Players’ lack of skill and inability to react to the unexpected is undermining Rob Howley’s interim spell as Wales head coachNovember has come to mark the start of the shooting season. Wales face South Africa in Cardiff on Saturday with both coaches under fire and France’s Guy Novès can hear the sounds of chambers clicking open after his side lost to a nowhere near full-strength Australia. Related: Rugby union autumn internationals: talking points from the latest action Continue reading...
England under Eddie Jones are nothing if not purposeful, New Zealand can’t be blamed for their physicality and Scotland could profit from Argentina’s travails Related: England hint at attacking riches to rival pomp of Woodward era in defeat of Fiji Related: Ireland nurse wounds after New Zealand prevail in bruising encounter Related: Japan serve up warning to Wales in advance of South Africa challenge Related: Wallabies question scrum tactics despite bruising win over France Continue reading...
Fijians are on display for and against England, Ireland are looking to make history (again), Scotland have a Six Nations point to prove and Emily Scarratt returnsWith Billy Vunipola declared fit to start against Fiji, it is little surprise that Eddie Jones delayed naming his starting XV by 24 hours. Leaving the Wales match – the day after the Premiership final – aside, Vunipola has started in every game under Jones and while he is not the only player to do so, he is the most important. A leaner, meaner Vunipola, making carries in areas that hurt the opposition, has been the bedrock of Jones’s side and without him England would have needed to find other means of breaking the...
England have put their World Cup travails firmly behind them, Australia have a mountain to climb and Wales coach Rob Howley faces some tough decisions It is remarkable how quickly sporting fortunes can swing. A year ago, England were failing to escape their World Cup pool on home soil while South Africa were just two semi-final points away from reaching the final. Twelve months on, the Springbok team is a very different, more vulnerable animal. The simultaneous loss of several long-time stalwarts has coincided with a continuing player exodus to Europe and Japan, while the politics of transformation further complicate Allister Coetzee’s task. The Boks should overcome Italy this weekend but, longer-term, the outlook looks highly uncertain. England, on the...
Rob Howley defends his team after 32-8 rout by Australia but it was not until the final 15 minutes that they showed real creativityWales identified the need to work on the athleticism and dexterity of their tight five after their summer whitewash by New Zealand. They involved their four regions to raise the general skill level of the national squad but a 12th successive reverse to Australia, and their second heaviest home defeat by the Wallabies, showed they remain more comfortable manhandling than ball-handling.Wales used nine tight-five forwards on Saturday and they carried the ball between them for a total of eight metres compared with their opponents’ 76. They have won only three of their last 12 internationals and in...