March 13, 2024 While England’s senior men’s team scuppered Ireland’s chance of securing back-to-back Six Nations Grand Slams at the weekend, the Under 20 side have achieved a bigger feat in recent weeks. The youthful side’s 32-32 draw with Ireland at the weekend ended hopes across the Irish Sea of three consecutive Six Nations U20 Grand Slams. And [...]
Investec Champions Cup Barometer: Bath eye up West Country battle March 12, 2024 In the lead up to the 2023-24 Investec Champions Cup Round of 16, Morning Wire has put together a barometer in partnership with Investec to assess which teams are hot – and which are not – ahead of April’s knockouts. Team of the week: Bath Rugby, England Few expected English teams to feature in their [...]
Six Nations wrap: Grand Slam dashed, Quesada, Gatland and the Wooden Spoon March 10, 2024 Everybody thought Ireland would walk to back-to-back Grand Slam titles this year while many expected Italy to again be the whipping boys of the Six Nations. In round four, however, these two assumptions were shattered in what was one of the great weekends of Six Nations rugby in recent history. Here’s what we learned. Six [...]
Six Nations table with Wales on edge of humiliating Wooden Spoon March 10, 2024 Wales are close to their first Six Nations Wooden Spoon since 2003 after France toppled the home side 24-45 in Cardiff on Sunday. The bonus point win for France moves them ahead of Italy and into fourth with the Azzurri and Wales competing next weekend in a straight shootout. The Wooden Spoon is a metaphorical [...]
Where to watch Six Nations in London, plus exclusive breakfast event and our rugby drink of the week March 8, 2024 Here we go, the final push in this year’s Six Nations. It looks as if Ireland will go on to take the title after rounds four and five but that’s no excuse for dropping out of plans to watch games across London. Here are our pub and bar recommendations for the next two weeks, as [...]
England need to replicate South Africa performance (but better) to beat Ireland in Six Nations March 8, 2024 This weekend against England at Twickenham, Ireland can move within one game of the Six Nations Grand Slam. If they achieve an unbeaten campaign in 2024 they’ll become the first team in the Six Nations era to win the Grand Slam in consecutive years. In their way is an England side who still claim to [...]
Gladiators star and Exeter Chiefs winger targets Red Roses cap March 8, 2024 Exeter wing and Gladiators star Jodie Ounsley has targeted a place in the England 15s squad after hanging up her super-hero outfit and changing back into a rugby kit. The 23-year-old from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, is already an England Sevens international and has set the bar high following her exploits as Fury on the revamped [...]
World’s oldest club rugby fixture back in London THIS WEEK March 7, 2024 Richmond and Blackheath meet on Friday in what will be the 160th anniversary of the fixture. Morning Wire hears how this match, in England’s third tier, is keeping arguments of promotion and relegation in the rugby pyramid alive. Many will look to south west London and see England’s Six Nations clash with Ireland as the [...]
London club AFC Wimbledon to host international rugby at Plough Lane March 6, 2024 AFC Wimbledon is set to host international rugby this year with the likes of the USA set to descend on Plough Lane in London, it is to be confirmed on Thursday. Hosted by LIT7s, the event will feature the likes of the United States, Ireland, Germany, Jamaica and Uganda across men’s and women’s sevens tournaments [...]