Wednesday Round-Up

Luther Burrell has revealed his sense of devastation at being left out of England’s Rugby World Cup squad, saying he felt “let down” by the then head coach Stuart Lancaster in an interview with the Telegraph

The Northampton centre, omitted from the 31-man squad when Lancaster opted to pick the rugby league recruit Sam Burgess instead, said he had no sense he was about to be dropped before being told on the morning of 27 August.

“I knew as soon as I walked into the office and saw Stuart’s face, which was hurting, that it was not good news.

"I have huge respect for him as a bloke and for what he has achieved. I know it was a tough decision to make. But he let me down. That’s how I feel about it.

“It was one of the most heartbreaking things in my life … I just didn’t feel I had done anything wrong. I had trained well all summer. I had done for the jersey everything I could. That was the hardest thing for me. I didn’t really listen much to what was being said. There wasn’t even anything about being on standby in case of injury, keeping involved. It was just ‘Boom’.”

Connacht Rugby and the IRFU have announced the extended contract of Ireland international Kieran Marmion. The 23-year-old, who was first capped for Ireland in the summer of 2014, has put pen to paper on a new two-year contract with Connacht Rugby.

Having started out in the Connacht Academy in 2012, Marmion earned his first PRO12 cap for Connacht that September when he lined out against Cardiff Blues in the opening round of the league.

He went on to start every game of the 2012/13 season and was the sole Connacht squad member and only player in the league to do so. Now in his fourth season at the province, the young number 9 has 86 Connacht appearances to his name.

Marmion's new deal will keep him at Connacht until 2018 and he is excited for the years ahead in the west, “I’m delighted to be staying with Connacht Rugby for at least the next two years and I’m looking forward to achieving some big things with the team in that time. I’m really enjoying the rugby we’re playing and the culture we’ve built. It’s a very exciting time to be involved.”