Posts Tagged RugbyNews
Hansen: We accept the penalties
Steve Hansen has no argument with the one-match bans handed out to Tony Woodcock and Sitiveni Sivivatu.
The duo were punished for their violent behaviour in the All Blacks’ 32-19 win over Australia in Tokyo.
Hansen accompanied the pair to the judicial hearing where judicial officer Peter Hobbs, of Wellington, found Woodcock guilty of striking George Smith [...]
Familiar foes reach Air NZ Cup final
Canterbury and Wellington will contest the Air New Zealand Cup final for the second successive year.
The two teams had contrasting semi-final victories over the weekend with defending champions Canterbury easily accounting for Hawke’s Bay 20-3 in Christchurch and Wellington battling to a 34-21 home win against Southland.
It will be Wellington’s fourth straight appearance in the [...]
Wilkinson happy with England return
Jonny Wilkinson claimed he is undaunted by expectation over his England return as he resumes an international career he once feared was over.
Wilkinson has been ravaged by injury since helping England lift the 2003 World Cup but his move to French club Toulon has seen him restored to full fitness.
On the strength of his impressive [...]
Andrew sees no excuses for England
Rob Andrew believes that England’s injury problems cannot be used as an excuse as they prepare for a challenging Test series.
Andrew wants England to show progress in meetings with Australia, Argentina and New Zealand despite the squad being shorn of several leading lights.
A full British & Irish Lions capped front-row, Andrew Sheridan, Lee Mears [...]
Kirchner signs new Bulls deal
South Africa full-back Zane Kirchner has pledged his future to the Bulls by signing a new three-year deal.
The 25-year-old, who made his Springbok debut against the British and Irish Lions in July this year, joins fellow defender Tiger Mangweni as the latest players to extend their stays in Pretoria.
Mangweni has inked a new one-year contract.
Kirchner [...]
Michalak called up by France
Frederic Michalak has been recalled to the France squad for next week’s Test against world champions South Africa in Toulouse.
The fly-half has been handed a chance to impress with Lionel Beauxis out through injury.
Under-21 captain Alexandre Lapandry is also in the squad, but there is no place for centre Mathieu Bastareaud.
The 21-year-old has apologised for [...]
Smith dropped and new back three for Wallabies
Former stand-in skipper George Smith has been dropped and there are three other personnel changes and one positional alteration in the Wallabies starting side for Saturday’s historic Bledisloe Cup Test against New Zealand in Japan.
Wingers Digby Ioane and Peter Hynes, centre Ryan Cross and No.8 Wycliff Palu are the new faces from the run [...]
Kidney unveils Ireland squad
Ireland head coach Declan Kidney has named nine uncapped players in his 39-strong squad for the November Tests against Australia, Fiji and South Africa.
Connacht duo Sean Cronin and Brett Wilkinson and Leinster pair Cian Healy and John Forgarty will all be hoping to force their way into the reckoning for a place in the [...]
Three new faces in England squad
England team manager Martin Johnson has included three uncapped players in his revised EPS squad for the autumn internationals, as well as recalling World Cup winners Steve Thompson and Jonny Wilkinson.
Bath prop David Barnes, Leicester Tigers lock Richard Blaze and Northampton’s versatile forward Courtney Lawes are the three new faces in the 32-strong squad.
Barnes [...]
Gatland slams quality of Premiership
Wales head coach Warren Gatland has slated the standard of play in this season’s Guinness Premiership.
The New Zealander has included just one England-based player in his 29-strong squad for the autumn Tests, Sale’s Dwayne Peel, and did not pull any punches when it came to explain exactly why.
“I think the Guinness Premiership, having watched [...]