Veteran fly-half Stephen Jones has been given a call-up to the Wales squad ahead of their Six Nations opener against Ireland on February 5 (Ireland 4/7, draw 18/1, Wales 6/4 with bet365).
Wales (11/4 Six Nations outright with bet365) have suffered a setback ahead of their trip to Dublin, with fly-half Rhys Preistland set to miss the opener after picking up an injury playing for the Scarlets in the Heineken Cup.
Perpignan star James Hook looks set to start at No.10 as a replacement for the sidelined Preistland in the Six Nations opener, but veteran Stephen Jones has been brought in as cover.
Former Wales fly-half Phil Bennett believes Jones will provide experienced back-up for Hook next month.
He said: “If Rhys Priestland does miss the match then it has to be James Hook to start but Stephen Jones on the bench.
“James has moved to Perpignan to play number 10 and although Perpignan are not doing well, he is kicking goals and playing well.”
Saracens hooker John Smit has warned his team mates they face a “massive challenge” after being paired with Clermont Auvergne in the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup (Saracens 6/1 tournament outright).
The reigning Premiership champions were the only English team to make it past the pool stages, a narrow win over Treviso making sure they topped Pool 5 ahead of Biarritz.
Sarries will now have to get the better of Pool 4 winners Clermont, who narrowly secured top spot thanks to a win over Ulster.
Mark McCall’s men will be grateful of having home advantage given Clermont’s formidable record in their own back garden, losing one of the last 54 matches at the Parc des Sports Marcel Michelin.
Smith knows all too well about the threat Clermont pose having played for them for a season, and the former South Africa captain is adamant Saracens will have to be at their best to reach the semi-finals.
“Clermont are a fantastic club with quality players throughout the squad,” said World Cup winner.
“It is going to be a massive challenge for us, but one which we cannot wait for.
“I know from my time there that they always want to do well in the Heineken Cup. But at Saracens, we are looking to create our own legacy with the squad of players we have.”
Saracens (6/4 Premiership Grand Final winners) know that if they can get the better of Clermont they will have home advantage again for the semi-finals, where they could meet either Leinster or Cardiff.
Tags: 80 minutes, Cardiff Blues, clermont auvergne, Heineken Cup, john smit, Leinster, match handicap, Munster, saracens, to qualify, totoal points, Ulster
Heineken Cup | Rugby Union Betting News | January 23, 2012 13:45 |
Wales’ (13/5 Six Nations outright with bet365) Six Nations hopes could have been dealt a major blow with the news that talented duo Rhys Priestland and Dan Lydiate could miss the tournament with injuries.
Both players picked-up their respective problems in their club’s final European group games and will undoubtedly weaken Warren Gatland’s side if unavailable.
Fly-half Priestland limped off in the Scarlets 16-13 away win at Castres and he was set to start at number 10 for the national side in their first match against Ireland (Ireland 6/1 Six Nations outright with bet365) in Dublin, but could now miss out.
Scarlets coach Nigel Davies says he is unsure how long the precocious youngster will be out, telling reporters: “We will have to wait and see. Hopefully, it is not too serious.”
Meanwhile Lydiate, who has been plagued with ankle problems over the last few years, limped off with a similar problem in the Dragons final Challenge Cup group match against Cavalieri Prato.
Dragons head coach Robert Beale confirmed on Saturday that is was another ankle injury but was unwilling to predict how long he’d be out for.
“I am told the injury is to the back of the ankle, but that is as much as I know at this moment in time,” Dragons team manager Robert Beale told BBC Wales Sport. “I would rather wait until we get the expert medical advice.”
Leicester Tigers (11/4 Aviva Premiership Grand Final Outright with bet365) boss Richard Cockerill has admitted he expects to lose promising utility back Billy Twelvetrees to Aviva Premiership rivals Gloucester.
The 23-year-old has enjoyed a decent campaign so far with the Tigers (5/1 LV Cup Outright with bet365), having filled the role at fly-half in the absence of the injured No.10 Toby Flood, who is set to miss the start of the Six Nations with England.
Twelvetrees is out of contract at Welford Road at the end of the current campaign and looks set to move to the West Country next season with the lure of a lucrative new deal.
Cockerill has admitted he is disappointed to lose the playmaker who appears to have a bright future ahead of him, having been named in the England Saxons squad.
The Tigers head coach told the Leicester Mercury: “On Monday he told me he was staying.
“On Wednesday I was told by his agent that he was signing for Gloucester, who have assured him of being first choice number 12 for them and his salary has been much improved.
“I did not want to lose him and he will be fully involved until the end of the season.”
Tags: Aviva Premiership, billy twelvetrees, gloucester, grand final, Leicester Tigers, lv cup, outright betting, richard cockerill, Six Nations, toby flood, welford road
Rugby Union | Rugby Union Betting News | 13:29 |
Scotland head coach Andy Robinson has upped the tension ahead of his side’s Calcutta Cup clash next month by stating some of the England players were “arrogant” during the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand (Scotland 13/8, draw 18/1, England 8/15 with bet365).
The Scots (20/1 Six Nations outright with bet365) are currently preparing to take on the Auld Enemy at Murrayfield on February 4, in a massive game for both sides in terms of their Six Nations title hopes.
Robinson had added fuel to the fire ahead of the clash in Edinburgh, claiming some of the England players got above their station during the World Cup last season, as the Six Nations champions grabbed more headlines for their antics off the field than their performances on it.
He told the Mail on Sunday: “It’s important for any team to show humility, especially when you are winning. I thought a number of England players undermined this in the arrogance they showed.
“They know who they are and it was not across the board, but unfortunately the whole squad got tarnished.
“You need self-belief in players, of course, but you also need to possess some humility, and a number of players overstepped the mark.”
Scotland (20/1 Six Nations outright with bet365) have handed a recall to in-form Edinburgh fly-half Phil Godman as cover for their first two games of the Six Nations.
The 29-year-old kicked a late drop goal to give his club side a crucial victory against Racing Metro last week and has been rewarded with a return to the national set-up.
Godman has been handed his chance due to the continued injury troubles of Ruaridh Jackson, who suffered a leg injury while playing for Glasgow and it is still uncertain whether the youngster be fit for the Six Nations.
The former Newcastle man currently has 23 caps for his country and missed out on the World Cup due to a knee injury that kept him out for the best part of a year.
However, the mercurial playmaker will face a tough challenge to establish himself in the side with Dan Parks and youngster Duncan Weir also in the squad.
He told www.scotlandrugbyteam.org: “You always think about getting back into it for the club but also about playing for Scotland as well.
“It’s just great to be back playing for Edinburgh and to be back involved with Scotland.”
Andy Robinson’s side begin their campaign against England (10/3 Six Nations outright with bet365) on February 4 before travelling to Cardiff to face Wales the following week.
Tags: andy robinson, Dan Parks, duncan weir, edinburgh, phil godman, ruaridh jackson, rugby betting, rugby union odds, six nations 2012 betting, six nations 2012 odds
Six Nations | Rugby Union Betting News | January 19, 2012 15:54 |
Clermont Auvergne (15/2 Heineken Cup outright with bet365) captain Aurelien Rougerie says his side’s Heineken Cup future is in their hands ahead of their crunch Pool 4 match against Ulster on Saturday.
The French giants host the Belfast outfit at the Stade Marcel Michelin with both sides knowing that whoever wins will qualify for the knock-out stages of the competition.
Ulster currently lead Pool 4 by three points and, having already beaten Rougerie and co during the tournament, are sure to be full of confidence when they travel to the Massif Central.
“We had a glimpse last November of just what Ulster are capable of achieving but they have evolved since then,” Rougerie said.
“We already know they are great battlers and physically strong so, on that level at least, we will have to measure up, then we have the remainder of this week to put our tactics in place.
‘Les Jaunards’ go into the match on the back of confidence building 82-0 victory away at Italian side Aironi and will undoubtedly be looking forward to the game, especially at home.
The Stade Marcel Michelin is notorious throughout the sport for being one of the toughest places in the world to win and the French (13/8 Six Nations outright with bet365) international is hoping that the home support will play a vital role.
He added: “Our fans are always behind us, pushing us, and that will be key when we play such an essential game of our season.”
Tags: 80 minutes, Aurelien Rougerie, clermont auvergne, first scoring play, Heineken Cup, match handicap, Pool 4, total points, tournament winner, Ulster, RBS 6 Nations
Heineken Cup | Rugby Union Betting News | January 17, 2012 15:45 |
Cardiff Blues star Jamie Roberts could miss the opening game of the Six Nations for Wales against Ireland early next month, as he continues to struggle with a knee injury (Ireland 8/15, draw 18/1, Wales 13/8 with bet365).
The powerful centre took a blow to the knee during Cardiff’s 28-9 victory over Welsh rivals Newport-Gwent Dragons and has been on the sidelines for over three weeks.
With the Blues set to face Racing Metro this weekend in the Heineken Cup, Roberts is highly unlikely to feature which has raised doubts over his fitness ahead of the tough trip to Dublin on February 5.
Cardiff boss Gareth Baber has admitted the Wales (13/5 Six Nations outright with bet365) star has been out for longer than originally anticipated.
He said: “The knee injury has just plagued him a little bit longer than we thought.
“Unfortunately I don’t think he’s going to be able to win the race to get himself into a position to train this week and partake in the game on the weekend.
“There’s a little break between our last European game and the Six Nations, but that will be up to the Union obviously when he joins up with them to see how he progresses.”
Cardiff Blues (10/1 Heineken Cup outright with bet365) coach Gareth Baber has hailed his team’s focus after they defeated London Irish 22-15 to take a major step towards the Heineken Cup quarter-finals.
The Welsh side were put under major pressure following Edinburgh’s victory over Racing Metro on Friday but responded in the perfect manner by beating Tony Booth’s side at the Madejski Stadium.
The Blues made the final of the tournament in 1996 but have since disappointed in Europe’s biggest competition but, after a few solid seasons in the RaboDirect Pro 12 league, are now considered genuine European contenders (Blues 14/1 RaboDirect Pro Grand Final winner with bet365).
They now face Racing Metro in their final pool match next Sunday and know victory should take them through to the knockout stages for the first time since 2009.
Baber is understandably delighted with his side’s progress and has praised his players’ ability to focus on their goals.
“You can’t avoid it but our whole focus this week has been making sure we control what we are doing irrespective what is happening outside of our environment?” he said. “That extended to last night and what happened in Paris so we’re pleased that we kept that focus.
“We certainly kept it through the game today and came away with the victory.”
Wales’ RBS 6 Nations hopes have been rocked by the news Lloyd Burns will miss the tournament with a neck injury (Six Nations outright – Wales 5/2 with bet365).
Burns, who impressed at the World Cup in New Zealand last year, but the Newport Gwent Dragons hooker now faces around three months on the sidelines as a result of the injury.
“Lloyd has been advised to withdraw from rugby for at least three months in order to fully rehab his neck,” Dragons rugby director Robert Beale confirmed.
“We are obviously disappointed for Lloyd, particularly with the Six Nations coming up, but Lloyd’s safety and welfare has to be paramount.”
Fellow Dragons star Luke Charteris is also set to miss out on a place in Warren Gatland’s Wales squad through injury.
Wales begin their Six Nations campaign on February 5 when they face Ireland in Dublin and Gatland is set to name his squad on January 22 (Six Nations Grand Slam – Wales 7/1).
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Veteran fly-half Stephen Jones has been given a call-up to the Wales squad ahead of their Six Nations opener against Ireland on February 5 (Ireland 4/7, draw 18/1, Wales 6/4 with bet365).
