Rugby Banter Page weekly round up

Monday 18th May:

Jamie Roberts Joins Harlequins:

Wales and British & Irish Lions centre Jamie Roberts has ended his two year stint at Racing Metro by agreeing to join Harlequins from next season.

Roberts, 28, is likely to join up with his new-mates after Wales’ campaign in this coming Autumn’s World Cup and Harlequins’ Director of Ruby, Conor O’Shea, believes Roberts will have a significant role to play for the Twickenham Stoop based club.

"The whole club is ecstatic to have signed a player of Jamie's quality," said O'Shea.

"He is massively ambitious to achieve at both club and international level.

"As a role model to all of our players, he will be someone we can all learn from.

Sir Clive Woodward Linked With Post World Cup French National Team Job:

Legendary English coach Sir Clive Woodward is part of an eight man shortlist to replace incumbent French National Team coach, Phillipe Saint Andre, after the World Cup, according to reports in France.

Woodward, who coached England between 1997 & 2004, guided the Red Rose to victory in the 2003 World Cup and was also the British and Irish Lions’ coach on their 2005 tour to New Zealand, although the tour ultimately ended with a 3-0 whitewashing of the tourists.

Phillipe Saint Andre, who has had an underwhelming stint as French Coach- only winning 15 of 37 tests- will quit his post after the upcoming World Cup.

Despite an interest in Woodward, Legendary Toulouse coach Guy Noves remains the favourite.

Tuesday 19th May:

Ulster Bound Piutau Blocked From Playing For The Blues in 2016:

Ulster bound full back Charles Piutau will be blocked for playing for the Auckland Blues in next year’s Super Rugby competition, according to reports In New Zealand.

The 23 year old fourteen times capped All Black is scheduled to join Ulster mid-way through next season and had planned to represent the Blues for an eleven game period from the beginning of the season, but the NRZU have put paid to his ambitions and he will now be ineligible for selection for the struggling franchise.

Crusaders and Saracens To Face Off In USA Based Challenge Match:

The Crusaders and Saracens will face off in New Orleans this coming August and compete for The Hemisphere Cup in a match organized by RugbyLaw, the founders of the American National Rugby Football League.

The match, which will be held at the Mercedes Benz Superdome- the home of the New Orleans Saints- , is another step in a vigorous campaigin to expose the American public to high class Rugby, following on from New Zealand’s test match versus the USA in Chicago last November.

Wednesday 20th May:

Jason O’Halloran Named New Scotland Attack Coach:

Manawatu Turbo’s coach Jason O’Halloran will join the Scotland National Team as backs coach in November after the expiration of his contract with the ITM Cup side.

Scotland’s current back’s coach, Duncan Hodge, will join Edinburgh as back’s coach and Vern Cotter, Scotland’s Head Coach, has welcomed O’Halloran’s appointment.

"He was a very good rugby player and is an excellent coach. I've kept tabs on him for several years’’, said Cotter, the former Clermont Auvergne coach.

Auckland Blues Announce Their Third Captain Of The Season:

After a spate of injuries, Auckland Blues have named their third captain of the regular season, with hooker James Parson’s being the latest player to ascend to the role.

Previously, the captain’s berth was filled by Steven Luatua and Jerome Kaino but injuries to the All Blacks capped duo has opened the door for Parsons.

Thursday 21st May:

Sale Sign Former All Black Evans:

Sale have announced the signing of New Zealand international lock Bryn Evans on a two-year deal.

Evans, 30, will move to the Sharks from Biarritz, and will need no acquaintance to the Premiership as he previously spent three seasons with Sale's Aviva Premiership rivals London Irish.

He won two caps for the All Blacks - both in 2009 - against France, and also played Super Rugby for the Blues and Hurricanes in New Zealand.

Reds Hooker Hanson To Join The Rebels:

The Melbourne Rebels’ plunder of the ranks of the Queensland Reds shows no sign of stopping  after hooker James Hanson became the latest player to agree to switch his allegiances.

The 26-year-old has signed a two-year deal with Melbourne until the end of the 2017 Super Rugby season.

Hanson joins skipper Scott Higginbotham and backs Mike Harris, Dom Shipperley and Jonah Placid in swapping Queensland for the Rebels.

Flanker Liam Gill is also reportedly keen to move to Melbourne.

Friday 22nd May:

Matt O’Connor Sacked As Leinster Coach:

Leinster head coach Matt O’Connor has been sacked in the aftermath of a disappointing season which saw the province miss out on a play-off spot in the Guinness Pro12 and exit the Rugby Champions Cup at the semi-final stage to eventual winners Toulon.

The Australian succeeded Joe Schmidt in 2013- after an impressive tenure at the Leicester Tigers- and won the Pro12 title in his first season at the helm, but Leinster’s domestic performances disintegrated this term have been less impressive as Leinster finished 13 points adrift of Glasgow and Munster in fifth.

Former captain Leo Cullen will step in as interim coach.