Tag: Club

Australia booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup on Saturday with a hard-fought 13-7 victory over Wales in Whangarei; Hosts New Zealand eased past Scotland 57-0 to make it three wins from three in Pool A

Tournament hosts New Zealand racked up their third consecutive bonus point win of the Rugby World Cup with a 57-0 thrashing of Scotland, who have been eliminated.

The Black Ferns brushed Scotland aside with a devastating first-half display with Renee Holmes notching up 22 points, including two tries and six conversions, as the defending champions ran rampant.

Holmes’ first try put New Zealand in front in the second minute and Wayne Smith’s team were never challenged by a heavily out-gunned Scotland side.

Ayesha Leti-i’iga added the second eight minutes later and further tries from Sarah Hirini, Liana Mikaele-Tu’u and Theresa Fitzpatrick opened up a significant gap, before Renee Wickliffe scored twice late in the half.

Maiakawanakaulani Roos and Holmes crossed the line in the second half as the defending champions eased to victory.

Wales wait on other results after Australia loss

Australia booked their place in the quarter-finals and left Wales sweating on their future in the competition with a hard-fought 13-7 victory in Whangarei.

Two penalties from Lori Cramer were the difference between the teams, with the win ensuring the Australians finish second in Pool A behind already-qualified New Zealand.

The result leaves Wales, who picked up a losing bonus point, in third place in the standings. Ioan Cunningham’s side could still advance as one of the two best third-placed finishers, depending on the outcome other group matches.

Siwan Lillicrap and Wales can still make it through to the quarter-finals

Australians took the lead in the fifth minute when Iliseva Batibasaga gathered the ball at the back of a ruck before a dummied pass bought her the space to sprint under the posts to score, with Cramer striking a successful conversion.

Wales levelled in the 23rd minute when Sioned Harries touched down after a pick-and-go from close range, and Elinor Snowsill’s kick made it over the bar via the inside of the post.

Cramer’s sweetly struck penalty on the stroke of half-time gave the Australians a slender advantage at the interval before both teams cancelled each other out throughout the second half.

Wales were given late hope when Australian replacement Kaitlan Leaney was given a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Alex Callender with 10 minutes remaining, but Cramer’s penalty two minutes from time sealed the win.

Fiji, on four points in Pool C, need to beat France later on Saturday to have any chance of progressing. Defeat for Fiji would mean an England victory over South Africa on Sunday would be enough to see Wales through.

Officials from the RFU and Premiership Rugby are set to appear before the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee next month, to answer questions on the problems facing Wasps and Worcester Warriors, and the wider sustainability of the game

The RFU and Gallagher Premiership will face a parliamentary committee next month to address the sport’s financial crisis.

Wasps joined Worcester Warriors in administration on Monday, making 167 members of staff, including players and coaches, redundant. Both clubs had already been suspended from the Gallagher Premiership, which now contains 11 teams after kicking off the 2022/23 season with 13.

Officials from the Rugby Football Union and Premiership Rugby are now set to appear before the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) committee next month, to answer questions on the problems facing those clubs and the wider sustainability of the game. A precise date is still to be confirmed.

“The fact that two of the country’s top clubs have now suffered the fate of falling into administration raises serious concerns about the future of the sport and its financial viability,” DCMS committee chair Julian Knight said.

“The RFU and Premiership Rugby have acknowledged the need to set a more sustainable path for club rugby.

“We will be pressing them to ensure they are putting the foundations in place to guarantee the health of the sport from the top level right down to the grassroots.”

Wasps were hit by by a winding-up order from HM Revenue and Customs for £2m in unpaid tax, and they also faced having to repay a £35m bond which had helped finance the club’s relocation to Coventry during 2014.

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Wasps CEO Stephen Vaughan confirms the club are in dialogue with the RFU over their potential relegation from the Premiership after entering administration while head coach Lee Blackett and caretaker Sam Saunders reflect on the mood at the club.

Wasps have been ever-present in the Premiership since the competition began 25 years ago, winning it in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2008.

They were also crowned European champions twice, in addition to achieving one European Challenge Cup triumph, and have fielded some of England’s most well-known players during rugby union’s professional era.

The RFU’s chief executive Bill Sweeney says the governing body supports a move to a 10-team Premiership from the 2024-25 season onwards to try and avoid the current overlap between domestic and international matches.

“I do see it as viable for a number of reasons, and we’ve been saying for quite some time now that less is more,” Sweeney said when asked if a reduced, 10-team Premiership could be an answer.

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2003 Rugby World Cup winner Will Greenwood describes Wasps’ administration as ‘enormously worrying’ and highlights whether high wage caps might be a reason for many clubs’ financial problems.

“I don’t know if 10 is the absolute number but that’s the one being used now, but in that and the central distribution around broadcast and commercial revenues, clearly there’s a financial benefit for less teams in that league.

“Clearly one of the major issues we’ve got to grapple with is the calendar and one of the things that’s held us back in England is the overlap between the international game and the club game.

“So, a reduction in the size of PRL (Premiership Rugby Limited) will help us with that.”

Blackett: Wasps administration is ‘sickening’ | Vaughan on takeover prospects

Former Wasps head coach Lee Blackett revealed the impact Tuesday’s news of the club going into administration and 167 staff being made redundant had on the squad and the non-playing staff.

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Former Wasps hooker Phil Greening says the players will be devastated with the news of the club entering administration with some players searching for jobs already.

“I’m just sad,” Blackett said, speaking outside the club’s training ground. “I think if you look at the players I’ve just seen through there, staff upset, it’s sickening

“There’s things probably ongoing [regarding a takeover]. Hopefully, it’s at some point, but there’s players and staff that wanted to play Premiership Rugby this year and unless something happens very quickly I just cannot see how that’s going to actually happen.

“I’m extremely sad because the people in this environment care massively about those guys and seeing them where they are is devastating. It’s more extreme than that – it’s so sad. We worked so hard as a group to get together. There are staff and players who have been here for a long time so to have this day, where this group have split up, it’s really sad.

“I’ve got to take a little bit of time to digest this over the next few days and see if there’s any positive news that comes out the other side. You realise it’s not just the players and staff here, there’s massive families behind them and my thoughts are with everyone.”

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England head coach Eddie Jones says the news of Wasps entering administration is ‘distressing’ to the players and that Jack Willis will get the support he needs coming into the England squad.

Wasps CEO Stephen Vaughan confirmed the club remain in dialogue with the RFU and Premiership Rugby, and offered hope of an announcement regarding a possible takeover at some point this week.

“Hard to say [how close a takeover is],” Vaughan said. “People are aware that we’ve been on the market for a long time now, so it’s not like this is a surprise to anybody.

“We are in genuine dialogue with people, we’ve got more conversations happening tomorrow and the day after, and we really hope we can get the right people involved.

“If it’s going to happen we imagine there will be a decision and announcement in the next three or four days.”

“No. Definitely not. It [2023 World Cup] won’t be [a swansong]. I can’t guarantee you that, but I don’t think it will be. I reckon there’s still a bit to do. There’s still a bit in the tank” – England head coach Eddie Jones on retirement talk

Eddie Jones is determined for his long-standing association with the World Cup to continue beyond the conclusion of his England tenure next autumn.

Jones will step down after eight years in charge once France 2023 is complete and could return to his homeland Australia having been linked with a director of rugby role with the Wallabies.

Whatever his destination, the 62-year-old does not see his fifth World Cup being his last despite previously declaring that he would retire to Barbados to watch cricket when his time with England was over.

“No. Definitely not. It won’t be. I can’t guarantee you that, but I don’t think it will be,” said Jones, who has led England and Australia to World Cup finals and also won the competition as an assistant coach with South Africa.

“I reckon there’s still a bit to do. There’s still a bit in the tank. I rang up the boss of the Barbados IPL and he’s not interested…”

England begin the countdown to the World Cup this autumn when they face Argentina, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa at Twickenham.

Once the Six Nations is complete they will play four warm-up games and the challenge facing Jones is to propel the team forwards while not revealing the details of their masterplan for the tournament.

“The one thing you want to be doing from here to the World Cup – and every coach will say the same – is improving,” he said.

Jones will lead England to the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France and then depart the job, having been head coach since 2016

“You don’t want to be static and you don’t want to show everything. If you show everything then teams come up with plans to stop you doing that.

“We want to win every Test in November but we don’t want to be showing any tactical developments that maybe we’ll want to use in the World Cup.

“You don’t want to show it in the warm-up games. You want to be able to do it on the training paddock consistently then be able to do it bang at the World Cup.”

Maggie Alphonsi believes England are the team to beat as they aim for World Cup glory; the tournament gets under way on Saturday in New Zealand as South Africa face France, England come up against Fiji and Australia and New Zealand clash

When it comes to Rugby World Cup glory, no one knows the highs and lows as well as Maggie Alphonsi, and for the England legend there is only one team to beat this year: the Red Roses.

As a leader in the team that ended a 20-year drought and won the 2014 Rugby World Cup, Alphonsi knows the euphoria of claiming the biggest prize and believes the current Red Roses side have the capabilities to go all the way.

However, with England considered as firm favourites heading into the tournament – a record 25-match unbeaten run and No 1 world ranking cementing them as the ones to beat – many teams will be out to show they are the ones who can topple this side.

“They are very much expected to win,” said Alphonsi.

“The odds are in their favour, they are number one in the world, they are the reigning Six Nations champions, they are full of confidence and have the resources, the investments and the players.

“I just think these players are prepared for it and many will be saying if they don’t win it would be a failure.”

‘They don’t know how to lose’

The World Cup will certainly present some challenging clashes for the Red Roses and they will be pushed to their limit as sides look to put them in a situation they do not encounter very often: A match in which they are losing.

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England Women head coach Simon Middleton says despite his side’s No 1 ranking and record unbeaten run they cannot guarantee victory at the World Cup

Some see this as the best way to get under England’s skin, but Alphonsi believes they are well prepared for all scenarios, even ones they do not often have to face.

“They have a ‘we don’t know how to lose’ mindset because to go that many games unbeaten, they will naturally have that,” she added.

“Some will see that as a negative because they have not lost or been tested it is hard to know what to do when put in that scenario.

“But knowing (coach) Simon Middleton and the quality of players, they will have covered all bases, including those scenarios and how to deal with it.

“They were tested a few times in the Six Nations, especially first half against Wales in the set-piece.

“However, you can’t count out New Zealand, Canada and France because they are also feeling like it is their time.

“I think England will get to the final – crazy to say they won’t.

“If New Zealand get to the final as a home nation it would be great for the crowd and interest.

“But I am also excited by the fact that an outsider could do it, like France who always finish third.

“They might do something completely different, who knows. There are some dark horses.”

A record-breaking Rugby World Cup

Women’s sport is in a constant state of growth as more coverage and visibility drives its viewership and this year’s World Cup is expected to continue to boost those numbers.

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England captain Sarah Hunter says tournament experience could be a big factor going into the World Cup

With record attendances and media interest, Alphonsi thinks, if they can claim World Cup victory, we could see the Red Roses reach the heights of the Lionesses in this summer’s Euros when the tournament takes place in England in 2025.

She said: “My expectations are incredibly high.

Maggie Alphonsi believes an England vs New Zealand World Cup final on November 12 would be brilliant for rugby as it rides a wave of momentum

“This World Cup will break many records. There are over 30,000 tickets sold for the opening game so for that many people to come and watch in New Zealand is huge, that in itself Is amazing.

“It will be the most-covered World Cup in terms of television, print and radio and I think it is going to be a tournament that will captivate the world.

“It will add to the momentum of women’s sport especially over here and we get to put women’s sport back in the spotlight. We saw that in the summer with the Lionesses and that still blows my mind.

“The FA and the Lionesses set the bar high with an amazing tournament across the country and the amount of people that attended was brilliant.

“In 2010 we got to the final and we had a crowd of just under 14,000 which was significant back then.

“2025 is not that far away and women’s sport is on the crest of a wave and hopefully we can emulate what women’s football has done, making sure we can take it around the country and put out a statement.

“Then we can see the final at Twickenham with a sell-out capacity and good build-up.”

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