The 2023 thread to discuss all things rugby related such as matches, players, debates and news anything to with the world of rugby and of both codes, union and league.

This season is insane. If Chiefs had 5 points less they'd be in last place and 5 points more and their in 4th...how is it this close this far into the season.

Dave Ribbans advertised his wellbeing for England’s Six Nations campaign as Northampton ensured Harlequins ended a miserable festive period with another defeat by 46-17.

 

 

Jarrod Evans fell agonisingly short with the last kick of the game as Ospreys clinched a dramatic win at Cardiff by 22-19.

 

 

Leicester Tigers have signed former England full-back Mike Brown on a short-term contract, initially as cover during the Six Nations.

 

The former Harlequins favourite, 37, who left for Newcastle in 2021, has been without a club since the Falcons opted not to take up the option of an extra year in his contract last summer.

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) is considering introducing a restriction on the height of the tackle allowed in the community game in Wales.

 

A similar move announced in England last month was met with opposition and led to an apology from the Rugby Football Union (RFU).

 

The aim is to increase safety at community levels of the game.

 

The WRU says no decision has been made but that they are in discussion with the three other home Unions.

A sad day for my local rugby team:

 

Worcester Warriors have withdrawn their proposal to play in the Championship next season and will rebrand as Sixways Rugby, says owners Atlas.

 

Warriors had been given until 14 February to meet Rugby Football Union criteria to play in the second tier.

 

But Jim O'Toole, who led the Atlas takeover alongside James Sandford, said they have pulled out of talks.

 

 

Sixways Rugby, do me a favour.

 

After 151 years, it appears Worcester Warriors is no more. :(

So now Sixways (Worcester Warriors stadium) has gone from a rugby facility to a hotel complex, a medical centre and entertainment venue with a rugby stadium attached.

I personally will step away from it all. No Worcs team in a Worcs stadium, makes zero rugby supporter sense to me. I wish them well but to me it doesn't sit right.

Wales' regions are braced to lose many of their biggest stars due to drastic cost-cutting measures.

 

Cardiff head coach Dai Young admitted the club cannot match the offers being made from elsewhere with Liam Williams, Josh Adams and Jarrod Evans targeted.

 

Dragons are hoping Ross Moriarty stays despite a lucrative offer from France.

 

Ospreys said a player has already signalled he will quit, with a regional finance deal still to be agreed with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU).

 

On a sobering day for Welsh rugby, in which three of the four regions held press conferences, it was left to their head coaches to spell out the impact of the expected budget cuts.

Edinburgh are set to appoint former Sale director of rugby Steve Diamond as their new head coach until the end of this season.

 

Diamond will replace Mike Blair, who announced he was stepping down from the role last month.

 

It had been anticipated former Scotland scrum-half Blair would step aside at the end of the season, but Diamond will now take charge immediately.

 

Blair is expected to remain part of the coaching set-up under Diamond.

Saracens won a pulsating meeting with Harlequins to secure home advantage in the Premiership semi-finals by 36-24

 

England's Owen Farrell kicked 11 points and Sarries ran in five tries in front of more than 55,000 fans at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

 

Quins replied with four of their own, two from in-form Cadan Murley, but Saracens recorded a sixth straight league win over their rivals

England prop Ellis Genge has been banned for three weeks for a dangerous tackle on Tom Curry during Bristol's defeat by Sale.

 

Genge, 28, was sin-binned for the tackle in the second half of Friday's game, and cited after the match.

 

He accepted the charge before Tuesday's hearing, with mitigating factors meaning the ban was reduced by half.

 

If he completes a World Rugby coaching intervention programme, the suspension will be further reduced to two weeks.

 

Genge, who captained England for the first time during this year's Six Nations, will be unavailable for the Bears' final two matches of the Premiership season, against Exeter on 22 April and Gloucester on 6 May.

It seems like he is planning on doing the 'tackle school' (love the name!) - so should be available for England's first warm-up match.

Glasgow secured a first European final with a thrilling Challenge Cup semi-final win over Scarlets in Llanelli.

Exeter Chiefs' bid to reach the Champions Cup final was ended by a ruthless semi-final display by holders La Rochelle in Bordeaux.

 

Sam Simmonds gave Exeter an early lead but Raymond Rhule, UJ Seuteni, Gregory Aldritt and Tawera Kerr-Barlow gave the hosts a commanding 26-7 half-time lead.

 

Rhule and Kerr-Barlow both scored again and Pierre Bourgarit also went over as the hosts ran Exeter ragged.

 

Josh Iosefa-Scott, Olly Woodburn and Jack Yeandle replied for Exeter.

 

Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle will face Leinster - the team they beat to lift the trophy last year - in the final in Dublin on 20 May.

Justin Tipuric has retired from international rugby with immediate effect.

 

The 33-year-old Ospreys flanker made the shock announcement on social media.

 

Tipuric, capped 93 times by Wales, had been named in Warren Gatland's extended 54-strong training squad for the World Cup later this year.

La Rochelle head coach Ronan O'Gara insists his side will relish the "lion's den" of a sold-out Aviva Stadium in Saturday's Heineken Champions Cup final against Leinster.

 

La Rochelle are the holders after beating Leinster 24-21 in last year's dramatic final in Marseille.

 

O'Gara believes his squad are ready for a hostile atmosphere in Dublin.

 

"There is a certain enjoyment factor when you go into the lion's den," said the Munster and Ireland legend.

 

"We will either grow or shrink."

 

La Rochelle needed a last-gasp try to beat four-time winners Leinster last year and O'Gara is hoping they can deliver another stellar performance as they look to become the first team to retain the title since Saracens in 2017.

 

"We have high standards and we have ambition to do something special in these players' lives," added O'Gara.

Penalty - Leinster 23-7 La Rochelle

Challenge Cup holders Wigan came from 14-0 down as they stunned Leeds to reach the last eight.

 

Just eight days from losing 40-18 at home to a 14-man Leeds side in Super League, this time it ended 14-18.