Ollie Phillips: Farrell and Vunipola bans are almighty World Cup headache for England August 23, 2023 The banning of England pair Owen Farrell and Billy Vunipola for the start of the Rugby World Cup has thrust tackling into the spotlight, and on that topic I share the view of Shaun Edwards. As the France defence coach says, it is a contact sport so accidental collisions are inevitable. That is made more [...]
England’s Rugby World Cup plans rocked as Billy Vunipola joins Farrell on banned list August 23, 2023 England have lost a second key player for the start of the Rugby World Cup after Billy Vunipola received a three-match ban. Vunipola’s suspension will be reduced to two games if he agrees to attend tackle school following his red card against Ireland on Saturday. But he is sure to miss England’s World Cup opener [...]
England captain Owen Farrell to miss start of Rugby World Cup due to four-game ban August 22, 2023 England will be deprived of captain Owen Farrell for their first two games of the Rugby World Cup after he was handed a four-match ban for his high tackle against Wales earlier this month. Farrell was initially shown a yellow card for the challenge on Taine Basham, which was then upgraded to a red on [...]
English rugby ‘digging its own grave’ with outdated coaching, says Danny Cipriani August 20, 2023 Former fly-half Danny Cipriani has accused English rugby of “digging its own grave” and appeared to compare coach Steve Borthwick to football manager Sam Allardyce after the national team’s Rugby World Cup plans descended further into disarray. England lost 29-10 to Ireland on Saturday in their penultimate warm-up match for the tournament and saw Billy [...]
Rugby’s disciplinary process betrays the very reason tough rules are in place August 17, 2023 Utterly ridiculous. Hugely embarrassing. Total disaster. These are some of the thoughts that have crossed my mind this week when I should instead be getting excited for the Rugby World Cup next month. Why? Because with the overturning of Owen Farrell’s red card from last Saturday, all of the sport’s decision makers have put the [...]
Sporting rivalry between England and Australia unmatchable August 16, 2023 They’re two countries with shared values and an entwined history, and that’s why any fixture, in any sport, between Australia and England just matters. Earlier this summer we saw how the Ashes, with its peaks and troughs, captured both nations – even prompting some banter between Rishi Sunak and Anthony Albanese – as both the [...]
Brack to the future: How Jack Bracken, son of 2003 World Cup winner Kyran, is forging his own path for England outside of a No9 shirt August 16, 2023 Sons following in their father’s footsteps in rugby is nothing new. England captain Owen Farrell and his dad Andy are both in the sport. Then there are Michael Lynagh’s sons Louis and Tom. And now we have the Brackens. Dad Kyran collected 51 caps for England between 1993 and 2003 and won the World Cup [...]
England’s Owen Farrell cleared to play in Rugby World Cup after red card quashed August 15, 2023 England have received a major boost ahead of the Rugby World Cup after captain Owen Farrell avoided a potential multi-match ban for a high tackle. Farrell was sent off in Saturday’s win over Wales for a challenge on Taine Basham and was summoned to appear at a disciplinary hearing today. But the committee cleared the [...]
Farrell idiocy leaves door open for Ford to lead Bothwick’s England at 10 August 15, 2023 England’s World Cup risks being scuppered before it even gets underway in France after captain Owen Farrell was handed a red card on Saturday, but Ford could come in and save the day. It is already starting to feel like the Rugby World Cup of absentees. First it was the exclusion of the reigning champions [...]
Van Poortvliet out of World Cup as Mitchell comes in for England August 14, 2023 England will be without one of their key players in next month’s Rugby World Cup as scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet suffered an injury to his ankle in Saturday’s 19-17 win over Wales at Twickenham. The Leicester Tigers No9 was aided off the field and will undergo surgery. He has been replaced by Northampton Saints scrum-half [...]