Rugby union: talking points from the weekend’s action
1 decade ago by The GuardianWeary Haskell in need of pre-World Cup break, Leicester are in their element and London Welsh can yet grow into an attraction proposition• Glasgow secure Pro12 top spot and home advantage with defeat...
Loose lips put Danny Cipriani’s hope of World Cup place in peril
1 decade ago by The TimesExeter Chiefs 44 Sale Sharks 16 Danny Cipriani picked a bad time to run his mouth off. Wayne Barnes, the referee who dismissed Dylan Hartley for swearing at him during the 2013 Aviva Premiership Final,...
Chris Ashton sends Stuart Lancaster a reminder of his finishing ability
1 decade ago by The TimesLondon Welsh 17 Saracens 68 Chris Ashton has never given up hope of resurrecting his England career and is keeping his fingers crossed that his four tries for Saracens against London Welsh on Saturday...
Danny Cipriani caught swearing at referee four days before England World Cup training squad is named
1 decade ago by Telegraph Rugby NewsDanny Cipriani’s sense of timing, usually so immaculate, was badly off beat on Saturday when he was caught swearing at Wayne Barnes in Sale’s defeat against Exeter Chiefs. Coming four days before...
Chris Ashton running hot as Saracens are relaxed and ready for Northampton
1 decade ago by The Guardian• Wing finishes regular season three tries behind Exeter No8 Thomas Waldrom• Resounding win sets up play-off trip to Ashton’s former club Northampton• Saracens overwhelm London Welsh to pip Exeter...
Rob Baxter draws on positive numbers as Exeter beat Sale but miss play-offs
1 decade ago by The Guardian• Chiefs narrowly miss out on play-off place but dwell on positives of victory• Rob Baxter: ‘Our supporters are getting used to seeing us not just win but win well’• Exeter agony as Sale are...
London Welsh 17 Saracens 68, match report: Ruthless finishing boosts Chris Ashton's World Cup hopes
1 decade ago by The TelegraphIt feels like a lifetime ago that Chris Ashton finished the last World Cup as the joint top try-scorer despite England’s woeful campaign. A hat-trick of tries against Romania, two against Georgia...
Aviva Premiership big four battle on but Exeter and Wasps close in
1 decade ago by The TelegraphSo, the predictable ‘big four’ will contest the Aviva Premiership play‑offs after all. Though Exeter fell agonisingly short of reaching their first play-off game, the way they have conducted...
Big win not enough for Chiefs
1 decade ago by Rugby 365A Matt Jess double helped Exeter Chiefs to an impressive seven-try 44-16 victory over Sale Sharks, but it was not enough to send Rob Baxter's men into the Premiership top four. Jess crossed twice in...
Leicester see off Northampton seconds, clinching 11th consecutive play-off place
1 decade ago by The TelegraphAll as expected here, as Leicester firsts beat Northampton seconds, so that Leicester are through to their 11th consecutive play-off as they finished third in the Aviva Premiership table. They will...
