Former Premiership side Wasps moving to KENT but will play in Worcester October 23, 2023 Wasps rugby are to set up shop in Kent but play and train in Worcester in the short term as the former Premiership rugby side look to rebuild having gone bust last season. The club failed to pay a number of valuable bonds taken out to fund their move to Coventry a number of seasons [...]
Rugby race scandal: Morning deadline to report alleged slur to England player by South Africa hooker October 23, 2023 England’s World Cup semi-final defeat to South Africa on Saturday has descended into a race scandal after Red Rose flanker Tom Curry accused Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi of using a racial slur against him. South Africa fought back to beat England 16-15 in Paris on Saturday to book themselves a spot in the World Cup [...]
England: Where does team go now after Rugby World Cup exit? October 23, 2023 England produced their best performance of the Rugby World Cup on Saturday but fell to a 16-15 defeat at the hands of reigning champions South Africa in Paris. Here are three takeaways from the hard-fought semi-final. Beef with O’Keeffe Scrums are difficult things to understand at the best of times but on occasion the dark [...]
Sportspeople ‘perilously close’ to limit, says major player group chief October 22, 2023 Professional sportspeople are “perilously close to going over the limits of what is sustainable” according to a top player association executive. Simon Taylor of the Professional Players Federation has insisted that player welfare has not been given enough priority within the international game. Footballers in the past have spoken of the demands of a full [...]
South Africa forward accused of racial slur against England player October 22, 2023 South Africa forward Bongi Mbonambi has been accused of directing a racial slur at England’s Tom Curry in his side’s 16-15 World Cup semi-final win on Saturday. Curry was heard asking referee Ben O’Keeffe: “Sir, Sir, if their hooker calls me a white c**t what do I do?” The New Zealander replied: “Nothing please. I’ll [...]
Springboks should dismantle England by 20 points in World Cup October 20, 2023 Watching South Africa edge France in the Rugby World Cup on Sunday evening was extraordinary, maybe one of the very best games of oval ball I have ever seen. And I am in no doubt that the Springboks will beat England this weekend, despite my run of poor predictions last week in the quarter-finals. South [...]
England not looking at 2019 final thrashing ahead of Boks semi October 18, 2023 England’s World Cup final defeat to South Africa in 2019 is not motivation for Ollie Chessum with the second-row eager to be part of his side’s semi-final against the Springboks on Saturday. England were beaten 32-12 four years ago in Japan and nine of England’s 23 from that day aren’t in Steve Borthwick’s squad as [...]
Premiership Rugby salary spend hit £100m season before three clubs went bust October 17, 2023 Premiership rugby club salary spending rose to £100m in the season before three clubs folded, the league’s latest report into wages shows. The amount spent on senior salaries saw an increase from £94m in 2020-21 to £100m in 2021-22 in the latest figures released today by Premiership Rugby. The rise represents a larger increase, £6m, [...]
England’s survival shows beautiful unpredictability of World Cup rugby October 16, 2023 After this spring’s Six Nations championship, many collectively decided that England would not challenge in this Rugby World Cup and that they could even find themselves dumped out in the group stages. Instead Europe’s fancied teams were Ireland and France. But after Sunday’s 30-24 victory over Fiji in Marseille, and then France’s 29-28 loss to [...]
Farrell deserves more credit from fans, says England coach October 16, 2023 Fans should give England captain Owen Farrell more credit, according to the team’s attack coach Richard Wigglesworth. Fly-half George Ford was dropped to make place for the captain ahead of Sunday’s 30-24 victory over Fiji at the Rugby World Cup to much fan criticism. “We are lucky to have Owen. As ever, the tallest trees [...]