Internationals
Richmond centre Abigail Chamberlain will make her England Women’s debut in their Six Nations opener against Scotland on Saturday.
Chamberlain, who has played for England A and captained England Sevens, is part of an entirely different backline from the autumn Tests against New Zealand.
Scotland award a debut to wing Sean Maitland, give a first start in six years to his Glasgow Warriors team-mate Dougie Hall at hooker and recall No 8 Johnnie Beattie in their team for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship opener against England at Twickenham.
The RBS Six Nations Championship is due to kick off this weekend. The first game of this year’s tournament sees current holder Wales playing at home against Ireland this Saturday afternoon.
Scotland’s interim head coach Scott Johnson stressed at the RBS 6 Nations Championship official launch in London today that he would not “chase rainbows” during the course of the competition.
England flanker Tom Johnson has been ruled out of the Six Nations with a knee injury.
Both Gloucester fly-half Freddie Burns and London Irish prop Alex Corbisiero are doubtful for the opening two matches against Scotland and Ireland because of knee problems.
Leicester centre Manu Tuilagi is also a doubt for the Calcutta Cup match with a leg injury.
Injuries to several key players have forced Springbok Sevens coach Paul Treu to make three changes to his squad for the forthcoming HSBC Sevens World Series tournaments in New Zealand and the USA.
I was reading some Tweets this morning when I came across this article from Mark Keohane and I have to say a very well written one at that, about John Plumtree.
Now here I want to give my point of view – as I feel we all will in one form or another acknowledge (although I do not wish to add to what is already said in the article) and I feel the man has paid his dues, he has done everything that should be expected of him and more.
Ireland coach Declan Kidney has confirmed that No 8, Jamie Heaslip, will continue to captain Ireland in the Six Nations despite the return of center Brian O’Driscoll.
Kidney named an extended squad of 39, including six new caps, on Thursday for the opening game against Wales on 2 February plus a game beforehand by the B team Wolfhounds.
Springbok and Bulls flyhalf Morné Steyn says he has not received a formal offer from Top 14 club Stade Francais.
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer’s priority will always be to pick local players first, but the South African Rugby Union may have conceded the fight to keep top Springboks in South Africa in the near future.
Scottish Rugby has today (Wednesday) secured a new three year sponsorship package with The Famous Grouse, Scotland’s favourite whisky. The six figure deal marks 23 years of the brand’s support for rugby in Scotland, and will see the whisky’s latest product, the Ginger Grouse, become the Official Spirit of Scottish Rugby.
Ten uncapped players have been named in interim head coach Scott Johnson’s first Scotland squad. The 35-strong squad will convene in Glasgow next Sunday for a three-day training camp ahead of the RBS 6 Nations Championship.
It seems as if the Bulls and Springbok flyhalf has made a deal to leave South Africa after Super Rugby to continue his career in France.
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans is keen to stay in the job until the 2015 World Cup, but Australia’s new rugby chief says he will have to reapply when his contract runs out.
Italy coach Jacques Brunel has named his 30-man squad for the upcoming Six Nations and called on his players to build on their promising November test campaign.
Lock Pascal Pape will stay as captain of France for the Six Nations tournament despite the return to the squad of Thierry Dusautoir, L’Equipe newspaper reported on Thursday.
It has officially been confirmed that Bryan Habana penned the deal with the French side in the last few days.
The South African Rugby Union have revealed the Springboks’ list of international fixtures for the 2013 season which ends with a Test in France for the first time since 2009.
The Springboks start their internationals in June as usual followed by the Rugby Championship and end with a three match tour of Europe which features Tests in Scotland, Wales and France.
England coach Stuart Lancaster has included uncapped pair Calum Clark and Billy Twelvetrees in his 33-man squad for the Six Nations.
Wales lock Alun-Wyn Jones says he is on course to feature in Wales’ Six Nations campaign after undergoing shoulder surgery two months ago.
South Africa Under-20 head coach Dawie Theron on Monday named 34 players for the latest training camp in preparation for the IRB Junior World Championships to be played in France in June. The Junior Springboks will defend the title won in South Africa last year.
Scotland’s most-capped scrumhalf Mike Blair has announced his retirement from international rugby at the age of 31.
Blair was capped 85 times for his country and was captain of the side on 14 occasions.
Retired flank Hendre Fourie was good enough to play for England, but now that he has quit rugby he is set to be repatriated by the country he represented in eight Tests.
Fourie revealed on Monday that he is poised to return to South Africa, because he cannot get a visa to remain in England.
I am always nervous of drawing too many conclusions from the annual burst of Autumn Internationals, especially because it’s the final round of games for all the Southern Hemisphere sides at the end of a long season. Nonetheless, there are some fascinating observations to make as many sides rebuild towards the next World Cup.
Two former international forwards will join interim head coach Scott Johnson’s Scotland management team for this year’s RBS 6 Nations Championship. Meanwhile, two ex-Scotland locks will join forces with a former Scotland stand-off to coach the Scotland A team.
Erstwhile England No 8 Dean Ryan and Scotland hooker Stevie Scott will work alongside Johnson, defence coach Matt Taylor and specialist coaches Duncan Hodge and Massimo Cuttitta with the national team.
Former Scotland and Lions forward Nathan Hines believes that Scottish players could force themselves into contention for the 2013 British and Irish Lions tour even if Scotland fail to uncover significant improvement in the RBS Six Nations.
The world’s best player, All Black flyhalf Dan Carter, is the latest target of the cash-flush French clubs.
Wallabies flanker and captain David Pocock has signed a new contract with the Australian Rugby Union for another three years ensuring that he will be available for Australia in the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Vodacom Bulls lock Juandrè Kruger did not extend his contract with the Blue Bulls Company (Pty) Ltd beyond the the 2013 Vodacom Super Rugby season and will leave the Vodacom Bulls to join up with French club Racing Metro 92.
Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll is on course to feature in the Six Nations tournament after returning to training with Leinster following ankle surgery.
Wales and Clermont fullback Lee Byrne looks set for a long lay-off after breaking a bone in his back during Saturday’s European Cup clash with Leinster.
Wales are set to play on a plastic pitch at the Millennium Stadium in a ground-breaking move being proposed by the Welsh Rugby Union.
Roger Lewis, the WRU’s go-ahead chief executive, has revealed behind closed doors talks have taken place about implementing the artificial surface at the home of Welsh sport.
All-conquering All Black captain Richie McCaw has been named New Zealand’s Player of the Year.
South Africa’s Player of the Year, record-breaking Springbok wing Bryan Habana, is yet again in the sights of Toulon’s eccentric boss Mourad Boudjellal.
British and Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland fired the first verbal salvo ahead of his team’s tour to Australia next year, claiming the Wallabies are the easiest to knock over of their Southern Hemisphere rivals.