Finally, some current, compelling, up-to-date rugby to marvel at, rather than the endless doses of rugby nostalgia that have been served up to beat the boredom during lockdown.
You have to take your hats off to New Zealand for the way in which they have not only handled the coronavirus crisis, but also the way in which they have gone about getting rugby back on the field. It means Dunedin could claim a world-first next weekend – the first top-class, live sporting event with spectators since Covid-19 shut down global sport.
Everyone is expecting the New Zealand prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, to give the go-ahead for their country to move to ‘Level 1’ this week – no restrictions on gatherings – which will mean fans will be able to buy tickets to the game. It is bound to turn into a match of national and international significance – with Warren Gatland’s Chiefs in the middle of it all!
The Highlanders host the Chiefs in the first game of Super Rugby Aotearoa in Dunedin on June 13. The Blues meet the Hurricanes the following day in Auckland.
WRU boss Martyn Phillips talked last week about keeping a watching brief on what is going on in the rest of the sporting world before formulating a return to play plan for Welsh rugby. Let’s hope everything goes well and we can start planning for our players to safely return sooner rather than later.
Bu hikaye The Rugby Paper dergisinin June 07, 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye The Rugby Paper dergisinin June 07, 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Ten-try Chiefs show Pirates no mercy
TEN-TRY Exeter inflicted the backlash from six successive defeats in their worst ever start to a Premiership season on a young Pirates side suffering their own problems in the Championship.
South America look to keep on building
AS Sebastián Piñeyrúa's historic six-year term as President of Rugby Sudamérica comes to an end, his replacement shows no signs of slowing down.
Scarratt excited by new pathway
ENGLAND centurion Emily Scarratt is delighted with the new women's BUCS programme which aims to provide a smoother pathway for young aspiring female players.
Baxter: I want to make things better
ROB Baxter will not be walking away from Exeter, the only club still looking for a Premiership victory this season, believing he can get the Chiefs back on track and he cannot bear the thought of anyone else doing the job.
Pearce walks in his father's footsteps
PADDY Pearce is living a dream after emulating his father and great-uncle by playing for the club he supported as a boy, Bristol.
New England group will cause uncertainty
SO JUST when we thought that everything was getting sorted between the RFU, the clubs and players, a number of new agreements and a new group raises its head.
Galthie turns his sights to the future
FRANCE head coach Fabien Galthie offered the clearest hint yet of Les Bleus' future on Wednesday, when he released 19 players back F to their clubs for the ninth and final Top 14 round before the international break.
Gilmore has tightened up our defence - Anderson
CAMERON Anderson has hailed the impact made by defence coach Jason Gilmore, below, since he arrived at The Stoop in the summer.
Ampthill given 11-try lesson in class from Bath
BATH secured a thumping away success in the opening match of their Premiership Rugby Cup campaign against Ampthill at Dillingham Park.
New faces take the plaudits for Saints
NORTHAMPTON handed out a thorough lesson to a tame Leicester team in this one-sided East Midlands derby to launch the Premiership Cup.
