Rugby World Cup News

There is no place in the starting XV for Chris Paterson.
Scotland have dropped their best goalkicker Chris Paterson to the bench for their Six Nations opener against France at Murrayfield on Sunday. Dan Parks starts at fly-half, while Nikki Walker and Simon Webster are preferred in the wing positions. Edinburgh centre Nick De Luca will […]

The starting fifteen against Scotland at Murrayfield has been announced by Marc Lievremont. One forced change is David Marty in to replace the injured Florian Fritz. Lievremont has just six players from the World Cup squad in the starting XV.
The full team list is:
Forwards:  Faure (Sale), Servat (Toulouse), Brugnaut (Dax), Nallet (Castres, capt), Jacquet (Clermont […]

Eddie O’Sullivan has kept faith with the World Cup players in the selection for Irelands Six Nations opener against Italy at Croke Park. No fewer than 11 players who started against Argentina in their final pool game are retained, with Ulster’s Rory Best claiming the vacant hooking role.
The full Ireland selection is:
G Dempsey; A Trimble, […]

This weekend sees the start of the RBS Six Nations tournament, and it’s going to be as exciting as ever! England will be hoping to make up for their Rugby World Cup disappointment after losing in the final to South Africa. But can they pip France, last year’s Six Nations champions, to the trophy? The […]

Brian Ashton has not really sprung any thing out of the ordinary in his starting 15 to face Wales. The inclusion of Iain Balshaw over Matthew Tait at 15 was expected. Luke Narraway at 8 was somewhat more of a surprise.
The full 22 follows:
Forwards: Andrew Sheridan, Mark Regan, Phil Vickery (Captain), Simon Shaw, […]

The Wales team has been announced by new coach Warren Gatland and much to everyone’s surprise 13 of those named in the starting 15 are Ospreys.
The full list is:
Forwards: Duncan Jones , Huw Bennett , Adam Jones , Ian Gough , Alun-Wyn Jones , Jonathan Thomas , Martyn Williams , Ryan Jones (Captain)
Backs: Mike Phillips, […]

Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan has not taken any chances and named an experienced match 22 for the opening Six Nations clash with Italy at Croke Park on 2 February.
The one big surprise is the omission of Ulster’s in-form winger Tommy Bowe with Leinster’s Robert Kearney preferred. Fifteen players who were in the squad against Argentina […]

England will play the All Blacks at Twickenham on Saturday the 29th November, subject to IRB approval. This will be the 4th test in the autumn schedule following the confirmed fixtures on 8th against the Pacific Islanders, 15th Australia and the 22nd South Africa.
The game on the 29th follows on from England’s tour to New […]

Marc Lievremont has not been afraid to make changes on top of the retirees.  Out go Sebastien Chabal, Jerome Thion, Clement Poitrenaud, Pierre Mignoni and David Marty on top of Raphael Ibanez, Fabien Pelous, Christophe Dominici and Serge Betsen who have all retired from internationals. Utility back Frederic Michalak has taken a year off from […]

Nick Mallett  rings the changes at captain as he brings Sergio Parisse in as the new skipper for the six nations.  Parisse, 24, takes over from Gloucester lock Marco Bortolami, 27, who skippered Italy 37 times between 2002 and 2007.
Mallett, who replaced Pierre Berbizier as coach in November, resisted making major changes despite Italy’s disappointing […]