England
The IRB has cast its net further in making its appointment to the November Tests, mostly in Europe.
There are several of the tried and tested – Craig Joubert, Jaco Peyper, Nigel Owens, Steve Walsh, Alain Rolland, George Clancy, Jérôme Graces, Romain Poite, Wayne Barnes, for example. There are those finding their feet like Lourens van der Merwe, Glen Jackson, JP Doyle, Pascal Gauzère, Leighton Hodges, Greg Garner, Ian Davies, John Lacey and Francisco Pastrana. Then there are those who are just standing up and taking their first steps – Stuart Berry, Chris Assmus, Mike Fraser, Dudley Phillips, Federico Anselmi, Luke Pearce, Marius Mitrea, Joaquin Montes, Juan Sylvestre and Claudio Antonio.
Following the Test between South Africa and New Zealand this past weekend, the New Zealand All Blacks have solidified their clasp on the IRD World Test Rankings more, stretching their lead over 2nd placed South Africa to a full 5.19 ranking points.
The Australian Wallabies have also slightly improved their position after their fine win against the Argentinian Pumas over the weekend, leaving them in 4th spot.
World Champions, New Zealand have stretched their lead further by almost a full rating point.
With the end of year tours just over six weeks away there is some bad news for two of the top centres who would have been looking forward for turning out for their countries against Southern Hemisphere opponents. England’s Manu Tuilagi joins team mate Brad Barritt on the sidelines while Lions and Wales centre Jamie Roberts also looks set to miss out on the action due to injury.
English and French clubs on Sunday announced the formation of a new competition called the Rugby Champions Cup for the 2014 / 15 season.
Anglo-French clubs have threatened to pull out of the European Cup if organisers ERC failed to find a solution to their concerns over the current competition’s format.
England centre Manu Tuilagi has apologised for making a “bunny ears” gesture behind the head of British Prime Minister David Cameron in a photocall at 10 Downing Street.
“Apologies for messing around on Lions photo. No offence intended,” Tuilagi said on Twitter. “
With only 730 days till World Cup 2015 the pools and qualifying teams are starting to take shape.
There is still quite a few qualifying matches ahead and still a playoff series to fill all open spots.
It seems that no agreement could be reached to ensure the future of the ERC.
This sees the breakaway of English and French clubs at the end of the current season.
English and French clubs are threatening to break away from the European Cup.
The ERC board will be meeting on Wednesday to discuss a new deal to ensure the future of the European Cup.
England and Australia meet on Wednesday at Edgebaston, Birmingham, in the third One Day International (ODI) of the current five match series. The match will be a day night affair with play scheduled to start at 15.00 South African Time.
England face one of their most condensed home Test series after next year’s schedule for India’s visit was confirmed with five Tests to be held over just 42 days. It will be the first time since 1959 that India will have played five Tests on an England tour while the trip, which runs from June 23 to September 8, also includes five ODIs and one T20.
England won the toss and elected to bat at a cloudy, but dry Chester-Le-Street with an unchanged side. With the Ashes in their pockets, thanks to the draw in Manchester, England were hoping to keep the Australians winless in the series. The Australians made one change in the quickie, Jackson Bird, who came in for Mitchell Starc. The pitch was hard and dry and swing was expected.
England put up a first innings score of 238 runs, all out and Australia replied with 270 all out. England’s second innings delivered 330 runs, all out.
On Day 4 the target set for Australia in their 2nd innings was 299 to win the match. Australia started well and with over a third of the runs in the bag, they lost their 1st wicket, then in the early 170’s they lost the plot and lost a number of wickets in the space of a few runs. After that the wickets kept falling in regular intervals and almost at close of play on Day 4 England bagged the last wicket to win by 74 runs.
SA Schools coach Chris October on Wednesday announced his squad to face England in their opening International Under-18 Series clash on Friday at the City Park Stadium in Cape Town.
Western Province and Paarl Gym No8 Rikus Bothma will lead the squad which features seven players who took part of the victorious SA Schools team last season. These players are the Du Preez twins, Daniel and Jean-Luc, Ox Nche, Justin Philips, Duhan van der Merwe, Warrik Gelant, Abongile Nonkontwana and Jurie Linde.
Australia won the toss and chose to bat first against England in the 3rd Ashes Test at Old Trafford. Australia made three changes to their side with David Warner, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon who came into the side. The England side was unchanged.
The pitch wass dry and hard to start with, which supplied a bit of bounce first up and spin was forecast reasonably soon. Atmospheric conditions on the 1st day was conducive to swing early on before temperatures rose too much.
The match ended in a dull draw with a lot of rain delaying play in the last days, forcing Australie to declare their 2nd innings at 172 / 7, setting England the ungettable target of 332 runs off just over 20 overs remaining in the match. England were 37 / 3 when the game was stopped and the draw announced.
England Sevens Head Coach Ben Ryan has announced that after than six years in charge of the national side he will stand down.
The 41 year-old will help ensure a smooth transition takes place during the build-up to the new Sevens World Series and the recruitment process to identify his successor will be under way shortly.
Australia took on England at the home of cricket, Lords, in the 2nd of 5 Test matches. England won the first Test and therefore were 1 / 0 up in the series at the start of the game.
England demolished the Australians in the 2nd Test, winning by 347 runs, one full day early.
Welsh Rugby Union chief Roger Lewis says the home nations need to look at how the money made from the British and Irish Lions tours is divided up.
England and South Africa will hope lady luck does not desert them when they clash in the Champions Trophy semifinal at the Oval in London on Wednesday.
Wednesday 19 June @ 10:45 – Live on SuperSport 2
Baby Blacks (8) 21 / 33 (20) England (Final Score)
New Zealand Under 20 and England Under 20 did battle in the IRB Junior World Championship of 2013 at Stade de la Rabine, Vannes at 20:45 SA Time (18:45 GMT, 19:45 BST).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Pumas (12) 26 / 51 (25) England (Final Score)
Argentina and England did battle in the June Internationals at Velez Sarsfield Stadium, Buenos Aires at 21:10 SA Time (16:10 ARG Time, 19:10 GMT, 20:10 BST).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SH2 on TV in SA.
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Marlan Yarde will win his first England cap as Stuart Lancaster aim to secure a clean sweep against Argentina on Saturday. The 21 year-old London Irish flyer comes into the side on the left wing replacing David Strettle while Bath’s Kyle Eastmond will make his first Test start in the No.12 shirt vacated by Lions-bound Billy Twelvetrees.
England centre Billy Twelvetrees is joining the British and Irish Lions’ tour of Australia as cover for the tourists’ injury-affected backline. Twelvetrees, 24, has been on England duty in Argentina, scoring a try in the 32-3 win over the Pumas at the weekend.
Bokkies (21) 31 / 24 (7) England (Final Score)
South Africa Under 20 and England Under 20 did battle in the IRB Junior World Championship at Stade Henri Desgrange, La Roche-sur-Yon at 16:45 SA Time (15:45 BST, 14:45 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 6 & SHD on TV in SA.
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Pumas (3) 3 / 32 (25) England (Final Score)
The Argentinian Pumas and England did battle in the June Internationals at El Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena, Salta at 21:10 SA Time (16:10 Arg Time, 19:10 GMT, 20:10 BST).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
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France (3) 6 / 30 (13) England (Final Score)
France Under 20 and England Under 20 did battle in the IRB Junior World Championship of 2013 at Stade Henri Desgrange at 18:45 SA Time (16:45 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
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Billy Vunipola scored a six-minute hat-trick as England completed their preparations for the Test series against Argentina with 41-21 victory over a South American XV.
Seven players will make their first senior starts for England against the Sudamerica XV in Montevideo, Uruguay, on Sunday (19:30 BST – British Summer Time; 20:30 South African Time).
Stuart Lancaster may have unearthed a few sparkling young diamonds in the Twickenham turf as his new boys shone brightly during England’s 40-12 demolition of the Barbarians on Sunday.
England head coach Stuart Lancaster has named 11 uncapped players in his squad for this summer’s Barbarians game and three-match tour to Uruguay and Argentina.
Springbok and Bath loose forward Francois Louw is one of three South Africa players included in the Barbarians squad to take on England and the British and Irish Lions.
The other two South Africans included in the squad are Munster prop BJ Botha and London Wasps lock Marco Wentzel.
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.
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Top of the table England host fifth placed Italy at Twickenham in the RBS Six Nations Championship on Sunday. This is part of the fifth round of fixtures of this year’s Championship. The match is scheduled to kick off at 17.00 South African Time.
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…
South Africa-born flanker Antonie Claassen is on the bench for France who travel to Twickenham to tackle England in the Six Nations this Saturday. Francois Trinh-Duc returns at fly-half as another change for France who make seven personnel changes, plus one positional, to their side.
England have brought back Manu Tuilagi, Courtney Lawes and Dylan Hartley for Saturday’s crunch Six Nations clash with France at Twickenham.