Annick Hayraud has announced her team for their first outing of the autumn against South Africa. She has taken the opportunity to blood some new faces. Among the starters the only familiar faces are skipper, Gaëlle Hermet, alongside Caroline Boujard, Madoussou Fall, Safi N’Diaye and the half-back duo, Laure Sansus and Caroline Drouin. But they
Welsh women rugby players are to receive full professional contracts, but only up to ten of them. Up to fifteen more will be offered retainers. They come into effect at the start of next year. Precise details are yet to be provided, but this amounts to an enormous step forward for a squad that has
The Maple Leafs won their first match of the Pacific-4 Series against the USA 15-9. This was an expected victory, but the narrow margin shows how far the hosts have progressed under Rob Cain’s tutelage. It was 3°C under lights in Colorado on a Monday evening. The game moved into fast forward on 17 minutes,
The previous time Glenn Moore’s team lost to the English he put on his thinking cap and won a World Cup. Will it be the same this time round? The circumstances are very different. For all the glory of the Red Roses’ recent triumph at Sandy Park, that previous win was away from home –
The Red Roses scored seven tries en route to a 43-12 win over the Black Ferns at Exeter’s Sandy Park. The win sees them retain number one side in the world status, and stretches their unbeaten run to 15 matches. A tentative start saw both sides jostle for position and territory, with the Red Roses
England put the Black Ferns to the sword in an astonishing display of running and defending rugby. In the first half they had to weather the expected storm as the world champions attacked with their usual skill and bravado, but an unexpected gap in their armour appeared at the line-out. By half-time they had coughed
The Black Ferns team to play England in their 100th Test this Sunday has been named, in the first Test of the End of Year Tour (kick off 2.30pm GMT, 3.30am SundayNZT). 1. Pip Love (11) 2. Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate (29) 3. Aleisha Pearl Nelson (35) 4. Eloise Blackwell (43) 5. Kelsie Wills – debut 6. Alana Bremner – debut 7. Les
Glenn Moore has announced his squad to face the Red Roses in their first encounter for two years: 1. Pip Love (11) 2. Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate (29) 3. Aleisha Pearl Nelson (35) 4. Eloise Blackwell (43) 5. Kelsie Wills (uncapped) 6. Alana Bremner (uncapped) 7. Les Elder (18) (captain) 8. Dhys Faleafaga (uncapped) 9. Kendra
This may well have been one of the hardest selection meetings Simon Middleton has led, including the odd World Cup final or two. The Squad: 15 Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins, 15 caps) 14 Lydia Thompson (Worcester Warriors, 47 caps) 13 Holly Aitchison (Saracens, uncapped) 12 Amber Reed (vice-captain; Bristol Bears Women, 58 caps) 11 Abby Dow
Head coach Simon Middleton has named his England Women’s team to play New Zealand in their opening autumn international on Sunday (31 October, KO 2.30pm and live on BBC Two). Sarah Hunter captains the Red Roses at No.8 with Holly Aitchison set to make her senior XVs debut at outside centre. Amber Reed has been
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