TRP reporter Adam Hathaway gives the lowdown on the latest inside stories at Rugby World Cup 2023
The Times nearly keep us all waiting
The entire press pack following England nearly didn’t make it to Nice – thanks to the man from The Times!
After trekking from Le Touquet to Lille airport on Thursday for the southbound flight, their luggage got caught in a conveyor belt stalling the loading and leading to even more fretting about another delay with the rest of Fleet Street behind it.
Cashing in on the big day
An update on staggering hotel prices in Marseille last week. One budget chain, near the Velodrome Stadium, was advertising rooms for 800 Euros for – one night last Saturday!
Sweeney takes a minor role
The RFU‘s online offering for fans these weeks showed Steve Borthwick congratulating the team after their 27-10 against Argentina in Marseille.
Chief executive Bill Sweeney, above, did make it, he was in the background as Borthwick told the team how proud they had made everyone back home.
Sweeney hightailed it back to London, but was due to return to Nice for today’s game with Japan.
Anyone for tennis? It’s Serena’s spot
England’s base outside of Nice was at the Mouratoglou Hotel and Tennis Resort, part of a chain started by Patrick Mouratoglou, who coached Serena Williams, above, and is obviously more suited to tennis training than rugby.
Even the swimming pool is shaped like a tennis racket.
Other on-court successes for Mouratoglou include Laura Robson and Marcos Baghdatis and he also coached Simona Halep.
George the new sporting director
England hooker Jamie George has organised a Padel Tennis tournament when the team arrive back in Le Touquet tomorrow between the players and staff.
George, a nine-handicapper, has also been making the most of the local golf course but the title of the squad’s best golfer goes to Ben Earl who plays off four. George said: “Rugby can be quite all-encompassing. “The pressures of a World Cup are high, and we are really lucky to be based in Le Touquet. It’s important for us as a team to get together and enjoy each other’s company.”
Why Arundell got 33 pairs of Crocs
England flanker Ben Earl told Mail Online that he has a new pair of Crocs, thanks to Henry Arundell.
There was a team building exercise which saw each player buy a gift for every other player – so Arundell bought 33 pairs of Crocs.
Earl explained: ‘We had a team of 33. so every lad had to get 33 gifts for themselves and their team-mates. Henry got us all a pair of Crocs. And they are so, so comfortable.”
England getting it in the neck
One website continued its persecution of England this week by hitting social media with a post proclaiming ‘Another Ban’ when Tom Curry, below, got his suspension.
The same bunch had posted that Jesse Kriel had got off after committing a similar offence in South Africa’s game against Scotland last Sunday.
Rugby Pass is owned by World Rugby. Just saying.
Possible air strike causes a dilemma
A threatened strike by French air traffic controllers on Friday meant most of the press had to switch their flights to Nice to Thursday from Friday morning.
The EasyJet flight was so packed at Lille the airline was offering 500 euros for one person to stand down and take their chances on a later one.
Journos desperate to get to Nice, for work, to a man declined even though the walk-out was called off. Stirring stuff from some true pros.
Kevin has marathon party
Kevin Sinfield celebrated his 43rd birthday last week in Le Touquet by taking England training and according to fitness coach Aled Walters ‘probably ran a marathon’.
There are strong rumours England’s defence coach nipped out of the team hotel for a dessert.
And that was it for the long-distance running, charity fundraiser. It is all rock and roll out here.
Thierry’s the man in emergency
A word for Thierry, a heroic cab driver from Le Touquet.
One journo booked a taxi, via a French app and paid for it, to take three of travelling crew from Etaples-Le Touquet station into town after the long train ride from Marseille last Sunday.
It was cancelled and cabs in Le Touquet on a Sunday night are rarer than an England try.
Up stepped Thierry, thanks to our man at the Press Association, and the day was saved.
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