The West Indies are getting closer – after going down by 47 runs twice, they failed by only 20 third time round. They deserve congratulation, because the weather demanded water-bottles and hand-warmers, reminding us of the snow storm that overtook the Scotland-England rugby match in Edinburgh last February. England were indebted to Nat Sciver for
It’s still a very patchy outlook for women’s rugby Down Under The first nation to get started again, New Zealand, received a blow when the Black Ferns’ one remaining test match with Australia was called off, The Wallaroos could not accept the quarantine terms needed to make the trip. It means the Ferns will have
It’s exactly a month to the restart of the Six Nations. Can it really be happening? On 24 October Scotland are due to welcome France and Ireland entertain Italy. Such are the hopes. In publicising these plans the Six Nations committee in Dublin must either have sought the backing of all the governments involved or
The game confounded the BBC forecast which saw rain coming in big splashes. The result was similar to Monday’s, underlining the problems the visitors have with their batting. For a bear of little brain it was hard to understand why Lisa Keightley picked the same XI. The only practical difference was that Mady Villiers was
Where the real strength lies In all probability Saracens and Quins will continue to dominate the scene over the next year or two. The question is: who can hope to get closest to them? The two Ws, Wasps and Worcester, have made huge gains in the transfer market, raising hopes for a top-four placement in
The Premier 15s are hoping to start the season on 10 October. This is heartening news for everyone concerned, especially the players. Getting fit for action is one thing. Knowing when your fitness is going to be needed is quite another. Some limitations are suggested such as playing ‘local’ matches first where possible, and asking
The one advantage the visitors had over the hosts was familiarity with the Incora ground. They had spent their acclimatisation period there, playing two intra-squad matches to prepare themselves for battle. But the game panned out like those of last year’s tour. A string of matches allowed Lisa Keightley variations in selection. Her decision to
For the last round of the group games there were some tasty line-ups, a modified version of a Roses match, Far East v Far West, East Midlands v West Midlands and a Southern derby. Central Sparks still had an outside chance of beating Northern Diamonds to a place in the final against Southern Vipers. England
It’s exactly a year to the 2021 World Cup in North Island, New Zealand – Facing up to unpleasant facts A year before the big day, Cate Sexton, head of NZ Women’s rugby development, has used the word ‘nerve-wracking’. And with justice. So much remains in doubt about its successful conclusion. The news that players may
A lot has been happening on different fronts as women’s rugby in England hopes to catch up with other countries. Crowdfunding The big news from the world of Sevens broke on 15 September. The men and women members of England’s 7s squads have announced a crowdfunding campaign to replace the contracts that the RFU decided
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