Let’s work on the frustrating assumption that the 2021 World Cup will be postponed for a year. It isn’t inevitable; the host country has already seen large crowds back at rugby matches, but the rest of the world lags far behind in conquering Covid-19. For the Red Roses any such delay impacts on the senior
The Good News Rugby Australia has announced the return of rugby on July 3. Super Rugby will restart this weekend (13-14 June) in New Zealand only. The readiness of the players to take part must be viewed against the points that follow. The Less Good News As Sharni Williams reports (Women’s Rugby Pod, 9 June
On 2 June Africa Rugby cancelled all its competitions. It hoped to be able to resume in the last quarter of the year but outlined all the obstacles that make it less than likely – not only the health risks, but the cost of travel and quarantine limitations. The next day Asia Rugby made a
Three Months since the Last International It’s exactly three months since the England-Wales 6 Nations match took place at Twickenham Stoop in Round Four. It feels like three years or even three decades. That was the end of the line. How quickly we have had to adjust to abnormal times. After Round Three I wrote:
As World Rugby proposes amendments to laws, we are all left in a limbo of doubt. The UK government has just announced a resumption of play in certain sports, though medical experts are deeply divided on its wisdom. In any case, rugby remains at the back of the queue for a go-ahead. That is inevitable.
World Rugby has proposed dramatic changes to the basic laws of rugby. They would affect the way the game is played to an almost unimaginable extent. These and similar measures aim to reduce contact time between player and player. They are mere optional law-trials; individual unions may adjust according to local circumstance. The RFU for
Tyrrells’ decision not to extend their sponsorship of the women’s elite league in England shouldn’t have come as a huge surprise. But it did. The news comes very late in the calendar. Most types of company have lived through troubled times this year. Few can afford largesse. Since Tyrrells’ contract wasn’t due to run out
As of 22 May we have learned of very few transfers to the two new Tyrrells clubs, Exeter and Sale. The big news was Katy Daley-Mclean’s appointment as player-coach to the Sharks. Apart from her the only names revealed by the Sharks are Molly Kelly (RGC North Wales & Wales), Laura Perrin (Waterloo), Vicky Irwin
Thirty nine players were included in the England fold. Here’s an attempt to assess their contributions Sarah Hunter (captain) Fears that she might not complete the course to the World Cup were confounded by another series of dominant displays at the base of the scrum. She leads by example and the quiet word. She was
The FFR has taken another brave step forward in announcing a detailed programme for the 2020-21 season. It stresses that all these provisions depend on government advice concerning the battle against coronavirus. As advertised before, the elite clubs will be divided into four pools of four. Those finishing in the top half move ahead to
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