Rugby

• Social Pundit’s 6N Preview – 10 answers to questions you probably weren’t asking.
  So, is this a bright new dawn? No. No, it is not. In fact, for most countries it’s not even a new dawn. There always seems to be lots of predictions about this new player getting brought in or building a new team for the next 4 year cycle and what I’ve realised as the build-up for this tournament continues is that it’s a load of bollocks. International coaches have spent ages with their squad, honing it obsessively, to get it ready for the World Cup – they’re not going to chuck that away now that it’s been done. No, they’ll be seeing the season out with their teams if possible. The summer tours will be different, particularly as many senior players will be very tired and deserving a break, but right now this is a continuation of business. Even in England and Italy, the two countries with the most changes in their squad, the majority of the squad have been here before – albeit briefly. So no new dawn. Is it at least going to be a good tournament? I wouldn’t put any large amounts of money on this being a classic of good rugby. Robinson is still picking [...]
• Sale Sharks announce prop Eifion Lewis Roberts to return on three-year deal
  Eifion (30) joined Sharks in 2005 from Clwb Rygbi Rhuthun, in his native Clwyd Valley, and progressed via the Jets to make his senior debut against Scarlets in December that year. He swiftly acquired the nickname ‘The Fridge’, as a tribute to the impact made by Chicago Bears’ defensive lineman William Perry. Eifion posed a massive presence in the Sharks’ front row. Eifion has one Welsh cap, gained against Canada in 2008, and has played for RC Toulon since 2010. "Fridge is a great signing for us. He’s a very popular lad here; he knows the club very well and I know that he will be a big crowd favourite once more," said Sharks Chief Executive Steve Diamond. "He’s had a great experience out in France with Toulon and he’ll come back all the better for playing over there. Eifion can play both sides of the scrum and he’s very durable and very hard working, which is what you need in those positions. "He will give us that experience, which was what we need in the pack, and we just can’t wait to have him back here again." Eifion added, "I’m grateful that Sale Sharks have given me the opportunity [...]
• Fresh look England to face Scotland
  England today named three new caps in the starting team to face Scotland in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations match at Murrayfield. Saracens Brad Barritt and Owen Farrell will form a new centre pairing at international level, while Northampton Saints’ Phil Dowson makes his debut at No 8. The match 22 sees five more uncapped players on the replacements’ bench  – Rob Webber (London Wasps), Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers), Ben Morgan (Scarlets), Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints) and Jordan Turner-Hall (Harlequins). Head Coach Stuart Lancaster said: “We have been impressed with how the whole group has come together in the last 10 days and we have done a lot of work on and off the field.  “Now is the time to turn all that into a performance against Scotland that we can all be proud of. It is a massive challenge – Murrayfield, the first game of the Six Nations – but one we are relishing.” England 15 Ben Foden (Northampton Saints) 14 Chris Ashton (Northampton Saints) 13 Brad Barritt (Saracens)* 12 Owen Farrell (Saracens)* 11 David Strettle (Saracens) 10 Charlie Hodgson  (Saracens) 9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers) 1 Alex Corbisiero (London Irish) 2 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints) 3 Dan Cole (Leicester [...]
• England Saxons to face Scotland A – Waldouck replaces Joseph
  Dominic Waldouck has replaced Jonathan Joseph in the England Saxons side facing Scotland A at Galashiels on Friday (7.30pm). Joseph, 20, had been due to make his first appearance at this level but the London Irish centre makes way because of a groin injury. “He was experiencing a little soreness when he joined us and aggravated things when he slipped in training,” said Saxons coach Jon Callard. “He might have played through it but it’s in everyone’s best interests to err on the side of caution given that he has just returned from a long lay-off. "JJ has got a bright future but as he’s just come back from a different injury we wouldn’t want to compound his problems.” London Wasps centre Waldouck, 24, toured New Zealand (2008) and Australia (2010) with the senior England side. He made his debut for the Saxons in 2009 against Portugal and this will be his seventh appearance for the side. England Saxons: 15 Nick Abendanon (Bath Rugby); 14 Ugo Monye (Harlequins), 13 Dominic Waldouck (London Wasps), 12 Billy Twelvetrees (Leicester Tigers), 11 Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby); 10 Ryan Lamb (Northampton Saints), 9 Ben Spencer (Saracens); 1 Nick Wood (Gloucester Rugby), 2 Chris Brooker [...]
• England skipper eager to kick off Six Nations campaign
  Sunday February 5th sees England Women kick off their defence of their RBS 6 Nations crown and England skipper Katy McLean says she can’t wait to get started again. England take on Scotland at Lasswade RFC on Sunday, 5pm kick off, and as defending Grand Slam champions gunning for a record breaking seventh consecutive crown, England are going into the tournament as favourites. But McLean, who will start at fly-half on Sunday, is expecting this tournament to be tougher than ever with all their Six Nations rivals determined to knock England off their perch, especially after her side’s recent victory over world champions New Zealand. “I am often asked how do we motivate ourselves for this tournament given we have won the Six Nations for the last six years, but I genuinely believe this is going to be our toughest Six Nations in a long time and that we are going to have to be at our best to retain our title, so to be honest it’s not difficult. “We have got some big games coming up and France, only in November, defeated us twice in an uncapped and a full on international test match. There is no way they [...]
• Ireland team to play Wales
  The Ireland team to play Wales in the RBS 6 Nations Championship on Sunday, February 5th in Aviva Stadium has been named. There are three changes to the side that lined out against the same opposition in Ireland’s last game in the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Keith Earls will start at centre alongside Gordon D’Arcy with Andrew Trimble coming into the team on the left wing. In the half-backs Jonathan Sexton will win his 25th cap and he is partnered by Conor Murray. The pack is unchanged from the last game with Paul O’Connell wearing the captain’s armband. The uncapped Peter O’Mahony is named in the replacements. IRELAND Team & Replacements (v Wales, RBS 6 Nations Championship 2012, Aviva Stadium, Sunday, February 5th, kick-off 3pm): 15 – Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster) 14 – Tommy Bowe (Ospreys) 13 – Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) 12 – Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster) 11 – Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster) 10 – Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)  9 – Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 1 – Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 2 – Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) 3 – Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster) 4 – Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster) 5 – Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster) Captain 6 – Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster) 7 – Sean O’Brien [...]
• England squad update
  The following players will return to Pennyhill Park on Wednesday evening to train with England ahead of Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations match against Scotland at Murrayfield. Forwards  (13) Mouritz Botha (Saracens) Alex Corbisiero (London Irish) Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers) Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers) Phil Dowson (Northampton Saints) Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints) Joe Marler (Harlequins) Ben Morgan (Scarlets) Tom Palmer (Stade Francais) Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers) Chris Robshaw (Harlequins) Matt Stevens (Saracens) Rob Webber (London Wasps) Backs (11) Chris Ashton (Northampton Saints) Brad Barritt (Saracens) Mike Brown (Harlequins) Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints) Owen Farrell (Saracens) Ben Foden (Northampton Saints) Charlie Hodgson (Saracens) Charlie Sharples (Gloucester Rugby) David Strettle (Saracens) Jordan Turner-Hall (Harlequins) Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers) The following players will return to their Aviva Premiership clubs this evening and be available for the weekend’s LV= Cup Round 4 matches. Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby) Matt Banahan (Bath Rugby) Calum Clark (Northampton Saints) Alex Goode (Saracens) Lee Mears (Bath Rugby) Joe Simpson (London Wasps) Thomas Waldrom (Leicester Tigers) David Wilson (Bath Rugby)
• Sharks vs Scarlets KO time change
  The Sale Sharks v Scarlets game in the LV Cup will now kick off at 3pm on Saturday afternoon. The game was originally scheduled to take place on Saturday evening but as the temperatures are due to fall as the week goes on, the kick off time has been changed. Sale Sharks Head of Media Dave Swanton explained, “ Nigel Felton is bringing his hot air system to the ground today and the pitch will be covered until just before kick off time. Nigel advised that a late kick off may cause problems in that the pitch could become unplayable as the temperatures fall. With the safety of the players in mind we highlighted this to the RFU who contacted the broadcasters and the kick off time change was agreed. The game will now be screened on delayed transmission.” Swanton added, “ We would like to thank the RFU, Premiership Rugby, Scarlets and S4C for the help in changing the kick off time.”
• Benjamin, Joseph, Seymour added to England Saxons squad
  England Saxons have called Miles Benjamin (Worcester Warriors), Jonathan Joseph (London Irish) and David Seymour (Sale Sharks) into their squad to face Scotland A on Friday (Galashiels, 7pm). The Saxons go into the game at Netherdale on the back of a 23-17 win over the O2 Ireland Wolfhounds at Exeter secured by tries from Leicester Tigers No.8 Thomas Waldrom and Saracens scrum half Ben Spencer, and 13 points from Gloucester Rugby fly half Freddie Burns. Flanker Seymour, 27, and centre Joseph, 20, take over from Waldrom and Matt Banahan (Bath Rugby), who have been added to the senior squad training for the opening match of the RBS 6 Nations at Murrayfield. Benjamin, 23, replaces Delon Armitage (London Irish) following the latter’s suspension from the Saxons Elite Player Squad. The Worcester wing scored five tries in two Churchill Cup appearances against the USA and Canada last summer. Saxons coach Jon Callard said: “Dave Seymour’s been playing very well for Sale and captaining the side too while Miles played a big role last summer. I’m sure he was disappointed not to be part of the Saxons EPS and this is a great opportunity for him to show what he can do. “Everyone’s [...]
• Delon Armitage suspended from England Saxons EPS
  Delon Armitage has been suspended from the England Saxons Elite Player Squad following his detention by Devon & Cornwall Police early on January 29. The London Irish full back was released from the England Saxons camp following the international match against the O2 Ireland Wolfhounds on January 28. He was later arrested in Torquay on suspicion of assault following an altercation in a nightclub, interviewed and then released on police bail while inquiries continue. England Head Coach Stuart Lancaster said: “We take issues surrounding the behaviour of England players very seriously and as such have decided to suspend Delon from the Saxons EPS pending the result of the police inquiry. We will then consider if further action is appropriate under the EPS Code of Conduct. “High standards of behaviour are required from England players on and off the field, and they also need to understand that they should not put themselves in a potentially vulnerable position or environment.” London Irish said in a statement: “London Irish is extremely disappointed to hear about the incident involving Delon whilst on an England Saxons release period and takes these matters extremely seriously. We fully understand the RFU stance on this matter and will [...]