Scrumbag

Just when you thought the rules of rugby couldn't get more confusing... in comes "the white card"

I've seen red, yellow, orange, blue and green cards before, and have little idea what most of them do. But now some important bald men in South Africa want to introduce a "white card" into the game.

Apparently, "The white card innovation allows captains to challenge a decision by the referee, who will then refer the matter to the television match official." Sounds bonkers? Well it is.

Each captain may lodge one appeal in each half by showing a white card. Where they keep this white card nobody seems to know. As if that wasn't confusing enough, the rules continue with more lunacy. "If the television match official rules that the referee made a mistake or that the referee overlooked an infringement, the captain will have another one chance to use the white card in that half."

Next week: we'll be introducing the taupe card (wave the taupe card and it cancels the daft action of the white card).

Mentalist Trevor Brennan has ban cut to five years

In quite the most pointless appeal in the history of the game, level-headed Trevor Brennan has had his lifetime ban cut to five years.  The fact that the former milkman retired in the summer, thus they could ban him until the end of the life of Earth as we know it and it would not make any difference seems to have escaped everyone involved.

Brennan will now concentrate his time on punching people who frequent his bar in Toulouse if they say the pint needs topping up, or something else he could misconstrue as an insult to his family. [Lee C] [Iamge: Getty]

Danny Grewcock in disciplinary trouble - AGAIN!!

Mild-mannered England second-row and all round gentle soul Danny Grewcock has been banned for six weeks after thumping a Frenchman in the European Challenge cup final. 

This move could effectively rule Grewcock out of the World Cup as it renders him unavailable for the opening two encounters of England's campaign.  I doubt that Brian Ashton will want to clog his squad up with a 34-year-old disciplinary liability who can't even play for two games, and is then highly likely to get banned again for the next two.  [lee c] [Image: Getty]

Six Nations Final Weekend Preview: Italy vs Ireland

The first contender for the title taking to the field will be Eddie O'Sullivan's Ireland.  They've blown hot and cold this season, winning comfortably if unimpressively in Wales, losing a heart-breaker to France, walloping England at Croke Park and, most recently, squeezing past Scotland in a barely-deserved win last Saturday.  The Stadio Flaminio, while not a fortress as such (ask France), is a tough place to go these days, and in a game Ireland simply cannot afford not to win they will not be handed anything on a plate.

The hosts are without the talismanic Mauro Bergamasco.  Flanker, centre, scorer of vital tries, Ireland will be glad he's banned for this one.  All the more so considering that Bergamasco popped up to score the winning try against Wales while filling in at outside-centre for the gifted Gonzalo Canale.  Canale's injury has not healed in time, and the aforementioned duo are replaced by Maurizio Zaffiri and Ezio Galon.  It won't make it easy for the Irish, but things would have been a lot tougher with particularly Bergamasco in the line-up.  His brother, Mirco, is fit and will play, and may well be the Italian danger man.

For Ireland, there is good news and bad.  Lock Paul O'Connell misses out with a broken thumb and is replaced by Mick O'Driscoll, a nuggety, tough forward who can also play in the back row.  Marcus Horan, though, seems to have come through this week's training safe and sound and will add his mobility from loose-head.  In the backs, it's same as it ever was, with the Leinster back five selected en bloc behind the Munster half-backs.  Ronan O'Gara has recovered from Scotland's cheeky asphyxiation tactic and may yet add to the three tries he has already scored this year, a personal Six Nations best from a player who is improving into arguably the Northern Hemisphere's most valuable outside half.

Six Nations Final Weekend Preview: The permutations

Three games, three potential champions:  This weekend really couldn't have gone much better for the Six Nations schedulers.  Points difference is such that France are currently in the box seat, with a four-point gap to Ireland and twenty-nine to England.  All of which means that should France win, Ireland will need to have bettered their margin of victory by five, and/or England do so by thirty to lift the trophy.  Should Scotland spring a shock in Paris while Ireland win in Rome, England will need to better Ireland's margin by twenty-six, while if Ireland and France both come a cropper, any England win would secure Brian Ashton's men the title.  If points difference is equal between two or three teams, then the title will go to the team that has scored most tries getting there, with an honourable mention going to the statisticians.  The try count so far?  It goes thusly:  France 9, Ireland 9, England 8.

Anyone wondering how they can possibly keep track of all this need never fear - we're live-blogging tomorrow and will keep you posted of how each score affects the state of play in this year's Six Nations running.  Never let it be said we're not good to you.

Ireland claim Ronan O'Gara was "choked"

Following the final whistle in the torrid Scotland vs. Ireland game, Ireland fly-half Ronan O'Gara spent several minutes on the field surrounded by medical staff. The injury - which the BBC speculated was a shoulder problem - subdued the triumphant Ireland team and although O'Gara got up, he looked visibly shaken.

An explanation for what happened has now been offered, and boy is it a controversial one. Ireland head coach Eddie O'Sullivan has told the press that O'Gara was "choked" by a Scottish player as he lay at the bottom of a ruck. O'Sullivan hinted that it is known which Scottish player was responsible, but added: "When there is no evidence on the television, unless the guy puts up his hand nothing is going to happen."

The SRU, meanwhile, have issued a blanket statement of innocent by saying: "We refute absolutely any allegation of any foul play at the end of the game."

Well something definitely happened. Here's hoping the truth will out during the week.

England name much-changed team for France clash

England's injury woe has continued, with it being revealed that three key players will definitely miss Sunday's Le Crunch against champions-elect France. Phil Vickery is out following incident with Bristol's Jason Hobson, Jonny Wilkinson is out also, as is Andy Farrell. The only good news is that Jason Robinson has recovered from his neck injury and is fit to play.

Brian Ashton has been forced to name a side with no less than 10 changes, two of which are positional. Martin Corry shifts from the back row to the second, while Josh Lewsey moves to fullback (writer's note: I have always thought these two are better in these positions). But the big news is the selection of Mike Catt (hurrah!); the London Irish man, who at 36 is playing amazing rugby, not only returns to the England side but has been named as captain, too.

Full side behind the cut.

England team: J Lewsey (Wasps); D Strettle (Harlequins), M Tindall (Gloucester), M Catt (London Irish), J Robinson (Sale); T Flood (Newcastle), H Ellis (Leicester); T Payne (Wasps), G Chuter (Leicester), J White (Leicester), M Corry (Leicester), T Palmer (Wasps), J Worsley (Wasps), T Rees (Wasps), N Easter (Harlequins).
Replacements: L Mears (Bath), S Turner (Sale), L Deacon (Leicester), M Lund (Sale), S Perry (Bristol), S Geraghty (London Irish), M Tait (Newcastle).                    

Bristol's Jason Hobson cited for alleged Vickery punch

Bristol prop Jason Hobson has been cited following an alleged punch on England captain Phil Vickery. The incident, which took place at the weekend, has ruled Vickery out of England's forthcoming Six Nations game against France and handed the captains' armband to returning warrior Mike Catt.

Hobson has already been banned for a fortnight by his club and will face a full RFU hearing a week on Tuesday.

Trevor Brennan faces lengthy ban

Toulouse's Irish forward Trevor Brennan may have played his last professional game after a particularly savage case of the red mist in yesterday's Heineken Cup pool game against Ulster.  In a case which has left European rugby mystified, Brennan took it upon himself to remonstrate with a fan who, according to witnesses, was doling out some good-natured ribbing about De Danu, Brennan's Irish bar which had been visited by numerous travelling Ulster fans the previous night. 

The lock forward, according to BBC Northern Ireland's Julian Fowler, proceeded to physically attack the Ulster fan:  "A number of the Ulster supporters started to chant, 'Your pub's a load of rubbish'. 'Rubbish' wasn't exactly the word they used but it wasn't that much more offensive that that.  He (Brennan) turned towards the crowd and climbed over a barrier and walked up the steps towards the eighth row where this fan was sitting.  There was a sustained, repeated attack and I saw at least half a dozen if not more punches using both fists, being rained down on this Ulster supporter.  The supporter was just a young fellow with a group of friends and I wouldn't have said that he was in any way drunk or aggressive."

Toulouse police have described the incident as "a private matter between two people" adding that they "don't know what all the fuss is about".  Brennan, who is thirty-three years of age, will now have to await the outcome of the ERC enquiry into the incident, which must be a lengthy ban.  Should this ban be more than a year long, the chances are that the player, who has failed to make Eddie O'Sullivan's Irish squads in recent times, will call time on a career that up until now had been notable for his brilliant, versatile if aggressive forward play.

Rob Hoadley of Wasps Banned.

Those naughty Wabbies have been at it again... An RFU disciplinary panel has banned Wasps centre Rob Hoadley for three weeks following stamping whilst playing against Leicester on April 22nd. Hoadley pleaded guilty to the offence. He will be free to play again on May 16th, meaning he will miss Wasps final game of the season and a semi-final of the Guinness Premiership. If Wasps do make the final, he would be availble for selection.

Yes, if...

(Am I more annoyed because I'm a Tigers fan? Well, yes. Duh).

Danny Grewcock in disciplinary trouble - AGAIN!!

Mild-mannered England second-row and all round gentle soul Danny Grewcock has been banned for six weeks after thumping a Frenchman in the European Challenge cup final. 

This move could effectively rule Grewcock out of the World Cup as it renders him unavailable for the opening two encounters of England's campaign.  I doubt that Brian Ashton will want to clog his squad up with a 34-year-old disciplinary liability who can't even play for two games, and is then highly likely to get banned again for the next two.  [lee c] [Image: Getty]

Six Nations Final Weekend Preview: Italy vs Ireland

The first contender for the title taking to the field will be Eddie O'Sullivan's Ireland.  They've blown hot and cold this season, winning comfortably if unimpressively in Wales, losing a heart-breaker to France, walloping England at Croke Park and, most recently, squeezing past Scotland in a barely-deserved win last Saturday.  The Stadio Flaminio, while not a fortress as such (ask France), is a tough place to go these days, and in a game Ireland simply cannot afford not to win they will not be handed anything on a plate.

The hosts are without the talismanic Mauro Bergamasco.  Flanker, centre, scorer of vital tries, Ireland will be glad he's banned for this one.  All the more so considering that Bergamasco popped up to score the winning try against Wales while filling in at outside-centre for the gifted Gonzalo Canale.  Canale's injury has not healed in time, and the aforementioned duo are replaced by Maurizio Zaffiri and Ezio Galon.  It won't make it easy for the Irish, but things would have been a lot tougher with particularly Bergamasco in the line-up.  His brother, Mirco, is fit and will play, and may well be the Italian danger man.

For Ireland, there is good news and bad.  Lock Paul O'Connell misses out with a broken thumb and is replaced by Mick O'Driscoll, a nuggety, tough forward who can also play in the back row.  Marcus Horan, though, seems to have come through this week's training safe and sound and will add his mobility from loose-head.  In the backs, it's same as it ever was, with the Leinster back five selected en bloc behind the Munster half-backs.  Ronan O'Gara has recovered from Scotland's cheeky asphyxiation tactic and may yet add to the three tries he has already scored this year, a personal Six Nations best from a player who is improving into arguably the Northern Hemisphere's most valuable outside half.

Six Nations Final Weekend Preview: The permutations

Three games, three potential champions:  This weekend really couldn't have gone much better for the Six Nations schedulers.  Points difference is such that France are currently in the box seat, with a four-point gap to Ireland and twenty-nine to England.  All of which means that should France win, Ireland will need to have bettered their margin of victory by five, and/or England do so by thirty to lift the trophy.  Should Scotland spring a shock in Paris while Ireland win in Rome, England will need to better Ireland's margin by twenty-six, while if Ireland and France both come a cropper, any England win would secure Brian Ashton's men the title.  If points difference is equal between two or three teams, then the title will go to the team that has scored most tries getting there, with an honourable mention going to the statisticians.  The try count so far?  It goes thusly:  France 9, Ireland 9, England 8.

Anyone wondering how they can possibly keep track of all this need never fear - we're live-blogging tomorrow and will keep you posted of how each score affects the state of play in this year's Six Nations running.  Never let it be said we're not good to you.

Ireland claim Ronan O'Gara was "choked"

Following the final whistle in the torrid Scotland vs. Ireland game, Ireland fly-half Ronan O'Gara spent several minutes on the field surrounded by medical staff. The injury - which the BBC speculated was a shoulder problem - subdued the triumphant Ireland team and although O'Gara got up, he looked visibly shaken.

An explanation for what happened has now been offered, and boy is it a controversial one. Ireland head coach Eddie O'Sullivan has told the press that O'Gara was "choked" by a Scottish player as he lay at the bottom of a ruck. O'Sullivan hinted that it is known which Scottish player was responsible, but added: "When there is no evidence on the television, unless the guy puts up his hand nothing is going to happen."

The SRU, meanwhile, have issued a blanket statement of innocent by saying: "We refute absolutely any allegation of any foul play at the end of the game."

Well something definitely happened. Here's hoping the truth will out during the week.

England name much-changed team for France clash

England's injury woe has continued, with it being revealed that three key players will definitely miss Sunday's Le Crunch against champions-elect France. Phil Vickery is out following incident with Bristol's Jason Hobson, Jonny Wilkinson is out also, as is Andy Farrell. The only good news is that Jason Robinson has recovered from his neck injury and is fit to play.

Brian Ashton has been forced to name a side with no less than 10 changes, two of which are positional. Martin Corry shifts from the back row to the second, while Josh Lewsey moves to fullback (writer's note: I have always thought these two are better in these positions). But the big news is the selection of Mike Catt (hurrah!); the London Irish man, who at 36 is playing amazing rugby, not only returns to the England side but has been named as captain, too.

Full side behind the cut.

England team: J Lewsey (Wasps); D Strettle (Harlequins), M Tindall (Gloucester), M Catt (London Irish), J Robinson (Sale); T Flood (Newcastle), H Ellis (Leicester); T Payne (Wasps), G Chuter (Leicester), J White (Leicester), M Corry (Leicester), T Palmer (Wasps), J Worsley (Wasps), T Rees (Wasps), N Easter (Harlequins).
Replacements: L Mears (Bath), S Turner (Sale), L Deacon (Leicester), M Lund (Sale), S Perry (Bristol), S Geraghty (London Irish), M Tait (Newcastle).                    

Bristol's Jason Hobson cited for alleged Vickery punch

Bristol prop Jason Hobson has been cited following an alleged punch on England captain Phil Vickery. The incident, which took place at the weekend, has ruled Vickery out of England's forthcoming Six Nations game against France and handed the captains' armband to returning warrior Mike Catt.

Hobson has already been banned for a fortnight by his club and will face a full RFU hearing a week on Tuesday.

Trevor Brennan faces lengthy ban

Toulouse's Irish forward Trevor Brennan may have played his last professional game after a particularly savage case of the red mist in yesterday's Heineken Cup pool game against Ulster.  In a case which has left European rugby mystified, Brennan took it upon himself to remonstrate with a fan who, according to witnesses, was doling out some good-natured ribbing about De Danu, Brennan's Irish bar which had been visited by numerous travelling Ulster fans the previous night. 

The lock forward, according to BBC Northern Ireland's Julian Fowler, proceeded to physically attack the Ulster fan:  "A number of the Ulster supporters started to chant, 'Your pub's a load of rubbish'. 'Rubbish' wasn't exactly the word they used but it wasn't that much more offensive that that.  He (Brennan) turned towards the crowd and climbed over a barrier and walked up the steps towards the eighth row where this fan was sitting.  There was a sustained, repeated attack and I saw at least half a dozen if not more punches using both fists, being rained down on this Ulster supporter.  The supporter was just a young fellow with a group of friends and I wouldn't have said that he was in any way drunk or aggressive."

Toulouse police have described the incident as "a private matter between two people" adding that they "don't know what all the fuss is about".  Brennan, who is thirty-three years of age, will now have to await the outcome of the ERC enquiry into the incident, which must be a lengthy ban.  Should this ban be more than a year long, the chances are that the player, who has failed to make Eddie O'Sullivan's Irish squads in recent times, will call time on a career that up until now had been notable for his brilliant, versatile if aggressive forward play.

Rob Hoadley of Wasps Banned.

Those naughty Wabbies have been at it again... An RFU disciplinary panel has banned Wasps centre Rob Hoadley for three weeks following stamping whilst playing against Leicester on April 22nd. Hoadley pleaded guilty to the offence. He will be free to play again on May 16th, meaning he will miss Wasps final game of the season and a semi-final of the Guinness Premiership. If Wasps do make the final, he would be availble for selection.

Yes, if...

(Am I more annoyed because I'm a Tigers fan? Well, yes. Duh).

Citing & Ban News.

Leeds Tykes have suspended Welsh international Richard Parks following his sending off against Wasps on March 26th. He was red carded for "dissent" in the shambolic loss for Leeds. Director Phil Davies said: "We cannot condone Richard's actions and have imposed our own two-week ban and await the verdict of the RFU's disciplinary panel."

The panel will be held on April 4th.

In other news, Gloucester are to contest the three week ban imposed on prop Terry Sigley. The original ban ruled him out of Gloucester's European Challenge Cup game against Brive. They hope to have him available for that game.

Gloucester's Sigley Banned.

Gloucester prop Terry Sigley has been banned for three weeks for stamping on an opponent. The incident happened against Bristol and Sigley was sent off at the time. He pleaded not guilty to the charge but was found guilty by a three-man panel.

He will be available for selection from April 19th.