Latest news with #Harlequins
Telegraph
18 hours ago
- General
- Telegraph
Wingers in danger as law change unleashes chaos
The press box at Ashton Gate offers an impeccable view of the pitch, which often brings small instances – such as friendly fire during the warm-ups – to the attention. On Saturday afternoon, as the Harlequins starters were running against replacements and travelling reserves half an hour before kick-off, Rodrigo Isgro and Jake Murray charged in opposing directions to vie for a high ball. They leapt into the air and whacked into one another, with Murray coming off worse. Clearly in some pain, the young scrum-half peeled himself off the floor. Fortunately, he would be fit to come off the bench against Bristol Bears later on. Topsy Ojo, meanwhile, was preparing to commentate for BBC Radio 5 Live high up in the media seats. The former London Irish favourite winced. Fairly or unfairly, wing used to be regarded as the position where one could most easily avoid the physical stuff and keep a clean shirt. These days, chiefly because of a refereeing directive that has made a profound impact, back-three players must be immensely courageous because many believe that the pivotal battleground of aerial competition has become as perilous as anything in rugby. Fans of rugby union have become accustomed to the concept of unintended consequences and an apparent increase in aerial collisions is a result of the crackdown on 'escorting'; the practice of teams protecting their own back-field catchers by shepherding chasers after an opposition kick. Angus Gardner set a decisive tone during England's loss to New Zealand last November, demanding that players be granted 'access' to the ball, and the sport has looked different since. 'Duty of care for catcher appears to have gone' Training practices, tactics and even recruitment have been influenced. Trends are cyclical, and one source stressed the point that it is less than a decade since there was a push to protect catchers with a spate of red cards for reckless chasing. 'You are essentially encouraging contact in the air now, which only seems to get penalised if something bad happens,' a senior Premiership coach said. 'The duty of care for the catcher, which was there a few years ago, appears to have gone. I think that's very, very strange. Only a couple of years ago, we were trying to reduce those situations. Now, we're openly trying to get more of them. 'It's definitely more dangerous now, of course it is. You can go up high, at pace and bump the catcher. That's how we have to coach it. And that's very challenging because you don't want to risk injury in the week, but you have to expose them to what it is going to be like in a game. 'Catchers need to really own the space and almost go through the chaser, where the chaser has free licence to make contact. It seems very like AFL.' AFL laws allow players to call for a mark anywhere on the pitch provided the ball has been kicked 15 metres, which obviously heightens the significance of a clean catch. By last summer, escorting in rugby union had effectively become coordinated obstruction. Possession from kick-returns was so reliable that it was treated like another set-piece and the 'gloves' of backpedalling team-mates that cocooned catchers were ugly on the eye. Authorities were also eager to create more broken-field scenarios. Alex Goode, the Saracens full-back who bowed out last weekend after 402 club appearances, remains highly sceptical. 'I don't think it's better for the game,' he says. 'Escorting had probably gone too far, but it's now chaos. You've got guys running into the air and colliding with each other and the refs are in a difficult position. 'It just encourages more kicking, because there is such a good chance of winning back the ball. There was a theory that there would be more transition situations and more unstructured attack, but I don't think that's coming to fruition.' Saracens train 'live' aerial drills once or twice a week, but Goode fears that the injury situation 'will only get worse' because 'there are collisions left, right and centre'. It is understood that governing bodies are more focused on eradicating 'always illegal' actions such as shoulder charges and reckless actions against vulnerable players at the breakdown. Ben Stevenson, the Newcastle Falcons wing, copped a ban this week after being sent off for a mistimed challenge that flipped Santiago Carreras of Gloucester, showing that sanctions are still doled out. Ojo highlights Freddie Steward as an emblem of how the landscape has changed. Close to indispensable to England at one point, the Leicester Tigers full-back was usurped by George Furbank as head coach Steve Borthwick leant into kick-return as a source of attacking impetus. Steward could find himself coveted again soon because there is agreement that chasers have a big advantage. 'Before, chasers had to work a bit harder to get around the escort while keeping their eye on the ball and then getting up,' Goode adds. 'The kick had to be good and the chase was something you had to really refine to make it a skill. Now, it does seem a bit too easy to get up and spoil with one arm. I'd say that it encourages a more kick-focused game.' Andy Farrell's cohort of back-three players in the British and Irish Lions squad leaves little doubt over the importance of aerial prowess. Tommy Freeman, Mack Hansen, James Lowe, Duhan van der Merwe, Elliot Daly, Hugo Keenan and Blair Kinghorn all stand at least 6ft. Darcy Graham, who is 5ft 9in, was overlooked. 'I think [the directive] will affect recruitment strategies over the coming years,' suggested one source. 'Wingers' values had dropped, if you look at the positional stuff that comes out of the salary-cap report. People weren't spending as much money on them because they were putting it towards other areas. 'The change means a full-back who is very, very good in the air becomes more important and valuable. It will be the same for wingers who can go and get the ball. 'Will Muir is probably the best in the Premiership. He owns the space really well, he's brave in the air and goes for it with one hand a lot of the time. Kyle Steyn had a field day there on Friday night for Glasgow Warriors against Stormers as well.' The days of wings keeping a low profile and returning to the changing rooms in spotless kit are long gone. In the air, fierce commitment is critical and danger now comes with the territory.
Wales Online
19 hours ago
- Business
- Wales Online
WRU to make Leigh Halfpenny announcement as mentor Neil Jenkins told to stay at home
WRU to make Leigh Halfpenny announcement as mentor Neil Jenkins told to stay at home The former Wales full-back will join up with camp next week to help coach the national team Leigh Halfpenny shakes hands with Neil Jenkins (Image: Ben Evans/Huw Evans Agency ) Leigh Halfpenny will be confirmed as part of Wales' coaching staff for the tour of Japan in the coming days. The former Wales full-back, who called time on his illustrious Test career after the 2023 World Cup, will join up with Matt Sherratt's coaching team from next week as preparations continue for the two-Test tour in July. The 36-year-old, who still has ambitions to carry on playing, will work as a kicking coach as part of interim head coach Sherratt's new-look coaching ticket. The 101-cap international had been expected to take up a role in Sherratt's staff for the Japan tour, although he wasn't initially named in Wales' management team on the same day that Cardiff head coach Sherratt named his 33-man squad to face the Brave Blossoms. Cardiff defence coach Gethin Jenkins, Gloucester's T. Rhys Thomas and Harlequins pair Danny Wilson and Adam Jones have already been confirmed as part of Sherratt's staff for the upcoming tour. Following his expected announcement this week, Halfpenny will take up his coaching duties next week - with Wales' preparations having started officially on Monday. Some players have even been in longer, with optional extra conditioning sessions taking place at their Vale Resort training base last week. Article continues below Following his Test retirement two years ago, Halfpenny has enjoyed spells in New Zealand and England, with Crusaders and Harlequins respectively. The full-back's departure from the Stoop was confirmed last month, with his last game for Quins coming on the weekend against Bristol Bears. He's now expected to join French club Beziers, but will spend his summer coaching with Wales first. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. With Halfpenny part of Wales' coaching staff in Japan, it means Neil Jenkins won't tour with the national team. The former fly-half has been a mainstay of Wales' coaching team for nearly two decades, first working with the national team in 2006. However, amid uncertainty over the future of the existing coaches, Jenkins is currently spending his time helping the U20s squad prepare for their World Championship campaign. Over the years, Jenkins has formed a very close bond with Halfpenny - having worked closely with the full-back. The 53-year-old was even present to watch Halfpenny's last game for Harlequins on the weekend. The need to bring in a temporary coaching staff to Japan comes as the Welsh Rugby Union's search for Warren Gatland's successor goes on. Gatland walked from the job during the Six Nations following a run of 14 consecutive Test defeats, with parts of his coaching staff remaining as Sherratt was parachuted into the job mid-tournament. With Sherratt being tasked with taking temporary charge again, the Cardiff boss has been allowed to choose his own coaching staff. As such, the rest of Gatland's backroom staff - Jonathan Humphreys, Mike Forshaw, Alex King and Rob Howley - will not be involved in Japan. Article continues below WalesOnline understands that communication from the Union with the existing coaches prior to the announcement of the summer's coaching ticket had been sparse. Some of those existing coaches are understood to be out of contract this summer, but the WRU insist no decision will be made on their futures until the new head coach is in place, with the search getting closer to its conclusion.
Telegraph
a day ago
- Health
- Telegraph
Rugby is more dangerous for wingers than any other position
The press box at Ashton Gate offers an impeccable view of the pitch, which often brings small instances – such as friendly fire during the warm-ups – to the attention. On Saturday afternoon, as the Harlequins starters were running against replacements and travelling reserves half an hour before kick-off, Rodrigo Isgro and Jake Murray charged in opposing directions to vie for a high ball. They leapt into the air and whacked into one another, with Murray coming off worse. Clearly in some pain, the young scrum-half peeled himself off the floor. Fortunately, he would be fit to come off the bench against Bristol Bears later on. Topsy Ojo, meanwhile, was preparing to commentate for BBC Radio 5 Live high up in the media seats. The former London Irish favourite winced. Fairly or unfairly, wing used to be regarded as the position where one could most easily avoid the physical stuff and keep a clean shirt. These days, chiefly because of a refereeing directive that has made a profound impact, back-three players must be immensely courageous because many believe that the pivotal battleground of aerial competition has become as perilous as anything in rugby. Fans of rugby union have become accustomed to the concept of unintended consequences and an apparent increase in aerial collisions is a result of the crackdown on 'escorting'; the practice of teams protecting their own back-field catchers by shepherding chasers after an opposition kick. Angus Gardner set a decisive tone during England's loss to New Zealand last November, demanding that players be granted 'access' to the ball, and the sport has looked different since. Training practices, tactics and even recruitment have been influenced. Trends are cyclical, and one source stressed the point that it is less than a decade since there was a push to protect catchers with a spate of red cards for reckless chasing. 'You are essentially encouraging contact in the air now, which only seems to get penalised if something bad happens,' a senior Premiership coach said. 'The duty of care for the catcher, which was there a few years ago, appears to have gone. I think that's very, very strange. Only a couple of years ago, we were trying to reduce those situations. Now, we're openly trying to get more of them. 'It's definitely more dangerous now, of course it is. You can go up high, at pace and bump the catcher. That's how we have to coach it. And that's very challenging because you don't want to risk injury in the week, but you have to expose them to what it is going to be like in a game. 'Catchers need to really own the space and almost go through the chaser, where the chaser has free licence to make contact. It seems very like AFL.' AFL laws allow players to call for a mark anywhere on the pitch provided the ball has been kicked 15 metres, which obviously heightens the significance of a clean catch. By last summer, escorting in rugby union had effectively become coordinated obstruction. Possession from kick-returns was so reliable that it was treated like another set-piece and the 'gloves' of backpedalling team-mates that cocooned catchers were ugly on the eye. Authorities were also eager to create more broken-field scenarios. Alex Goode, the Saracens full-back who bowed out last weekend after 402 club appearances, remains highly sceptical. 'I don't think it's better for the game,' he says. 'Escorting had probably gone too far, but it's now chaos. You've got guys running into the air and colliding with each other and the refs are in a difficult position. 'It just encourages more kicking, because there is such a good chance of winning back the ball. There was a theory that there would be more transition situations and more unstructured attack, but I don't think that's coming to fruition.' Saracens train 'live' aerial drills once or twice a week, but Goode fears that the injury situation 'will only get worse' because 'there are collisions left, right and centre'. It is understood that governing bodies are more focused on eradicating 'always illegal' actions such as shoulder charges and reckless actions against vulnerable players at the breakdown. Ben Stevenson, the Newcastle Falcons wing, copped a ban this week after being sent off for a mistimed challenge that flipped Santiago Carreras of Gloucester, showing that sanctions are still doled out. Ojo highlights Freddie Steward as an emblem of how the landscape has changed. Close to indispensable to England at one point, the Leicester Tigers full-back was usurped by George Furbank as head coach Steve Borthwick leant into kick-return as a source of attacking impetus. Steward could find himself coveted again soon because there is agreement that chasers have a big advantage. 'Before, chasers had to work a bit harder to get around the escort while keeping their eye on the ball and then getting up,' Goode adds. 'The kick had to be good and the chase was something you had to really refine to make it a skill. Now, it does seem a bit too easy to get up and spoil with one arm. I'd say that it encourages a more kick-focused game.' Andy Farrell's cohort of back-three players in the British and Irish Lions squad leaves little doubt over the importance of aerial prowess. Tommy Freeman, Mack Hansen, James Lowe, Duhan van der Merwe, Elliot Daly, Hugo Keenan and Blair Kinghorn all stand at least 6ft. Darcy Graham, who is 5ft 9in, was overlooked. 'I think [the directive] will affect recruitment strategies over the coming years,' suggested one source. 'Wingers' values had dropped, if you look at the positional stuff that comes out of the salary-cap report. People weren't spending as much money on them because they were putting it towards other areas. 'The change means a full-back who is very, very good in the air becomes more important and valuable. It will be the same for wingers who can go and get the ball. 'Will Muir is probably the best in the Premiership. He owns the space really well, he's brave in the air and goes for it with one hand a lot of the time. Kyle Steyn had a field day there on Friday night for Glasgow Warriors against Stormers as well.' The days of wings keeping a low profile and returning to the changing rooms in spotless kit are long gone. In the air, fierce commitment is critical and danger now comes with the territory.
South Wales Argus
a day ago
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
Beard ready for England chance after waiting in the wings
The 23-year-old is still yet to earn a cap, although he was in the squad for the 2025 Six Nations behind Henry Slade, Ollie Lawrence and Elliot Daly in the pecking order at outside centre. The Harlequins ace has played for England A this season and now has his sights set on featuring in Argentina and the USA this summer, having featured in a 33-man training squad assembled by Steve Borthwick at Pennyhill Park in May. "As long as I can control how hard I'm working and put my hand up in the right way hopefully an opportunity will come one day and I'll just hang in there, keep my head down and see what happens," Beard said. "For me, it's been quite nice because there's a lot of boys that I played U20s and U18s with and grown up playing with, so in a weird way there's been loads of familiar faces. Before England jet off to the Americas, they will have a final preparation game between against a France XV at Allianz Stadium on June 21. No Premiership finalists will feature but with Harlequins not in the play-off picture, Beard could be among those hoping to seize a last chance and nail the audition for a seat on the plane. "Firstly, it's a great opportunity for the lads to put on the England shirt even though it's not an official cap," Beard said. "France has a great group of youngsters coming through as well as a great group who aren't playing. 'So, whatever the outcome will be, it'll be a great spectacle and some great rugby on show." When Beard returns from Argentina, he will be without a familiar face around their Guilford training base after club legend Danny Care's retirement. Care has been a considerable influence on Beard's rise through the ranks in South West London and the centre hopes to carry his legacy on. "He's a legend,' he said. 'I've supported Quins all my life and have gone to watch Danny play countless times. I was lucky enough to be a ball boy for the club, feeding him balls at the age of ten. "He's helped me endlessly, and I'm forever grateful for that. Not only is he one of the best rugby players I've ever seen, but he's such a good bloke. "He'll be heavily missed. I know his legacy will stay at Quins and he'll shape the way we want to play and hopefully the DNA of Quins will keep Danny Care in it forever."
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Ugo Monye signs deal to pay off tax debts
The 52-year-old was previously the subject of a bankruptcy petition by HMRC, which it withdrew in September 2023 after saying he had reached an IVA. That IVA is now listed on the individual insolvency register as having 'failed'. Vickery had a request to be made bankrupt granted in February last year after reportedly racking up debts to HMRC and others totalling six figures. Monye retired from playing aged 31 in 2015 after spending his entire 13-year career with Harlequins. In that time he helped them to their first Premiership title in 2012, while he also won 14 caps for England and two for the Lions, finishing top try-scorer on the latter's 2009 tour of South Africa. Shortly before retirement, he joined what was then BT Sport as a rugby analyst. In 2021, he took part in the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing show, a week after it emerged he had split from his wife of five years. He told The Sun at the time: 'We weren't in a volatile relationship, we never hated each other and there was no third party. Forget the Strictly curse – it's the Covid curse!' A week after Strictly began, Monye was named one of the new captains on A Question of Sport following the BBC's controversial dumping of veteran trio Sue Barker, Matt Dawson and Phil Tufnell. A furious Barker, now 69, later questioned whether her age had played a part in the decision. During the two-year tenure of McGuinness, Monye and Quek, ratings plunged from a high of four million in the final years of Barker's reign to less than a million. Monye, who earlier that year joined the Princess of Wales for a rugby skills session after becoming a 'champion' in her childhood campaign, Shaping Up, also hit the headlines that November amid allegations he had been racially abused while working for TNT Sports at an Exeter Chiefs match.
