Latest news with #BenEarl
BBC News
12-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Bears on loose and Tigers' next hire
Leicester have filled one of their big vacancies, bringing in Geoff Parling to replace the outgoing head coach Michael hunt for a 10 goes on Pollard was superb in the Tiger's comeback win over Sale under the Friday night lights, landing seven out of seven from the tee and sparking the fightback with a pinpoint crossfield kick to unleash Ollie 31-year-old is returning to South Africa and the Bulls at the end of the campaign however and, with Jamie Shillcock also bound for French side Brive, a big-name stand-off is top of the shopping Jack Crowley reportedly considered a big-money offer from the Midlands, external before renewing terms with Munster. Gloucester's Gareth Anscombe, now off to Bayonne, was apparently under consideration. Even an audacious succession plan that featured England and Northampton's Fin Smith has been floated., externalParling won't have much time to get his feet under the table, before he has to do some heavy telephone lifting to sell the upwardly mobile Tigers to some stand-offs. Earl gets more midfield experience A theme of the Lions squad announcement on Thursday was the value of versatility, with head coach Andy Farrell making it clear the ability to play at full-back as well as fly-half had been Marcus Smith's trump only Jack Conan as a specialist in the party to tour Australia, number eight might be Ben Earl's best route into the Test team, however, the 27-year-old is working up his side hustle as a shifted into midfield mid-match against Italy and Wales during the Six Nations, the mere prospect of his hard-line running pinched the Falcons defence in Saracens' win over also picked up a try after tracking wing Tobias Elliott's full-pelt Farrell wants plug seven forwards into a power-heavy bench, Earl might be the adapter he needs down under. Bears stray across the Severn Transferring a regular-season home game onto a grander stage is a difficult trick to get with Twickenham's Allianz Stadium just over the road, have managed to make their Christmas fixture an annual tradition. Saracens make use of north London neighbours Tottenham's home ground for their derby against Quins. Northampton have staged some European ties half an hour up the road at 30,000-seater Stadium MK in Milton most clubs are already the biggest show in their local plan to host a game at Cardiff's Principality Stadium, which has 47,000 more seats, but is an hour away from Ashton Gate, was bold and took some negotiating with the Welsh Rugby it paid 51,095 tickets sold, the Bears gave value for money by beating Bath, with a win which featured six tries, a superb performance from centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg and a trademark Viliame Mata big hit., externalBristol's chief operating officer Tom Tainton told Planet Rugby afterwards that there is an aspiration to follow rugby league's lead and take a game to the United States in future., externalGoing from crossing the Severn to crossing the Atlantic is ambitious, but so was this first foray into Wales. Lop-sided selections raise questions If Bristol's Big Day Out, Harlequins' Big Summer Kick-off event and confirmation of a new television deal, were all boosts to the Premiership, two matches being skewed by second-string teams detracted from the and Bath, with the Champions Cup final to come and a play-off berth secured respectively, both rested stars and took defeats.A plan to scrap relegation, at least as a concept decided solely on the pitch, in the English top flight will only lower levels of jeopardy at the back end of the was difficult not to cast an envious eye over the Channel where Vannes, bottom of the Top 14, were only beaten by a final-play drop-goal at home to La Rochelle and Perpignan and Stade Francais fought out an enthralling basement dogfight, with never more than a converted score between of prizemoney for regular-season points tallies? Reprimands for unduly weakened sides? More ambitiously, a draft of centrally contracted young stars to spread talent through the league?It is difficult to see a solution… Win does little to raise Chiefs spirits Don't be deceived by the Baxter wasn' Exeter boss "fuming, absolutely fuming" over the deficiencies that lay beneath a flattering 42-14 scoreline against a much-rotated more of a cutting edge Saints, who had more possession and entered the Exeter 22m 18 times compared to the Chiefs' 12 visits to the danger zone, might easily have for the hosts, they have wing Paul Brown-Bampoe, who has six tries in 11 Premiership appearances this season and an excellent chance of earning a call-up to England's tour of Argentina and the United States this summer.
Telegraph
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
‘Incredible' Ben Earl gets run out at centre as Saracens run rampant
Saracens 75 Newcastle Falcons 28 Ben Earl enjoyed another 20 minutes at centre as Saracens sauntered past Newcastle Falcons, their three British and Irish Lions helping them pile up 70 points and stay in the play-off race. Mark McCall kept his Lions trio of Earl, Elliot Daly and captain Maro Itoje on the pitch for the entirety of a breezy win, with Earl moving to the midfield for the final quarter as Tom Willis replaced Alex Goode. There, having surged off the base of a scrum to score in the first half, he promptly added a second try. Such flexibility is particularly useful if teams deploy six forwards on the bench. 'You're dealing with a player who has an incredible skill-set,' said Joe Shaw, the Saracens head coach, of Earl. 'He has unbelievable physicality and understanding of the game. Today, he came out from seven, where he plays in the back line a lot anyway. It wasn't a big deal for us or a big deal for Ben. We've got great centres at this club, some of whom are injured at the moment, and you need players who are versatile.' That's one way to celebrate your @lionsofficial call-up 🦁 @BenEarlba crosses the whitewash for @Saracens 💪 Watch live on @rugbyontnt 📺 #GallagherPrem | #SARvNEW — Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) May 10, 2025 Despite the Lions homecoming and a hat-trick for Juan Martín González, another man was the hero of the day. Goode, who turned 37 in the week, was celebrating his 400th Saracens appearance. He has been a pillar of dependable excellence since his first-team debut 17 years ago. Few figures at Saracens are as popular as the full-back, and no wonder. His career has sparkled with trophies and moments of consummate class. Richard Hill was among the luminaries at StoneX Stadium for the occasion. The World Cup-winning back-rower made his last Saracens appearance in the game that a 20-year-old Goode was blooded. 'It's amazing the number of ex-players who have said that Goodey is the greatest ever Saracen,' Shaw added. 'I think they're probably right. I don't think 400 games will ever be done again.' ❤️🖤 There's only one @Alex_goode0! — Saracens Rugby Club (@Saracens) May 10, 2025 Falcons bagged four tries to take away a bonus point, clinched by a surging run from wing Ben Stevenson, yet the hosts were vastly superior. Steve Diamond, the Newcastle director of rugby, admitted that the result was 'embarrassing' in spite of his players' endeavour, stating also that it emphasised the need for investment. Red Bull's apparent interest in Falcons, in that regard, is timely. Diamond is confident that Newcastle will not follow Wasps, Worcester Warriors and London Irish into financial oblivion, and has been enthused by the news of fresh backing. 'Semore Kurdi [the current Newcastle owner] is an honourable businessman, but he's fed up with it,' Diamond said. 'I think, geographically, the union and the league need Newcastle, because we encapsulate the whole of the north. And it's difficult to run a league with nine teams. 'If they promote somebody, would Ealing put out a better team than we've got? I don't think so, with their infrastructure. It's very difficult to do it. That is why the rumours are really encouraging, to get an organisation like [Red Bull] into rugby; not just for Newcastle. 'Look at all the Premier League football clubs. They're not owned by individuals these days. They're owned by organisations and conglomerates.' Saracens are level on points with Sale Sharks but need two more victories to crack the top four. Ironically, their loss to Newcastle at the end of November, one of two wins that Falcons have registered all season, could cost them. A trip to Northampton Saints, who will be preparing for the Champions Cup decider, is up next. 'All we can control is what we can control,' said Shaw. 'We've got what we wanted from today. Now we'll go back to the drawing board and get up to Franklin's Gardens to give a good account of ourselves.' Match details Scoring sequence 5-0 González try, 7-0 Burke con, 12-0 Dan try, 14-0 Burke con, 14-5 Stuart try, 14-7 Connon con, 19-7 Earl try, 24-7 Van Zyl try, 26-7 Burke con, 31-7 Itoje try, 33-7 Burke con, 33-12 Lockwood try, 33-14 Connon con, 38-14 González try, 40-14 Burke con, 45-14 González try, 47-14 Burke con, 47-19 Stuart try, 47-21 Connon con, 52-21 George try, 54-21 Burke con, 54-26 Stevenson try, 54-28 Connon con, 59-28 Bracken try, 61-28 Johnson con, 66-28 Earl try, 68-28 Johnson con, 73-28 Willis try, 75-28 Johnson con. Saracens A Goode (T Willis 59); T Elliott, E Daly, N Tompkins, R Segun (A Hall 36); F Burke (L Johnson 64), I van Zyl (C Bracken 61); E Mawi (S Crean 57), T Dan (J George 50), A Clarey (H Beaton 57), M Itoje, N Isiekwe, T McFarland, J Martín González (A Onyeama-Christie 50), B Earl. Newcastle Falcons E Obatoyinbo; A Hearle, M Clark (O Spencer 24), S Arnold (M Pepper 66), B Stevenson; B Connon, S Stuart (J Davis 56) A Brocklebank (M Rewcastle 40-44), J Blamire (O Fletcher 61), M McCallum (L de Bruin), J Hawkins (O Usher 54), S de Chaves, F Lockwood, C Neild, F Lockwood (T Gordon 55), C Chick.
BBC News
08-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Watch Lions squad announcement: Itoje captain, Pollock in, Doris misses out
'The best news I've had in my career' British and Irish Lions player Ben Earl: "It has been a tortuous couple of weeks. "For it to come down to today was amazing. The best news I've had in my career. I am so pleased. "It has been painful and it has been long. I am overwhelmed and so excited to get going."
The Independent
13-03-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Speed wins – Ben Earl reveals pace at heart of England bid for Six Nations glory
Ben Earl has revealed that speed will be at the heart of England's quest to win the Guinness Six Nations title on 'Super Saturday'. Head coach Steve Borthwick has named three specialist openside flankers in his back row for the showdown with Wales in Cardiff, giving starts to Tom Curry, Ben Curry and Earl. There is also the prospect of a trio of playmakers combining in the closing stages with George Ford supplying bench cover for Fin Smith and Marcus Smith, while wing Tommy Freeman has been moved to outside centre. 'The thing you are seeing around the park is speed wins,' said Earl, who shifts from flanker to number eight for the Principality Stadium clash. 'France is the classic case – (Louis) Bielle-Biarrey is the quickest person I have seen play the game and every time he gets the ball he can make something happen. ' Speed seems to be more of a priority to some teams than others but for us, we are talking a lot about moving the ball, being aggressive, outworking teams. Our players buy into that.' With only one specialist centre present in Fraser Dingwall and England opting for a six-two split between forwards and backs on the bench, Earl is on standby to fill in at 12 in the event of injury. It is a role he has undertaken on multiple occasions and one that was performed with aplomb by Oscar Jegou last Saturday when the replacement France flanker played 34 minutes in the midfield against Ireland. 'It is not something you overthink. It's just rugby at the end of the day. Literally half the stuff I do is basically as a 12 anyway,' Earl said. 'We are talking about back rows defending on the edge of the line anyway, running strike plays, being involved a bit wider in our attack. It is all pretty complementary. 'You saw Jegou come on and he was tremendous. The crossover is crazy between a centre and a back rower. You just go and play rugby and see what happens.' England need to register a bonus-point victory in the penultimate match of the Six Nations to give them the best possible chance of winning the title, although if favourites France dispatch Scotland events in Cardiff become academic. 'We probably do need to win with four tries if we want to win the tournament, but firstly we need to win,' Earl said. 'The moment we start to think we need to win by four, this game could really unravel. Wales have performed pretty well this campaign and have not quite got the results they have deserved. 'It's almost a one-off game when you play Wales in Wales, under the roof. Jamie George called it a World Cup final. 'They will be at their best, we have got to be at our best. If you sleepwalk into any sort of game and expect a game to go a certain way, it won't.'
BBC News
09-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
England shine in the sun but Cardiff cauldron awaits
Perhaps not Sevens weather, but there was a definite post-season play-offs feel as the team buses rolled into the Twickenham car shed layers for shades as the sun shone on south-west London and with a change of season in the air, England needed to show a spring in their standings demanded it. With a free-scoring France now making the pace at the top of the table, a bonus point would bolster England's - admittedly slim - chances of a title importantly though, the public required it. After the strength of the opposition, the situation of the game and the severity of the conditions had variously been blamed for England's inability to deliver running rugby, this was a day that invited ambition and pre-match record against Italy was as pristine as the Twickenham turf, with 31 unanswered Ben Earl galloped clear on the final play to add a seventh try, pump the winning margin to 23 points and make it 32 straight successes, it felt like the hosts had lived up to the occasion."We were trying to play a lot more," said Luke Cowan-Dickie. "We got seven tries so something went right.""We tried to attack from anywhere. We knew it was going to be risky, but we want to show the fans that we don't want to kick as much and play with the ball.""Us as players decided just to beat people, score more tries and be more aggressive with the ball," added wing Ollie Sleightholme, who crossed twice for the was clear. England kicked 31 times, but carried 145 times. Against Scotland last time out, they kicked five times more and carried 67 times fewer.A remarkable shift, even allowing for the change in isn't a tactic that comes naturally to England's coaching staff, whose Premiership triumph with Leicester in 2022 came via grindingly accurate percentage rugby and a barrage of even with the near-wholesale adoption of a Northampton backline which won the 2024 domestic crown in more style, England's attack took time to throw off the ring rust.A duff pass from Tommy Freeman drew the first groan from the stands inside 30 seconds. Earl was pounced on for a turnover shortly much of the first half Italy snapped and fizzed with more danger, throwing cleverer shapes and more accurate passes. But England, as the old adage goes, earned the right to play before exercising it well in the second Smith, who started the campaign as England's attacking talisman but began this match on the bench, was defensive ability has been questioned, but his tackle on Matt Gallagher early in the second half as the Italy wing loomed out wide was impeccable in intent and minutes later he picked his moment in attack perfectly too, timing his run off Tom Curry's shoulder to scamper in. A twin-moment, 10-point swing, that critical passage eased the pressure and allow England to loosen up their Sleightholme dotted down his second it was via a party game of a passing move, with England's forwards improvising increasingly outlandish then the Italy defence had faded. It was still streets behind the out-worldly handling France showed off in Dublin the day it was a definite step up by pluses are multiple for head coach Steve Borthwick. Fin Smith, sharp shooting off the tee, put in another cool-headed performance at fly-half, pulling strings and making plays. Fraser Dingwall, forced into an unexpected centre combination by Lawrence's injury, was smart enough to find a way. Elliot Daly, the other half of that makeshift midfield, worked the angles superbly. The 32-year-old's abilities, grey matter as much as fast twitch, will age slowly and Chessum, Tom Curry and Earl ranged wide, far and effectively. Ben Curry and Chandler Cunningham-South added energy from the George felt the love as the crowd took to their feet to clap him on and off the pitch on his 100th appearance for England. He and his front-row colleagues had the best of the set-piece once will be tougher days and more stringent tests on the final day, will probably be one of have stirred themselves under Matt Sherratt. The prospect of wrecking England's title pretensions, while dodging the Wooden Spoon will brew up an almighty atmosphere under the Principality sunlight and support won't be nearly so plentiful next week. There won't be much of either for England in that city-centre cauldron. It will be a very different challenge is to deliver a similar result -and hope France might wobble and the trophy tips unexpectedly their way.
