Round 4 of the Royal London One-dayers saw four close finishes in Division One, with the batters having the better of the tussle. In the lowest scoring contest of the day, the War of the Roses was won by the Yorkists, who were the only side to bowl the opposition out. No-one reached 50 in
It’s now fourteen months to the Women’s Sevens tournament at the Tokyo Olympics. The big event takes place on July 31 and August 1 2020. How do the Red Roses’ prospects look? Back in 2016 Simon Middleton, then the England 7s Head Coach, said it was the second day of a two-day tournament that really
A bitterly cold Bank Holiday weekend marked the opening of the last season of Royal London One-dayers in their present form. Kent opened their account with a 49-run win over Notts at the Polo Farm Ground Canterbury. It’s vital for any team not to panic when the top batter goes relatively cheaply. Skipper Tammy Beaumont
A brief glance around the world, then a closer look at matters European In April 2019 Sir Bill Beaumont, Chairman of World Rugby (WR), commented on the new pathway to qualify for the next World Cup: “Last year we announced significant remodelling of the Women’s Rugby World Cup format to ensure that the competition continues
The Rugby Afrique Women’s Cup – 9th – 17th August 2019 – Good news, bad news The news of a brand-new test series in Africa is exciting. But closer inspection reveals the worrying distance set between it and the elite Super Series in California. At first sight this competition should be welcomed with open arms. It
Some two years before the Tokyo Olympics begin, the youngest squad at the Kitakyushu Sevens spring the biggest surprise of the tournament: Canada overtake England in the final only after the allotted 14 minutes are up. (5-7) How do we begin to explain this remarkable achievement? The thinking that underlies the RFU’s approach to contracts and
Saracens v Wasps – Allianz Park 13 April If we felt sorry for Sarries losing three Red Roses to injury (Vicky Fleetwood, Bryony Cleall and Marlie Packer), we should note the eleven (11!) who strode out to put Wasps in their place. It took them nearly 20 minutes to get off the mark, but it was
USA Rugby has really gone upmarket on the latest version of the Super Series. Gathering together the top five ranked nations means this tournament represents the biggest showcase for women’s 15s rugby ever staged outside the World Cup. And it helps to bridge that lengthy four-year gap. For three of the competitors, Canada, New Zealand
The FIR, the Italian Rugby Federation, is in the throes of reorganising its Women’s division. They are basking in the glory of a highest-ever second place in the Six Nations, but as the nation most likely to move into the elite group in the near future, it’s concerning to see the difficulties they face in
In the gap between the end of the Tyrrells regular season and the semis, Giselle Mather, Wasps’ head coach, cunningly slipped an extra match in against the Dublin club Railway Union who hail from less than a mile east of Donnybrook. This was the very first contest between a Tyrrells outfit and an AIL club. There
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