May 21, 20232 yr Author Ronan O'Gara says he wants to coach his native Ireland after guiding La Rochelle to a second successive Heineken Champions Cup success. The French side staged a stirring comeback to beat Leinster 27-26 after trailing 17-0 in the Dublin final. "Yes, of course, I want to coach Ireland as well but you have got to earn that right," he said. "Of course it will [stand him in good stead if he gets the Ireland job]. You're always getting better." O'Gara added that that the victory ranks as his best memory from the Lansdowne Road venue at which he enjoyed huge success as a player for Ireland.
May 21, 20232 yr Author Hull FC conjured up thoughts of a first Wembley trip in six years as they scored six tries to win comfortably at Castleford by 32-8 and reach the Challenge Cup quarter-finals.
May 23, 20232 yr Author Saracens wing Max Malins says he has "unfinished business" going into the Premiership final against Sale, which will be his last match for the club. The 26-year-old England international, who has agreed a move to Bristol Bears, was part of the Sarries side beaten by Leicester at Twickenham last June. "Last year was pretty hard to take," he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "I feel like I need this for myself. I've yet to play in a Premiership final and win. It's a massive motivation."
May 23, 20232 yr Author Exeter winger Jack Nowell says he will not make himself available for England's World Cup squad. The 30-year-old, who is set to join La Rochelle this summer, has been to the last two World Cups and won 45 caps. "No World Cup, I'm not doing the World Cup. I am just going to chill," Nowell told the RugbyPass Offload podcast. "I need to get my knee sorted. Obviously, it was a bit of a hard decision not to put myself in for selection for the World Cup.
May 24, 20232 yr Author The United Rugby Championship is exploring a form of draft system to improve competitiveness across the league. Italian side Zebre lost all 18 games this season as they finished bottom of the table in consecutive seasons. Leinster topped the table after the regular season and only lost twice - including the semi-final to Munster. Chief executive Martin Anayi says the URC needs to "think laterally" about improving the weaker teams' standards.
May 24, 20232 yr Author Alun Wyn Jones will captain the Barbarians against the World XV at Twickenham after announcing his international retirement. Israel Folau starts on the wing for the World XV, who are skippered by Italy's Michele Lamaro. Steve Hansen is coaching the World XV while ex-England coach Eddie Jones takes charge of the Barbarians. It will be the first time Jones has returned to Twickenham since he was sacked in December.
May 27, 20232 yr Author Just Stop Oil protesters caused a brief stoppage to the Gallagher Premiership final between Saracens and Sale at Twickenham. Two men came on to the pitch during the first half and threw orange paint powder on the playing surface. Stewards escorted them away to cheers from the crowd before the match resumed.
May 27, 20232 yr Author Saracens clinched their sixth Premiership title and their first in four years with a 35-25 win over Sale. Two tries in four minutes in the final quarter from Elliot Daly and Ivan Van Zyl sealed victory for Sarries. Victory was sweet for Saracens, who agonisingly missed out on the title last year due to Freddie Burns' last-minute drop-goal for Leicester.
May 28, 20232 yr Author England World Cup winner and Saracens flanker Vicky Fleetwood has retired. The 33-year-old, who made her England debut in 2011, won the World Cup in 2014 and ends her career with 82 caps. She also featured at the 2017 World Cup, but missed out on a place at last year's tournament and a knee injury has kept her out of action since October. "Rugby has given me so much to be thankful for and will forever hold a place in my heart," Fleetwood said. "I can proudly say I put everything into playing for both my club and country - the blood, the sweat, the tears, the change of position from 15s to sevens and back again. "It may not be the fairytale ending that everyone dreams of, but when you're not getting out of it what you put in, the sacrifices become harder to make and the enjoyment lessens."
May 28, 20232 yr Author Former St Helens coach Daniel Anderson says he is fortunate to be alive after being left a quadriplegic in a bodysurfing accident in Australia in December. The 56-year-old went into cardiac arrest after the incident and had to be dragged from the water. His life was saved by two off-duty paramedics who were on the beach in Central Coast, New South Wales. "I'm very lucky the paramedics were there," said Australian Anderson. "I was obviously in a bad way. If they weren't there, who knows how it would have finished up."
May 28, 20232 yr Author Two men have been charged in connection with the disruption during Saturday's rugby final at Twickenham. Just Stop Oil protesters invaded the pitch midway through the match between Saracens and Sale, throwing orange paint powder on to the field. The duo were then escorted out of the stadium by stewards.
May 28, 20232 yr Author Alun Wyn Jones led the Barbarians to victory over a World XV at Twickenham by 48-42 in what might be one of the last times we see Test rugby's most-capped player on the pitch. Edit: My 50,000th poat
May 30, 20232 yr Author London Irish are set to be granted an extra week by the Rugby Football Union to complete a takeover of the club. Irish's owners have been in protracted talks with an American consortium over the sale of the Premiership side. However, a deadline of 30 May had been set by the RFU, otherwise the club risked suspension from the Premiership. But it is understood another week will be allowed, as long as the current ownership can prove that the players' salaries are paid on Wednesday.
May 31, 20232 yr Author France prop Mohamed Haouas has been sentenced to one year in jail for domestic abuse. He was arrested on Friday for hitting his wife when he saw her smoking - after telling him she had stopped. The incident is likely to end any hopes Haouas had of being picked for September's World Cup in France. France's rugby federation called his behaviour "inadmissible and incompatible with representing our country at international level". Montpellier's Haouas will launch an appeal and therefore remains free in the meantime, or could wear an electronic tag.
May 31, 20232 yr Author The Rugby Football Union will decide on Wednesday whether to grant London Irish an extra week to complete a takeover. Irish's owners have been in protracted talks with an American consortium over the sale of the Premiership side. A deadline of 30 May had been set by the RFU, otherwise the club risked suspension from the Premiership. The RFU agreed in principle to an extension on Tuesday, with one condition that the current ownership paid salaries due on Wednesday.
May 31, 20232 yr Author Rhys Webb has become the third Wales veteran to announce his international retirement before the 2023 World Cup. The 34-year-old British and Irish Lions scrum-half announced his decision on social media 100 days before the tournament kicks off in France. He has joined Ospreys Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric in ending his international career. Webb said "an opportunity to play abroad" amid Welsh rugby's "difficulties" influenced his decision.
May 31, 20232 yr Author The Rugby Football Union has granted a one-week extension to London Irish to complete their takeover. Players and staff at the club requested the extension despite only receiving 50% of their May salaries. The Exiles now have until 16:00 BST on Tuesday, 6 June to complete the takeover process or prove they can fund the club's operating costs for the entire 2023-24 season. If they fail to do so, they risk being suspended from the Premiership.
June 15, 20232 yr Author Australia rugby union international Kurtley Beale has pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting a woman at a Sydney pub last year. Beale has been charged with one count of sexual intercourse without consent and two counts of sexual touching. The 34-year-old, who was arrested in December, was suspended from all forms of rugby by Rugby Australia.
June 16, 20232 yr Author Hull FC boss Tony Smith says St Helens' return to form was "inevitable" as he prepares his side to take on a reinvigorated Saints in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals. After beating NRL champions Penrith in February, Saints lost five of their first 10 matches of the season. They have since won four straight games including their derby win over Wigan. "They have a formula, they've got confidence, they've got know-how and very special players," Smith said.
.thumb.jpeg.7794815fed26c2970ca50740c03700f9.jpeg)
Create an account or sign in to comment