Rugby : Rugby Union Thread

[denphone]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011...ay-premiership

Secret plans to transform European domestic rugby union are being considered by French and English sides keen to put the professional club game on a firmer financial footing. One leading official from a Premiership club is warning of a possible "violent breakaway" by wealthier European clubs, with teams in South Africa understood to be monitoring the situation.

With a new Heineken Cup season kicking off this weekend, the Guardian can reveal that separate proposals are on the table to create a world club championship, bringing together the best eight non-international sides from both hemispheres. The champions of the Aviva Premiership, RaboPro12 and French Top 14 leagues, plus the Heineken Cup winners, would be invited to play the table-topping sides in New Zealand, South Africa and Australia, plus the Super 15 champions.

"From an English and French clubs' point of view the Heineken Cup is a growing competition but it is essentially controlled by the unions and played by the clubs," said a prominent club figure. "There are some English and French clubs who do not regard that as an ideal situation. There is also a growing weariness in South Africa with Sanzar [South Africa, New Zealand and Australia Rugby]. They feel they're at a playing disadvantage by constantly having to travel and, despite having more commercial pulling power, do not get a proportionally bigger share of the revenue. They feel South Africa is subsidising Australia and New Zealand, which are relatively small markets."

Again at the end of the day the main driver is money l am afraid.

[denphone]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rug...d-manager.html

Martin Johnson to resign from role as England manager

England's disastrous World Cup campaign, which saw the side lose in the quarter-finals to France and will be remembered for players' off field behaviour, has forced Johnson to make the decision.

l think he had to go after the debacle of the world cup.

[Hom3r]

Martin Johnson quits as England team manager


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugb...n/15756480.stm

[Pog66]

Perhaps they should give the job to Rob Andrew as he seems to want to control English Rugby

[denphone]

Originally Posted by Pog66

Perhaps they should give the job to Rob Andrew as he seems to want to control English Rugby

To be perfectly honest l have never been enamoured with Rob Andrew as a player or in his current position.

[denphone]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011...martin-johnson

Sir Clive Woodward told Martin Johnson he would be "mad" to become England coach, when he was offered the post in 2008. Woodward, who coached England to World Cup success in 2003, warned Johnson he needed to experience coaching at club level before thinking about the national side. "We had a conversation in 2008 about whether he should take the job when he was first offered it," Woodward told the Sunday Times. "I told him that he would be mad to do so, that he had to work with Leicester first so that he could really earn his stripes as a coach. He has the qualities to be an outstanding coach, just as good as he was as a player and captain, but even he cannot learn this job at the very top level on the hoof."

If England are ever to return to the top then they need to reappoint Sir Clive Woodward to the job or else they are set to languish in the second division of nations for the forseeable future.

[denphone]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011...-leaked-report

The full extent of England's Rugby World Cup shambles has been laid bare following the leaking of confidential reports into events in New Zealand. Players and Rugby Football Union officials have both accused some squad members of being more interested in "getting cash and caps than about getting better on the pitch" while Martin Johnson's managerial failings have also been heavily criticised.

Among the evidence gathered by the Rugby Players' Association, who received feedback from 90% of the players, was a complaint by one player about a colleague's reaction in the dressing room – "There's £35,000 just gone down the toilet" – following the quarter-final defeat to France in Auckland. The player concerned said the response "made me sick. Money shouldn't even come into a player's mind."

There were also accusations that senior colleagues indulged in drinking games and poked fun at those who committed wholeheartedly to training. Johnson, who resigned as team manager last week, was the subject of particular criticism for failing to deal adequately with the fallout from the drunken night out in Queenstown, which saw Mike Tindall belatedly fined for his conduct.

[denphone]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugb...n/15860703.stm

The BBC has agreed a deal to broadcast the Six Nations until 2017.

It extends BBC Sport's current deal, which runs until 2013, as exclusive broadcaster of the Six Nations and covers TV, radio and online.

John Feehan, chief executive of the Six Nations, added: "We are delighted that BBC Sport will maintain, extend and enhance its coverage of the RBS Six Nations, the world's biggest annual rugby tournament, for a further four years to March 2017."

[denphone]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugb...n/16182962.stm

The Rugby Football Union has announced the appointment of Ian Ritchie as its new chief executive.

"I believe English rugby has a very bright future, culminating in a home World Cup in 2015," said Ritchie.

Ian Metcalfe, the RFU board member who led the search for a new chief executive, added: "There was an excellent shortlist and we are confident that we have the very best person for the role of CEO to take the RFU and the game in England to the next stage of its development.

[denphone]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugb...n/16274504.stm

Scotland's record cap holder and points scorer Chris Paterson has announced his international retirement.

He became the only Scotland player to win 100 caps after the Six Nations match against Wales in 2010.

He played in all four of Scotland's games at this year's World Cup, taking his tally to 15 appearances in four tournaments - another Scottish record.

Have a happy international retirement.

[denphone]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugb...n/16491793.stm

Saracens back Owen Farrell is one of nine uncapped players in England's squad for this season's Six Nations.

Farrell headed a clutch of new faces promoted to the 32-man elite squad, while interim head coach Stuart Lancaster discarded a host of veterans.

Also included are Scarlets number eight Ben Morgan and Northampton trio Calum Clark, Phil Dowson and Lee Dickson.

Mike Tindall, Mark Cueto, Nick Easter, Shontayne Hape and Riki Flutey all failed to make the cut.

The retirement of several of the team's stalwarts and a string of injuries forced some changes, while others were always likely following a dismal World Cup campaign that ended in quarter-final defeat to France.

World Cup winners Jonny Wilkinson, former skipper Lewis Moody and hooker Steve Thompson all announced their retirements after returning from New Zealand.

England's 32-man Elite Player Squad for the Six Nations Championship:

Forwards: M Botha (Saracens), C Clark (Northampton Saints), A Corbisiero (London Irish), D Cole (Leicester Tigers), T Croft (Leicester Tigers), L Deacon (Leicester Tigers), P Dowson (Northampton Saints), D Hartley (Northampton Saints), C Lawes (Northampton Saints), J Marler (Harlequins), L Mears (Bath Rugby), B Morgan (Scarlets), T Palmer (Stade Francais), C Robshaw (Harlequins), M Stevens (Saracens), R Webber (London Wasps), D Wilson (Bath Rugby), T Wood (Northampton Saints).

Backs: C Ashton (Northampton Saints), B Barritt (Saracens), M Brown (Harlequins), L Dickson (Northampton Saints), O Farrell (Saracens), T Flood (Leicester Tigers), B Foden (Northampton Saints), C Hodgson (Saracens), J Simpson (London Wasps), C Sharples (Gloucester Rugby), D Strettle (Saracens), M Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers), J Turner-Hall (Harlequins), B Youngs (Leicester Tigers).

England Saxons 32-man squad for fixtures against the Ireland Wolfhounds and Scotland A:

Forwards: *D Attwood (Bath Rugby), C Brooker (Harlequins), P Doran Jones (Northampton Saints), M Garvey (London Irish), J Gaskell (Sale Sharks), J Gibson (London Irish), J Gray (Harlequins), T Johnson (Exeter Chiefs), J Launchbury (London Wasps), M Mullan (Worcester Warriors), L Narraway (Gloucester Rugby), D Paice (London Irish), *G Parling (Leicester Tigers), G Robson (Harlequins), A Saull (Saracens), H Thomas (Sale Sharks), T Waldrom (Leicester Tigers), N Wood (Gloucester Rugby).

Backs: N Abendanon (Bath Rugby), A Allen (Leicester Tigers), D Armitage (London Irish), M Banahan (Bath Rugby), F Burns (Gloucester Rugby), K Dickson (Harlequins), *A Goode (Saracens), J Joseph (London Irish), R Lamb (Northampton Saints), J May (Gloucester Rugby), U Monye (Harlequins), *H Trinder (Gloucester Rugby), B Twelvetrees (Leicester Tigers), M Young (Leicester Tigers).

*denotes players who are providing temporary injury cover in the elite

[denphone]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/16824070

Number eight Phil Dowson is one of three uncapped players in England's starting XV to face Scotland in their Six Nations opener on Saturday.

Dowson is picked ahead of Scarlets' Ben Morgan, who is a replacement, by interim England coach Stuart Lancaster.

Brad Barritt and Owen Farrell will also make their debuts, while Saracens team-mate Charlie Hodgson plays at fly-half in place of the injured Toby Flood.

Another Saracen, David Strettle, makes his comeback to the side on the wing.

England side to face Scotland

Ben Foden; Chris Ashton; Owen Farrell, Brad Barritt, David Strettle; Charlie Hodgson; Ben Youngs; Alex Corbesierio, Dylan Hartley, Dan Cole; Maurice Botha, Tom Palmer; Tom Croft, Chris Robshaw (c), Phil Dowson.

Replacements: Rob Webber, Matt Stevens, Geoff Parling, Ben Morgan, Lee Dickson, Jordan Turner-Hall, Mike Brown

[denphone]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/16861332

Six Nations Result

France 30-12 Italy

[denphone]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/16863670

Six Nations Result

Scotland 6-13 England


Great win by England.

[Buzzman]

Originally Posted by denphone

Great win by England.

Only on the scoreboard Den. I thought both teams lacked finishing skills and England turned over far too much ball in their 22.

The young Scottish number 8 looks like one for the future.

Stats aside, I guess it's only the scoreboard that matters and hopefully the quality of the rugby will improve as the competition progresses.