Latest news with #SRU
Scotsman
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
‘Incredibly tough decision': Edinburgh Rugby player steps away from the pro game at 24
Sweeney explains his decision after five seasons at Edinburgh Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Nathan Sweeney, the Edinburgh Rugby back-three player, has made the tough decision to step away from the professional game 'for now'. Edinburgh's Nathan Sweeney in action during a pre-season game against Bath at Hive Stadium in 2023. | SNS Group / SRU Sweeney, 24, signed a one-year contract extension last May after missing the majority of the 2023-24 campaign due to injuries. He has continued to be blighted by bad luck this season and made the announcement in a heartfelt post on social media. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Never thought I'd be the one to write this, but after months of reflection and following the advice of knee specialists, I've made the incredibly tough decision to step away on medical grounds from professional rugby for now,' wrote Sweeney. 'While this isn't how I imagined my career unfolding so early on, I know this is the right decision for me.' Edinburgh's Nathan Sweeney in action during a pre-season game against Bath at Hive Stadium in 2023. | SNS Group / SRU The wing/full-back played once for Edinburgh's first team this season, starting in the EPCR Challenge Cup tie against Gloucester at Kingsholm. He was then selected for Emerging Scotland for the game against Italy Under-23s the following week and came off the bench at Hive Stadium. However, he continued to be dogged by injury and was named earlier this month as one of the 12 players who would be leaving Edinburgh at the end of this season. 'Over the past five seasons at Edinburgh, I've been incredibly fortunate to live out a dream by playing for my boyhood club,' he said. 'I feel really grateful for the unforgettable memories, the lifelong friendships I've made, and the honour of representing Edinburgh rugby. 'A massive thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way, teammates, coaches, medical staff, and especially my family.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Nathan Sweeney in action for Scotland U18 against a Scotland Club XV at Bridgehaugh in 2019. | SNS Group/SRU
Scotsman
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Two Scots in 2025 Women's Six Nations Team of the Championship
Helen Nelson helped Scotland beat Ireland at the weekend. | SNS Group / SRU Back-rower and stand-off fly the Saltire in composite side Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Two Scots have been named in the 2025 Women's Six Nations Team of the Championship following a public vote. Back-row forward Evie Gallagher and stand-off Helen Nelson are the two representatives from Bryan Easson's squad to make the side. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Grand Slam winners England supply four players and runners-up France also provide four, including sisters Manaé and Teani Feleu. There are three from Ireland and two from Italy but no representative from Wales who lost all five games to take the wooden spoon. Helen Nelson helped Scotland beat Ireland at the weekend. | SNS Group / SRU Organisers said 12,639 voted to decide the top player in each position, a 406 per cent increase in participation compared to 2024. Gallagher and Nelson's inclusion comes after a campaign which saw Scotland beat Wales and Ireland but lose to France, Italy and England. Scotland's Evie Gallagher is in the Guinness Women's Six Nations team of the championship. | SNS Group / SRU Gallagher topped the charts for defensive rucks hit (38) and breakdown steals (11), averaging 3.2 turnovers per game, almost twice as many as the next best player (Abbie Fleming of Wales, on 1.7). She also contributed in attack, with 44 carries and six offloads. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Nelson won twice as many turnovers - six - as the other stand-offs in the tournament combined. She also beat the most defenders - nine - and made the most passes - 126 - of any Six Nations fly-half this year. The shortlist of nominees for the 2025 Guinness Player of the Championship will be announced soon, said organisers. 2025 Women's Six Nations Team of the Championship:
Scotsman
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
10-cap Scotland international joins England coaching group for summer tour
Steve Borthwick announces two additions to backroom team for trip to Argentina and USA Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Byron McGuigan, the former Scotland international, will be part of England's coaching team for their summer tour to Argentina and the United States. Byron McGuigan, right, with captain Greig Laidlaw after Scotland had retained the Calcutta Cup at Twickenham in 2019. | SNS Group/SRU The Rugby Football Union announced on Monday that the 35-year-old, currently defence coach at Sale Sharks, will work alongside Joe El-Abd as assistant defence coach on the July tour. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad England are to play a two-Test series against Argentina and will then travel to the United States to face the USA Eagles in Washington DC. Byron McGuigan, right, with captain Greig Laidlaw after Scotland had retained the Calcutta Cup at Twickenham in 2019. | SNS Group/SRU Lee Blackett will also join Steve Borthwick's coaching team for the tour. Currently Bath's attack coach, Blackett will step in to replace Richard Wigglesworth while he is on duty as an assistant coach with the British & Irish Lions in Australia. McGuigan and Blackett will return to their clubs after the tour. 'Lee and Byron will be excellent additions to our coaching group this summer,' said England head coach Borthwick. Capped 10 times in dark blue, McGuigan played against England in the memorable 2019 Six Nations clash at Twickenham which ended in a 38-38 draw after Scotland had trailed 31-0. The result meant Gregor Townsend's side retained the Calcutta Cup. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scotland's Byron McGuigan takes on England's Manu Tuilagi at Twickenham in 2019. | SNS Group/SRU McGuigan, who played in the centre and on the wing, was born in Walvis Bay – then a South African exclave, but part of modern-day Namibia – and grew up in Cape Town. He had a spell with Glasgow Warriors but played most of his club rugby in England, with Exeter Chiefs and Sale Sharks. He made his Scotland debut against New Zealand as a second-half replacement in autumn 2017. A week later he made his first Test start and scored two tries in a 53-24 win over Australia at Murrayfield. He announced his retirement from playing in 2023.
Scotsman
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
'Proud, so proud' - Scotland beat Ireland in highly charged Six Nations triumph
Fran McGhie seals dramatic win on final weekend of championship Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Bryan Easson admitted his emotions got the better of him following Scotland's 26-19 victory over Ireland as they closed out their 2025 Guinness Women's Six Nations campaign with a dramatic victory. Scotland's Evie Wells, left, and Chloe Rollie celebrate after the win over Ireland in the Guinness Women's Six Nations at Hive Stadium in Edinburgh. | SNS Group / SRU Fran McGhie went over with the clock in the red to seal the win at Hive Stadium, with Lana Skeldon, Emma Orr and Rachel McLachlan also crossing the whitewash for the home side. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The visitors enjoyed a stronger start to the game in Edinburgh and pulled ahead early through Amee-Leigh Costigan's try before Scotland found their spark. Scotland's Evie Wells, left, and Chloe Rollie celebrate after the win over Ireland in the Guinness Women's Six Nations at Hive Stadium in Edinburgh. | SNS Group / SRU Scott Bemand's Irish side came from behind to draw level twice in the second half but an emphatic defensive performance from Scotland held them at bay to secure the win, in what was a moving victory on home ground for Easson. "It was extremely emotional," he said. "I don't know what the possession stats were but we had to fight to get everything that we got. "Defensively, we were absolutely outstanding, some of the turnovers. Then to have the skill to score. We deserved everything we got today because of the fight and the heart in that team performance. I can't tell you what I felt at the end there." Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scotland had only 38 per cent of possession compared to Ireland's 62 per cent in the final statistics and victory for the home side means that they end their 2025 Guinness Women's Six Nations campaign with two wins from five, having also downed Wales 24-21 in round one. A tough 59-7 loss to England last week, coming on the heels of a home defeat to Italy, was a knock to their confidence with one game left to play. Easson revealed his pride in his team's fight to return to their best and close their campaign in style. "I think we've had a couple of difficult performances during the Six Nations but we did a review last week after the England game and as soon as the game was finished, we drew a line under it," he said. "As soon as we got off the flight last week, it was all about this week. "It was all about fighting for each other." Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad McLachlan was named player of the match in Scotland, racking up an impressive 62 metres carried to top the standings. Player of the match Rachel McLachlan scores for Scotland in the 26-19 win over Ireland in the Guinness Women's Six Nations match in Edinburgh. | SNS Group / SRU The flanker was also the recipient of a Chloe Rollie offload to dot down in the corner on the hour, with Helen Nelson's conversion making it a seven-point lead for the home team. And following the match, McLachlan echoed Easson's pride in their performance. "Proud, so proud," she said. "There's been some down bits in this campaign for us. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad "We wanted to come out and show heart and pride in the jersey at home and I think we did exactly that. "We pride ourselves on our work and I think we really showed that. We came into this game with belief and we continued to believe throughout. "We picked ourselves up and just kept going. We knew we had it in us." England, meanwhile, claimed a seventh successive Guinness Women's Six Nations title but subjected Allianz Stadium to a white knuckle ride in a ragged 43-42 victory over France. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The home side raced to a 31-7 lead inside half an hour with Emma Sing crossing twice, but their early conviction vanished as France woke up to the opportunity before them in the Grand Slam decider. England's early onslaught of tries had provided enough of a cushion to weather the fightback staged by the underdogs, who thrived off a sharp offloading game from their forwards and ingenuity in attack. It completed a fourth consecutive Grand Slam and registered their 55th win in 56 Tests, but there were frailties on show across the park that will encourage their rivals ahead of the home World Cup in August and September.
Borneo Post
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Borneo Post
Sarawak to send 28-strong team for inaugural women's category at national rugby tourney
The Sarawak Rugby team members and coach Stephen Patrick (front left) are seen at the Unimas synthetic rugby field. KUCHING (April 25): The Sarawak Rugby Union (SRU) will be sending a 28-member team to compete in the inaugural women's category of the MSNS-KRS Rugby League in Klang, Selangor from tomorrow until July 7. The competition, supported by the federal Ministry of Youth and Sports and Malaysia Rugby, is jointly organised by the Selangor Sports Council (MSNS) and Selangor Rugby Union (KRS). The objectives of this event are providing a consistent platform for rugby players to compete at a high level and test their mettle; identifying talent and selecting players to represent Team Selangor in the men's 15s senior squad and the women's 10s senior squad; and reviving women's 15s rugby, which has struggled with exposure due to a lack of tournaments in Malaysia. Matches will be staged at Padang Astaka, Petaling Jaya, while the finals will be held at Sultan Suleiman Stadium on July 7. Sarawak Rugby is one of the five teams taking part in the women's competition, together with Cobra Venom, ATM, UPNM Barbarians, and KL Tiger RFC. They will kick off their campaign against ATM on April 26, play UPNM Barbarians on May 3, followed by Cobra Venom on May 10, and complete their league game against KL Tigers RFC on May 17. The semifinals will be held on June 14, while the final will be on June 21. Sarawak Rugby is strengthened by Cuthberta Entai, Josie Mavcellina Gone, and Stancy Ling Enggan who have played for Malaysia. In preparing their challenge in the MSNS-KRS competition, the Sarawak Rugby team has been training at the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) synthetic rugby field since April 14. SRU is grateful to Unimas for providing the use of the synthetic rugby field on weekdays from 4pm to 6pm until the end of the league. Selangor Rugby and SRU will also collaborate in knowledge-sharing, in which SRU will send its officials including match officials, medical personnel, and secretariat staff on a weekly basis to participate in organising the league. This collaboration aims to increase the pool of trained personnel and elevate the quality of tournament organisation. Meanwhile, the men's competition will feature six teams in Division I: KL Tigers RFC, RMAF Blackhawk, Cobra, UiTM Lions, RSC K9s, and ARC Knight. There will be four teams in Division II: SMS Old Boys, Rhinoz Warriors, Cobra Stings, and KL Tiger RFC. lead MSNS-KRS Rugby League Sarawak Rugby Union women's rugby
