Now we know who will represent England in the coming 6 Nations. What we don’t know is who will go on to enjoy a home World Cup. This is John Mitchell’s choice: Forwards Zoe Aldcroft (captain, Gloucester-Hartpury, 58 caps) Lark Atkin-Davies (Bristol Bears, 62 caps) Sarah Beckett (Gloucester-Hartpury, 35 caps) Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears, 66
Gloucester-Hartpury v Saracens Gloucester-Hartpury (hereafter G-H) achieved the impossible, a third trophy win running. Sarries didn’t make it easy for them, putting up fierce resistance on their home patch. But the writing was on the wall from the moment Emma Sing collected Ella Wyrwas’ high box-kick and returned it with profit. Lleucu George sent a
Gloucester-Hartpury v Saracens Rosie Galligan points to the Saracens ‘family’ as the key to success. Gloucester-Hartpury will see the game as a final fling before Sean Lynn’s departure. Which will prove the stronger motivator? Both sides know that keeping emotions under control will be vital. The Teams: Gloucester-Hartpury 1 Perry 2 N. Jones 3 Muir
Loughborough Lightning’s Breakthrough Award winner for the 2024/25 season, Kendall Waudby, has committed her future to the club. Waudby appeared in all 16 of Lightning’s Premiership Women’s Rugby games and both PWR Up Series friendly fixtures that preceeded the league campaign. The 22-year-old made the switch from hooker to back row with aplomb, starting eight
While the competition will be as tense and dramatic as usual, the 2025 version acts as a pointer towards even bigger events in the World Cup. More of the same? I fear so. But one heartening feature of last year’s competition was the narrowing of margins in the fifteen results. The proof (in descending order):
Harlequins have confirmed that Harriet Millar-Mills has retired from rugby, following the conclusion of the 2024/25 season. A stalwart of the game, Millar-Mills has enjoyed a glittering career at both club and international level. A dynamic, all-action forward, Millar-Mills won 66 caps for her country, having won her first cap in 2011 against France, and
Fabio Roselli has surprised me, if nobody else, by announcing a restructured squad to represent Italy in the first two rounds of the Six Nations. I published my thoughts on 5 March (http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2025/03/05/roselli-reveals-his- hand-the-italy-squad/) about the 30 names he listed then. Now he extends it by six, adding five uncapped players, which, given my concerns,
After two rounds of exciting World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger action in Cape Town, eight men’s and eight women’s teams qualified for the third round in Krakow. Portugal and Kenya were crowned men’s and women’s champions at the second round of the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025 in Cape Town. Portugal overcame Germany 12-7
Today’s two results (I’ll leave them till the end) allow us to draw some tentative conclusions. To nobody’s surprise Wolfhounds, comprising the best players from Leinster and Ulster, have walked off with a second trophy running. Congratulations to them, but then we must ask if the aims set out by the organisers are really being
Branded MATTA is a sports marketing agency from London. It was engaged in branding the England side as the Red Roses, then it helped give a face to the Premiership Women’s League (PWR). Now it has helped produce the names and logos of the six Women’s Elite Rugby (WER) franchises in the States. Behind MATTA
Social Networks