Rugby World Cup to give Georgia the chance to earn their seat at rugby’s top table September 12, 2019 Georgia have spent the better part of a decade stuck in European Rugby’s no man’s land, wedged under the glass ceiling that separates them from the continent’s elite. Currently, their primary competition is the Rugby Europe Championship, the second tier beneath the far more prestigious Six Nations. Georgia have won nine of the last 11 [...]
England will have to go the extra mile to win the Rugby World Cup September 11, 2019 If England needed any reminding of the logistical hurdles to winning the World Cup, they received it on Monday when they were held up at Tokyo Narita Airport for six hours on their arrival to Japan due to travel chaos caused by Typhoon Faxai. Eddie Jones’s side already had one of the most demanding schedules [...]
As the World Cup looms, Japan and USA represent rugby’s biggest targets for growth September 10, 2019 Four years ago, Karne Hesketh propelled himself into the corner of the Amex Stadium in Brighton. His 84th-minute try that gave Japan a World Cup victory over two-time winners South Africa, and the rugby world came to a standstill unlike ever before. The result is, and is likely to stay for some time, the biggest [...]
Eddie Jones takes gamble with squad selection but how does England’s cap count compare to rivals? September 10, 2019 Since taking charge of England in 2015, Eddie Jones has been working towards victory in the now-imminent World Cup. Everything he has done over the past four years has been with lifting the Webb Ellis Cup in mind. Yet at the 11th hour he has gambled, opting to sacrifice experience within the squad for talented [...]
Ben Youngs and Anthony Watson impress in England’s final World Cup warm-up September 9, 2019 It was not a game that will go down in history for its quality, but England’s 37-0 win over Italy at St James’ Park served its purpose. The scoreline suggests the win was more comfortable than it was, yet Eddie Jones will be content to have seen his side manage the match well in an [...]
Ollie Phillips: Still places to play for in England’s final World Cup warm-up against Italy September 5, 2019 England head to Newcastle United’s St James’ Park for their final warm-up game against Italy tomorrow before they fly to Japan for the World Cup — and what an occasion it will be. Newcastle seems to be turning into a real hotbed of rugby after hosting the Challenge Cup and Champions Cup in May, so [...]
Ollie Phillips: George Ford’s Ireland performance gives Eddie Jones a World Cup selection headache August 29, 2019 I was busy getting married on Saturday so didn’t watch England against Ireland live, but it’s fair to say the best day of my life got even better when I saw the score. Watching the recording back after tying the knot I couldn’t help but be encouraged by what I saw. England are on fire [...]
Pressure on England to beat Ireland as Eddie Jones names probable World Cup XV August 22, 2019 For England’s third World Cup warm-up match, against Ireland on Saturday, Eddie Jones has selected a team that almost looks like his first choice XV for the tournament. Only Mako Vunipola coming in for Joe Marler at loosehead prop could make this side stronger. But there is a concern over how reliant England have become [...]
Ireland may have peaked too soon as England World Cup warm-up looms August 22, 2019 There is only so long that a team can go on a winning run before they are inevitably undone and must return to the drawing board. Just ask England, who capitulated at last year’s Six Nations on their way to losing five successive Tests. Or Wales, whose 14-match winning streak was abruptly halted by England [...]
Wales show resilience to bounce back and beat England in physical affair August 19, 2019 For those who say World Cup warm-up matches should not count as Tests, this was anything but a friendly. More than 73,000 came to watch Wales beat England 13-6 on Saturday in a hugely physical battle at the Principality Stadium that saw tempers flare and the hosts become the world’s No1 side. Warren Gatland warned [...]