Hong Kong, China | AFP | by James LEGGE Fans of the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens shrugged off a three-year pandemic absence as the weekend sporting spectacle kicked off with fancy dress — and Covid rules. Teams from nations as far-flung as Samoa, Spain and South Africa converged for one of Asia’s biggest sports events, which Hong Kong bigwigs hope can prove that normality is on the way for the city. Hong Kong has languished […]
Tag: RugbyU
Pretoria to Paris – Paul Willemse’s path to Test rugby
by Nicolas KIENAST / Illtud DAFYDD Agence France Presse MARCOUSSIS, France (AFP) — Two continents, three clubs and a new language. South African-born Paul Willemse has taken the long route to potentially making his debut for France in Friday’s Six Nations opener against Wales. Willemse arrived on French soil in 2014 as a 21-year-old a matter of weeks after losing a Currie Cup semi-final with the Blue Bulls, and little did he know five years […]
British and Irish Lions captain Warburton retires
CARDIFF, United Kingdom (AFP)–British and Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton has retired from rugby union at the age of 29, admitting defeat in his battle against chronic injury. Flanker Warburton, who won 74 Wales caps and captained his country a record 49 times, was forced to sit out last season after undergoing knee and neck surgery. “Unfortunately, after a long period of rest and rehabilitation the decision to retire from rugby has been made with my […]
RugbyU: ‘Lazarus’ Daly says recovery no miracle
by Julian Guyer Agence France-Presse BAGSHOT, United Kingdom (AFP) — England’s Elliot Daly has insisted there is a perfectly rational explanation for a quicker than expected return from injury that has seen him nicknamed ‘Lazarus’ by his team-mates. The British and Irish Lions back, was expected to miss both of England’s opening two November internationals, against Argentina and Australia, with knee ligament damage suffered while on European club duty with Wasps just under two weeks ago. On […]
RugbyU: Argentina have many problems ahead of tough tour
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AFP) — Indiscipline, poor conditioning, lack of composure, erratic goal-kicking and struggling set-pieces are among the reasons why Argentina have lost eight of nine Tests this season. That record is likely to get worse after a three-international visit to Europe in which they tackle England and Ireland, ranked second and fourth respectively in the world. The South Americans face Italy in between the two massive challenges, a game which is likely to offer the only […]
RugbyU: Hunter wary of Kiwi threat to England dreams
BELFAST, United Kingdom (AFP) — England captain Sarah Hunter has warned her team that New Zealand are capable of shattering the holders’ dreams in the women’s Rugby World Cup final on Saturday. The title match at Belfast’s Kingspan Stadium will see the competition’s two best sides go head-to-head, with England looking to repeat their 2014 triumph. But Hunter, who is preparing for her third consecutive World […]
Rugby: Western Force open legal fight against Super axe
SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Western Force opened their legal fight to remain a Super Rugby team on Monday as they requested an appeal against the decision to axe them and won an injunction against the Australian Rugby Union. The Perth club’s parent body, Rugby WA, lodged the appeal request with the New South Wales Supreme Court, after the ARU announced their removal from the southern hemisphere competition last week. Western Force have fallen victim to Australia’s decision to […]
