#Second Row

All being well, Courtney Lawes will become a centurion this Saturday at Suncorp Stadium by winning a 95th England cap to go with his five Tests for the British and Irish Lions. His pedigree is unquestioned and there is more for him to achieve. But it is a curiosity of the 33-year-old's fantastic career that his best position has remained a matter…

With Steve Borthwick set to announce his chosen 36-man squad on Monday morning, former England number eight and ex-Worcester Warriors defence coach Nick Easter spends a morning playing selector, with balance and Premiership form at the top of his thinking. "Borthwick's first England side is obviously a key selection," Easter said. "The simple truth…

One of the biggest calls Warren Gatland will have to make for the Six Nations is who to install as Wales captain, with a number of strong candidates putting up their hands. Justin Tipuric and Dan Biggar have led Wales over the past two campaigns, while Adam Beard has leadership qualities and so do Jac Morgan, Dewi Lake, Ken Owens and, of course,…

Richard Wigglesworth has made seven changes as Leicester look to bounce back from recent Premiership defeats and continue their successful European campaign at Clermont. The Tigers suffered heavy losses to Newcastle and Sale in their last two league outings. But Leicester beat Ospreys and Clermont in the Heineken Champions Cup before Wigglesworth…

Jack Dempsey will make his first start for Scotland as Gregor Townsend's side face Argentina in their Autumn Nations Series finale on Saturday. The Glasgow Warriors back row has featured off the bench in all three of Scotland's matches so far this autumn, making his debut in the narrow defeat to the nation of his birth Australia, and will now get…

Moana Pasifika have added the first player of Cook Island heritage to their squad as one of three new signings. In the ninth wave of player announcements ahead of their debut campaign in the inaugural Super Rugby Pacific season, the expansion franchise have unveiled locks Mike McKee, Don Lolo and Veikoso Poloniati as their newest arrivals. The trio…

A 19-point Santiago Carreras fly-half masterclass led Gloucester to an impressive 34-19 win over Northampton Saints on Saturday night. Jack Singleton's early try was cancelled out by a quick-fire Tommy Freeman double that put the Saints in front. But Chris Harris and Santiago Carreras responded with tries of their own to give the cherry and whites…

It's been a year when disciplinary decisions have been in the spotlight like never before. We've had the Joe Marler gypsy-boy row, Argentine assaults, a vicious hit on a female referee and a suspension following a bizarre incident in an airport toilet cubicle! Rugby correspondent Simon Thomas looks back on these and the players who picked up bans…

Ireland kept their Six Nations titles hopes alive with a bonus point victory over a 14-man England at Twickenham. The home side had to play nearly all of the match a man down after Charlie Ewels saw red for a high tackle that saw James Ryan leave the field. Ireland were quick to take advantage of the extra man. In the the sixth minute an…

By Alex McLeod of RugbyPass.com Ian Foster's 35-man All Blacks squad will assemble for the first time today in Whakatane as preparations for the upcoming Bledisloe Cup series get underway. Plenty of anticipation has arisen since last week's confirmation that the All Blacks and Wallabies will do battle with each other for the first time in over a…

Backrow powerhouse Jake Polledri looks set to have to wait until 2023 before he is given a shot at returning to the international arena having missed out on Italy's latest training squad ahead of the Autumn Nations series. The 19-cap Azzurri number eight is on a comeback following nearly two years on the sidelines after suffering a horror knee and…

Bath Rugby tighthead prop Will Stuart will start his fourth consecutive Test for England as the club's only representative in the matchday 23 to face Australia in the series decider at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday. Bath's giant wing Joe Cokanasiga misses out on selection while Northampton captain Lewis Ludlam replaces the concussed Sam…

This season's Guinness Six Nations Championship will see a familiar face and an exciting international newcomer in the coaches' corner. Warren Gatland has returned for a second stint with Wales, replacing Wayne Pivac, while Steve Borthwick takes the England reins after Eddie Jones was sacked two weeks ago. Here the PA news agency looks at the four…

Steve Diamond and Worcester Warriors could be galvanised by their off-field issues Will Steve Diamond be able to work his magic at Worcester this season despite the problems surrounding the club? The 54-year-old starts his first full campaign in charge of the Warriors and will be looking to build on an encouraging end to last year, but with no…

At a time when most players were wondering whether they would go to Japan for that year's Rugby World Cup, Kruis wanted to talk about something more long term. He wanted to know Jones' opinion on making Japan his home. "When you bring up the topic, you don't really know which way a coach is going to go," the former Saracens second row told BBC…

Munster face Ulster at the Kingspan Stadium in Belfast for a New Year's Day interpro clash. On the injury front following a St Stephen's Day derby with Leinster, Graham Rowntree's side were left in 11th place on the URC table. This Sunday, Ulster hosts again after Munster visited the Kingspan Stadium twice last season - winning in Belfast in the…

Ireland travel to Rome to face Italy in the Six Nations this weekend. This year's tournament has not gone to plan so far for Andy Farrell, with his side losing their opening two games against Wales and France. They face an Italian side who are also winless in the competition after defeats to France and England. Farrell has made seven changes to the…

It is 67 years since a Wales team travelled to Colombes on the north-west edge of Paris and denied the hosts a Grand Slam. Since then, on four occasions when the Grand Slam has been on the line on home turf, France have converted their chance to win the clean sweep. England will have to overturn recent form as well as decades-old history to win on…

The worst seat in baseball is the first seat in baseball. Fenway Park Right-Field Grandstand Section 1, Row 1, Seat 1 "America's Most Beloved Ballpark" played host to its first major-league game on April 20, 1912, just five days after the Titanic sank to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Fenway Park serves as home to the Boston Red Sox, and dozens…

With the Rugby World Cup under nine months away, we thought it was worth picking seven players to watch out for in 2023. There are plenty of established figures here who have their own individual stories and targets over the next 12 months so without further ado, here's our selection. The centre is set for a big 2023 after getting back to full…

With the controversy of the 2021 season behind us, the Formula 1 universe turns its head to a new season - beginning with the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend. We break down the grid and highlight the favorites in our full Bahrain Grand Prix odds. With all of the drama and controversy of Max Verstappen's first Drivers' Championship title in the…

The win of Dannemora (Betting Line) on day one (26 Dec.) of the Westport meeting at Patterson Park yesterday was a proper harness racing family affair. The three-year-old filly was prepared by Ohoka horseman, Tom Bagrie, driven by his cousin, John Dunn, and the extended family were on hand to soak in the spoils including four time champion North…

Scottish rugby in the last decade has grown more than most nations. Since an underwhelming Rugby World Cup in 2011, crashing out at the group stage, Scotland have vastly improved as a rugby nation. However, to take the next step and seriously challenge for a Six Nations title, will Scotland need to look at losing their national identity? Gregor…

Saturday will bring the grand finale of the 2022 Six Nations Championship with just France and Ireland left in contention for the trophy. France are set to face England at home and are aware that a victory in Paris will give them their first Six Nations title and Grand Slam since 2010 while Ireland are hoping Les Bleus fall to England and that they…

We're down to the last eight in the Heineken Champions Cup as the great and good of European rugby do battle for a place in the May 28 showpiece in Marseille. With another intoxicating weekend of knockout drama in store, we preview every game from the quarter-finals, with all four matches available to watch exclusively live on BT Sport. Read on for…

Here are your rugby morning headlines for Monday February 28. Nigel Owens has waded into the big England versus Wales try furore and insisted it should have been ruled out by referee Mike Adamson. Alex Dombrandt's decisive score became the main talking point after the game with Wales claiming Adam Beard had been pushed out of the lineout, the…

Facing a formidable foe in No. 3 England, Canada will be looking for small victories Saturday at Twickenham. Coach Kingsley Jones is hoping to see the 23rd-ranked Canadian men make inroads at scrums, lineouts and other parts of the rugby test match. "We know the odds are stacked against us. We have to look for those small wins," he said Friday.…

Here's your rugby headlines for Wednesday, December 21. Cardiff captain Josh Turnbull has warned more players are will follow Will Rowlands and Max Llewellyn in leaving Wales at the end of the season. Speaking on the Scrum V podcast, Turnbull admitted that the current freeze on player contracts would continue to result in departures as he insisted…

Given the short timescale England have to turn around their Barbarian mauling into lessons learned for both selection and tactics, Eddie Jones is likely to go with a team of tried and trusted but with a little seasoning from a couple of the more effective players from last weekend's match. Courtney Lawes is his biggest headache; Lawes professes he…

A walking wounded Gloucester Rugby side head to the Stade de Gerland on Sunday to take on French Top 14 side Lyon in the opening round of the European Heineken Champions Cup. The Cherry and Whites have been badly hit by injuries in the last week and turn their attention to Europe having won just their opening game in the Gallagher Premiership,…

The final sprint for Energia All-Ireland League Women's Division silverware brings together Blackrock College and defending champions Railway Union for the second year running. Saturday, December 17 - Energia All-Ireland League Season's Form: Blackrock College: WWWWWWWWW; Railway Union: WWWWWWLWW Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers - Blackrock…

2039 total views, 8 views today Connacht look to win their second game of the Challenge cup this Friday night when they travel to take on struggling French side Brive. Another win for Connacht will go a long way to seeing them make the knockout stages of the competition and with Brive struggling, this is a great opportunity to do so. Connacht have…

There are 21 Uganda Cup titles among the four semi-finalists, Heathens (11), Kobs (8), Pirates (2) while Rhinos are yet to win it. All eyes and ears were interested in what Uganda Cup Semifinals draws from the Uganda Rugby Union produce. With holders Kobs, Heathens, Stanbic Pirates and Rhinos making the final four, the next stage guarantees big…

Leinster, Connacht and Ulster will all name their teams for their respective Champions Cup games today. Leo Cullen's side host French side Montpellier in Dublin after the reverse fixture was cancelled due to Covid-19 cases within Leinster's squad. Montpellier were awarded a 28-0 win by rugby bosses which infuriated Leinster as other games that were…

South Africa's Northern Hemisphere tour continues when their second string take on Munster in a challenge match this week. Here's all you need to know about the game. Where and when is it on? Thursday's match takes place at the Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork with a 7.30pm kick-off. Where can I watch the match? The game will be shown live on Virgin Media…

After two makeshift seasons, Super Rugby is about to get a whole more super as the competition moves to a full-fledged Pacific competition. Making it all the more appealing for fans - and administrators - is that the competition's future will be announced Friday, with the competition to be set in stone until 2030. That will be music to the ears of…

Ulster Rugby have confirmed next season's Academy squad and it includes five new faces. Joe Hopes (club TBC), Lorcan McLoughlin (Queen's University / IQ Rugby), James McNabney (Ballymena RFC), Rory Telfer (club TBC) and Scott Wilson (Queen's University) have all been inducted as Year One players. Ulster Rugby Academy Manager, Gavin Hogg said:…

ALI ROGERS has turned out in a number of team hues in recent months, but the only colour he is focused on wearing now is the dark blue of Scotland at under-20 level. The 19-year-old loose-head prop has his sights set on playing a major role in an important 2023 for the age-grade national side which gets underway with the Six Nations opener away to…

Rugby League's men's World Cup kicks off on Saturday when England take on Samoa in Newcastle. It's the 16th iteration of a tournament first played in France in 1954. But, if 10 years previously, you'd asked any French player taking part in that inaugural competition whether they'd ever foresee playing a World Cup on home soil they'd have laughed…

For the Harness Racing purist, Grand Prix Day is bigger than Cup Day and Robert and Jenna Dunn have the third biggest team at Sunday's (Dec. 3) feature day. Robert Dunn gave Bruce Stewart an insight into the Dunn team readying to race at Addington. #10 Highgrove (Love You) "We were really happy with his last run. It was a good bounce back by the…

Rugby's Greatest Championship returns this Saturday and the action kicks off at Murrayfield as the title favourites head to Edinburgh. The visitors are the only team still on track for a Grand Slam victory following their 30-24 win over Ireland in Round Two while Scotland are looking to bounce back from a 20-17 defeat to Wales. It's the first of…

Lewis Hamilton has three consecutive second-place finishes Free F1 tips, best bets and analysis for the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina on Sunday. Sky Sports F1, 1pm Sunday Lewis Hamilton podium finish 2pts 11-8 general Both Aston Martins to finish in the points 1pt 9-2 bet365 The big names of F1 in 2022 fittingly line up two by two…

Amazingly, USA Rugby sat 12th in the world rankings by the end of 2018 but currently sit 15th after a less than outstanding trip through the Americas Rugby Championship to kick off the year. Now with the Rugby World Cup in Japan less than two months away, it's just about time to start rolling out predictions for who makes the trip. Criteria here…

The postponed 2021 Rugby League World Cup has provided some gripping moments in the past few weeks - and the best is perhaps yet to come. Australia edged New Zealand in the first semi-final to secure their spot at next week's showpiece at Old Trafford in Manchester. They will face England or Samoa, who do battle for the second time in this…

France continue their end-of-year internationals with another supreme test of their mettle and quality, as the world champion Springboks head to Marseille's Stade Velodrome. Les Bleus needed a last-gasp try from Damian Penaud to edge Australia in a 30-29 victory in Saint-Denis, overcoming the Wallabies in a match that saw both teams edge in front…

They are the Wales internationals who spent the autumn on the outside looking in. Many of them may not say it, but all will still crave the opportunity to pull on their country's jersey once again. For a number of those listed below, it's a case of odds-against. But a few just may interest Wayne Pivac for the autumn. We look at the XV of out of…

Wales and Italy will be hoping to end their 2022 Women's Six Nations campaigns on a high as the two sides meet in Cardiff. Their clash kicks off the final round of matches on "Super Saturday". A third win of the tournament for Wales would seal third spot on the table for Ioan Cunningham's side in an encouraging first championship since the…

With each of the 15 players that make up a rugby team playing a vital part, we take a look at the roles they all play during a match ahead of Rugby's Greatest Championship getting underway. Loosehead prop Wears the No.1 jersey, stands to the left of the hooker at the scrum Plays a key role in helping a team get on top at scrum time Often involved…

The Munster team has been named for Thursday's historic clash against South Africa Select XV, in association with Pinergy, at Páirc Uí Chaoimh (7.30pm, live on Virgin Media 2). The sell-out game will see 41400 supporters make their way to Páirc Uí Chaoimh for the largest-ever attendance at a rugby game in the province. See some of the key info…