Wallaroos hoping to mark Ashley Marsters's milestone Test with a win over South Africa

Certainly, there were moments of good, but in reality, Farrell’s presence as both the alpha and leader for England meant Ford was more of a distributor than a decision-maker. Like his clubmate, Costelow, Ioan Lloyd possesses a strong running game and a clever short- to mid-range kicking game that could work a treat with the dangerous Welsh backs. Historically, Ireland has steered clear of rushing players onto the international stage, but the 6’4” Prendergast is an exception. Taking to the international stage like a duck to water, Crowley already has featured in several significant test matches. The back-row bruiser also expressed his satisfaction with his evolving role as a ball-carrier in the wider channels, a tactic that has proven effective for the Boks this season.

Spain climb World Rugby Men’s Rankings after historic win

Despite representing England at age group level, Arron Reed will make his debut for Scotland at the upcoming Six Nations. The Sale Sharks winger had reportedly garnered the interest of Steve Borthwick before being snapped up by Gregor Townsend. Additionally, with Antoine Dupont absent, Grégory Alldritt will steer the 2024 Six Nations squad. Widely regarded as one of the finest number eights in the modern game, fans will be eager to see how Dupont’s replacement performs.

England defence coach Felix Jones quits in another blow to Steve Borthwick

Emmanuel Meafou will be looking to make a statement at the 2024 Six Nations. Standing at 6 foot 8 and weighing 145 kg, this commanding lock is a firm favourite amongst Toulouse fans. At just 20 years old, Cunningham-South is already forging a fierce reputation. As well as regularly appearing for Harlequins in 2023, he crossed the line during England’s win against Scotland at the U20 Six Nations. He followed this by scoring a try during England’s semi-final against France at the World Rugby U20 Championship.

Exclusive: Kevin Sinfield agrees new mentoring role to stay with England until 2027 World Cup

Owen Farrell’s absence presents an important moment to one of the brightest talents in English rugby, who should now be given an extended run at fly-half. Smith shows an instinct for attack and courage to play beyond any of his rivals for the jersey, but he must also prove he can guide England through choppier waters. Here we take a look at five stars expected to grab the headlines when the tournament kicks off on February 2nd.

England aiming for Bordeaux bonus in World Rugby Women’s Rankings

It wasn’t a campaign to hang in the Louvre but, collectively, these players can feel pleased with what they achieved. Now, if he impresses new head coach Gonzalo Quesada, Varney could be the danger man as Italy look to fire in attack like they never have before to challenge the likes of Wales, England, and Scotland. When England played to his style at the latter end of the World Cup it worked wonders and his kicking game could be pivotal in the Six Nations.

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• Slotting into a star-studded Toulouse backline, the diminutive dynamo is one of the most exciting attacking talents in the world.
• The return of Len Ikitau also provided much-needed defensive strength and attacking creativity.
• It’s hard to imagine if the Springboks would be the world’s top-ranked side without Kolisi, who will no doubt be instrumental in their World Cup title defence next year.
• The young fly-half was brave and skilful, showing great ambition in his play when kicking or running.
• Was also a menace at the breakdown, coming up momentum swinging steals in both halves, and made more tackles than any other Welshman.
• From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
• Born in France, Capuozzo qualified for Italy through his paternal grandparents.

He made his international debut at the 2022 tournament, where he scored a brace against Scotland. In the next game, he set up Edoardo Padovani’s winning try against Wales. Nicknamed the ‘Italian wonder kid’, Ange Capuozzo will compete at his third Six Nations in 2024.

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Epitomising what it takes to be a hard man at the elite level of the game, no opposition forward was safe from Etzebeth’s wrath as he stamped his authority to remain among game’s the elite locks. A core member of South Africa’s 2019 World Cup-winning side, Lukhanyo Am continued to blossom into one of the game’s most dependable midfielders this year. Rock-solid on defence and supremely adept with ball in hand, Am has become a staple of the Springboks backline and has formed a tired and trusted midfield combination with Damian de Allende. With the World Cup just a year away, Am is set to play a crucial role in South Africa’s chances of retaining the Webb Ellis Cup. From there, the cumulative lists were averaged out to create the RugbyPass Top 100, an overall list of the 100 best players on the planet based primarily on test rugby performances in 2021. In doing so, five members from our editorial team – split between the northern and southern hemispheres – compiled their own lists of the top 100 players on the planet.

Mexico the big winners in the World Rugby Men’s Rankings

In the USA, FloRugby will broadcast some of the best international rugby fixtures of 2024. “There are no better matches than the Red Roses against the Black Ferns and they will be wanting to put a few things right.” “It is great that we have the opportunity to play the world champions again within a few weeks. England won 2023’s inaugural WXV title with victory over New Zealand, as well as their most recent meeting with the Black Ferns, at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium last month.

Rassie masterstroke: Duane to defence coach

The unrelenting loose forward’s powerful ball-carrying, committed defence and immense work ethic have made him an integral player for the Kiwis, as reflected by his captaincy appointment for the Rugby Championship. If the All Blacks are to reclaim the World Cup next year, Savea will be pivotal to their chances of success. Centre Bundee Aki is best known for his ability to get over the gain line and for his crunching tackles. His form is always consistent, and some may have thought he could not get any better, then his performances at the 2023 Rugby World Cup happened and he proved there is no limitation to his talents. He made 10 clean breaks, beat 30 defenders, made 28 tackles and scored five tries at the tournament.

WXV Tournament Predictor

In short, NZ rugby did not take responsibility for the disrespect shown to Irish players, Irish supporters and Ireland. NZ are responsible and accountable for the conduct of their players. He obliquely referenced Sexton’s incident with Peyper seemingly unaware that Ioane was citable under the exact same offence.

Australian rugby is clearly feeling the effects of a disruptive tenure under Eddie Jones.Joe Schmidt has a massive job ahead of him. The Wallabies are in the doldrums and need a significant boost in quality in their forward pack, particularly in the tight five, as well as finding a flyhalf capable of controlling the game. The 2024 Rugby Championship was filled with thrilling encounters between four of the top rugby nations. Bet Central takes a look at how all the teams fared in this year’s competition.

‘So much for the All Blacks’ no d–kheads policy’: Rieko Ioane accused of filthy sledge

• In the ever-evolving landscape of rugby excellence, distinguishing the crème de la crème is no small feat.
• In doing so, five members from our editorial team – split between the northern and southern hemispheres – compiled their own lists of the top 100 players on the planet.
• He highlighted the importance of adjusting their gameplan to suit the conditions.
• Certainly, there were moments of good, but in reality, Farrell’s presence as both the alpha and leader for England meant Ford was more of a distributor than a decision-maker.
• Sale are still waiting for Ford to see a specialist to determine the exact length of the lay-off and whether surgery will be required.
• Fellow back rower Aaron Wainwright for Wales has also underlined his exceptional Championship – in an otherwise disappointing year for his country – with 38.
• Singled out as one to watch by Italy great Sergio Parisse, the uncapped Izekor is a colossus of a back row who stands 6’5 tall and weighs well over 17 stones.
• Lee earned the fourth medal of her career, while Carey and Chiles each made the podium for a second time.

Quite possibly, the most talented 20-year-old in professional rugby, Sam Prendergast dominated the U20 circuit for the past few seasons. Like Crowley, Cian Frawley is a versatile operator who can play fly-half, center and fullback to a high standard. However, he has looked best when wearing the No. 10 shirt and has been in Andy Farrell’s thinking regarding the fly-half berth. Ordinarily, Ross Byrne would have been the choice here, but the rock-steady Leinster stalwart picked up an unfortunate early-season injury and has yet to return to action.

Israeli air strikes rock southern suburbs of Beirut and cut off a key crossing into Syria

Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Scoring eight tries in the 2023 season, this flying Fijian went on to earn his first cap for the All Blacks, as they demolished Los Pumas in Mendoza to kick off their Rugby Championship campaign. https://becric.co.in/ This will be a year of significant growth for the talented loose forward, with spots now wide open and a chance to impress his former coach, Scott Robertson. Anyone can contribute to The Roar and have their work featured alongside some of Australia’s most prominent sports journalists. Some of the changes he made, like the elevation of Tomás Albornoz, gave the team more control in terms of game management, resulting in major improvements.

United Rugby Championship Predictions – Round 3

A good friend of newest NFL recruit Louis Rees-Zammit, Varney has been a consistent player in Italy’s squad since 2020. There has been a lot of change in the Italy camp heading into this tournament and so Michele Lamaro will want to be the consistent, guiding force as they look to try and finally avoid the wooden spoon. With Louis Rees-Zammit making the shock decision to leave rugby and pursue a career in the NFL, there is no better time for Rio Dyer to cement himself as Wales’ fast man. With Owen Farrell opting to take a break from international duty and then signing for French side Racing 92, the time came for England to turn to someone new as their full-time captain. The current line-up is missing many of the team’s biggest names, with Leigh Halfpenny, Dan Biggar, Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric retiring in the last 12 months. Not to mention Louis Rees-Zammit, who has departed the squad for a career in the NFL.

Alex Lozowski recalled by England after six-year exile

Clearly you don’t have the ability to feel shame, but dude know I feel sad for you. It’s a question every rugby fan has an answer for, but rarely are any two answers the same. Edinburgh have confirmed they expect to be without full-back Emiliano Boffelli for a large chunk of the season as the Argentine star prepares for further surgery on a longstanding back problem. Updates from the world of sport on TV, including news, views and how to watch it all live.

In this new reality, Andy Farrell, Warren Gatland and Steve Borthwick have the unenviable, yet exciting, opportunity to set the foundations of their respective squads as they build toward Australia 2027. The 2024 Six Nations brings with it more change than just about any of the previous ten editions of rugby’s oldest international tournament. If the team is not doing well, the individuals will not be doing well either. For me, the award is a bonus on a day when our goal was to win the Rugby Championship,” he said. Du Toit, who delivered another Man of the Match performance in the victory over Argentina, stressed the importance of teamwork. Rassie Erasmus and Pieter-Steph du Toit said the Springboks, fresh off their Rugby Championship title win, have set their sights on an unbeaten end-of-year tour to the UK.

• But a distinct lack of quality, as well as enough heft, meant they couldn’t get the better of England’s rush defence.
• A force on both sides of the ball, the 23-year-old will be looking to transfer his impressive form for Benetton onto the Test arena.
• Despite representing England at age group level, Arron Reed will make his debut for Scotland at the upcoming Six Nations.
• Although he only played five tests this year, the class and quality of the Les Bleus star catapults him high up the rankings in an indication of his influence in the French set-up.
• With the eyes of the sport turning from the recently ended United Rugby Championship, Top 14 and Super Rugby seasons, it’s time to look at who the best players in the world are in 2024.
• The departure of South African centre Andre Esterhuizen to the Sharks in the summer enabled Harlequins to allocate resources to keep Smith at his boyhood club.
• Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast.
• 16 – Ryan Elias – 5Hit first jumper but missed his most important throw when Wales had to chase the game.
• Handrè Pollard is the definition of a clutch player – always there to depend on in the tough moments.

Premiership ins and outs: The complete list of the 2024/25 player transfers

Showed that last week’s tricks weren’t just a consequence the hopeless situation. An already established member of the All Blacks’ starting 23, Anton Lienert-Brown will be hoping to kick-start a stronger season in Waikato. Walking into their starting side with the likes of Lalomilo Lalomilo and Alex Nankivell departing the team, 2023 felt like like Lienert-Brown was still finding his feet again after an injury-ridden 2022 season.

Working alongside fellow international Craig Casey in the Munster halfbacks is another feather in the cap of the man who looks set to be the first choice for the foreseeable future. So, as the rugby world awaits the imminent squad announcements, here are three fly-half options for each nation who should get the first crack at the whip in 2024. 17 – Corey Domachowski –  4Asked to join the scene by scrumming against Dan Cole. Didn’t struggle as much as fellow substitute Archie Griffin, but didn’t win his personal duel.

Dyer has a chance to make the position his own and show Wales fans that the loss of LRZ has given them a chance to see Dyer shine. At the Six Nations, we will see if he can meet the challenge of blending youth, experience, and managing players he has played alongside for a long time. Like Reed, Scotland’s Six Nations squad features three other uncapped players. Most noteworthy is loosehead prop Alec Hepburn, who earned six caps for England in 2018. Additionally, Will Hurd and Harry Paterson will make their debuts.

Rounding out the top players are two more outstanding selections and stars that will likely be selected by a lot of fantasy players. Another pair of players that are unsurprisingly right up near the top of the most valuable list given how significantly they influence the clashes they feature in. A powerful duo assume the responsibility of being the top-ranked players in 2024 with Antoine Dupont unavailable. At times erratic but invariably brilliant, Penaud is already one of the greatest finishers of all time and is just three tries short of equalling the national record of 38 held by Serge Blanco.

His annual salary of $900,000 establishes him as the fourth highest-paid rugby player. He’s the only other player on the list to earn over $1 million a year for his services. ‘Industrious’ doesn’t begin to sum up the workrate of Azzurri captain Michele Lamaro, but it’s a good start. The back rower has made a breathtaking 55 tackles after three rounds of play – he also tops the dominant tackles list, with six – with Wales’ Tommy Reffell nine behind. Two front rowers have been putting themselves about too, in prop Pierre Schoeman (36) and hooker Gianmarco Lucchesi (34).

Wing Duhan van der Merwe is lethal with ball in hand and some space. Arguably his best try scored was against England in the 2023 Six Nations, where he beat five defenders and ran 55m. He backed up his good performance against the old enemy in the 2024 Six Nations, scoring a hat-trick – with each try coming from some individual brilliance. However, New Zealand are the last team to beat the Red Roses, with a dramatic comeback win in the Rugby World Cup final in 2022. Morwenna Talling, who can also play at second row, keeps her place at blindside flanker with Maddie Feaunati on bench. Ford is also coming to the end of his deal at Sale Sharks but director of rugby Alex Sanderson is confident the North West native will remain at the club.

Followers of Reffell since his fledgling days with the U20s and Leicester will say it was ever thus, and won’t be surprised to see him atop the list of turnovers won. Fellow back rower Sam Underhill is making up for lost time in the England jersey and has five turnovers, with Maro Itoje and Gianmarco Lucchesi behind him on four. Most surprising, perhaps, is the presence of Reffell’s former Tigers teammate George Ford among these turnover titans. Respect for team-mates, opponents, match officials and those involved in the game is paramount. The captain behind South Africa’s World Cup success in 2019, Siya Kolisi’s influence and leadership within the Springboks squad was a significant reason behind their series triumph over the British and Irish Lions.

His 73 was a No1 effort, and he wielded nuisance without the ball as well as his 46 defensive rucks were fifth best behind Reffell. His impact has changed England’s thinking away from having a Billy Vunipola-like hulk at No8. Planet Rugby have been going through the ‘Top 50’ over the last few weeks and they’ve finally named their all-important ‘Top 10’ with one Irish player making the cut. Born in France, Capuozzo qualified for Italy through his paternal grandparents.

Born in Auckland and raised in Australia, Meafou has lived in France since 2018. Five years later, at the close of 2023, he was finally granted French citizenship. As a result, Meafou is now eligible to represent France on the international stage for the first time at the Six Nations. Sadly though, he may have to wait until after round one to make his debut. Unfortunately for him, he sustained an injury during Toulouse’s victory over Bath in the Champions Cup.

Kevin Paredes then added a pair of insurance goals as the U.S. secured a second straight lopsided victory. The USMNT snapped a two-decade-plus drought by reaching the knockout rounds of the 2024 Olympics. The Americans used a 3-0 victory over Guinea to advance to the knockout stage for the first time since the 2000 Sydney Games, where they finished fourth. Lee earned the fourth medal of her career, while Carey and Chiles each made the podium for a second time. Like Ford, Smith is a sharpshooting kicker, both with his tactical and goal kicking, and like Ford, he is a great passer of the ball. His wonderful performance against Argentina at the World Cup will go down in English Rugby history as one of the best individual performances in a white shirt.

Scoring nine tries last year, he’ll be in stiff competition with teammate TJ Perenara for starting caps in both Wellington and the national side. After a strong year in Super Rugby that saw the Crusaders retain their title, Blackadder was called into the All Blacks squad for the World Cup as an injury cover. While he only featured in one Test, Blackadder looms as one of the All Blacks most exciting prospects coming through the ranks, and certainly has already established himself in the Crusaders line up. A shoo-in for the Blues starting XV, he looms as one of their most dangerous attacking weapons and one of the best finishers in the competition.

8 –  Aaron Wanwright – 7Wales’ best player last week continued his form here. Rangy runs, athletic grabs under high balls, he also offered a target at the line-out. 2 – Elliot Dee – 6On a long list, it was the line-out that was most abject in Wales’ game last week. Dee’s accuracy here meant England wouldn’t get handed free balls at the set-piece. It was a brave call to go to the back of the line within striking distance, but it worked and Wales won a penalty try from the subsequent maul.