A former coach of one of the world's great rugby teams has called for the scrum to be scrapped as concerns mount over the number of severe injuries plaguing the game. The cynics might conclude they too were stabbed in the back by their own kind - the brutes inside them, no less - although at least England live to fight another day and there will be other battles for Tindall and Noon to state their worth.. Alas, there was as much chance of Caesar climbing to the top of those senate stairs as Mike Tindall and Jamie Noon hurling themselves to the forefront of England's attacking consciousness. This was supposed to be a proving afternoon for the English midfield, the sunny Rome day when an unfabled partnership would waltz through the Eternal City's ruins to construct their own case to take on the world. Outside, the pitch lay pristine and verdant in the late winter sunshine. Inside, a poster advertised Freddie Flintoff versus the Pakistanis in the far-off summer.
And one of the rugby boys, Gareth Thomas, known to all as Alfie, was getting his knickers in a twist over a programme article he had read on the loo It was a pretty, yet pretty confusing, picture.. The setting for the Wales team's press interviews last week was Sophia Gardens, the Cardiffian home to Glamorgan County Cricket Club. "I have known him since he was this high," Hadden said, his hand hovering a couple of feet above the carpet of the president's suite at Murray-field "He's my sister-in- law's nephew.". Frank Hadden was a fan of Sean Lamont long before the bottle-blond wing provided a bolt from the blue in scoring both Scotland's tries in the brilliant victory over France, one of them from a crushing rolling maul that threatened to trundle down Princes Street. As it happened he was back at home by 8.30pm, getting ready for bed. The Edinburgh scrum-half had good reason to stop the wave of euphoria getting anywhere near his wounded head..
"Nah, it's OK," he insisted, making light of the gash on his left temple. His speed of thought and sureness of hand would help any player and the flick back he executed in the 34th minute when chasing a ball to the touchline at full speed not only ensured the fourth Saints try but also the raising of every bum in the ground from its seat.. Blair had much to celebrate in the aftermath of Scotland's stunning championship opener against France: the brilliant performance, the winning result, and his own inspirational part in it all. Four days on from that champagne Murrayfield moment, the final whistle last Sunday that had the corks popping all over Scotland, Mike Blair still had a sore head Or so it seemed.
They are Harlequins RL, enjoying exactly the same facilities at their hugely improved Stoop ground, and they will no doubt contribute some ideas to the union team. Why not? The games have been getting closer for years and anyone with the slightest interest in rugby in any form would have been thrilled to witness Jamie Lyon of St Helens. Resplendent they were in the world famous Harlequins quartered shirt but these boys were not "fancy dans" playing the oval ball game like a bunch of toffs as one northern wit put it, but the latest incarnation of a professional rugby league side in London. No longer the London Broncos, they have joined with Harlequins Rugby Club to offer Londoners all year round rugby from both codes and, importantly, they have done so under the same brand. Laurent Frayssinous kicked the goal that put them ahead and then, in the last minute, Justin Murphy got the final touch to a loose ball over the line.. Hull's coach, John Kear, praised his side for countering the emotion of the occasion as they crashed Castleford's engage Super League homecoming party last night. The majority of a 10,188 crowd went home unhappy as Hull raised the curtain of Super League XI with a polished 42-18 win - their first opening day victory since winning at Wakefield in 2003..