Latest news with #GavinMairs
Telegraph
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Champions Cup and Challenge Cup predictions: Northampton will lose, but Bath will win
The Champions and Challenge Cup finals take place this weekend with Northampton Saints and Bath flying the flag for England against French opposition. Here, Telegraph Sport's rugby experts predict how the finals will play out. Challenge Cup Gavin Mairs Bath 22 Lyon 12 Bath have maintained an impressive consistency through the season and showed with the victory over Leicester Tigers last weekend that their momentum is reaching a crescendo. Their squad has enough firepower up front and depth to prevail against a side who have not been firing in the Top 14. Charlie Morgan Bath 32 Lyon 23 There is undeniable impetus about Bath and, though the Premiership is their priority for this season, they will want to keep adding trophies. Their squad strength is such that, notwithstanding the absence of Ollie Lawrence, they are finishing the campaign well. Lyon do possess the brilliant Davit Niniashvili and will be a threat, but have slipped to the bottom of the Top 14's mid-table scramble. Charles Richardson Bath 30 Lyon 25 Another trophy to add to the cabinet for Bath, hunting a treble (even if it is not quite the big one). Lyon have not been setting the Top 14 alight for a while now and Bath have the squad depth to compete with many of the French squads in any case. Daniel Schofield Bath 38 Lyon 15 Lyon certainly have threats, but I cannot get the second half of Bath's destruction of Leicester out of my head. Their depth is simply staggering and, once they start turning the screw with their heavy artillery, it can be nearly impossible for the opposition not to fold. Match details: Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Friday, 8pm. TV: BBC, Premier Sports. Champions Cup GM Northampton 18 Bordeaux 28 Laurent Marti, Bordeaux's president, is said to have had a sleepless night after watching Northampton's victory over Saracens last time out, but it suggests there will be no sense of complacency in the final. Bordeaux, perhaps unlike Leinster, will have a sense of edge and urgency now when facing the English side. I have no doubt Northampton will have a real go, but they are sretched by injuries against a Bordeaux side who have the power and quality to play the game in a number of ways, underscored by the timely return of Damian Penaud. CM Northampton 28 Bordeaux 38 A confession. I was among those who saw no route past Leinster and would not be at all irked if Saints proved me wrong again. Injuries up front, however, make it even more difficult for them. Juarno Augustus is out, and Curtis Langdon and Alex Coles, both immense in the semi-final, are banged up as well. Northampton will find ways into the game – Tommy Freeman's aerial superiority over Louis Bielle-Biarrey is one – but will need to summon another phenomenal display. CR Northampton 22 Bordeaux 44 Saints have defied the odds until now and their sterling form is undeniable, but so is their injury list. It could be close for 50 or so minutes until Bordeaux unload a locked and loaded bench to pull away. DS Bordeaux 40 Saints 32 I was prepared to put my neck on the line for a Saints victory but for the injury concerns over Langdon and Coles. For all the wizardry that Fin Smith and company can conjure in the back line, Saints need to ensure set-piece parity to have a shot of victory against a meaty Bordeaux tight five. I would happily be proved wrong, however, having also given them a snowball in hell's chance of turning over Leinster. Match details: Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Saturday, 2.45pm. TV: BBC, Premier Sports.
Telegraph
14-03-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Wales U20 v England U20: Lineups and latest updates from Under-20 Six Nations
7:17PM BBC will no longer show England Six Nations games as new free-to-air deal agreed The Six Nations will remain on free-to-air for the next four years after a landmark deal was struck that means the BBC will no longer show England games, Telegraph Sport understands. ITV will show all of England's games under the new deal, making Saturday's match between Wales and England the last shown on BBC until at least 2030. The deal, which is said to represent a significant uplift to the existing one of £90 million over four years, will give ITV 10 games per Championship with the BBC showing the remaining five games. This will include Wales and Scotland home games as long as England are not involved. Our chief rugby union correspondent Gavin Mairs has all the details. 7:14PM Got a question for James Haskell and Mike Tindall? Ask it here and come back on Monday lunchtime for the answer. 7:09PM England U20 captain Tom Burrow speaking ahead of the game 'We talk a lot about brotherhood and there is a lot of truth behind that. 'A lot of us have played with each other for three to four years. It is not only good to be playing for your country but also with lads you have been close to over the last few years is pretty special. 'We are putting that brotherhood onto the pitch and it is resulting in wins which is what we want.' 7:05PM Wales results so far Round one- France 63-19 Wales Round two- Italy 18-20 Wales Round three- Wales 20-12 Ireland Round four- Scotland 27-12 Wales 7:01PM England results so far Round one- Ireland 3-19 England Round two- England 27-10 France Round three- England 57-13 Scotland Round four- England 33-24 Italy 6:58PM Hosts arriving 📍 𝘾𝘼𝙋 🏟 The 20s are in the house 🔥 #SixNationsU20 #WALvENG — Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) March 14, 2025 6:54PM Visitors arriving for business U20 Men In the building 🏠 The countdown to kickoff is on for England U20 Men's team v Wales in the @SixNationsU20 🔥 📺 LIVE on BBC iPlayer — England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) March 14, 2025 6:47PM Table going into the final round England U20- 18 points France U20- 15 points Wales U20- 8 points Italy U20- 6 points Ireland U20- 5 points Scotland U20- 5 points 6:43PM Tonight's final round fixtures Wales U20 vs England U20 7.30pm Italy U20 vs Ireland U20 7.45pm France U20 vs Scotland U20 8.15pm
