England have only selected one recognised No 8 in Billy Vunipola in their RWC squad
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Italy centre Tommaso Menoncello out of World Cup with bicep injury
Italy centre Tommaso Menoncello is out of the World Cup with a bicep injury suffered in a 33-17 defeat against Ireland in Dublin. The Benetton star left the Aviva Stadium…
IRFU apologises for “poorly worded” concussion statement
The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) has apologised for publishing “a poorly worded” concussion statement in the match programme for Ireland’s recent Rugby World Cup warm-up match against Italy. The…
Who is Levani Botia? Ten things about Fiji’s ‘Demolition Man’
Levani Botia travelled halfway across the planet to take up a short-term contract with an ambitious second-tier French club nine years ago. At the time he was relatively unknown. It…
Zander Fagerson ban means he will be available for World Cup opener
We now know the extent of the Zander Fagerson ban after we saw the TMO Bunker upgrade his yellow to a red card in Scotland’s encounter with France. Having charged…
Video of Ronan O’Gara’s French team talk goes viral
It’s a look behind the curtain, as French television channel Canal+ aired scenes from inside the camp of two-time European champions, La Rochelle. But in the aftermath, it’s coach Ronan…
Borthwick hints at key reason Slade and Dombrandt missed out on squad
The England head coach has prioritised versatility in his 33-man group
Who is Theo Dan? Ten things you need to know about England hooker
Theo Dan is a name very few had on their lips at the start of the 2022-23 season but he finished the campaign as a Premiership champion before booking a…
Opinion: Dropping Henry Slade for World Cup could narrow English options
It’s a massive surprise, Steve Borthwick dropping Henry Slade from the England Rugby World Cup squad. Henry’s been a huge stalwart of English rugby and someone who’s been massively admired…
Two-try Doris stars as Ireland beat Italy 33-17
Business as usual. Ireland, the world’s No 1 ranked team, won the first of their World Cup warm-up matches 33-17 against Italy, scoring five tries to two at the Aviva…