The News Review:
- Heineken Cup reaching knockout stage
- When Magners goes sour…
- England’s Tom Rees may miss Six Nations
- Toulouse Cardiff and Harlequins: The three to beat in the …
- Scarlets boss seeks new recruits
Heineken Cup reaching knockout stage
Emerald Rugby UK
Leinster are three points clear of the former double Heineken Cup champions in Pool 2 and Wasps will need the points from their Twickenham showdown on 17 January 2009 to stay in the hunt. And Wasps saw out 2008 by announcing that advance sales for the key contest had broken the 20000 barrier. Tony Copsey the Wasps Chief Executive fficer said: “We are delighted to cross the 20000 mark. There is clearly a great interest in this game and by taking it to Twickenham we know that both Wasps and Leinster supporters can enjoy a huge rugby occasion.
When Magners goes sour…
Irish Independent Ireland
ie Web Search Tuesday January 06 2009TRAWLING through the record books for Magners League matches to compare with Munster’s Thomond Park reverse last Saturday really puts the 37-11 defeat in context. The nature of the league’s secondary status in relation to Munster’s Heineken Cup priorities mean defeats are not hard to find but none of them nearly as comprehensive as the one meted out by Matt Williams’ men. Indeed in nearly every case Munster were in with a shout of victory — even with weakened teams — something they could not claim last weekend. April 16 04 Musgrave PkMunster 17 (Holland 4 pens; Payne try)Edinburgh 28 (Blackadder Southwell Hogg Strokosch tries; Warnock 2 pens con) Both teams had played Heineken cup quarter-finals the previous weekend when Munster won a high-scoring tense tussle with Stade Francais in Thomond Park and Edinburgh had been downed in Toulouse. Alan Gaffney fielded just four of his Heineken Cup team but the home side were still favourites against a team that had not won a league game in two months. However Jason Holland kept the home side in touch with four penalties but they were dominated up front with veteran All Black Todd Blackadder to the fore.
England’s Tom Rees may miss Six Nations
Telegraph.co.uk United Kingdom
Rees’ misfortune also enhances the prospects of London Irish’s Steffon Armitage being promoted to the senior squad. Rees’ absence will be felt sharply at Wasps. They have won five of their past six games to give themselves some sort of prospects in both the Premiership and the Heineken Cup. The English champions have had a faltering season and are looking to make a push over the next month in both competitions. Wasps have a make-or-break Heineken Cup game against Leinster at Twickenham on Saturday week. “It is gutting given that we’ve got a big few weeks coming up” Rees said. “I’ll just have to get on with things.
Related from Golf-monster: Mauna Kea Golf Course gets a facelift from tee to green
Toulouse Cardiff and Harlequins: The three to beat in the …
Sportingo Israel
The 24 sides involved this year – seven from France six from England four Welsh three Irish two from Scotland and two Italian – are split into six pools who combat home and away over six rounds spread between ctober and January. The quarter-finals are in April semis in May and this season’s final will be decided on May 23 at Murrayfield in Edinburgh. Sale and especially Clermont are both in good form in the GP and T14 being in the top four of their respective leagues – with the latter already beating the Stags 25-19 this season. The upcoming game at Twickenham will decide the automatic qualifier.
Scarlets boss seeks new recruits
BBC News UK
we inherited this squad and we have to drive things forward. The Scarlets have no chance of advancing from the Heineken Cup pool stage with two rounds still to play drawing one and losing three of their matches so far. The west Wales region is also out of the EDF Cup pipped to a semi-final place by Northampton Saints and now have just the Magners League to concentrate on. A mitigating factor has been a string of injuries with the likes of Dafydd James Gavin Evans Rob Higgitt Kees Meeuws and Gavin Thomas all missing with long-term problems.