Wales will be put under plenty of pressure but if they can limit New Zealand to one or two tries they have a chance of causing an upsetDespite everything that has been said in the past few weeks, and everything written in Warren Gatland’s book, the Wales manager needs to park the British & Irish Lions on Saturday. He has to stick to his guns in terms of what he is trying to do with this Wales side and continue to show ambition. The biggest question will be: when the pressure comes on from the All Blacks, will he revert to type? Related: Wales seek to invoke spirit of 1953 for new coronation against New Zealand | Paul Rees Related:...
The All Blacks are in transition and appear vulnerable after a long, hard year but Wales have yet to show they can marry ambition with poiseWarren Gatland talked about weight this week after picking a three-quarter line that is more heady than heavy but will it be enough to end the wait for victory over New Zealand? The last time Wales defeated the All Blacks was 1953, the year of the coronation of the Queen, who this week became the world’s oldest head of state.Only one of the Wales team from that day 64 years ago is alive, Courtney Meredith. One of the New Zealand second rows that December afternoon, Nelson Dalzell, the heaviest player in the New Zealand squad...
When was the last time you saw a team marched back 10 metres for disrespecting the referee? It’s time for World Rugby to get tough on players and coachesFor those in charge of promoting rugby’s core values these are once again uncomfortable times. Take your pick from ranting Test coaches, big games awash with gamesmanship, mounting strain on referees and invasive technology with a depressing sprinkle of premature retirements and concussions on top. It is not a life-enhancing list.No one wants passionless sport, played in silence and officiated by robots. Equally, it is increasingly clear top-level rugby is less healthy in body and soul than some like to imagine. Even the most uplifting bits – Doddie Weir and his sons...
England coach’s pre-match charm offensive towards referee Ben O’Keeffe looks a canny move after five tight decisions against Australia favour his sideAn hour after the match, Eddie Jones snapped. Four questions into his press conference, Jones was asked how he felt about the marginal calls made by the referee, Ben O’Keeffe, and whether he felt England had been lucky to get the better of them. It was a fair question, but it set off Jones’s hair-trigger temper. “Why do we have a referee? Why do we have TMOs? I don’t understand the question,” Jones said. “How were we lucky? Ten replays of the video and they make a decision. This is the best referee in the world for today, they...
Skill at ‘seeing space and putting ball over the top’ is his finest attribute and he could make his case with Eddie Jones in Saturday’s game against SamoaDanny Care is one of the best running scrum‑halves in the world but I was really pleased with how he contributed in different ways against Australia. He is obviously a good mate of mine. I played alongside him for a long time and now coach him at Harlequins and what we saw at Twickenham were the fruits of Danny maturing as a player as he has got older.He has worked really hard on seeing the space in behind and when the opportunities are there in the big games, he really nails it. A...