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Tag: Samoa

Bristol Bears’ fitness not in question – Pat Lam

24 November 2024 0 comments

By Jon Newcombe Bristol boss Pat Lam has absolutely no concerns over the fitness of his players in the wake of Steve Borthwick’s comments questioning […]

Handle the expansion of Junior World Cup carefully

24 November 2024 0 comments

PLANS are afoot to reorganise World Rugby’s showpiece annual U20 competitions – the Junior World Cup and the U20 trophy – to hopefully give the […]

Rubiolo to join Bristol

24 November 2024 0 comments

NEWCASTLE’S Argentina lock Pedro Rubiolo will join Bristol next summer on a “long-term deal”. The 21-year-old, who has 19 caps for the Pumas, has played […]

How to Bet on Rugby League: Latest Odds

7 November 2024 0 comments

Different countries like different sports and it does not mean that a popular sporting activity is equally big in all corners of the globe. While […]

Braveheart Wallace Sititi takes top billing as the star of the show for All Blacks

3 November 2024 0 comments

By Brendan Gallagher You could write a short book on how England somehow managed to lose that match in the final stages and yes I […]

New England group will cause uncertainty

3 November 2024 0 comments

By Jeff Probyn – A front-row view of game So just when we thought that everything was getting sorted between the RFU, the clubs and […]

Titi Lamositele’s happy to do his talking on the pitch

20 October 2024 0 comments

By Jon Newcombe Titi Lamositele is happy at being the quiet achiever at Harlequins having moved to a club full of big characters from Montpellier […]

Steven Luatua: I’d be happy to move up to lock

13 October 2024 0 comments

By Jon Newcombe Given the way that Bristol love to run the ball from deep and play at high tempo, their game plan is more […]

Spain delighted to take top spot

13 October 2024 0 comments

ROUND-UP SPAIN concluded an incredible WXV 3 campaign as champions after conceding just eight points in three games. The champions will be joined in next […]

Andy Onyeama-Christie’s explosive start has Saracens motoring

6 October 2024 0 comments

By Sam Jackson Andy Onyeama-Christie’s explosive start to the season has seen him nominated for Premiership player of the month. The back rower played a […]

Unbeaten Spain in pole position

6 October 2024 0 comments

WXV3 ROUND-UP SPAIN are the only side left unbeaten following impressive back-to-back victories ahead of a potential title decider with Fiji next weekend. Samoa are […]

Sio’s late try denies Dutch historic win

29 September 2024 0 comments

NETHERLANDS were denied an historic win over Samoa as Ana-Lise Sio’s last gasp try broke Dutch hearts. Linneke Gevers put Netherlands ahead with an early […]

Fiji make it two in a row as they see off Japan

22 September 2024 0 comments

By James Orpin Fiji ………………… 41 Japan……………17 Fiji won the Pacific Nations Cup for the seventh time – and second year on the trot – […]

WXV 3 Newcomers prepare for Dubai test

22 September 2024 0 comments

WXV 3 takes place in Dubai with newcomers Madagascar, Hong Kong and Netherlands welcomed into the fray this year. There’s an added carrot to this […]

Fiji cruise past USA for place in the final

15 September 2024 0 comments

PACIFIC NATIONS CUP By JAMES ORPIN THE Fijians are the first side to book their place in the Pacific Nations Cup final after they saw […]

Bristol Bears can win the Premiership says Steven Luatua

8 September 2024 0 comments

Steven Luatua believes Bristol can became the first West Country team to win the Premiership – if they start where they left off last season.

Too much of a good thing can be overkill

8 September 2024 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED “People might think it’s arrogant,” said Rian Oberholzer, the chief executive of the Springbok domain, just the other day, “but we […]

When it really matters, Pollard gets the vote

8 September 2024 0 comments

Brendan Gallagher So in the week that we learnt a proper All Blacks tour of South Africa is likely in 2026, the two sides contested […]

Bayonne centre Manu Tuilagi to miss start of season

1 September 2024 0 comments

Manu Tuilagi will miss the start of the upcoming Top 14 season for new club Bayonne after breaking his hand.

All-action Malolo leads way for Samoa

1 September 2024 0 comments

PACIFIC NATIONS CUP ■ By JON NEWCOMBE MOANA Pasifika hooker Sama Malolo stole the show as Samoa all but confirmed their place in the PNC […]

Six-try Fiji prove too strong for Samoa

25 August 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE FIJI started their bid for a sixth Pacific Nations Cup title with a 42-16, six-try win over arch rivals Samoa in Suva […]

Road to next World Cup lacks jeopardy

18 August 2024 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER A weekly look at the game’s other talking points UNLESS I’ve missed something pertinent – and it’s not unknown – qualification […]

How the sun keeps shining for Spain

11 August 2024 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER Impressive: Joel Merkler in action for Toulouse PICTURE: Getty Images IT’S been […]

Why SVNS makes sense for the future

4 August 2024 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED Rugby sevens – or SVNS, as a London-based team of funkily-dressed marketing executives have somehow succeeded in rebranding it – used […]

Antoine Dupont inspires France to Olympic gold in Paris

28 July 2024 0 comments

Nine months on from their heartbreaking quarter-final loss in the World Cup to South Africa, Antoine Dupont inspired France’s Sevens side to win Olympic gold at the Stade de France.

Africa as Williams steps up at the death

28 July 2024 0 comments

The Blitzboks overturned the deficit after Tristan Leyds raced down the sideline and offloaded to Davids to score. Australia captain Nick Malouf was red carded […]

POOL B WRAP

28 July 2024 0 comments

AUSTRALIA won all three of their pools matches, with Argentina qualifying in second. The opening fixture of the tournament saw Australia take the win 24-14 […]

Holden keen to learn the McGeechan way

21 July 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Maliq Holden admits he couldn’t have asked for a better role model to learn from than Sir Ian McGeechan after landing his […]

Scotland confirm return with win over USA

21 July 2024 0 comments

U20s TROPHY ■By JAMES ORPIN SCOTLAND secured their spot back in the big time of age-grade rugby by winning the Trophy on home soil in […]

Jones facing Italy tester

21 July 2024 0 comments

Preview ■By BEN JAYCOCK Japan v Italy Today. 6.05am EDDIE Jones will be hoping his horror start in charge of Japan will come to an […]

Borthwick approach tempted Strawbridge

14 July 2024 0 comments

By ADAM HATHAWAY Assistant coach Andrew Strawbridge reckons England are a team on the up and that persuaded him to throw in his lot with […]

On-target Garbisi shows the way for Italy

14 July 2024 0 comments

International round-up Italy beat Tonga 36-14 in Nuku’alofa as the Azzurri bounced back from a shock defeat to Samoa on their Pacific tour. Fly-half Paolo […]

Try happy Scotland face USA in fight for promotion

14 July 2024 0 comments

U20s TROPHY By JAMES ORPIN SCOTLAND will be looking to book their return to the U20s World Championship on Wednesday when they contest the Trophy […]

Expect the Chiefs Mk2 to be real contenders

14 July 2024 0 comments

PAUL REES LOOKS AT WHY EXETER’S DOR HAS PUT PLAYER RETENTION AHEAD OF RECRUITMENT AT SANDY PARK The most eye-catching result of the Premiership season […]

There’s more than money to Toulouse

7 July 2024 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER There have, rightly, been acres of words written about Toulouse in recent […]

19-try Scotland set points record

7 July 2024 0 comments

Men’s U20 Trophy SCOTLAND smashed the U20 Trophy points-scoring record with a 123-15 win over Samoa in Pool A at Hive Stadium in Edinburgh as […]

Vakatawa to leave Bristol

30 June 2024 0 comments

FRANCE centre Virimi Vakatawa will leave Bristol this summer following the end of his contract. The 32-year-old signed on a one-year deal last September when […]

England have enough to down the All Blacks

30 June 2024 0 comments

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME Steve Borthwick’s England team have taken their first step of their summer tour and returned with […]

I want to improve and be best 9 in the world

9 June 2024 0 comments

Matthew Luddington talks to Gloucester and Italy scrum-half Stephen Varney following his eye-catching campaign Stephen Varney has truly had a breakthrough season. The 23-year-old scrum-half […]

I want my England shirt back says JVP

2 June 2024 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD The sight of the world’s best scrum-half strutting his stuff at the home of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club last weekend increased the […]

Jack van Poortvliet relishing England return after leaving last camp in tears

30 May 2024 0 comments

Jack van Poortvliet’s last experience of an England camp was being driven out in tears by his mum knowing his World Cup was over before […]

Too many law changes-just let players play

26 May 2024 0 comments

Steve Hill puts the questions to James Shanahan, the head coach of Blackheath RFC and Cambridge University Why did you get into coaching rugby and […]

Composure is the name of the game for Umaga

19 May 2024 0 comments

By SIMON THOMAS Jacob Umaga showed plenty of composure with his match-winning heroics for Benetton in Durban last weekend – which is rather appropriate given […]

A tribute to unlucky Rory…

19 May 2024 0 comments

On the charge: Exeter’s Rory O’Loughlin powers forward against Munster PICTURES: Getty Images Another week ends with another player forced to accept the grim reality […]

I want to win title before I leave Bristol – Luatua

12 May 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Few overseas signings have had a more lasting impact in the Premiership than Steve Luatua who looks like finishing his career at […]

Without referees, there is no game

5 May 2024 0 comments

Paul Rees looks at the pressures on the men and women in the middle and asks what can be done to help them Who would […]

England could be one of world’s best teams – Care

29 April 2024 0 comments

England legend Danny Care feels it is “frightening” to consider just how good the national team can become. Care called time on his glittering international […]