Opinions differ As public interest in women’s rugby increases, so the business of preparing for it attracts more attention. Every national union has to balance up a number of considerations: Rest and recuperation The expense involved (can we really afford staging more matches?) The wishes of the head coach The most sensible choice of opposition
A first visit of the Wallaroos to Fiji was an important development in the history of Oceania rugby. The result, a 43-7 win for the Aussies, was expected (they now lead the series 4-0), but it gave Fijiana the rare chance to test themselves against strong competition at home. Their opponents at the World Cup
USA v Canada Pacific 4 Series Canada the current Pac-4 champions, had to work very hard to subdue an Eagles side, happy to be playing at home in front of a ‘sold-out’ crowd. And Kate Zackary was back on her home patch. The Maple Leafs dominated possession almost throughout, yet they had difficulty turning it
1 April List of 44 Red Roses posted for a 3-day camp 1 April Head coach, Diego Saccà, posts 28 names for Italy’s U18s squad to appear at the 6 Nations tournament at Wellington College 2 April Rugby Canada’s fund to support the Mission to win the World Cup reaches $500,000 2 April Canada will
Pacific Four The first step on the road to another Pacific Four Series. The two sides meet in Kansas City on Saturday. Canada are on a winning streak on nine. Last year they demolished the Eagles 50-7 in Vancouver. USA Rugby were delighted to see the number of tickets sold. The attendance was likely to
Charlotte Edwards had given us a strong clue: “the field is very narrow”. The choice of a new England captain might have been between two or three. As things transpired, it was the orthodox, middle-of-the-road decision we might have expected: a single candidate, Natalie Sciver-Brunt. There has been plenty of public reaction, much of it
We’re so blessed having the people who talk and write about rugby. Here’s a sample of their offerings. Take your pick of your favourites. There’s a hint of self-criticism here. She turns on the afterburners She puts her foot on the pedal If we get our processes right Too easy! You must paint the right
The six nations in turn Wales Like Ireland the Welsh squad had suffered badly from the negligent guardianship of the national union. The Irish, as we will see below, had put their house in order sooner. The Welsh players responded warmly to Sean Lynn’s appointment. A prime need was to restore a degree of confidence,
Is it a going concern? We’ve had the traditional barrage of criticism of the Six Nations set-up. “A foregone conclusion”. “What’s the point? England always win”. Even “it’s a bore”. The strange fact is, the championship is more popular than ever. Crowds go on growing (with exceptions), media coverage (social and public) increases. Players’ names
28 April 2025 Pacific Four series The latest edition of the Pac-4 runs from 4-24 May. It offers even more drama than usual; England’s narrow escape at Twickenham was all the proof needed that the winners of the next World Cup are not a dead cert. The four coaches can gain vital information about their
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