Alex Lowe

Steve Borthwick’s plans will count for nothing if defence is a rabble The risk with England coach’s new need-for-speed strategy is that lineout could be exposed and it puts a premium on accuracy and discipline in Dublin

Ireland v England.

The launch of Borthwick era 3.0 and what England can learn from the Kansas City Chiefs in their quest to turn narrow defeats into victories:

#IREvENG

Big match preview ⬇️

www.thetimes.com/article/7043...

Siya Kolisi: Hero, sinner, world-changer — an athlete like no other Siya Kolisi icon tells Owen Slot why he’s tired of people celebrating his triumph over childhood struggle, benefiting from therapy and leaving Paris to ‘feel’ his homeland again

Siya Kolisi: Hero, sinner, world-changer — an athlete like no other

Amazing interview with @owenslot.bsky.social in @timessport.bsky.social

www.thetimes.com/article/4796...

RFU hires crisis management firm at £5k a day to fix its image Under-fire governing body employs corporate consulting firm to help it navigate storm caused by perceived excess of the rewards of its own senior staff

Cash-strapped RFU, which made 40+ jobs redundant, is to spend c£100k on a crisis-management firm and £50k on a governance review after the executive pay row triggered an unprecedented grass roots revolt.

Exclusive by @owenslot.bsky.social

www.thetimes.com/sport/rugby-...

Despite council's call for transparency, the RFU will not confirm terms of reference for the execututive pay review.

Will Freshfields examine if the pay structure was appropriate for an NGB? That's key.

Their lawyers can charge up to £1495 p/h. Lots more money out of the game.

What the RFU has tried to dismiss as "media spin", "clickbait" and "speculation" has, at every turn since Bill Sweeney's salary was revealed, been factual reporting.

Tom Ilube resigned today with Bill Beaumont confirmed as interim chairman, as The Times reported would happen.

I am just making the point here that the RFU has not learned anything from its horrible mishandling of the tackle height change. Back then, they ended up promising to 'bring the game with us'. Hasn't really happened.

Jan ‘23: “The RFU apologises for the anger and concern that’s been created among the rugby community. We got the engagement wrong and we are truly sorry."

Dec ‘24: “The RFU council recognises the reputation damage that’s been done…and has called for radical changes to the way the RFU communicates”

Some interesting F1 stats:

- 42% of the total fan base is under 35 years old
- 41% of the fanbase is female vs 37% in 2018
- 16-24-year-old females is the fastest growing age sector

The above is part of the reason F1 has been so attractive commercially

“Under strengths you’ve put cauliflower ears”

It’s the anniversary of this Julian Dicks penalty in 1996.

“Panenkas? Stick ‘em up yer bollocks…”

Mullet, mambas and growing up in the bush: baby Bok who may play for England From shooting black mambas in family closet to fans wanting photos of just his hair, Benhard Janse van Rensburg opens up on remarkable life – and his residency wranglings

Black mambas, Bear country, mullets - and maybe an England future.

Great piece with Benhard Janse Van Rensburg by
Will Kelleher in @timessport.bsky.social

www.thetimes.com/sport/rugby-...

My night with Andy Carroll watching Newcastle-Liverpool in Bordeaux pub Former England forward who went from most expensive British player to fourth tier of French football discusses growing up, loneliness and rediscovering love for the game

'My night with Andy Carroll watching Newcastle-Liverpool in a Bordeaux pub'

Great piece by Martin Hardy in @timessport.bsky.social

www.thetimes.com/sport/footba...

Double 🥇 for Fontaines DC

#spotifywrapped

Hit me up if The Ruck made it onto your Spotify Wrapped podcast list.

@timessport.bsky.social

#spotifywrapped

The RFU president - who initially blamed ‘media clickbait’ for anger over the executive pay row at Twickenham - has woken up to the reality of a grassroots revolt and called an emergency council meeting without Tom Ilube and Bill Sweeney.

t.co/X6P7baoL8j

What impact will the RFU bonuses have on the game? Podcast Episode · The Ruck Rugby Podcast · 02/12/2024 · 1h 3m

🎙️ Tune in to the latest episode of The Ruck as we discuss the RFU’s executive pay row and more.

Twickenham officials dismiss it as media spin and clickbait.

We call it facts and analysis.

Take a listen and decide for yourselves.

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...

What impact will the RFU bonuses have on the game? Podcast Episode · The Ruck Rugby Podcast · 02/12/2024 · 1h 3m

🎙️ Tune in to the latest episode of The Ruck as we discuss the RFU’s executive pay row and more.

Twickenham officials dismiss it as media spin and clickbait.

We call it facts and analysis.

Take a listen and decide for yourselves.

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...

England players angry at bonus paid to ‘hypocritical’ Sweeney Another senior figure says it ‘blows my mind’ that pay for key management personnel almost doubled to £4.9million despite record losses at RFU and poor results

"They are hypocritical"

The RFU exec pay row continues to engulf Twickenham as England players, council members and grassroots clubs react with fury.

www.thetimes.com/sport/rugby-...

Sam Prendergast begins audition for Lions job against Australia Ireland believe they ‘have something special’ in their 21-year-old fly half Sam Prendergast, who has usurped rivals to earn a starting spot against Australia

"Andy Farrell senses Ireland have something special in the oven" - Ronan O'Gara

Sam Prendergast gets his shot today to become Ireland's long-term fly half - and put himself in the mix for the British & Irish Lions.

www.thetimes.com/sport/rugby-...

While we are on specifics buried in the report, it turns out the RFU's Allianz stadium sponsorship deal was £100m spread over 13 years, NOT 10 years.

RFU council members are furious at the latest revelations, buried deep in the annual report, that six execs shared a bonus payout of £1.3m in a year of record losses and redundancies.

Bill Sweeney got £358k. The others an average of £180k each. Based on three-year performance targets.

As @russpetty.bsky.social points out, the RFU has both included and discounted the NZ Tests in July on the same page of its report.

'...notable performances v strong opposition in 6N and tightly fought contests in NZ'

'...win rate of 65% this year, which does not include matches v NZ in July'

2/2

The RFU’s blended ratio strikes again.

In 2021 the RFU was caught double counting England men's games to boost its win percentage.

Now the results of England men and women have been blended to unlock Bill Sweeney’s bonus (in a year of redundancies it’s equivalent to six £60k jobs) 1/2

Bill Sweeney should resign after disgraceful bonus, say ex-RFU leaders Bill Sweeney was paid £1.1m despite overseeing record losses of £34.4m, leading former RFU chiefs to call for chief executive and chairman Tom Ilube to resign

Bill Sweeney should resign after disgraceful bonus, say ex-RFU leaders

✍️ @willgkelleher

www.thetimes.com/article/0eaf...

Bill Sweeney: Cash-strapped RFU pays chief executive record £1.1m The amount is a record for a CEO at a British sporting governing body, at a time when the union is cutting jobs and reducing costs

The RFU will pay Bill Sweeney £1.1million this year — a record for a chief executive at a British sports governing body — at a time when Twickenham is braced for record losses and redundancies

www.thetimes.com/sport/rugby-...

Attacking feast undermined by England’s woeful defence England 59 Japan 14: Lots of points, lots of tries but few important questions answered before the Six Nations, including whether Steve Borthwick should stick with the blitz

England feast on nine tries against Japan but what does it really mean?

Little to learn in attack - but alarm bells sound again over England’s defence.

www.thetimes.com/article/daec...