BORDEAUX-BEGLES PRESIDENT Laurent Marti has expressed his frustration at Adam Ashley-Cooper’s inclusion in Australia’s Rugby Championship squad. Ashley-Cooper’s call-up will ensure he is out of Top 14 action until October, but Marti thought the 32-year-old’s international career was on hold. “Yes, I’m annoyed,” he told Sud-Ouest when quizzed over the back’s Wallabies duties. ”Adam had told me that … Continue reading "Bordeaux-Begles aren’t a bit happy with Adam Ashley-Cooper’s inclusion in the Australia squad"

LEO CULLEN SAID Leinster are “making progress” in their search for a defence coach to succeed the outgoing Kurt McQuilkin, but cooled the links with former Bath boss Mike Ford. The highly-rated and well-respected McQuilkin will return to New Zealand in the coming weeks for personal reasons, leaving Leinster without the most experienced member of … Continue reading "Leinster ‘make progress’ on defence coach as Cullen cools Mike Ford link"

WARREN GATLAND WILL be confirmed as the 2017 Lions head coach in Edinburgh at 12pm this afternoon, allowing the Kiwi to begin plotting the greatest challenge of his coaching career. Beating a wobbly Wallabies outfit in 2013 is on a completely different level to what the Lions will face in New Zealand next summer. Gatland … Continue reading "Taking on the All Blacks is Gatland’s greatest coaching challenge"

SEAN CRONIN WAS no stranger to Joe Schmidt’s axe when he found himself unceremoniously cast aside for the final two weeks of Ireland’s sorry Six Nations campaign. Indeed, an earlier run-in with the Kiwi’s cut-line provides a simple, straightforward template Leinster fans will now hope to see him follow again: the trail he blazed for … Continue reading "Sean Cronin intent on keeping ‘the head down’ for Leinster as he bounces back after Ireland woes"