Alex Corbisiero interview: American dream leaves former British and Irish Lion prop far from homesick November 10, 2016 The itch to flex muscle and scrummage returns but only fleetingly. The American dream has former British and Irish Lion Alex Corbisiero hooked to the extent that a Premiership and England renaissance is becoming increasingly improbable. Since deciding to take an initial 12-month sabbatical from the game in December 2015, Corbisiero has found a new [...]
Wasps centre Elliot Daly set for first England start against South Africa November 9, 2016 England head coach Eddie Jones is set to spring a surprise and hand Wasps back Elliot Daly his first Test start during the opening clash of his side’s autumn programme against South Africa on Saturday. The 24-year-old, who has won five Test caps as a replacement, is poised to start at outside centre in place [...]
Tom Wood polished and poised for England return against South Africa November 8, 2016 Exiled Northampton flanker Tom Wood is poised to make his first international appearance for more than a year when England begin their autumn programme against South Africa at Twickenham on Saturday. Wood is set to start at openside flanker, alongside former skipper Chris Robshaw and No8 Billy Vunipola in the back-row, after working his way into [...]
Portugal training camp straight out of old school manual November 7, 2016 Boarding school dorms A training camp in Portugal might be mistaken to be the product of a modern approach to rugby coaching. It is not. Eddie Jones is as old school as they come and, coupled with the Warren Gatland-Shaun Edwards bone-on-bone methodology, at least two of the home nations are now fully compliant with [...]
England rugby ace Billy Vunipola wants to try the NFL: You watch it and think, ‘I can do that’ November 5, 2016 England rugby star Billy Vunipola wants to try on the pads and helmet of American Football after he's finished with rugby. The giant back row believes he has all the attributes in the NFL someday but insists he is currently committed to seeing out the remaining three years of his contract at Saracens. Read more: All [...]
Rugby week in review: England injury glut could have silver lining; Shervington shelves farming and acting ambitions; Bath make their Exeter schlep worthwhile; and Gloucester face tough times October 31, 2016 England widening the net Not so long ago if England lost their first-choice hooker, both locks and an established international open-side, the resultant pack might have come up second best against Richmond’s third XV. With Courtney Lawes, Dave Attwood and Joe Launchbury able to plug the gaps at No4 and No5, Nathan Hughes a real [...]
Dai Young admits scoreline flattered Wasps after Midlands side win to keep up pressure on Premiership leaders Saracens October 30, 2016 Wasps director of rugby Dai Young admitted his side were far from their sparkling best despite keeping the pressure on Premiership leaders Saracens with a 31-6 victory over Newcastle Falcons at the Ricoh Arena. While victory was tarnished by prop Marty Moore being stretchered off with a neck injury, Wasps recorded their sixth win in [...]
Teimana Harrison in pole position to solve England’s problem position in autumn opener against South Africa October 26, 2016 England head coach Eddie Jones has installed Northampton’s Teimana Harrison as the frontrunner to fill his side’s troublesome openside flanker position in their maiden clash of the autumn against South Africa. Jones has been hit by a succession of injuries in the back row with James Haskell, Sam Jones, Jack Clifford and Mike Williams all [...]
Alibaba’s sports arm invests $100m into rugby in China and sets ambitious targets for growth October 26, 2016 Alibaba will invest $100m (£82m) into Chinese rugby over the next 10 years as part of a joint initiative with World Rugby to grow the game in the world's most populous country. Alisports, the sporting arm of e-commerce giant Alibaba, says it wants to bring 1m new players into the " great Olympic team sport" within the next [...]
