NEW YORK, NY – This is the one week break in European action between the European Champions & Challenge Cup matches and the start of the 6 Nations, all three versions of it. this means all the fixture action will be from Europe’s 3 domestic leagues. Beyond the matches, there are news and transactions taking place that we must cover. Let’s get straight to the Weekend Rugby Preview.
News & Transactions:
January is the start of rugby’s signing season. With the game being so global, it is the month that you will see a large number of players re-sign with clubs or announce that at the end of the season they are going to be playing elsewhere.
Aviva Premiership: Wasps confirmed the signing of Ireland international tighthead, Marty Moore, from Leinster. The 24 year-old prop will join Wasps ahead of the 2016/17 campaign. Scrum-half Craig Hampson will join up with Wasps on a loan deal from Bristol after Joe Simpson was injured in Wasps’ Champions Cup win over Leinster and had to undergo surgery on his ankle and is expected to be out for 12 weeks. .. Second row Lewis Stevenson has been released from his contract with Ulster by mutual agreement and he will join Exeter Chiefs with immediate effect… Saracens were busy making deals and being rumored in others beginning with according to the Irish Independent, Ireland wing/center Keith Earls is reportedly close to joining Premiership champions Saracens for next season. Earls appears set to sign a three-year deal with the Premiership champions rather than take up a new contract offer from Munster. Argentine prop Juan Figallo signed a multi-year contract extension with Saracens and finally Duncan Taylor has put pen to paper on a long-term contract with Saracens… London Irish announced that Aseli Tikoirotuma has re-signed with the club for a further two seasons.
#Top14: Former England and current Toulon full-back Delon Armitage will not be signing with Bath, according to the club.
Pro 12: Edinburgh confirmed that backrower Cornell Du Preez and hooker Neil Cochrane signed new deals with the franchise.
Super Rugby: Highlanders assistant coach Tony Brown has said that taking over from Jamie Joseph is not currently on his mind ahead of the new season, which means it is of course… The Kings have confirmed three more player signings ahead of their return to Super Rugby in 2016. Chief Operating Officer, Charl Crous confirmed the signing of the young up-and-coming lock, Phillip du Preez, versatile back line player, Jurgen Visser and hooker, Martin Bezuidenhout. How they can afford these players is beyond us because later in the week, SA Rugby confirmed that a liquidation application has been brought against Eastern Province (EP) Rugby (Pty) Ltd, threatening the union’s participation in the Currie Cup.
USA Rugby: The seventh annual USA Rugby Medical Symposium will be held at Aria Resort and Casino in Las Vegas March 3-4 alongside HSBC USA Sevens, the fifth leg of the 2015-16 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. Men’s Eagles coach John Mitchell will be flanked by professional internationals Phil Greening, Rob Hoadley, and Marty Veale during the inaugural Americas Rugby Championship competition this February and March as his assistant coaches. For the presss release and bio on each coach, click here to read more. Mitchell will have a mix of veterans and youngsters in his first assembly with the national team, as 37 athletes have been made available for the inaugural Americas Rugby Championship. Click here to read more for the full squad list.
World Rugby: World Rugby has further strengthened its commitment to the fight against doping in sport with the appointment of Mike Earl as Anti-Doping General Manager… World Rugby has launched a new website to help support its rebranding of the hugely successful mass-participation program, Get Into Rugby. To see the new Get Into Rugby website click HERE… The Leicester Tigers player, Tom Youngs, has been suspended for one week following an independent Disciplinary Hearing… Scarlets player, Maselino Paulino, has been suspended for three weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing… Stade Français players Laurent Sempéré and Paul Gabrillagues have been banned for a combined total of 23 weeks for gouging.
The weekend’s fixtures:
Wellington 7s: The 2015/2016 HSBC World Rugby Mens 7s Series is kicking off the third leg of the series, this weekend in Wellington. For a look at the tournament from a USA perspective and projections, check out our preview.
Aviva Premiership: The 2015/2016 Aviva Premiership is moving on at an impressive pace. The matches have picked up in intensity and importance since Christmas. This weekend will began with Wasps topping Northampton. The rest of the weekend will see Sale play London Irish, Gloucester welcome Leicester, Saracens host Bath, Worcester do battle with Exeter and Newcastle challenge Harlequins.
Here are the results:
Fri – 29 Jan 2016
Northampton Saints 11-24 Wasps
Here is the schedule:
Sat – 30 Jan 2016
Sale Sharks – London Irish
Gloucester – Leicester Tigers
Saracens – Bath
Sun – 31 Jan 2016
Worcester Warriors – Exeter Chiefs
Newcastle Falcons – Harlequins
#TOP14: The 2015/2016 #Top14 season is also hitting its stride with the importance of matches only growing bigger every week. It was Friday night lights as Brive dispatched La Rochelle. Saturday, see Clermont host Montpellier, Agen face Grenoble, Castres welcome Bordeaux, Oyonnax travel to Racing and Toulouse tackle Pau. The final match of the weekend will be the biggest one as Toulon and Stade Francais do battle.
Here are the results:
Fri – 29 Jan 2016
Brive 28-6 La Rochelle
Here is the schedule:
Sat – 30 Jan 2016
Clermont Auvergne – Montpellier
Agen – Grenoble
Castres – Bordeaux-Begles
Racing 92 – Oyonnax
Toulouse – Pau
Sun – 31 Jan 2016
Toulon – Stade Francais
Guinness Pro 12: The Pro 12 season has not been lacking in intensity either as its season goes along. This weekend has already seen a shock as Newport-Gwent upset Leinster. The rest of the weekend sees Zebre host Munster, Connacht faces Scarlets, Treviso welcomes Ulster, and Cardiff and Edinburgh do battle. Final match of the weekend sees Ospreys play Glasgow.
Here are the results:
Fri – 29 Jan 2016
Newport Gwent Dragons 23-13 Leinster
Here is the schedule:
Sat – 30 Jan 2016
Zebre – Munster
Connacht – Scarlets
Benetton Treviso – Ulster
Cardiff Blues – Edinburgh
Sun – 31 Jan 2016
Ospreys – Glasgow Warriors
That is it for now. Feel free to comment below, look for and “Like” our Facebook Rugby Wrap Up Page and follow us on Twitter@: RugbyWrapUp, Junoir Blaber, James Harrington, Jamie Wall, Nick Hall, DJ Eberle, Jake Frechette, Scheenagh Harrington, Ronan Nelson, Kyle Phillips and Declan Yeats, respectively
And as always, stay low and keep pumping those legs.
