Six Nations
Toby Flood’s 60-cap England career could come to an end on Thursday when Stuart Lancaster names his initial elite player squad ahead of this season’s Six Nations.
Euan Murray’s hopes of being involved in Scotland’s Six Nations campaign were hanging in the balance last night. The veteran Lions prop will be out of action for another month after suffering Achilles tendon damage during the autumn Test series.
When interim head coach Scott Johnson and the rest of the Scotland management group sit down to select the team to play Ireland in Dublin on the opening weekend of the Six Nations, one name that will not be bandied about is that of Tommy Allan, despite the player having turned out for the Scotland Under 17, 18 and Under 20 teams.
France scrumhalf Morgan Parra is set to miss the Six Nations opener against England after being ruled out for 10 to 12 weeks with a knee injury, his Top 14 club Clermont said.
Stade Francais saw their surging Top 14 form rewarded when a trio of uncapped players were on Monday called up for France’s Six Nations squad, notably fly-half Jules Plisson ahead of the experienced Francois Trinh-Duc and Frederic Michalak.
Wales looks set to be without Jonathan Davies for most, if not all, of the Six Nations.
Back row forward Sean O’Brien is in danger of missing Ireland’s entire Six Nations campaign, as he requires surgery on the dislocated left shoulder he suffered against Ulster last Saturday.
The year was full of spectacular moments and performances as well as disappointing lows and infamous incidents; we name and shame the best and worst in our 2013 Awards.
New Zealand and Wales ruled their respective hemispheres for the second successive year, the All Blacks enjoying a flawless 2013 campaign.
Warren Gatland has extended his contract as Wales coach until the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
This is the second extension of the contract between the WRU and the New Zealander who was originally appointed as head coach of Wales in 2007.
Ireland prop Cian Healy looks set to miss the start of next year’s Six Nations tournament after undergoing surgery on an ankle injury.
South Africans Craig Joubert and Jaco Peyper have been appointed by the International Rugby Board (IRB) to referee in next year’s Six Nations.
On the European and UK rugby front preparations for the Six Nations tournament of 2014 is gathering momentum, with news trickling through of injuries at this stage ruling some players out of the start of the Six Nations whilst others might miss the whole tournament.
England fullback / wing Ben Foden will likely miss only the start of the Six Nations, with a knee injury suffered for Northampton on the weekend against Newcastle.
England and Wasps wing, Christian Wade is out for 6 months after suffering a foot injury against London Irish over the past weekend.
Wales scrumhalf and “naughty boy” who was axed by Bayonne, Mike Phillips has reportedly signed a two and a half year deal with Racing Metro in France and will be available from Tuesday 3 December 2013.
A rip-roaring contest and magnificent entertainment it may have been, but Welsh faces after yet another defeat by Australia spoke only of more misery and another missed opportunity.
France scrumhalf Morgan Parra is set to miss the Six Nations opener against England after being ruled out for 10 to 12 weeks with a knee injury, his Top 14 club Clermont said.
From time to time Rugby-Talk is approached by rugby enthusiasts, who read our content, who enquire whether they can write guest articles for publication.
My response is the same every time… send it along, if it is good, we will publish it. More aptly, I also invite these people to register and become part of our wonderful website, to join in the comments with us and should we see value in their style and knowledge, there will be no hesitation to make them fullyfledged authors here on Rugby-Talk.
I hope this is an inspiration to more people to contribute…
Here is a wonderful piece on the history of the Six Nations:
The Lions took a giant leap in the right direction with the bulk resigning of a core group that includes their Springboks, as they start looking towards their re-entry into Super Rugby.
Springboks Elton Jantjies, Franco van der Merwe and Lionel Mapoe headline the group that will remain with the Lions through till 2015.
The Irish Rugby Football Union today announced the appointment of John Plumtree as Ireland forwards coach.
France (0) 23 / 16 (6) Scotland (Final Score)
France and Scotland did battle in Super Rugby at Stade de France, Paris at 22:00 SA Time (20:00 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 6 & SHD 4 on TV in SA.
*******************
Three Six Nations games are played today but unfortunately the early Saturday games overlap with a Super Rugby game and a game in the Lions Challenge.
So, we’ve decided to do one combined Six Nations Article for the early games and a seperate one for the late evening game… giving progress and scores from both Six Nations matches.
Here it is…
England (12) 18 / 11 (3) Italy (Final Score)
England and Italy did battle in the Six Nations tournament at Twickenham, London at 17:00 SA Time (15:00 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
*******************
Two Six Nations games are played today. Unfortunately the Saturday games overlap with two Super Rugby games.
So, we’ve decided to do one combined Six Nations Article… giving progress and scores from both Six Nations matches.
Here it is…
Ireland have named a 32-man training squad for their Six Nations Championship match against France at the Aviva Stadium with Ronan O’Gara being left out of the group.
Three Six Nations games were played this weekend, two Saturday afternoon and evening and one on Sunday. Unfortunately the Saturday games overlaped with two Super Rugby games.
So, we’ve decided to do one combined Six Nations Article… giving progress and scores from all three Six Nations matches.
Here it is…
Rugby-Talk, like every season, joins SuperBru via it’s own Super Pools and 2013 is no different.
If you are registered here at Rugby-Talk as a subscriber then you are welcome to join our pools, if not then quickly register and join us all in the fun and excitement.
Our Pools are fiercly competative and fun…. and we want YOU to be part of it.
The first 4 Rugby-Talk SuperBru Pools were registered today, now we just need to fill the Pools up with members!
ALL our SuperBru Pools have been upgraded to Super Pools, giving us added functionality like the SuperBru WIDGETS on the righthand sidebar.
Enjoy the Pools and most importantly, enjoy rugby with us.
Wales interim head coach Rob Howley has taken a bold move by naming his team to face Italy in Rome next Saturday a week early but rewarding the players that beat France 6-16 last week.
South African-born flanker Antonie Claassen on Monday was called up by coach Philippe Saint-Andre for the 23-strong French squad to prepare for the Six Nations match against England at Twickenham on February 23.
Claassen, 28, was one of five changes to the squad that went down 16-6 to Wales at the Stade de France on Saturday leaving France winless after two games and bottom of the Six Nations standings.
Ireland (0) 6 / 12 (6) England (Final Score)
Ireland and England did battle in the Six Nations tournament at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin at 17:00 SA Time (15:00 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
*******************
France (3) 6 / 16 (3) Wales (Final Score)
France and Wales did battle in the Six Nations Competition at Stade de France, Paris at 19:00 SA Time (17:00 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
*******************
Scotland (13) 34 / 10 (3) Italy (Final Score)
Scotland and Italy did battle in the Six Nations Competition at Murrayfield, Edinburgh at 16:30 SA Time (14:30 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
*******************
The first weekend of Six Nations 2013 has come and gone with two of the results as expected by many as Ireland and England claimed victories over Wales and Scotland respectively. The final match of the weekend saw Italy score what was seen as a surprise victory over France in Rome.
The intensity of the games took their toll though with various injuries incurred by the teams. We bring some of the news from the various squads regarding the injuries and player availability.
Ireland held off a stirring second-half Wales comeback to launch their Six Nations campaign with a thrilling win and condemn the champions to an eighth successive Test defeat.
Italy (13) 23 / 18 (15) France (Final Score)
Italy and France did battle in the Six Nations tournament at Stadio Olimpico, Rome at 17:00 SA Time (15:00 GMT, 16:00 Rome Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD4 on TV in SA.
*******************
Let’s start with the good news.
Scotland, a disorganised and calamity-prone shambles against Tonga in November, rejoined the international community with a display that was impressive in parts, effective in critical areas and well organised throughout.
And the bad news? They were up against England. New England. England on fire.
England (19) 38 / 18 (11) Scotland (Final Score)
England and Scotland did battle in the Six Nations tournament at Twickenham, London at 18:00 SA Time (16:00 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 6 & SHD4 on TV in SA.
*******************
Wales (3) 22 / 30 (23) Ireland (Final Score)
Wales and Ireland did battle in the Six Nations tournament at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff at 15:30 SA Time (13:30 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 6 & SHD4 on TV in SA.
*******************