Wales coach Gatland won’t apologise for pushing players “to the limit” ahead of Rugby World Cup June 25, 2023 Wales head coach Warren Gatland has said he would not apologise for pushing his players “to the limit” ahead of this autumn’s Rugby World Cup. Since naming a 54-man squad in May, four players – Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric , Cory Hill and Rhys Webb – withdrew from the squad over new contracts or [...]
We love Bazball and Gazball, now England Rugby needs Borthball June 23, 2023 Wow. What a conclusion that was to the opening Ashes Test on Tuesday at Edgbaston between England and Australia. From day one to five it was so entertaining. England lost but I wasn’t sulking about the result. Instead I was thinking about the opening shot on the first day, Joe Root’s reverse ramp shot for [...]
Rugby World Cup Barometer: Hit the road, Jack, right to Borthwick June 22, 2023 | Sponsored In the lead up to the 2023 Rugby World Cup, Morning Wire has put together a barometer in partnership with City Index to assess whose form is hot – and whose is not – in the race to be part of the tournament in France later this year. Player of the week A couple of [...]
VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: Johnny Sexton’s second row with officials after cup final June 15, 2023 Further questions have been raised about Johnny Sexton’s conduct at the Champions Cup final after Morning Wire obtained new footage showing a second instance of the Ireland No10 apparently having to be ushered away from confronting officials. The footage – available below – is at the heart of an investigation into Sexton by European Professional [...]
Rugby World Cup Barometer: Ntamack shows us a new side June 15, 2023 | Sponsored In the lead up to the 2023 Rugby World Cup, Morning Wire has put together a barometer in partnership with City Index to assess whose form is hot – and whose is not – in the race to be part of the tournament in France later this year. Rugby player of the week It may [...]
Ed Warner: What’s next for the losers in the rush to embrace sovereign wealth? June 15, 2023 Morning Wire columnist Ed Warner discusses the recent LIV Golf merger, the Saudi Arabia PIF deal and what comes next for the losers in the rush to embrace sovereign wealth. Elite runners focus on every step of every run. Us mere mortals seek displacement tricks to block out the pain. And so I found myself [...]
Ollie Phillips: Tackle-bag carriers must not poison England squad June 14, 2023 It must be a weird feeling being one of the fringe players in England head coach Steve Borthwick’s first World Cup training squad, because the odds are that you’ll be dropped. Next Monday sees the addition of players from Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers – I estimate that to be more than 10 and closer [...]
Exclusive: Sexton could be forced into early retirement with 24-week ban June 12, 2023 Ireland fly-half Johnny Sexton could be forced into an early retirement by a 24-week ban, Morning Wire has learned. That is the mid-range sanction Sexton is facing if found guilty of threatening match officials at the end of Leinster’s European Champions Cup final defeat by La Rochelle last month. Sexton has been accused of three [...]
Care and Marler handed World Cup life lines by England June 12, 2023 Harlequins duo Danny Care and Joe Marler have been handed World Cup lifelines by England head coach Steve Borthwick. The duo were included in the England manager’s 28-man training squad for the first phase of the team’s World Cup preparation. The squad was named without players from the four sides that made the Premiership semi-finals [...]
Exclusive: Sexton World Cup swansong in doubt over conduct letter June 11, 2023 Johnny Sexton and Leinster have been slapped with a misconduct letter by European rugby chiefs in a move which could scupper the talismanic Ireland No10’s World Cup swansong, Morning Wire can reveal. Sexton stands accused of three counts of misconduct following his side’s loss to La Rochelle in the Champions Cup final last month, where [...]