The Premiership’s top two sides are the clubs with the lowest player turnover and show how continuity breeds consistencyDavid Young was reflecting on Wasps’ fitful season after their victory against Harlequins last Saturday. It was his side’s fifth victory at home in 16 matches in all competitions this season and they finished eighth in the table, down from third the previous season and first in 2016-17.“The squad I have put together for five seasons has pretty much run its course,” he said. “It’s time to press the reset button and go again.” And so it will be another close season of new faces at the Ricoh Arena, 15 players in, including seven from the club’s academy, and 15 out. No...
Paul Gustard and Chris Boyd have managed to turn two ailing Premiership clubs around this season – Leicester, take noteWhen I look at Northampton and Harlequins I see two teams at the same stage of their journey. Both were coming to the end of dreadful seasons a year ago, going on to finish ninth and 10th respectively, but both came into the weekend on the same number of points and vying with each other for the last play-off spot. The common denominator is the impact their new coaches have made.If you were to look at the squads Chris Boyd and Paul Gustard inherited, you might wonder what they were doing at the bottom of the table this time last year...
Bath’s Jonathan Joseph did his England chances no harm at all, Exeter had the look of Premiership champions against Leicester and things are starting to get serious at the bottomJonathan Joseph has been back from his long injury layoff for a while but judging by his performance against Bristol, and in his previous outing against Exeter, he is nearing a return to his best form. In the past it has been a criticism that, because he is so naturally talented, Joseph has a tendency to coast because things come so easy. He has a World Cup place to chase, however, and he is clearly in Eddie Jones’s thoughts considering he was called into the wider England squad just 50-odd minutes...
How long can Worcester allow Ben Te’o to twiddle his thumbs in the stand, could a rare defeat now galvanise Saracens and Sale would surely love Robert du Preez to stay onWorcester’s marquee player, Ben Te’o, got no closer to the pitch than the stand despite the importance of the match against rivals in the bottom half of the table. The England centre has played only 29 minutes in a Warriors’ jersey this season because of injury and the autumn internationals, and was given the previous two Challenge Cup weekends off. The club’s director of rugby, Alan Solomons, said that a lack of training time was the reason for Te’o’s omission and that he would be considered for selection at...
Gloucester’s Ollie Thorley and Harlequins’ Alex Dombrandt made their mark but scrums remain a mess – ask Jamie George Related: Pools of intrigue: how the Rugby World Cup groups stack up | Paul Rees Continue reading...