European Rugby
PUMA and the IRFU have launched the new Ireland alternate jersey which will be worn for the first time in the GUINNESS Series opener against South Africa at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday week (November 10).
Argentina have called up former captain Felipe Contepomi for the Autumn Internationals but lost second rower Patricio Albacete as he needs surgery.
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer is reportedly targeting tighthead prop Brian Mujati as his 32nd squad member for their European tour.
Table topping Ulster welcome Edinburgh to Ravenhill in one of three Pro12 games Friday. Ulster have been victorious in all competitions so far this season, and will no doubt want to maintain that unbeaten record as the Pro12 breaks for the year-end Tests.
It will be a bottom-of-the-table clash when Sale Sharks take on London Irish to kick off the Premiership action on Friday.
The Golden Lions Rugby Union are locked in renewed discussion with lawyers, after the unpleasant John Mitchell saga took an intriguing new twist this week.
England wing Chris Ashton has been suspended for the start of his country’s November Tests.
Kelly Brown, the 30-year-old back-row forward, will captain Scotland for the first time in next weekend’s EMC Test against New Zealand. The announcement was made today by head coach Andy Robinson as the national squad’s three day St Andrews camp drew to a close.
The movement of players away from the Free State was reported on this site earlier today with mention being made of the exodus of various locks from the province. Here we bring the news article from the ‘other side’, announcing the arrival of former Free State lock Izak van der Westhuizen.
In what is fast become a rout, and a crisis for not only the Cheetahs, but also for South African Rugby, another promising lock has signed a contract to play in Europe for the next two years.
Ireland skipper Brian O’Driscoll and hooker Rory Best have been ruled out of the forthcoming autumn international series because of injuries.
Former Scotland international Bryan Redpath has been sacked as director of rugby at Sale Sharks.
England pair Dylan Hartley and Courtney Lawes are doubts for the November Tests after suffering knee injuries in Northampton’s defeat by Saracens.
Ruan Pienaar scored 21 points playing at flyhalf as unbeaten Ulster secured a 46-19 away Pro12 victory against the Dragons on Friday.
Gloucester looseforward Andy Hazell was suspended for 14 weeks as sanction following a Disciplinary Hearing in Dublin after being Red Carded and Cited in the Amlin Challenge Cup Pool 1, Round 1 match against Mont-de-Marsan at Stade Guy Boniface on Thursday 11 October.
In one of the more brutal and serious incidents in recent years, Andy Hazell was given a Red Card for an incident in the 55th minute of the match for striking (or rather for bating up) Mont-de-Marsan replacement, Sebastien Ormaechea.
The focus turns once again to the Pro12 this weekend, with Ulster leading the table courtesy of their unbeaten run so far this season. They travel to Rodney Parade on Friday night to face a Newport Gwent Dragons team who are uncomfortably sat at the wrong end of the table, although at this stage in the season there are only 5 points, or a try bonus point win, between the Men from Gwent and 5th placed Munster.
After two emphatic European victories Worcestor Warriors will be keen to give their home crowd something to cheer about in the Premiership against Sale Sharks on Friday.
England coach Stuart Lancaster recalled a couple of big guns for his team’s year-end Tests against the three Southern Hemisphere powerhouses.
Australia have named a 30-man sqaud for the end of year tour to Europe without Scott Higginbotham and captained by Nathan Sharpe.
Head coach Andy Robinson has today named seven uncapped players in his 34-strong Scotland squad for training at St Andrews next week in preparation for the first EMC Test against New Zealand at Murrayfield next month.
A 31-man Ireland squad, including four uncapped players, has been named by Ireland head coach Declan Kidney for the upcoming GUINNESS Series games against South Africa, Fiji and Argentina. Centre Luke Marshall and forward Iain Henderson named in the panel and who were involved in the Ireland training camp in September are included in the squad as are prop David Kilcoyne and hooker Richardt Strauss, who is now eligible to play for Ireland based on his residency for the past three years.
Glasgow Warriors and Scottish Rugby have today pulled off another major signing coup, landing Crusaders back-three star Sean Maitland. The 24-year-old Canterbury man, equally adept on the wing or at full-back, is one of the most highly rated outside backs in Super Rugby, and qualifies to play for Scotland courtesy of both his paternal Grandparents who were born in Glasgow.
Rob Howley has named a 35-man Wales squad to contest the 2012 Dove Men Series at the Millennium Stadium this Autumn (Northern Hemisphere) which includes just one uncapped player and the returning Jamie Roberts.
Flanker Steffon Armitage’s form justifies a place in head coach Stuart Lancaster’s England squad, according to Toulon team-mate Jonny Wilkinson.
Alan Dymock looks at a drookit night when Glasgow Warriors traded errors with Ulster. The problem he finds is that Glasgow’s mistakes were closer to their sticks and Ulster were bossing breakdowns and lineout drives.
In the face of a determined Munster Edinburgh simply whimpered, pulled a pout and took a battering, with three tries coming in the last ten minutes.
Richie Gray is an injury doubt for Scotland’s opening autumn Test against New Zealand on 11 November. The 23-year-old Sale lock has damaged ankle ligaments and is expected to be sidelined for several weeks.
Saracens will be playing at “home” in Brussels against Racing-Metro in an intriguing second round of European Cup action this weekend.
Springbok No 8 and Bulls captain Pierre Spies may further his career up north after French club Bayonne reportedly have made a massive offer for his services over the next three years.
This weekend saw an action packed start to the Heineken Cup. All twenty four teams were involved in the round which started on Friday and ended on Sunday.
Ruan Pienaar’s last-gasp try gave Ulster a deserved bonus-point win over Castres in the Heineken Cup opener.
Former All Blacks coach John Mitchell will be at Sale Sharks soon, according to chief executive Steve Diamond.
Leinster will target an unprecedented hat-trick of back-to-back European Cup titles when action in the continent’s showpiece club tournament gets under way on Friday. The Irish province were champions in 2009, 2011 and 2012, and now have a chance of matching Toulouse’s record of four titles (1998, 2005, 2008, 2010).
Scotland play the third and final of their EMC Test matches this autumn, northern hemisphere, against Tonga at Pittodrie football stadium in Aberdeen on Saturday 24th November. The Scottish Rugby Union have teamed up with Serco Northlink in an initiative to help fans travelling from the far flung Northern Isles attend the match.
The cross-border competition casts off this weekend for its fourth season, with five Scottish teams aboard on a voyage of discovery.