Rugby and tennis correspondent of the Evening Standard for 22 years . Now in
@TimesSport
@RugbyPass
. Have covered all 10 Rugby World Cups, 7 Lions tours
Steve Hansen
@AllBlacks
responding to news of
@EnglandRugby
fine over Haka challenge: "If you understand the haka, the haka requires a response. It's a challenge to you personally and it requires you to have a response. I thought it was brilliant, quite imaginative too."
Tuilagi joins up with
@EnglandRugby
and injures hamstring after
@SaleSharksRugby
got him fit by carefully watching his loading in training. Just saying
The Duchess of Cambridge is to replace Prince Harry as Patron of the RFU. An announcement confirming the duchess' new role is expected "imminently", according to
@MailOnline
Rob Baxter
@ExeterChiefs
on
@ealingtfrugby
and having to satisfy promotion criteria 'It's ridiculous how many hoops we had to jump through. Then you go to Bath and sit in changing-rooms that have not been fit for purpose since day one of the Premiership. " 1/2
@MailSport
Really don’t get the “Owen Farrell turns his back on English rugby “ attitude. The guy is a professional sportsman who’s been given a £1m a year deal to ply his trade elsewhere. That’s it
@Saracens
@EnglandRugby
Richmond, London Scottish, London Welsh and Worcester.
Lessons learnt along the way 0.
Lives shattered - too many to count.
Are the RFU and
@premrugby
going to stop this happening?
Silence.
@WorcsWarriors
“My hope is that the game can be played in the right way to honour Tiffany - and that it brings supporters and players together. As much as it means so much to us all, it is very much second fiddle to the greater good in terms of Tom and his family." Dan Biggar
@SaintsRugby
The
@EnglandRugby
forwards routinely (led by Maro Itoje) waste precious energy screaming "yes" and raising their arms in triumph when awarded a turnover. The crowd would be more enthused if those arms were raised to celebrate a try
Plans to mark Wayne Barnes’ record-breaking career as a referee at half-time have been shelved. With his family & children here, there are worries about how some in the crowd might react. This is why and where it must end.
There is something bizarre about
@EnglandRugby
trawling the world for rugby league influenced defence coaches when there is a certain Shaun Edwards who is actually English and with a proven record in union and league and is top bloke
@FranceRugby
Great news from the RFU who are following NZ and Wales by instructing that any players in a match squad from six to 18-years-old must play at least half a game. full story in
@TelegraphRugby
#sportforall
#propercoaching
A dozen Welsh rugby players currently earning up to £250,000 a year have been told the most they can be offered next season is £30,000,
@WalesRugby
understands. Twelve Cardiff players - were called into individual meetings with bosses last Thursday
The RFU have overseen three
@premrugby
clubs going under last season and now the winners of the
@Champrugby
Are they leading the game or just interested bystanders ?
ITV1's coverage of the Rugby World Cup quarter final between England and Fiji on Sunday peaked with 7.7 million viewers, with an average of 4.2 million and a 39 percent audience share .The match coverage was the biggest audience for a quarter final in 20 years.
So, Atlas didn't meet RFU requirements, looked around , found Stourbridge RFC, decided to kill off
@WorcsWarriors
avoid creditors, still use Sixways with "new club" and get to develop the land. Is this really the best the administrators could do?
Marcus Smith as
@Harlequins
fans know is the real deal. Took Eddie Jones a long time to recognise his talent now
@lionsofficial
are benefitting thanks to Gatland
So instead of picking Dombrandt to run those kicks back EJ gets
@EnglandRugby
best scrummager Genge to run himself into the ground. Seems a waste of energy that could be better used
@FranceRugby
“Telegraph Sport understands that reforms for Premiership and Championship hybrid cup competition include:A sin-bin ‘Power Play’, where each captain can nominate an opposition player to spend 10 minutes in the bin once a game”. How about funding not gimmicks?
@EnglandRugby
Twickenham station was meant to be revamped for the 2015 World Cup yet it remains a disgrace as an exit point for a major sporting event. It is a building site with thousands of fans of all ages herded into narrow tunnels
@EnglandRugby
@sw_train
The back line heading
@SaintsRugby
way!
RACING 92
15. Kurtley Beale, 14. Teddy Thomas, 13. Virimi Vakatawa, 12. Gael Fickou (c), 11. Juan Imhoff, 10. Finn Russell, 9. Maxime Machenaud,
Awaiting the official
@EnglandRugby
explanation how slashing Championship club central funding from £530k to £288k is supporting the whole game. Nottingham say it costs £1.7m to run the club . Bleak times, job cuts and match fees only
Fiji Water Flying Fijians head coach Simon Raiwalui has confirmed that there have been ongoing discussions of Fiji being part of the Rugby Championship after the Rugby World Cup.
@fijirugby
UPDATE; some good news about
@WaspsRugby
Thomas Young with the club saying: "After a series of scans last night and this morning he has now been discharged from hospital and will therefore be able to fly home with the Club’s Head of Medical Services later today. "
"That was the best 40 minutes I have seen Marcus play in test rugby – aggressive, decisive and wanted to own the game as part of the team and it was a big step forward for the young man.”
@EnglandRugby
Eddie Jones
Fiji Rugby chief executive John O’Connor reveals Fiji Airways has given up its front of jersey space replacing their own brand with the message ‘Vaccinate Fiji’ for the
@fijirugby
tests with the
@AllBlacks
This debacle proves conclusively that all future disciplinary panels should be chaired by
@Nigelrefowens
who highlighted that the tackle was never legal earlier this week and it probably took him 13 mins not hours
#appointnigel
Nigel Wray is neither the Devil incarnate or the Mother Teresa of rugby. He is in my humble opinion one of the most important figures in English professional rugby over 25 years - faults and all
@Saracens
@premrugby
Difficult to see what took nearly 13 hours to complete in this appeal when the ruling makes it abundantly clear the three man original Aussie panel got it "manifestly wrong" and the tackle was always illegal
“Rugby Australia were privately said to be astonished that the RFU had not insisted on a non-compete clause in Jones’ severance package which enabled them to fast-tracked their plans” via
@GavinMairs
@wallabies
@EnglandRugby
“The Saracens players weren’t at the races. Vunipola, if we didn’t know the pubs were closed you’d swear he had been in one. He was out of shape. “ ex-
@Scotlandteam
coach Matt Williams on Irish TV channel Virgin Media One via
@RugbyPass
Big thanks to the excellent medical team at the OL stadium in Lyon who cared for a member of my family who was injured by a coward of an England fan who ran away after falling on top of them because he was so drunk. Shame on you.
SHAUN EDWARDS: Justice has been served for Owen Farrell. It is RIGHT that he has been cleared to play. Of course player safety is paramount but rugby is a collision sport | Daily Mail Online
While it won't make
@LeicesterTigers
or
@Harlequins
fans happy a Steve Borthwick coaching unit including Aled Walters and Kevin Sinfield would be greatly enhanced by the inclusion of Nick Evans who would get the best out of Marcus Smith and Alex Dombrandt - just saying
Best wishes going to
@Saracens
forward Jackson Wray who is to see a consultant this week after fracturing his skull in their Premiership win at
@SaintsRugby
on Sunday.
Wallaby Israel Folau, ex-All Blacks Malakai Fekitoa and Salesi (Charles) Piutau have all been named in Tonga’s national rugby squad for the first time.
@officialTongaRU
@wallabies
@AllBlacks
The
@lionsofficial
will play the combined Pacific islands team as well as an Anzac XV, featuring
@AllBlacks
and
@wallabies
, and one game each against three Australian Super teams: the Waratahs, Reds and Brumbies on their three test 2025 tour of Oz via
@geerob
Six Nations Rugby today confirmed it had agreed to a partnership with Amazon Prime Video for the November Internationals, that will be collectively named as the Autumn Nations Series from 2021 onwards. 1/2
@SixNationsRugby
The BBC and ITV fear they will not have enough money to keep the Six Nations and Rugby World Cup on their free-to-air channels in the near future
Click here to read the full story ⬇️
"What is clear is the head coach answers to nobody who understands international rugby. And I mean nobody. Eddie Jones reports to himself and that has been a recipe for disaster since his appointment. This is where the fault lines start and finish. "Woodward hits nail on head
“But I don't feel let down. The things and opportunities that Nigel Wray has given to me as a person from the age of 17, he has invested so much time into me and love so I will be forever grateful for that.” why
@Saracens
Jamie George is sticking with the club
@EnglandRugby
Toby Flood will follow in the footsteps of fellow internationals Jamie Roberts, James Horwill and Flip van der Merwe by winning a Blue for Cambridge in the historic 150th anniversary Varsity Match at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday, 2 April.
@LeicesterTigers
@FalconsRugby
No fans, two outbreaks in the
@Springboks
squad, now positives in the
@lionsofficial
camp; talk of everyone assembling in Cape Town to avoid Gauteng spike. The argument - dismissed all too quickly - for a year's delay stronger than ever.
Steve Diamond reveals he is CEO of a bid to buy
@WorcsWarriors
along with ex
@LeicesterTigers
Simon Cohen with local and national investors in company called Sixways Village
Given the quality of the tries scored by amongst others
@FalconsRugby
Adam Radwan,
@Harlequins
Cadan Murley and
@londonirish
Ollie Hassell-Collins
there is no need to debate if English rugby has options to inject world class pace. They just don't pick any of them!
Premiership rugby club Worcester Warriors is set to enter administration, putting £14 million of taxpayer funds at risk. Steve Diamond tells Sunday Times
@TimesSport
if salaries not paid in 10 days with club in administration players could look for new clubs
@TimesBusiness
Maro Itoje and Jamie George will be signing contract extensions at Saracens after a historic financial intervention by the Rugby Football Union, who have offered the pair new ‘enhanced hybrid contracts’ to remain in England via
@GavinMairs
@TelegraphSport
Tom Curry wins his 50th cap for
@EnglandRugby
against
@lospumas
in the
@rugbyworldcup
bronze match on Friday. No doubt lots of good wishes from those one eyed
@Springboks
keyboard warrior fans. Dan at hooker, Smith full back, Arundell on wing, Underhill flanker. No Malins
𝗖𝗟𝗨𝗕 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧.
@owen_faz
has decided to take a break from international rugby in order to prioritise his and his family's mental well-being.
As always, Owen will have the full support of everyone at the club ❤️
Full Story 👇
#YourSaracens
💫
“The atmosphere felt artificial and contrived and, to top it off, England’s performance was so bad. Everyone was bored out of their brains.” Sir Clive Woodward on
@EnglandRugby
defeat
The need for speed? Umm no actually as
@EnglandRugby
release Cadan Murley, Will Joseph and Tommy Freeman. Looks like it’s running at bodies again for Japan test
SIX NATIONS RUGBY: STATEMENT
Six Nations Rugby, comprising the six Unions and Federations and CVC, wish to confirm that they are not entertaining any discussion nor developing any plans to add or replace any participating Union
@SixNationsRugby
@Springboks
From
@Nigelrefowens
"The key thing about mitigation here is that Farrell's actions were always illegal. No matter what happened, he was always leading with the shoulder and not making an attempt to wrap for a legal tackle -
To get the best out of the Smith/Dombrandt axis you need another ball carrier in the
@EnglandRugby
pack to allow AD to operate as he does with Smith at
@Harlequins
That could be Launchbury or Barbeary
@WaspsRugby
England international Ellis Genge has been appointed International Ambassador by Bristol City Council working to promote sporting opportunities around the world and in our city.
@BristolBears
So sad to hear that
@SaintsRugby
and
@Scotlandteam
prop Tom Smith has lost his fight against colon cancer. He won 61 caps, and was instrumental in both Scotland's 1999 Five Nations title and the Lions' 1997 series win against world champions South Africa. A great player. RIP
Owen Farrell’s rescinded red card sets worrying precedent for the game | England rugby union team | The Guardian. Well worth a read from the excellent
@robkitson
It would not only be helpful to the supporters but also rather vital for the players and staff involved with
@WorcsWarriors
if these two actually said something to explain 1: the true situation 2; what they are doing about it.
#theowners
I spent a 26 hour flight to OZ next to Dai Young on 1989
@lionsofficial
tour. He was great company then and still is one of the nicest guys out there. Dai took over coaching the mid-week 2001 Lions while playing prop after they were cut adrift from rest of squad. Big man
Joe Launchbury has turned down Racing 92 to join
@Harlequins
. The
@EnglandRugby
lock will join up next season after a stint in Japan with Toyota Verblitz for upcoming Japan Rugby League One season via
@bencoles_
@WaspsRugby
In just over 30 mins Steve Borthwick will officially replace Eddie Jones as
@EnglandRugby
head coach and one thing is certain his arrival will mean press conferences are straight bat affairs while on the pitch the England pack will regain lost ground
"If the RFU sign a Maro Itoje and pay him say half a million pounds a year, and he gets injured, they are still picking up the bill for that.Right now,they can pay the club 150 grand a year and if he gets injured,they just pick somebody else." Alex Sanderson on central contracts
No doubt
@Harlequins
Marcus Smith can bring something special to
@EnglandRugby
IF Eddie Jones embraces the concepts that make
@nick10evans
such a brilliant attack coach
Final thought on
@EnglandRugby
campaign in
@SixNationsRugby
: what do we know about the ability of Harry Randall, Paolo Odogwu to handle test rugby? Missed opportunities and yet more training injury stories.
It appears Owen Farrell’s head is not in contact with Varney’s despite him immediately holding it after the late hit! Strange call from officials. Farrell a lucky lad.
“I have stopped believing what comes out of Eddie Jones’ mouth. “Mike Brown. “He keeps saying it’s his fault, so what is he doing about it? The time for talking is over. People are bored with it. He needs to be held to account.” In
@MailSport