6 Nations
Joe Marler
England prop Joe Marler has been banned for 2 matches and fined £ 20 000.00 by World Rugby for calling Wales forward Samson Lee “Gypsy boy”.
Marler, 25, had avoided punishment by The RBS 6 Nations organisers, but World Rugby conducted its own investigation.
He made the comment in England’s RBS 6 Nations win over Wales in March and had an apology accepted by prop Samson.
The Rugby Football Union said Marler would not appeal against the decision and considered the matter closed.
World Rugby, the sport’s global governing body, said it had “Exercised its right to take appropriate action before an independent judicial committee in the absence of such a process by Six Nations Rugby in accordance with the regulations”.
Who was your standout player of the 2016 RBS 6 Nations? Read the profiles below for a reminder of the achievements of our nominees.
Gareth Davies:
The Wales scrumhalf took the opportunity that Rhys Webb’s injury presented and impressed throughout the Championship.
He scored a stunning try in their victory over Scotland in Round 2, was RBS 6 Nations Man of the Match in Round 3 against France and claimed the final score of Wales’ Championship when he came off the bench against Italy on Super Saturday.
Guilhem Guirado:
Guy Novès’ France side might have finished with 3 defeats but their captain Guirado led by example throughout.
The hooker was superb, crossing for tries against Wales and Scotland, driving his pack forwards and demonstrating brilliant tackle and breakdown work in every match.
Stuart Hogg:
The Scotland fullback’s scorching try in the final Round against Ireland will live long in the memory but Hogg’s influence throughout the Championship was apparent.
He made 2 tries as Vern Cotter’s side ended their winless run in downing Italy, scored 1 and he scored 1 and made 1 in their historic win over France – while also adding a penalty from his own half. All that before his fantastic solo score in Dublin on Super Saturday.
Joe Marler
England prop Joe Marler has avoided any sanction for striking an opponent during his side’s RBS 6 Nations win over Wales at Twickenham.
A Six Nations disciplinary committee found he struck prop Rob Evans in the 15th minute of Saturday’s match.
But it said in a statement: “The disciplinary committee found that the offending would not have warranted a Red Card and so imposed no sanction.”
Marler could now play in England’s final game against France on Saturday.
However, that could still be in doubt as the 25-year-old Harlequins forward may yet face action for calling Wales prop Samson Lee “Gypsy boy” in the same game.
Marler apologised to Lee – who is from the Traveller community – for that comment, and Lee has said he accepted the apology as “banter”.
Joe Marler
England and Harlequins prop Joe Marler has been cited for striking Wales prop Rob Evans in England’s 25 / 21 RBS 6 Nations victory over Wales at Twickenham.
Harlequins prop Marler appeared to land a forearm in the face of Evans while trying to assist Dan Cole ground the ball over Wales’s try-line.
“Joe Marler has been cited by the independent citing commissioner for allegedly striking an opponent in the 15th minute of the 1st half of the RBS 6 Nations match between England and Wales at Twickenham,” said an RBS 6 Nations statement.
If found guilty at a disciplinary hearing later this week, Marler will face an “entry-point” ban of 2 weeks, which would rule him out of England’s attempt to seal a 1st Grand Slam since 2003.
Officials have yet to decide whether a separate incident of verbal abuse, in which Harlequins prop Marler called Wales’s Samson Lee “gypsy boy” during the 1st half of England’s 25 / 21 win at Twickenham last Saturday, warrants disciplinary action.
3 Years without an RBS 6 Nations win at Murrayfield. 10 Years without a win against France. Some rather unwanted streaks consigned to the dustbin in 80 minutes of heart-pounding, adrenaline-pumping, nerve-shredding action! But who were the main men for Scotland on Sunday?
Scotland (18) 29 / 18 (12) France (Final Score)
Scotland and France did battle in the RBS 6 Nations 2016 at
BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh, at 17:00 SA Time (15:00 UK Time & GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 6 on TV in SA.
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Ireland have made 2 changes, with fit-again Jared Payne starting at centre and Simon Zebo deputising for injured full-back Rob Kearney.
Stuart McCloskey, who made his Test debut against England a fortnight ago, drops out of the squad altogether.
Hooker Rory Best will captain the side on his 50th championship appearance.
Flyhalf Edoardo Padovani makes his 1st start as 1 of 4 changes for Italy, along with Guglielmo Palazzani, David Giazzon and George Biagi.
Wales head coach Warren Gatland has named his team to face England in Saturday’s key RBS 6 Nations match at Twickenham.
Gareth Davies retains the scrumhalf spot ahead of Rhys Webb, who is named among the replacements.
Webb, 27, was recalled to the squad after 6 months away from international rugby with injury.
Lock Luke Charteris is on the bench where Paul James comes in to cover the injured loosehead prop Gethin Jenkins.
We’ve named a pretty experienced side for Saturday,” said Gatland.
All roads led to Rome, where Scotland changed their RBS 6 Nations fortunes with a hard fought win over Italy (36 / 20).
Two 1st half, and one 2nd half, try interspersed with a succession of Greig Laidlaw penalties gave Scotland their biggest RBS 6 Nations score since the championship expanded in 2000.
The Scotland captain was awarded man of match for his kicking off the tee and calm leadership that saw the away side maintain structure and clarity of thought despite 2 2nd half Yellow Cards – for Finn Russell and WP Nel – and sustained Italian attacks.
England (6) 21 / 10 (3) Ireland (Final Score)
England and Ireland did battle in the RBS 6 Nations 2016 at
Twickenham Stadium, London, at 18:50 SA Time (16:50 UK Time & GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 6 on TV in SA.
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Wales (6) 19 / 10 (3) France (Final Score)
Wales and France did battle in the RBS 6 Nations 2016 at
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, at 22:05 SA Time (20:05 UK Time & GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 on TV in SA.
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Elliot Daly could make his England senior debut against Ireland
Wasps centre Elliot Daly is set for his England debut after being named in Eddie Jones’ 23-man squad for Saturday’s match against Ireland.
Daly replaces lock Courtney Lawes in the only change from the squad that beat Italy.
“Elliot Daly has impressed in training and is now ready to be part of the matchday 23,” Jones said.
England won their opening 2 matches and top the table, while Ireland lost to France and drew with Wales.
Daly, 23, has played 4 times for England Saxons and also represented England at Under 18 and Under 20 level.
Ireland could also bring a debutant into midfield, with Ulster’s Stuart McCloskey in contention for a 1st cap if fitness-doubt Jared Payne is ruled out.
Head Coach Vern Cotter has refined his Scotland squad ahead of this Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations match against Italy in Rome, with the return of 6 players to Glasgow Warriors.
Props Gordon Reid and Zander Fagerson, loose forwards Rob Harley and Josh Strauss and halfbacks Grayson Hart and Duncan Weir, all returned to club training today, ahead of tomorrow night’s (Thursday) Guinness PRO12 game against Dragons in Newport.
Cotter will select and announce a final 23-man team to travel to Rome tomorrow morning (Thursday).
Italy (9) 9 / 40 (11) England (Final Score)
Italy and England did battle in the RBS 6 Nations 2016 at
Stadio Olimpico, Rome, at 16:00 SA Time (15:00 Italy Time, 14:00 UK Time & GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 on TV in SA.
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Head Coach Vern Cotter today named one change to the Scotland team to start against Wales in Cardiff this Saturday (13 February, kick-off 16:50 UK Time, 18:50 SA Time)
Both teams go into the match seeking their 1st win of the 2016 campaign, after the Scot’s home loss to England (15 / 9), and Wales’ 16 / 16 draw with Ireland in Dublin.
The selection of 26-year-old Saracens centre Duncan Taylor in midfield is 1 of 2 changes to the 23-man squad – promoted from the bench to partner Mark Bennett after Matt Scott injured his quad in training yesterday – with Sean Lamont taking the vacated place among the replacements.
The match will be Taylor’s 5th start in 14 caps for Scotland, and his 1st since the 2014 summer tour win over USA (24 / 6), with an untimely succession of injuries curtailing his involvement for the national team over the past 2 seasons.
Despite missing out on international opportunities, Taylor has excelled for his club side, building on their English Premiership title success last season with stirring performances in the current campaign.
Compassionate players and officials from New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and Australia are looking for ways to send aid to their beleaguered northern brethren.
After the opening weekend of the 2016 SIX Nations saw standards of play so far below the heights reached by the likes of the All Blacks, Wallabies and Argentina in the World Cup, there is concern for the plight of the home unions, France and Italy.
“Did you see those matches?” said Keith Waters of the New Zealand Rugby Union. “It was so tough to watch. As a rugby man and a human being, how can you stand by and see Scotland trying so hard to score a try and not feel your heart torn asunder?
“Something needs to be done to help those guys. The rugby world can’t stand by and let people play like that.”
Concern was first raised in Auckland at halftime of the France – Italy match, where neither side were able to put together much coordinated, constructed play of any note.
Ireland (13) 16 / 16 (10) Wales (Final Score)
Ireland and Wales did battle in the RBS 6 Nations 2016 at
Aviva Stadium, Dublin, at 17:00 SA Time (15:00 UK Time & GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 on TV in SA.
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Scotland (3) 9 / 15 (7) England (Final Score)
Scotland and England did battle in the RBS 6 Nations 2016 at
Murrayfield, Edinburgh, at 18:50 SA Time (16:50 UK Time & GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 on TV in SA.
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France (10) 23 / 21 (8) Italy (Final Score)
France and Italy did battle in the RBS 6 Nations 2016 at
Stade de France, Paris, at 16:25 SA Time (15:25 French Time & 14:25 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 on TV in SA.
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The Under 20 SIX Nations, not as glamorous as the SIX Nations for the senior teams, is intensely contested.
Last year England were the unbeaten winners followed, in order, by France, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Italy.
Like their senior team, England’s Under 20 captain is a hooker – Jack Walker, whose brother Chris captained the 2012 side which retained the championship.
Coach John Callard said: “The 1st game of any Championship is always tough, especially playing away in Scotland, but the players are excited about getting started.
“We’ re looking for them to use this competition to continue developing their all-round game. For example, we want functionally fit forwards who, as well as having a strong set piece, are ball handlers and good decision makers right across the field.
“You can always come back to a tighter game but we want players to see this as an opportunity to express themselves and enjoy playing for their country.”
Women’s 6 Nations Team Captains
It will be a campaign brimming with sub-plots. New talent will emerge, reputations will need to be restored and everyone will need to put on a show as the 15-a-side game fights for attention in an Olympic year.
With the gaps between teams ever decreasing, this year’s Women’s 6 Nations is expected to be the most open we have seen.
Defending champions Ireland will fight to retain their title, although France and England will severely test their grit.
Last season the Red Roses faltered, with the world champions finishing 4th, and the combination of retirements and a number of their players focusing on the Sevens for Rio 2016 means they will have much to prove.
But it is not only England who must adjust and discover new talent, because most nations have withdrawn their Sevens players to focus on this summer’s Olympics.
Amid such uncertainty, who will prevail?
John Hardie in World Cup action for Scotland
He doesn’t know what possessed him to visit the old Lockhart Hotel that day, but it was an experience John Hardie is never likely to forget.
“The most scared I’ve ever been,” says Scotland’s openside flanker.
The setting is a building in Queenstown on New Zealand’s South Island – a holiday resort about an hour and a half from Dipton, the farming country where Hardie was born and reared.
Legend has it that there was a fire in Lockhart’s place in the late 1800’s. Three generations of the family perished.
Only a girl called Mary survived – and she haunts the place to this day. Many Kiwis have gone there over the years and many talk of the sense of foreboding that exists behind that main door.
Hardie’s now one of them. Chilled to the bone, he says. “Never going back. Never ever.”
Richie Gray, new Scotland defensive contact specialist coach
Scotland head coach Vern Cotter has appointed defensive contact specialist Richie Gray on a consultancy basis for the forthcoming RBS 6 Nations Championship.
Gray joins the Scotland set-up following a 3-season spell as South Africa’s specialist breakdown coach during Heyneke Meyer’s tenure, which culminated in their bronze medal finish at 2015 World Cup.
Gray’s contract with the South African Rugby Union was not renewed after Meyer’s resignation late last year.
Gray also assisted the Springbok Sevens side.
Dylan Hartley has been appointed England captain and will lead the team during their Six Nations campaign despite having one of the worst disciplinary records in English rugby.
Hartley has spent a total of 54 weeks on sidelines through suspension over the years. Some of the offences he served suspensions for include eye-gouging, biting, punching and head-butting.
Despite these blemishes, England head coach Eddie Jones said he has faith in Hartley’s abilities as a leader.
Sergio Parisse, Sam Warburton, Rory Best, Dylan Hartley, Greg Laidlaw and Guilhem Guirado (from left to right) at yesterday’s RBS 6 Nations 2016 launch
The 2016 RBS 6 Nations launched in style on Wednesday morning at the Hurlingham Club and the 6 captains present an intriguing mix of the old and the new.
There are 3 brand new skippers for this year’s Championship, which gets underway in 10 days’ time on Saturday 6 February when France welcome Italy to the Stade de France – and they are all hookers.
Rory Best takes the armband for 2-time defending champions Ireland after Paul O’Connell’s retirement, Eddie Jones’ England have Dylan Hartley at the helm and France under Guy Noves will be led by Guilhem Guirado.
Those 3 were joined by Scotland’s Greig Laidlaw, Wales’ Sam Warburton and Italy’s Sergio Parisse on Wednesday – 3 captains that have led their country with great distinction for many years.
Head Coach Vern Cotter named uncapped props Zander Fagerson and Rory Sutherland in a 35-man Scotland squad for the 2016 RBS 6 Nations.
Glasgow Warriors’ tighthead prop Fagerson turned 20 yesterday (Tuesday 19 January) meaning he could become the 4th youngest prop in Scottish history, and the youngest to represent Scotland for more than half a century (since Bill Black debuted against France at Murrayfield 1948).
Fellow propping prospect Sutherland (23) plies his trade at the opposite end of the M8 and earns selection through his increasingly impressive showings for Edinburgh since signing from Gala last season.
The young pair are among 4 changes to Scotland’s front row options originally named for Rugby World Cup 2015, with 29-times capped Exeter Chiefs tighthead, Moray Low, and 6-times capped Glasgow Warriors hooker, Pat MacArthur, earning selection for the 1st time since the summer of 2014.
Scotland Head Coach Vern Cotter, said: “We’ve selected a mixture of experience with some exciting young players coming through, some of whom have experienced the Rugby World Cup and are eager to move forward, take the RBS 6 Nations head on and show that we can develop our game and be competitive.”
Eddie Jones
England boss Eddie Jones admits an afternoon spent watching rugby fan Pep Guardiola conduct a training session at Bayern Munich left him embarrassed about his own coaching ability.
Jones met Guardiola soon after overseeing Japan’s greatest World Cup performance in hope of learning from the most in-demand manager in football, who is to step down from his post at the German champions at the end of the season.
The Australian was enthralled by the sight of Guardiola making some of the game’s biggest stars toil in freezing conditions, confirming his own view on the capacity of players to be pushed to their limits.
“I talk to a lot of people. I try to meet people who are smarter than me. Last year in November was one of the best meetings I had,” Jones said.
I went to Bayern Munich and met Pep Guardiola. It was absolutely fascinating.
“I watched him taking a training session and it made me embarrassed by my coaching – he was so bloody brilliant.”
Danny Cipriani will be overlooked when England head coach Eddie Jones names his first elite player squad before next month’s Six Nations Championship.
Jones will name a 33-man squad on Wednesday, but is not set to reveal his captain for another 2 weeks.
Northampton hooker Dylan Hartley is a leading contender to replace Harlequins flanker Chris Robshaw as skipper, despite a poor disciplinary record.
Jones, 55, recently said he will select players who “express themselves”.
However, Sale flyhalf Cipriani is not expected to be a part of the Australian’s initial plans.
The 28-year-old, who has won 14 caps since making his debut in 2008, missed out to Saracens’ Owen Farrell and Bath’s George Ford in England’s doomed World Cup squad.
World Rugby has announced the match official appointments for the RBS 6 Nations 2016, which gets underway in February.
Appointments were made by the World Rugby Match Official Selection Committee at its recent meeting in London and follow a detailed review of all performances during Rugby World Cup 2015.
The championship opener between France and Italy on Saturday 6 February in Paris will be refereed by JP Doyle of England with Welshman Nigel Owens taking charge of the last match, on Saturday 19 March between France and England at the same venue.
3 Referees – Jaco Peyper of South Africa, Glen Jackson of New Zealand and France’s Romain Poite – have received 2 appointments each with a total of 12 referees involved. Australian Angus Gardner will make his championship debut when he takes charge of the Ireland vs Italy match in Dublin on 12 March. The 31-year-old from Sydney, who was an Assistant Referee at Rugby World Cup 2015, refereed his 1st full international in 2011 and already has 5 Tests under his belt.
From the Rugby World Cup panel, Gardner replaces New Zealander Chris Pollock, whose retirement from international refereeing was announced earlier this week by New Zealand Rugby. In total, Pollock took charge of 22 Tests throughout his career.
As usual, the appointments for the 15 championship fixtures feature a blend of northern and southern hemisphere Match Officials. Several of the Assistant Referees being used for this year’s Six Nations are graduates of the 2013 and 2014 Rugby World Rugby Under 20 Championship.
Somewhere, shaking his cauliflower ears in dismay, a grizzled old retired prop was probably secretly wishing someone would just stick the ball up his jumper and make a cautious 3 inches.
For everyone else watching this was surely the most thrilling day that 5 or 6 Nations rugby has seen: a fantasy finale, a chest-squeezer and knee-knocker, a day to fall back in love.
There are the stats: 221 points scored across the 3 matches, the most in a single weekend – 27 tries, run in from deep and wide and everywhere in between.
There was England’s record score against France, Ireland’s biggest away win, the most tries Wales have scored in 1 championship half.
Then there was the style. This was rugby we thought had died and been laid to rest, killed by detailed analysis and the professional urge to be sensible.
Sensible? This was glorious chaos, March madness to put a spring in every watcher’s step and an ulcer in the stomach of every defence coach.
Ireland ruthlessly wore down Scotland in a commanding 40 / 10 victory at Murrayfield on Saturday to win the Six Nations title on points difference from England.
England needed to beat France by 26 points at Twickenham in the final game of the tournament but only managed a 55 / 35 victory to leave Ireland as champions.
“It’s going to be the death of me, it was pretty tough viewing but all of this makes it worth while. The people that have stayed here represent a fantastic support base that we have,” Ireland coach Joe Schmidt told Irish television.
“We were only just glued together towards the end there because the English really put the pressure on, I’d certainly sympathise with them a little bit. I though their performance today was superb.
“Thankfully France rebounded each time England did get a bit of a differential and that allowed us to hang in and hang on to the silverwear,” Schmidt added.
It should be a 3-way fight between England, Ireland and Wales for the Six Nations title on Saturday, although France still have an outside chance.
The Top 3 are locked on 6 Points with 3 wins apiece, while England’s points difference of +37 puts them 1st, ahead of Ireland’s +33 and Wales’ +12.
France are 4th with 4 Points and a points difference of +22.
Philippe Saint-Andre’s side could still steal the title if Wales and Ireland lose and Les Bleus then beat England by a margin of 8 points or more, but it looks a remote possibility.
If teams are level on points, and match-points difference, then England are likely to win the Championship on tries scored, having crossed 11 times to Ireland’s 4 and Wales’ 5. In the highly unlikely event this was also level come Saturday night, the trophy would be shared.
Wales are in action 1st away to Italy in Rome (14:30 SA Time, 12:30 GMT), before Ireland take on Scotland at Murrayfield (16:30 SA Time, 14:30 GMT), ahead of England’s home match against France at Twickenham (19:00 SA Time, 17:00 GMT).
With the Six Nations wide open, we assess the 4 teams’ chances.
Scotland head coach Vern Cotter has made 2 changes to the team that lost to England for this weekend’s Six Nations match against Ireland.
Scotland are last in the Six Nations standings and need to beat Ireland to stand a chance of avoiding the wooden spoon after they fell to Italy earlier in the tournament.
Both of Cotter’s changes are promotions from the bench with back-row Adam Ashe starting on the blind-side flank in place of Robert Harley, and Ryan Grant switching roles with Alasdair Dickinson – who starts on the bench – for his 1st start of the championship.
The settled selection sees the national team’s backline return to start another match, with captain Greig Laidlaw partnering stand-off Finn Russell in front of Glasgow Warriors trio Mark Bennett, Stuart Hogg and Tommy Seymour, and Edinburgh duo Matt Scott and Dougie Fife, the latter making his home debut.
In the pack, tighthead Euan Murray makes history, alongside Ross Ford and Grant, overtaking Allan Jacobsen’s record as the most capped Scotland prop with a 66th appearance.
Jonny Gray and Jim Hamilton will again start in the boiler house, with David Denton and Blair Cowan returning to the back-row, the latter 1 of 6 Scotland players to hold a starting spot in every match of the Championship, as well as Bennett, Ford, Gray, Hogg and Laidlaw.
Young Stade Francais flyhalf Jules Plisson has been called up for France’s final Six Nations clash with England on Saturday as coach Philippe Saint-Andre named a 16th different halfback pairing.
Plisson, 23, comes in for injured first-choice No 10 Camille Lopez, who misses the game at Twickenham due to a knee problem.
With Sebastien Tillous-Borde remaining at scrumhalf, it will be the 16th different halfback pairing Saint-Andre has picked in just over 3 years and now 37 matches at the France helm.
Clermont’s Lopez, who has been Saint-Andre’s first-choice playmaker for France’s last 7 internationals dating back to the November Tests, was on Wednesday ruled out for 4 to 6 weeks.
Saint-Andre defended his rotation, saying he had no choice in changing his halfback partnership.