Six Nations
Wales have named uncapped pair James Davies and Josh Adams in their squad for the Six Nations.
Flanker Davies, 27, has been rewarded for his excellent form with Scarlets, while Worcester wing Adams is the top try scorer in the English Premiership.
Bath No 8 Taulupe Faletau is included despite being ruled out of the 1st 2 Rounds of the Six Nations with a knee injury.
Harlequins centre Jamie Roberts and Bath lock Luke Charteris are left out.
The 39-man squad is larger than usual, partly because of fitness concerns over a handful of players.
Six Nations executives have been given until the end of the month to find new sponsors for the biggest annual tournament in world rugby after struggling to find a replacement for RBS, which ended its backing last season after 14 years. The Six Nations had been looking for a six-year, £100m deal, but having spent the past 12 months talking to a number of potential backers, there is only one firm offer on the table. That is understood to be less than the £11m a year paid by RBS at the end of its contract as the economic uncertainty blown up by Brexit deters sponsors.
The championship starts in February and the tournament committee, which met last week, told its executives that a deal had to be agreed within a fortnight.
While there has been interest from potential sponsors, no one has come anywhere near the asking price and there is concern that further delay could lead to the one offer being withdrawn. That would mean the championship lacking a backer in 2018 and that would blow a significant hole in the finances of the three Celtic unions, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
Wales (8) 22 / 9 (6) Ireland (Final Score)
Wales and Ireland did battle in the RBS SIX Nations 2017 at
the Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales at 22:05 SA Time (20:05 UK Time & GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 on TV in SA.
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Cornell du Preez
Head Coach Vern Cotter has made one change to the starting Scotland side to face England at Twickenham Stadium this Saturday in the RBS 6 Nations (kick-off 4pm UK time, 6pm SA time).
Edinburgh Rugby back-row Hamish Watson returns to the front-line having started the opening two rounds of the Championship. He takes the place of the injured John Hardie (knee), whom he replaced in the 25th minute of the last round’s win over Wales.
Uncapped clubmate Cornell Du Preez takes Watson’s vacated place on the bench and will make his debut if called upon.
The Scots are seeking a first win in English headquarters since 1983 and a first Triple Crown since 1990, while England aim to equal New Zealand’s record of 18-straight Test wins for a tier-one nation.
Owen Farrell should be fit for England’s Calcutta Cup meeting with Scotland at Twickenham on Saturday despite injuring his leg in training.
The 25-year-old centre left training early on Thursday, but is expected to feature in Friday’s captains’ run.
“He ran into someone at training, simple as that,” said head coach Eddie Jones, who initially joked Farrell had collided with the Australian’s dog.
“He’s in doubt but we will see. He should be right.”
Victory for England over Scotland would give the defending Six Nations champions a record-equalling 18th consecutive win and put them one win away from a second straight Grand Slam.
Josh Strauss
Sale Sharks are delighted to announce the signing of Scottish International Back Row Forward Josh Strauss on a three year deal.
Josh is currently playing for Glasgow Warriors who he joined in 2012 from The Lions and Golden Lions where he was captain.
He made his Currie Cup debut in 2010 and became a cult figure with his style of play and distinctive full length beard.
Josh has been capped eleven times by Scotland after making his international debut against Japan in the 2015 World Cup at Kingsholm.
Director of Rugby Steve Diamond said: ” Josh is a world class ball carrying forward. He has been performing well for both Glasgow and Scotland over the past five years and will compliment the squad in the ball carrying department. He is a leader and a very powerful athlete.
“The new owners Simon Orange and Ged Mason are keen to help Sale Sharks to become one of the leading clubs and signings like Josh will help our cause.”
England coach Eddie Jones said an unexpected Italy tactic “wasn’t rugby” as they frustrated the Six Nations champions before finally losing 36-15.
Italy led 10-5 at half-time as they chose not to compete at the breakdown, allowing them to step into the England line without going offside.
But the hosts found a way through with five tries in the second period.
“But it wasn’t rugby. We haven’t played a game of rugby yet.
“I’m not critical of Italy, they did what they needed to do to stay in the game.”
Italy coach Conor O’Shea defended the tactic, saying: “Everything we did was completely legal; I was incredibly proud of what the players put out there.”
At one stage, England captain Dylan Hartley and team-mate James Haskell asked referee Romain Poite to clarify the law, but the Frenchman replied: “I am a referee, not a coach.”
Vodacom Super Rugby 2017
RBS SIX Nations 2017
Hi,
We have 2 NEW SuperBru Pools for all to join!
- The RBS SIX Nations 2017 starts tomorrow (4 February 2017) at 16:25 SA Time, so hurry up and do not delay to register and pick for it!
- Vodacom Super Rugby 2017 starts in about 2 weeks, so for that too!
As of 2016 we have been doing it a bit differently and opened our Pools up to all readers of Rugby-Talk.com, but we encourage you to register as a subsciber on Rugby-Talk.com anyway, as our banter and commenting about our Pools will mostly take place here on the website and not on the SuperBru banter boards! It is so easy to register and such fun to discuss rugby here.
France (13) 22 / 16 (11) Scotland (Final Score)
France and Scotland did battle in the RBS SIX Nations 2017 at
Stade de France, Paris, France at 17:00 SA Time (16:00 French Time, 15:00 UK Time & GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 on TV in SA.
*******************
Wales (13) 16 / 21 (8) England (Final Score)
Wales and England did battle in the RBS SIX Nations 2017 at
the Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales at 18:50 SA Time (16:50 UK Time & GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 on TV in SA.
*******************
Italy (10) 10 / 63 (28) Ireland (Final Score)
The Italian Azzurri and Ireland did battle in the RBS SIX Nations 2017 at
Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy at 16:25 SA Time (15:25 Italian Time, 14:25 UK Time & GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 on TV in SA.
*******************
Italy (7) 7 / 33 (3) Wales (Final Score)
The Italian Azzurri and Wales did battle in the RBS SIX Nations 2017 at
Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy at 16:00 SA Time (14:00 UK Time & GMT, 15:00 Italian Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 on TV in SA.
*******************
England (9) 19 / 16 (9) France (Final Score)
England and France did battle in the RBS SIX Nations 2017 at
Twickenham Stadium, London, England at 18:50 SA Time (16:50 UK Time & GMT, 17:50 French Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 on TV in SA.
*******************
Scotland (21) 27 / 22 (8) Ireland (Final Score)
Scotland and Ireland did battle in the RBS SIX Nations 2017 at
Murrayfield, Edinburgh, Scotland at 16:25 SA Time (14:25 UK Time & GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 on TV in SA.
*******************
Cornell du Preez gets Scotland call up
Head Coach Vern Cotter today named a 37-man Scotland squad for the forthcoming RBS 6 Nations Championship.
Among the group is 37-times capped Gloucester centre Matt Scott who – after missing out on selection in the autumn – has earned a recall thanks to a number of impressive performances for the Kingsholm club, scoring 12 tries in 18 games this season.
Cotter has also named uncapped Edinburgh Rugby forwards Simon Berghan (prop) and Cornell Du Preez (back-row).
Du Preez (25) is a popular figure in the capital, scoring 14 tries in 71 appearances. He became eligible to represent Scotland last year after completing three years of residency in the country.
Berghan (26) joined Edinburgh Rugby in 2013 and is eligible to represent Scotland through his grandfather, Andrew Davidson, from Stirling. The 20st, 6’3” prop has made 24 appearances for the capital club.
Berghan and returning Newcastle Falcons’ tighthead Jon Welsh are among the seven props named in the squad, with the national team awaiting the results of a scan this evening (Wednesday) that will confirm the availability of Edinburgh Rugby’s Willem Nel, who injured his neck in the club’s European Challenge Cup win over Harlequins on Saturday (14 January).
Rugby administrators worldwide are nearing an agreement on a new rugby union calendar, which will come into effect after the World Cup in 2019.
It has been learned there will be fewer international matches, with summer tours set to be scrapped at least once per four-year cycle.
The Six Nations will not move from its traditional February to March slot.
The Lions are set to tour in July and August in 2021.
Eddie Jones
Eddie Jones has a well-deserved reputation for psychological warfare but, 10 months before the next Calcutta Cup, the voluble England coach has started early even by his standards. In an interview with a mass-circulation Japanese paper, Jones talked about his very 1st Six Nations game against Scotland at Murrayfield and was dismissive of the hosts.
“It was a game I always thought we’d win,” the Australian told the paper’s London corespondent. “I don’t see Scotland being a strong team. You look at Scotland at the World Cup, who did they beat? They were lucky to beat Samoa, they beat USA, they beat us (Japan), and we had 4 days’ preparation, and they were beaten by Australia and South Africa.
“So, they didn’t have a great World Cup, but everyone was talking as though they were a fantastic team. England didn’t have a good World Cup but we’re a stronger team than they are.”
Joe Marler
England prop Joe Marler has been banned for 2 matches and fined £ 20 000.00 by World Rugby for calling Wales forward Samson Lee “Gypsy boy”.
Marler, 25, had avoided punishment by The RBS 6 Nations organisers, but World Rugby conducted its own investigation.
He made the comment in England’s RBS 6 Nations win over Wales in March and had an apology accepted by prop Samson.
The Rugby Football Union said Marler would not appeal against the decision and considered the matter closed.
World Rugby, the sport’s global governing body, said it had “Exercised its right to take appropriate action before an independent judicial committee in the absence of such a process by Six Nations Rugby in accordance with the regulations”.
Who was your standout player of the 2016 RBS 6 Nations? Read the profiles below for a reminder of the achievements of our nominees.
Gareth Davies:
The Wales scrumhalf took the opportunity that Rhys Webb’s injury presented and impressed throughout the Championship.
He scored a stunning try in their victory over Scotland in Round 2, was RBS 6 Nations Man of the Match in Round 3 against France and claimed the final score of Wales’ Championship when he came off the bench against Italy on Super Saturday.
Guilhem Guirado:
Guy Novès’ France side might have finished with 3 defeats but their captain Guirado led by example throughout.
The hooker was superb, crossing for tries against Wales and Scotland, driving his pack forwards and demonstrating brilliant tackle and breakdown work in every match.
Stuart Hogg:
The Scotland fullback’s scorching try in the final Round against Ireland will live long in the memory but Hogg’s influence throughout the Championship was apparent.
He made 2 tries as Vern Cotter’s side ended their winless run in downing Italy, scored 1 and he scored 1 and made 1 in their historic win over France – while also adding a penalty from his own half. All that before his fantastic solo score in Dublin on Super Saturday.
Scott Cummings
Over the past year the flower of Scottish rugby is beginning to come back into bloom.
Last season Glasgow Warriors became the first Scottish side to win the Guinness PRO12, then Scotland were agonizingly close to a Rugby World Cup semifinal place with their last gasp defeat to Australia.
Last weekend in the penultimate Round of the RBS 6 Nations, the Scots broke a decade long hoodoo by beating France at BT Murrayfield.
Their compatriots at Under 20s level had made history of their own by beating “The Auld Enemy” England in the tournament’s opening Round for the 1st time since the inception of the Under 20s Six Nations Championship.
Leading the charge of this new generation of young Scots is Under 20s captain and lock Scott Cummings, who due to commitments with his club side Glasgow Warriors will not be playing against Ireland in the final Round of competition after guiding his side to 2 wins.
However, Cummings’ contribution to Scotland’s Under 20s and the experience he has gained playing in the Guinness PRO12 reflects the current renaissance in Scottish rugby.
Joe Marler
England prop Joe Marler has avoided any sanction for striking an opponent during his side’s RBS 6 Nations win over Wales at Twickenham.
A Six Nations disciplinary committee found he struck prop Rob Evans in the 15th minute of Saturday’s match.
But it said in a statement: “The disciplinary committee found that the offending would not have warranted a Red Card and so imposed no sanction.”
Marler could now play in England’s final game against France on Saturday.
However, that could still be in doubt as the 25-year-old Harlequins forward may yet face action for calling Wales prop Samson Lee “Gypsy boy” in the same game.
Marler apologised to Lee – who is from the Traveller community – for that comment, and Lee has said he accepted the apology as “banter”.
Joe Marler
England and Harlequins prop Joe Marler has been cited for striking Wales prop Rob Evans in England’s 25 / 21 RBS 6 Nations victory over Wales at Twickenham.
Harlequins prop Marler appeared to land a forearm in the face of Evans while trying to assist Dan Cole ground the ball over Wales’s try-line.
“Joe Marler has been cited by the independent citing commissioner for allegedly striking an opponent in the 15th minute of the 1st half of the RBS 6 Nations match between England and Wales at Twickenham,” said an RBS 6 Nations statement.
If found guilty at a disciplinary hearing later this week, Marler will face an “entry-point” ban of 2 weeks, which would rule him out of England’s attempt to seal a 1st Grand Slam since 2003.
Officials have yet to decide whether a separate incident of verbal abuse, in which Harlequins prop Marler called Wales’s Samson Lee “gypsy boy” during the 1st half of England’s 25 / 21 win at Twickenham last Saturday, warrants disciplinary action.
3 Years without an RBS 6 Nations win at Murrayfield. 10 Years without a win against France. Some rather unwanted streaks consigned to the dustbin in 80 minutes of heart-pounding, adrenaline-pumping, nerve-shredding action! But who were the main men for Scotland on Sunday?
Scotland (18) 29 / 18 (12) France (Final Score)
Scotland and France did battle in the RBS 6 Nations 2016 at
BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh, at 17:00 SA Time (15:00 UK Time & GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 6 on TV in SA.
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Ireland have made 2 changes, with fit-again Jared Payne starting at centre and Simon Zebo deputising for injured full-back Rob Kearney.
Stuart McCloskey, who made his Test debut against England a fortnight ago, drops out of the squad altogether.
Hooker Rory Best will captain the side on his 50th championship appearance.
Flyhalf Edoardo Padovani makes his 1st start as 1 of 4 changes for Italy, along with Guglielmo Palazzani, David Giazzon and George Biagi.
Wales head coach Warren Gatland has named his team to face England in Saturday’s key RBS 6 Nations match at Twickenham.
Gareth Davies retains the scrumhalf spot ahead of Rhys Webb, who is named among the replacements.
Webb, 27, was recalled to the squad after 6 months away from international rugby with injury.
Lock Luke Charteris is on the bench where Paul James comes in to cover the injured loosehead prop Gethin Jenkins.
We’ve named a pretty experienced side for Saturday,” said Gatland.
All roads led to Rome, where Scotland changed their RBS 6 Nations fortunes with a hard fought win over Italy (36 / 20).
Two 1st half, and one 2nd half, try interspersed with a succession of Greig Laidlaw penalties gave Scotland their biggest RBS 6 Nations score since the championship expanded in 2000.
The Scotland captain was awarded man of match for his kicking off the tee and calm leadership that saw the away side maintain structure and clarity of thought despite 2 2nd half Yellow Cards – for Finn Russell and WP Nel – and sustained Italian attacks.
England (6) 21 / 10 (3) Ireland (Final Score)
England and Ireland did battle in the RBS 6 Nations 2016 at
Twickenham Stadium, London, at 18:50 SA Time (16:50 UK Time & GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 6 on TV in SA.
*******************
Wales (6) 19 / 10 (3) France (Final Score)
Wales and France did battle in the RBS 6 Nations 2016 at
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, at 22:05 SA Time (20:05 UK Time & GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 on TV in SA.
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Hi,
We have 3 NEW SuperBru Pools for all to join!
- The RBS 6 Nations 2016 starts on 6 February 2016, so hurry up and do not delay to register for it!
- The Varsity Cup 2016 starts on 8 February 2016, register for it too, whilst the iron is hot!
- The Super Rugby 2016 starts on 26 February, we are well within time, but do not delay and register for it!
This year we will do it a bit differently and open our Pools up to all readers of Rugby-Talk.com, but we encourage you to register as a subsciber on Rugby-Talk.com anyway, as our banter and commenting about our Pools will mostly take place here on the website and not on the SuperBru banter boards! It is so easy to register and such fun to discuss rugby here.
Elliot Daly could make his England senior debut against Ireland
Wasps centre Elliot Daly is set for his England debut after being named in Eddie Jones’ 23-man squad for Saturday’s match against Ireland.
Daly replaces lock Courtney Lawes in the only change from the squad that beat Italy.
“Elliot Daly has impressed in training and is now ready to be part of the matchday 23,” Jones said.
England won their opening 2 matches and top the table, while Ireland lost to France and drew with Wales.
Daly, 23, has played 4 times for England Saxons and also represented England at Under 18 and Under 20 level.
Ireland could also bring a debutant into midfield, with Ulster’s Stuart McCloskey in contention for a 1st cap if fitness-doubt Jared Payne is ruled out.
Head Coach Vern Cotter has refined his Scotland squad ahead of this Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations match against Italy in Rome, with the return of 6 players to Glasgow Warriors.
Props Gordon Reid and Zander Fagerson, loose forwards Rob Harley and Josh Strauss and halfbacks Grayson Hart and Duncan Weir, all returned to club training today, ahead of tomorrow night’s (Thursday) Guinness PRO12 game against Dragons in Newport.
Cotter will select and announce a final 23-man team to travel to Rome tomorrow morning (Thursday).
Italy (9) 9 / 40 (11) England (Final Score)
Italy and England did battle in the RBS 6 Nations 2016 at
Stadio Olimpico, Rome, at 16:00 SA Time (15:00 Italy Time, 14:00 UK Time & GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 on TV in SA.
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Head Coach Vern Cotter today named one change to the Scotland team to start against Wales in Cardiff this Saturday (13 February, kick-off 16:50 UK Time, 18:50 SA Time)
Both teams go into the match seeking their 1st win of the 2016 campaign, after the Scot’s home loss to England (15 / 9), and Wales’ 16 / 16 draw with Ireland in Dublin.
The selection of 26-year-old Saracens centre Duncan Taylor in midfield is 1 of 2 changes to the 23-man squad – promoted from the bench to partner Mark Bennett after Matt Scott injured his quad in training yesterday – with Sean Lamont taking the vacated place among the replacements.
The match will be Taylor’s 5th start in 14 caps for Scotland, and his 1st since the 2014 summer tour win over USA (24 / 6), with an untimely succession of injuries curtailing his involvement for the national team over the past 2 seasons.
Despite missing out on international opportunities, Taylor has excelled for his club side, building on their English Premiership title success last season with stirring performances in the current campaign.
Compassionate players and officials from New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and Australia are looking for ways to send aid to their beleaguered northern brethren.
After the opening weekend of the 2016 SIX Nations saw standards of play so far below the heights reached by the likes of the All Blacks, Wallabies and Argentina in the World Cup, there is concern for the plight of the home unions, France and Italy.
“Did you see those matches?” said Keith Waters of the New Zealand Rugby Union. “It was so tough to watch. As a rugby man and a human being, how can you stand by and see Scotland trying so hard to score a try and not feel your heart torn asunder?
“Something needs to be done to help those guys. The rugby world can’t stand by and let people play like that.”
Concern was first raised in Auckland at halftime of the France – Italy match, where neither side were able to put together much coordinated, constructed play of any note.