There were glimpses of attacking promise, but the new coach watched his side lose their fourth straight Six Nations openerTwickenham felt a little different on Saturday afternoon. It was the same walk from the station, by the same stalls on the Whitton Road, past the same faces, under the same sort of sombre February weather, to watch an England team made up, in the large part, of the same names that have been on and off the team-sheets here for the last few years. It was the air around the place that had changed. People were unsure exactly what to expect from the afternoon ahead, except that, whatever else, it would at least be something unlike what they’ve seen from...
Australia must find form ahead of next year’s World Cup but face a tough assignment in the first match of their European tourAfter their spluttering winter of three wins from nine starts, the Wallabies are now in Europe for a five-Test Spring tour they hope can springboard them into contention for the 2023 World Cup in September. The big bounce must start against Scotland early this Sunday morning (AEST 3.30am) at Murrayfield where Australia haven’t won since 2016 and were pipped 15-13 before a crowd of 63,000 in November.Scotland, ranked sixth in the world, start favourites against the visitors (ninth, their lowest ranking of the professional era) but in their 33 Tests over 95 years, Australia hold a 21-12 winning...
Half a dozen sides will fancy their chances in 2023 as England show grit in Australia while New Zealand face stark realitiesRugby union is not renowned as a perfect science but the symmetry of this month’s north v south contests has been striking. Four tours by Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland, four narrow 2-1 outcomes, six Test wins apiece for each hemisphere and a collective points aggregate of 280 v 282. The margins across global rugby have never been tighter.Any one of half a dozen teams, as things stand, could win next year’s World Cup in France and the world’s No 1 ranked team is currently not South Africa, New Zealand or even France. Step forward Ireland, now officially first...
Wins for Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland have set up the prospect of some history-making in the southern hemisphereOne weekend of eye-raising rugby results does not necessarily change the world. Equally, there has never been a day to compare with Saturday. A clean sweep of wins for Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland against the southern hemisphere’s top four teams is unique in the game’s history, despite the south hosting all four of the fixtures.No Irish or Welsh team had previously won in, respectively, New Zealand and South Africa. Now here they both are, just one final push away from winning a best-of-three series. The same is true of England and Scotland, who also bounced back from first Test disappointment to...
Ireland are building momentum for next year’s tournament and their form over the last six months suggests they will be a factorCohesion became a buzzword recently after a certain opposition coach used it while talking up Ireland. For all that Scotland exploded out of the traps on Saturday, it was the inner workings of Ireland’s system that proved more durable. Ultimately, a third straight bonus-point win could not prevent France from claiming the title.“There’s so much more left in us,” said the Ireland captain Johnny Sexton, looking forward to next year’s World Cup. “We’re going to have be a lot better over the next year and a half.” Continue reading...