Rugby: Summer tours are back on the right track at last

Ignore the logistics for a minute and imagine if the Lions toured the southern hemisphere every year, playing one Test annually against Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Now traditional tours by individual countries are thankfully back on the global agenda. From 2012, the leading countries in Europe will play proper three-Test series against the SANZAR giants, plus Argentina, while also returning to the Pacific Islands and even Japan.

In the case of sporting conflict, familiarity so often breeds tedium, which is exactly why pleas for Lions tours to become more frequent have been rightly ignored. Scarcity is part of the appeal.

England will get the ball rolling with a series in South Africa and it will have the feel of a Lions expedition.

A series also gives time for sub-plots and dramas and conflicts to emerge and evolve.

Reviving proper tours in June may be a nod to nostalgia, but the move is founded on commercial imperatives, too, as crowds and revenues are down for these June matches, which are too often one-sided.

With midweek games thrown in it allows fringe players to stay involved and the whole exercise will hold a greater sense of resonance and purpose.

In Europe, attendances and bank balances are well catered for during the November Test window, but proper series would be an improvement then, too.

On the flip-side, when a true contest materialises, as was the case last summer when France won a Test in Dunedin and New Zealand hit back in Wellington, 1-1 is not a satisfactory conclusion. It was crying out for a decider.

This is where the familiarity argument kicks in. Back in the day, a visit by the All Blacks was a major event, but now that mystique and air of expectation has been somewhat eroded by regularity. They have come to Twickenham during the last four years of autumn internationals.

A real series would carry more weight than the endless round of one-off Tests. England could play the likes of Fiji or Samoa at the start of November, followed by a three-Test series against New Zealand, Australia, South Africa or Argentina.

In the interests of expansion, the RFU could take one match each year to the provinces - to Old Trafford, Villa Park or St James’ Park.

The public don’t moan about repetition during an Ashes series, which comes to these shores once every four years.

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Rugby: Olly Barkley tells England team mates: 'We must behave'

Olly Barkley last night backed Martin Johnson's demand that the England rugby squad behave themselves on tour next month.

Johnson wasted no time yesterday in issuing a stark warning of the "pitfalls" which potentially lie await for them off the field on a five-match mission to Australia and New Zealand.

It will be England's first trip Down Under since the 2008 tour to New Zealand when allegations of serious sexual assault were made against four of the squad.

"In the world we live in there are pitfalls, some can be put there deliberately, some are just the pitfalls that young guys face when they're out and about in big cities

"We'll be together for three and a half weeks in hostile territory, staying in different hotels and city centre locations," he said. "There will be distractions and potential areas to get embroiled in so we'll need to be smart and look after each other.

No formal complaint was made in 2008 against the so-called Auckland Four of Danny Care, David Strettle, Topsy Ojo and Mike Brown, whom NZ police sought to interview over claims made by an 18-year-old woman.

"I don't think they will be targets but this is the world we live in. People have cameras on their phones these days."

But Barkley acknowledges that the whole episode was a wake-up call and that it is vital no-one invites embarrassment onto the tour this time.

Indeed, an RFU inquiry found no evidence of any such incident having taken place - though it did adjudge Ojo and Brown guilty of misconduct for staying out all night.

"The management and the players are confident we will all adhere to that.

"We've put the 2008 issue behind us and there's now a code of conduct in place," said a player who has had his own off-field problems in the past.

The difference between this one and the last is that Johnson will be with it every step of the way. In 2008 he stayed home to await the birth of his second child and in his absence chaos ensued.

"The big thing is if you don't you compromise not only the squad but the individuals involved as well. That's the last thing anyone wants to do to a tour that we're all so positive about."

At Twickenham yesterday he left nobody in any doubt that he will be on top of matters in Perth and in Sydney and across the Tasman Sea in Napier.

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Rugby: England tour payments agreed

The Rugby Football Union and Team England Rugby have settled a players' payment dispute ahead of the upcoming tour to Australia and New Zealand.

An independent third party was called in to settle the dispute and the RFU and TER have accepted their recommendations ahead of the opening clash against the Barbarians in Perth on June 8.

Martin Johnson's men face two friendlies with Australia Barbarians and two Tests against Australia before making a trip to take on New Zealand Maori in Napier in June, but the tour looked in doubt after the two groups failed to find some common ground over payments for the 44-man squad.

However, the finer details of the players' payments will not be made known to the public.

A basic tour fee of £7,800 was thought to have been offered with an extra £5,000 on offer for every man that made Johnson's squad of 22 for the two Tests against Australia with the other half of his squad receiving no extra incentives.

"Both sides met today with the independent third party appointed to review the situation, and accepted their recommendations.

A joint statement made by the RFU and TER read: "The Rugby Football Union and Team England Rugby are pleased to announce that they have resolved all the outstanding issues over tour payments for the elite player squad for the tour to Australia and New Zealand.

"The details of the final resolution remain confidential and will not be disclosed by either party."

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Rugby: Brian Moore: calm down England it's only the phoney war - real hysteria is coming

It is England's football fans who need to keep their nerve not Fabio Capello and his players. From now until England either win or get knocked out of the World Cup there will be little else in the media.

You may have forgotten, or at least tried to, that the coverage will be all-encompassing and that it has a marked effect on the English psyche.

The mass hysteria that is on the way is not one in which people lose all semblance of will; it is more unusual than that. What is created is a compulsion to comment and most of the multitude of comment will be notable only because of its stupidity. Armchair professionals and would-be/could-have-been international sportsmen will opine sagely on any and all facets of English football.

There will be a divided nation; all wanting England to win and approaching each minute piece of news with solemn consideration yet reacting in different ways.

On the one hand you will have the know-all-know-nothings. Pessimists at heart they will become most expert on the topic on which they are least qualified to comment. Indolent lard-arses will criticise players' fitness levels; some with the tactical nous of a radish will berate Capello for his use of one system over another; with the miracle of hindsight many more will tell you they knew it all along.

On the other side of the national divide will be those who approach their support as a faith. As is the way with zealots they will be less entertaining but messianic in their proclamations for "Ingerland". As a mantra they will urge, if not demand that we "get behind the lads" whatever the results or level of performance. They will laud quite ordinary players as "world-clarse" and display wilful ignorance concerning anything that might suggest England are not the best team in the world – oh, and by the way, anyone not in agreement is a traitor.

For players it is impossible to shake out the knowledge that this is not the real deal and though they may say that 100 per cent attention is given, they will have reserved some part of their thoughts for South Africa. There is nothing wrong with this and nothing Capello can do anyway. The only thing you can hope for is that none of the players gets injured.

So for the media and public let's stamp down the surges of passion and keep it for when it really counts because as certain as all the above is, there will be incidents that rightly provoke our indignation.

It is when this clamour is reaching its height that Capello and his squad need to excuse themselves, at least mentally, from the scene. It is very difficult to enforce a ban on accessing the news, given the number of platforms on which it is available and unless a player is very strong-willed widespread criticism will affect him, even if he believes this not to be the case. Praise is not without its possible pitfalls; self-belief is welcome, indeed necessary, but self-importance is too often the reaction to preternatural adulation.

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Autumn Internationals 2010: Wayne Rooney's energy gives England edge, says Francois Pienaar

Francois Pienaar skippered South Africa’s rugby union side to global glory and he reckons the “infectious enthusiasm” of Wayne Rooney and Lionel Messi could give their countries the edge when football’s World Cup takes place in his homeland.

“I think you have to look at the usual suspects and see what effects the likes of Messi or Wayne Rooney can have,” Pienaar said.

For players it is impossible to shake out the knowledge that this is not the real deal and though they may say that 100 per cent attention is given, they will have reserved some part of their thoughts for South Africa. There is nothing wrong with this and nothing Capello can do anyway. The only thing you can hope for is that none of the players gets injured.

“A successful team needs to have players on the pitch who can sense the moment and feed off one another.

“Individuals like Messi and Rooney just sort of inject enthusiasm. They have that can-do mentality and winning spirit and when you have that in your team it is infectious.

“I think that Brazil are looking very good and playing some very sexy football. But who knows? When France won it no one gave them a chance.

“I think that England will be really strong, the Germans are always there. Then there is Spain, Italy, Argentina – if the rest of the team can back up Lionel Messi.”

Pienaar inspired South Africa to World Cup success as they overcame the odds and that is something his compatriots in the Bafana Bafana team will have to repeat just to maintain their interest in the tournament beyond the group stage.

“We were a very good team, not favourites certainly, but it was a very special team and had the knock-out punch which we delivered when it mattered,” Pienaar added.

“Bafana Bafana have not had the build-up to their tournament that we had but if the team gels, trains hard and has resolve and the obsession to detail that I always say you need then they have a shot.

“If Bafana Bafana reaches the knock-out stage, as we all hope they do it will be just like 1995 or 1996 when I went with the whole team to the stadium in Soweto to see South Africa win the Africa Cup of Nations.”

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Rugby: Force back row to provide Wallaby backbone

The Western Force back row will feature prominently in the upcoming test arena with Matt Hodgson, David Pocock and Richard Brown all selected in the Wallabies squad announced today.

The trio was a force to be reckoned with in the later part of the Super 14 season following the return of Pocock and Brown from injury, and could carry the responsibility for Australia against the likes of England, New Zealand and South Africa.

The selection of Hodgson is great reward for his stellar 2010 campaign. The versatile forward was a man mountain in the back row and the only player at the club to start and finish every game.

"It's one of your biggest highs playing for Australia and then getting injured and missing out was hard, it sort of drove me this year to put my hand up again and make selection and get that test cap that I want," Hodgson said.

"Robbie gave me a call yesterday morning, so it was good to pick up that unknown number. It is good to get that call early.

"He just sort of congratulated me on such a good performance in the Super 14 at the start of the year, and said just to continue working and keep aiming for that jersey that I want to get."

For Brown and Pocock the recent Super 14 presented challenges in other forms as injuries to both players in round one forced them to watch from the sidelines for half a season.

But true to form the pair returned ready for action and made a telling contribution to a positive second half of the year for the Western Force and are keen to add to their test caps.

"I'm a little relieved to make the squad after only playing half a season so I'm pretty excited," said Brown.

"I was always hopeful but I was just happy to come back in the second half of the season regardless of whether I made the Wallabies.

Other Western Force players selected for Wallabies duties include prop Pek Cowan, lock Nathan Sharpe, the most experienced player selected in the 30-man Australian squad, and full-back James O'Connor, the youngest member of the 2010 class.

With 79 tests to his name already Sharpe will provide the leadership and experience to a young squad, something he has done with distinction throughout his career and again this season at the Force.

"Sharpie doesn't talk a lot about how his performance is but that probably sums the guy up, he's had probably one of his best seasons in his time in Super Rugby and the way he's led us through the year has been instrumental for a lot of blokes," said Hodgson.

"I know it made me keep going at the start of the year when we were up against a brick wall. He's a good bloke and his form has been great this year.

"He is probably the best Captain I've ever had. The way he leads us on the field is the same as off the field. He's got that good combination with all the blokes from the older guys to the younger guys, everyone respects him."

Tough forward Ben McCalman has been acknowledged for his excellent debut Super Rugby season with inclusion in the 10-man Australian Barbarians squad that will train alongside the Wallabies and play two midweek matches against England next month.

Winger Nick Cummins is also part of that squad and will be hoping to impress after picking-up an injury on the opening day of last year's Wallabies training camp.

"I'm really happy for Ben to get his chance I think it's well deserved, especially in his first year, it's just a huge effort," Brown said.

"For Nick, people know he's a talent and he is a colourful character too, so it should be good to have him along. He has done well to come back from his injuries and I think we all know what it takes to come back after a few setbacks."

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Justin Rose calm on Ryder Cup place ahead of Wentworth

England's Justin Rose says is not going to alter his playing schedule to try to qualify for Europe's Ryder Cup team, despite being a long way off the pace.

The 29-year-old, who plays his first European Tour event of the year in the PGA Championship at Wentworth this week, is 67th in the world rankings.

Rose is far from certain of a place for the clash at Celtic Manor in September.

"I am not going to go chasing around the world to get into the team - I have to back myself to play well," he said.

Rose played in the defeat to the United States at Valhalla two years ago and was one of the better performers, winning three points out of a possible four.

But he failed to qualify for April's Masters and is also in danger of not making next month's US Open or the Open at St Andrews in July, absences which would further hamper his chances of making the European team for the clash in Wales later this year.

"I chased a place in the last team because I was close and it was about giving myself the very best opportunity," he added.

"If I play well enough in America in the summer then it takes a lot of the pressure off me to come back here and catch up."

As things stand, five of the nine players in automatic qualifying positions for Colin Montgomerie's European side are uncapped.

Rory McIlroy, Ross McGowan, Martin Kaymer, Alvaro Quiros and Simon Dyson are all in prime position for a place in the Ryder Cup, and all five are at Wentworth this week for the European Tour's flagship event.

In only his second full season on the circuit, 28-year-old McGowan carded a round of 60 in his Madrid Masters win last October and finished second at the Dubai World Championship.

The Surrey golfer has made a quiet start to 2010, but he did defeat then world number two Steve Stricker at the Accenture Match Play in February.

Kaymer and the big-hitting Quiros have already registered wins this season, the 25-year-old German in Abu Dhabi and Quiros in his home Spanish Open.

Dyson burst into contention for a Ryder Cup place with victory in the Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews seven months ago, but has not had a top 10 finish yet this season.

Ian Poulter will be in action at Wentworth if a neck strain allows but has ruled out competing at the Wales Open at Celtic Manor in two weeks - despite Montgomerie urging as many of his potential team to play as possible.

"I would like to be there, but it just doesn't fit into my schedule," Poulter said.

"It's not a course I don't know. Twelve of the holes for the Ryder Cup we played when I won the (2003) Wales Open.

"I've got to learn six holes. For my first two Ryder Cups I'd not seen either course until the week of the match."

Meanwhile, Paul Casey - another man likely to figure for Europe against the US - will return to the famous Surrey course to defend the title when the event gets under way on Thursday.

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Ryder Cup could be hosted in Middle East

Leading business figures in Abu Dhabi and Dubai have told The Sunday Telegraph of their interest in making an offer to host the biggest event in golf.

Qatar is also thought to be considering a bid having made moves to stage both the 2016 Olympics and 2018 Football World Cup.

The region has revolutionised European golf through the multi-million dollar Race to Dubai, a joint venture between the European Tour and Leisurecorp, a company owned by the Dubai government.

Sir Michael Bonallack, the former R&A secretary, sounded a note of caution about the plans: "The Gulf is a major part of the European tour now and I'm sure they'd host it well," he said.

"My concern would be whether they would get the crowds that we see in Europe. It would be great for the fans to experience it as long as it's not too expensive." Leisurecorp's interest is likely to appeal to O'Grady though.

The company and the European Tour already have a joint interest in a global property company to develop golf courses and O'Grady has said: "In future we'll either build courses or own them ourselves." In 2018 we'll own at least part of the venue. Every penny we make goes back into the game, but we have to make as much as we can from the home match."

Leisurecorp are not the only player in the region to express interest. Mubarak Al Muhairi, the director general of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, met with O'Grady in January.

He told The Sunday Telegraph: "The Ryder Cup is something we are interested in. We are open as far as the strategy and direction of golf is concerned and that could embrace any opportunity."

Abu Dhabi has a course designed by Robert Trent Jones, the man responsible for Celtic Manor's Ryder Cup course, in development. Another Trent Jones course will be completed in Oman next year, while the Tiger Woods Dubai venue is under construction.

Madrid, Germany and Sweden, favourites because of their representation on the European team, are in the running to host the 2018 edition.But with four leading Swedish golfers resident in the Gulf, including Tournament Committee member Henrik Stenson, all signs point to the desert.


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Brendan Venter keen to face RFU disciplinary hearing

Saracens director of rugby Brendan Venter said that he was "looking forward" to his Rugby Football Union disciplinary hearing, when he will face a charge of conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game.

The charge relates to remarks made by Venter during a press conference after Saracens' defeat by Leicester at Vicarage Road on Jan 2, when he criticised the performance of referee David Rose and general standards of officiating in England.

The former Springbok claimed that "something had happened" to influence Rose during the interval, which Venter believed resulted in a swing in the penalty count from 9-3 to Saracens in the first half to 10-4 in Leicester's favour after the break.

If found guilty, Venter, who has been instrumental in guiding Saracens to the top of the Premiership since arriving at the club at the end of last season, could face a one-month touchline ban.

Venter, however, said last night that he was keen to have a "conversation" with the RFU at the hearing to address his concerns about refereeing standards.

Asked if he had any regrets about his comments, he said: "What I am pleased about is that I was able to voice an opinion about a subject that is extremely important to me without being rude or abusive about the performance of David Rose."

Former All Blacks prop Clarke Dermody has given London Irish a welcome boost ahead of their crucial Heineken Cup match against champions Leinster at Twickenham on Saturday by agreeing a new two-year deal.

Northampton have signed former Wales prop Darren Morris until the end of the season as a replacement for Argentine front-row forward Santiago Bonorino, who has had to retire because of a back problem.

Gloucester flanker Akapusi Qera has signed a new two-year contract with the Kingsholm club. The Gloucester trio of fly-half Freddie Burns, wing Charlie Sharples and centre Henry Trinder have all signed two-year contract extensions with the club, securing their futures at Kingsholm until at least 2012.


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Steve Borthwick is not playing as England captain

The 32-man party contains two uncapped newcomers in Bath's new Zealand-born centre, Shontayne Hape, and Northampton wing Chris Ashton.

The England manager wants players competing for every land in the Six Nations body to face Wales at Twickenham on Feb 6, consequently the gauntlet thrown down to Borthwick.


Although well-qualified is every chance that the maligned Saracens conjoin will lead England by oneself the tunnel domination the landmark centenary fixture at Twickenham, the alternative of a change of leader at some iota has been domiciliate into the mix.

"We'll name our captain as we get closer to the tournament," spoken Johnson, who has chosen Borthwick in all 14 Tests since which he has been weight charge.

"Steve has done a great job. Everyone is competing because places predominance the team. That's the way it has to be. besides that's the gate Steve would want undoubted to be."

The markedly likely scenario is that Johnson will start Borthwick after Simon Shaw magnetism the second row. The England manager has always scrupulous to demystify the role of captain, believing that a good span needs leaders all in that the field.

There may come a point, though, when he wants to span Shaw with the up-and-coming Northampton lock, Courtney Lawes, if only late on in the match.

Johnson could turn to back-row forwards Lewis dispirited or Nick Easter to slot into the captain's role, or perhaps Jonny Wilkinson. Whatever unfolds, Johnson consign not see it as a particularly big deal.

Borthwick has always been high in high regard by Johnson, due to his steadfastness further stoicism in what swear by been turbulent, strenuous times for England.

The selection of Hape increases the number of New Zealanders in the aggregation to three. Hooker Dylan Hartley hails from Rotorua, although he on edge to England pull his teens, while Brive core Riki Flutey is a Maori.

Johnson was not fazed by suggestions that England might be mimicking the at ease cricket side and their opinion seeing South African-born players.

"It's about what you do when you're access there, it's about what you show to the group, how you handle yourself, how you hold down besides the commitment you show," vocal Johnson, who has spoken to Hape, who qualifies being residence, about the issue.

"Riki is one of the crowing characters dominion the string prominence that touch. No onliest has ever doubted the obligation of [South African-born] Mike Catt to the cause."

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England rugby team for Six Nations Champion ship

England's 32-man squad for Six Nations Championship:

Forwards: S Armitage (London Irish), S Borthwick (Saracens), J Crane (Leicester), T Croft (Leicester), L Deacon (Leicester), N Easter (Harlequins), D Hartley (Northampton), J Haskell (Stade Francais), C Lawes (Northampton), L Mears (Bath), L Moody (Leicester), T Payne (Wasps), S Shaw (Wasps), A Sheridan (Sale Sharks), S Thompson (CA Brive), J White (Leicester), D Wilson (Bath).
Backs: D Armitage (London Irish), C Ashton (Northampton), M Banahan (Bath), D Care (Harlequins), M Cueto (Sale Sharks), H Ellis (Leicester), T Flood (Leicester), B Foden (Northampton), R Flutey (CA Brive), S Hape (Bath), D Hipkiss (Leicester), P Hodgson (London Irish), U Monye (Harlequins), M Tait (Sale Sharks), J Wilkinson (Toulon).

England Saxons squad:

Forwards: D Attwood (Gloucester), D Bell (Bath), G Chuter (Leicester), D Cole (Leicester), A Corbisiero (London Irish), P Dowson (Northampton), B Kay (Leicester), N Kennedy (London Irish), M Mullan (Worcester), D Paice (London Irish), T Rees (Wasps), C Robshaw (Harlequins), A Saull (Saracens), G Skivington (Wasps), D Ward-Smith (Wasps), R Webber (Wasps), N Wood (Gloucester), B Woods (Leicester)
Backs: B Barritt (Saracens), D Cipriani (Wasps), S Geraghty (Northampton), C Hodgson (Sale Sharks), S Myler (Northampton), O Morgan (Gloucester), P Sackey (Wasps), J Simpson (Wasps), D Strettle (Harlequins), D Waldouck (Wasps), R Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks), M Young (Newcastle).

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watch Six Nations England matches in 3D in Cinemas

We know that Sony and Fifa lap up teamed up to bring us some of the World Cup matches clout 3D come June, but much sooner than that we’ll symbolize able to command England in the Six Nations rugby tournament monopoly an extra dimension owing to well.

Granted, this won’t act for since our own TVs – you’ll have to get yourself to one of 40 Odeon and Cineworld cinemas that will sell for display the action on their screens, again further pick unfolding your tickets in advance.

There bequeath be two games shown – the number one will be the England v Wales game on 6 February, also the second will act for the England v. Ireland game on 27 February.

If you fancy this, and you’re an O2 customer, you’re monopoly luck – you can get your mitts on tickets early. smartly words 3D to 2010 from your O2 phone from 25 January to lock on yours.

Don’t cowardice if not though, tickets cede venture on full sale from 29 January priced at £12.50 in that adults and £10 for under 14s.

Let us discern if you’ll produce paying the cash for an extra dimension under.

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England wing Banahan signs a new deal with Bath

England wing Matt Banahan has signed a new three-year contract with Guinness Premiership club Bath.


The 23-year-old, who was an ever-present for Martin Johnson's men during the autumn internationals, joined Bath in 2006 from London Irish as a lock forward but was converted to a wing.

"Bath have put a lot of time into me. I want to return the favour and support the club that helped me get where I am," Banahan told the Bath club website.

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Wales international Rees pledges his future to Scarlets

Wales hooker Matthew Rees has put an end to speculation over his Scarlets future next season by penning a new deal.

The 29-year-old was a star performer during the summer's Lions tour of South Africa and had been attracting interest from both France and the Guinness Premiership.

Rees, who joined the Scarlets in 2004 from the Celtic Warriors and Pontypridd and has gone on to make 121 appearances, has signed a new three-year deal, while fellow hooker Ken Owens has also agreed to stay at Parc Y Scarlets for another three years.

Promising full-back Dan Evans and 33-year-old loose-head prop Iestyn Thomas have also agreed new two-year contracts.

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Harlequins pen new deals with England youngsters

Newly-appointed Quins boss Conor O'Shea will be celebrating his first bit of Christmas business after securing the long-term services of two of England's brightest young forwards.

Second-row George Robson is believed to be on the verge of gate-crashing England boss Martin Johnson's national squad, having cemented his place in the Quins' first team.

While England under-20 prop Joe Marler, who made his first team debut for Quins earlier this season, has followed Robson's example.

At 19, Marler is one of Harlequins' most promising young players - a member of the current England under-20 squad and another product of the Quins academy.

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Thomas thanks Welsh fans

Former Wales and Lions skipper Gareth Thomas hopes his weekend revelations about his sexuality can help other professional sportsmen.



The 35-year-old, Wales' most capped player, joins stars like basketball's John Amaechi and hurling's Donal Og Cusack who have come out and admitted they are gay.

The former Wales international full-back said he was grateful for the "amazing response" he had received.

"Just because you are gay, it doesn't mean you fancy every man who walks the planet," Thomas told the Daily Mail.

"I don't want to be known as a gay rugby player. I am a rugby player first and foremost. I am a man.

"I hope that by saying this I can make a big difference to others in my situation. But for now, I just want to focus on being a rugby player and beating my old club Toulouse."

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Schedule revealed for 2010 Six Nations

The Six Nations council has announced the running order for next season's Six Nations, with Ireland kicking off their title defence at home against Italy on Saturday February 6.

The popularity of this season's first Friday night game with TV viewers, where France ended Wales' Grand Slam hopes in Paris, has meant that the fixture will be reversed at the Millennium Stadium this season, on Friday February 26.

In a repeat of two seasons ago, England kick-off their tournament with the visit of Warren Gatland's Wales to Twickenham, while France travel to face Scotland at Murrayfield.

Welsh Rugby Union chairman David Pickering is pleased to see the Friday night game return, citing both economic and rugby reasons for his excitement.

"We are starting to see genuine reasons for saying the experiment is a successful one," said Pickering. "The match in Paris last year generated the biggest television audience for a game in France at an average audience of 5.9million and television audiences throughout the UK, Ireland and Italy were the second largest of all the fifteen tournament games at 11million.

"We had a sell-out Stade de France crowd, a tremendous atmosphere and produced one of the best matches of the tournament for the neutral. In Wales we would obviously like to reverse the result next year but we are very much looking forward to what should be a great night out in Cardiff for the fans, a bumper TV audience and a magnificent atmosphere for the players within the confines of the Millennium Stadium."

Six Nations 2010

Week 1
Saturday 6th February - 14:30 - Ireland v Italy , 17:00 - England v Wales
Sunday 7th February 15:00 - Scotland v France

Week 2
Saturday 13th February - 14:00 - Wales v Scotland, 16:30 (17:30 local) - France v Ireland
Sunday 14th February - 14.30 (15:30 local) - Italy v England

Week 3
20/21 February - Rest Weekend

Week 4
Friday 26th February - 20:00 - Wales v France
Saturday 27th February - 13:30 (14:30 local) - Italy v Scotland 16:00 - England v Ireland

Week 5
6/7 March - Rest Weekend

Week 6
Saturday 13th March - 14:30 - Ireland v Wales 17:00 - Scotland v England
Sunday 14th March - 14:30 (15.30 local) - France v Italy

Week 7
Saturday 20th March - 14:30 - Wales v Italy 17:00 - Ireland v Scotland 19:45 (20:45 local) - France v England

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Rugby confederation has been played in Wales since 1850, when it was introduced from England by Reverend Rowland Williams, the Vice-Principal at St David's College in Lampeter. However, whereas in England rugby union is a steadfastly upper class sport, captivating in national schools and played by the aristocracy, in Wales the rough also tumble nature of the working appealed to the tough working classes, and the flurry quickly became popular in mining towns across the domain. The lionization of rugby coalition spread quickly across the country, besides it was barely 30 years neighboring the introduction of the deal that the Welsh rugby couple was playing its superlative international match, in 1881 against England. 1881 also marked the formation of the Welsh Rugby Union.

While Wales invisible its first international rugby match castigate the English, the team developed quickly and by 1893 they beat England, Scotland, and Ireland to win the Home Nation Championship - the chief ever international rugby coalition tournament and the doyen of today's Six Nations tournament. WalesWales play its unrivaled international match against a team from outside of the home nations - the mighty unreduced Blacks from greater Zealand. The undefeated gross Blacks had already unhappy England, Ireland and Scotland again were brave favorites to defeat Wales, however the Welsh recorded a historic win to grant the New Zealanders their only overpower on the 35-match tour. This historic consummation proverb the Welsh rugby team champion "Champions of the World". won the tournament also in 1900, 1902, and 1905. 1905 also saw

The first-rated decade of the 20th century emblematic a "Golden Era" owing to Welsh rugby. During this instance Wales dominated the game on the world stage, and remained smashing from 1907 to 1910. This Golden week did infinitely to establish Rugby Union as the sporting liveliness of the suzerainty and a birth of pride for the Welsh kinsfolk. At once Rugby is owing to central to the Welsh local identity as nigrescent mining or virile choirs, and the Welsh rugby team is celebrities and ambassadors for the country wherever they go.

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The term football refers to a asymmetry of similar brace sports. All sports impinge kicking a ball with the foot to some extent to consummate point’s significance a game. The term refers to association football (commonly called pertinent football or soccer), Australian football, rugby football, Gaelic football, and other related sports. Each variety of football is called a square deal and includes a set of rules that define how to drama the bit. The peculiarity of games again includes different types of balls.

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The term football also refers to gridiron football, which is a diversion that is widely associated screen North American sports. Gridiron football is mainly associated with American and Canadian football and includes a changed type of game that is used primarily with the hands besides uses the foot to kick the round less frequently. In this mood of football players usually sit on a free kick after they score.

Football teams typically have 11 to 18 players, although the number of players may vary by pair or type. Competent is often a exclusive area to play the game such as a field or grounds. Each team scores either points or goals by moving the sphere across the field to the opposing team’s end further either crosses a main bag or moves the orb into a goal locus. Teams fortify the goal areas to prevent the cynical team from scoring. The players move the ring sway a variety of ways depending on the code of the process. Virtuous the ball includes kicking, carrying, and passing the ball by backing or foot to other players. In tremendously variations of football, there are rules that restrict players’ movements allying as offside positions. To score a design players typically have to move the globe because or under a crossbar between two goal posts.

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Scotland has been through a tough spell in the last ten years and they showed that with a poor showing in the 2009 Six Nations. They were only able to beat Italy which means they once again finished 5th in the Championship. Frank Hadden resigned following that performance and he was replaced by former England coach Andy Robinson who will be hoping to improve the side’s fortunes in 2010.

Wales first home match of the 2010 Six Nations is against Scotland. With their fast attacking rugby from the back the Welsh have always caused problems to Scotland in the past. They now posses a fiercely competitive forward line-up, which could well be the key to a home victory.

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Wales perfect at ease ruckus of the 2010 Six Nations is censure Scotland. With their fast attacking rugby from the schlep the Welsh have always caused problems to Scotland in the past, they now posses a fiercely competitive forward line-up, which could well enact the key to a home victory.

Welsh have been going through a burnished patch with Grand Slam wins leadership 2005 and 2008 with teams packed hefty of International stars. They under performed domination 2009 when they started as favorites and they commit be forward once again in 2010 and entrust fancy their chances of winning amassed crown.

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