18 - 20

38 - 21

23 - 13

U20

15 - 12

U20

45 - 40

U20

55 - 33

32 - 31

35 - 15

17 - 22

14 - 68

35 - 16

34 - 19

Creevy red-carded for headbutt but 14-man Irish still beat Edinburgh

By PA

15 Jan 2022

(Photo by Daniel Jayo/Getty Images)

Olly Cracknell’s converted try three minutes from time lifted London Irish to a wafer-thin 21-20 victory over Edinburgh in the European Challenge Cup. Adam McBurney and Ramiro Moyano crossed the whitewash for Edinburgh, with Emiliano Boffelli adding the extras to both tries, before Jaco van der Walt’s penalty helped the Scottish side into a 17-7 lead at the interval.

Kyle Rowe’s try was all the Exiles had to show for a spirited first-half effort but they narrowed their arrears when Oliver Hoskins touched down under the posts, with Paddy Jackson converting for the second time.

Agustin Creevy, who recently signed a contract extension to stay on at Irish, was then shown a red card for an apparent headbutt on Jamie Ritchie while he was on the deck and Edinburgh, with the extra body, extended their lead to six points on the hour when van der Walt split the posts.

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We catch up with England international Zach Mercer to find out all about the Covid cases in the Montpellier camp, their European ambition, how he’s thriving on and off the field in France, being back on Eddie Jones’ radar after a chat at a recent Top 14 game and much more. Plus, we discuss the lay of the land in the Top 14 and how the regulations in France are affecting rugby and the Champions Cup. And, we pick our MEATER Moment of the Week…
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Zach Mercer guests on Le French Rugby Podcast

But the hosts were rewarded for their late endeavour when replacement front-row Cracknell burst through a gap under the sticks and Jackson held his nerve to keep his 100 per cent conversion rate as Irish secured a last-gasp win.

Toulon made it eleven consecutive pool-stage wins in the competition after beating Worcester 34-23 at Sixways.

Bucking the trend that rugby is no country for old men…#LondonIrish #GallagherPrem #Argentina #LIRvEDI https://t.co/sN3KdTADI2
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 14, 2022

Fin Smith kicked three penalties to put the hosts 9-3 ahead but tries from former Warrior Cornell du Preez and Facundo Isa gave Toulon a 17-9 half-time lead.

Gabin Villiere and Beka Gigashvili went over to extend the French side’s advantage to 34-9, with Duhan van der Merwe and Harri Doel grabbing consolation tries.

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1 Comment

Derek Murray 1157 days ago

Replacement front row? Think he came on at his usual position, 8

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Comments on RugbyPass

Amelia Jonathan 21 minutes ago

Five Springbok rookies who could be blooded in 2025

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2 Go to comments

Tom 49 minutes ago

Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

Borthwick definitely deserves credit for the performance against Wales. He's been justly criticised for taking so long to get a performance out of them but it definitely feels like he was the architect of that win. He picked a very strangely balanced 23 and it played out perfectly. Fingers crossed Borthwick will take the shackles off now. If we went after Ireland with that level of determination and self belief it may have been a different result. That's not to say we would have been able to play in the same manner but it felt like the first time since last year's Ireland that the players were singing off the same hymn sheet. There was a shared purpose and everyone played their part to near perfection. Again, it was a poor Wales so can't get ahead of ourselves but I hope Borthwick will turn a corner.

12 Go to comments

Alex Jackson 1 hour ago

2025 Autumn Nations Series fixtures announced

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Amelia Jonathan 1 hour ago

The defining moment that will 'raise massive question marks' for Ireland

My name is Amelia Jonathan from the United States, Using this opportunity to thank Dr. Ughulu is a grateful thing to me, for over years I have been sick with Hepatitis B disease, I have done a lot of things to get cured of my diseases and nothing has worked out. I have taken different types of medication for it , but it still doesn’t work for me. I still keep going for a check up so that the doctor will tell me my disease has be gone, because i’m taking my medicine with no result nothing has been cured, I have spent a lot of money just to get cure of Hepatitis B. until my old time friend came to my place and saw what am going through, and then direct me to contact Dr. Ughulu who is a very powerful man, which I did explain my problem to Dr. Ughulu and send me a herbal remedy bottle and explain to me how I should drink it. So I started to drink the herbal tea in one week that I drink the herbal tea. I went for a check up to check if I’m cured from Hepatitis B disease, then the nurse told me nothing is wrong with me anymore and said I’m fine. I am the happiest person right now. I promise Dr Ughulu I will testify about his good work on the internet. Reach out to Dr. Ughulu Via: drughulupowerfulspelltemple@gmail.com Thank you so much sir for what you did for me you’re the best of all. TEXT OR CALL: +1(252) 409-1841 or website: https://drughulupowerfulsp.wixsite.com/my-site-ughulu WHATSAPP NUMBER: +1(720) 794-2516

10 Go to comments

Amelia Jonathan 1 hour ago

The defining moment that will 'raise massive question marks' for Ireland

My name is Amelia Jonathan from the United States, Using this opportunity to thank Dr. Ughulu is a grateful thing to me, for over years I have been sick with Hepatitis B disease, I have done a lot of things to get cured of my diseases and nothing has worked out. I have taken different types of medication for it , but it still doesn’t work for me. I still keep going for a check up so that the doctor will tell me my disease has be gone, because i’m taking my medicine with no result nothing has been cured, I have spent a lot of money just to get cure of Hepatitis B. until my old time friend came to my place and saw what am going through, and then direct me to contact Dr. Ughulu who is a very powerful man, which I did explain my problem to Dr. Ughulu and send me a herbal remedy bottle and explain to me how I should drink it. So I started to drink the herbal tea in one week that I drink the herbal tea. I went for a check up to check if I’m cured from Hepatitis B disease, then the nurse told me nothing is wrong with me anymore and said I’m fine. I am the happiest person right now. I promise Dr Ughulu I will testify about his good work on the internet. Reach out to Dr. Ughulu Via: drughulupowerfulspelltemple@gmail.com Thank you so much sir for what you did for me you’re the best of all. TEXT OR CALL: +1(252) 409-1841 or website: https://drughulupowerfulsp.wixsite.com/my-site-ughulu WHATSAPP NUMBER: +1(720) 794-2516

10 Go to comments

Alex Jackson 1 hour ago

2025 Autumn Nations Series fixtures announced

13 Go to comments

Bob Salad II 1 hour ago

Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

Possibly, but the Prem is high scoring, played fast and with high ball in play times, so I’m not sure it’s simply down to SH refs officiating.

12 Go to comments

Tom 1 hour ago

Lions selection: 3 winners and losers from each country

Start of the tournament I thought Morgan was guaranteed to go but given how the English backrow have performed in the back end of the 6N he's going to be lucky to make it. Realistically there aren't any Welshman who are guaranteed or even odds on to go… which is sad. Do they take Morgan and T Williams for the sake of the Welsh fans?

Tom Jordan will go as a utility player. He covers the whole backline. Kinghorn nailed on to start the first test.

1 Go to comments

Bob Salad II 1 hour ago

Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

Through the lens of ‘scenarios’ as you put it, the AIs could also have been very different. Yes, Wales are currently the worst team in the NH, but even so, neither Ireland or France dominated them so emphatically and - in the case of Ireland, after Wales had shown some improvement on previous form.

England were always going to find some groove at some point, so I don’t buy the line that Borthwick is simply ‘lucky’ anymore than I didn’t buy the line that England were unlucky on tour against the ABs and through the AIs.

With a largely development squad being sent on tour against the Pumas this summer, we’ll have to wait until the AIs in November to see whether the performance against Wales was just an outlier or reflective of a team that are starting to click.

12 Go to comments

d 1 hour ago

Kiwis dominate the performers of the week for Super Rugby Pacific round five

.. and let’s face it, the bar for tipping out the incumbent isn’t that high.

4 Go to comments

Tom 1 hour ago

Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

Maybe teams need to start heading the ball more? Genge at first receiver playing it through for Freeman? It's worked a few times by accident, just imagine what they could achieve with practice! Jamie Roberts could have been the Welsh Ronaldo!

12 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 1 hour ago

Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

Very interesting article, Nick. Thanks for writing. I have not even read a full report on the game yet, let alone watched it. So it is all news to me. Fascinating move, so many backrowers and 7’s on the field at the one time.

I must say though, that I do ponder on how well England would have done against the Boks, AB’s, or France playing as they have done at the end of the 6 N. I think any of those teams would have almost certainly exposed Earl playing at centre, and they would have been in a different world to Wales as opponents.

My view is that England have had a lot of good fortune in this 6 N. On another day, France would not have dropped so much ball, and would have defended those last two tries way better. Scotland would have beaten England had Russell got any one of three kicks between the posts. I do think that England still don’t fully use the back resources they have, and could be badly exposed by any one of the top three teams in the world, which I would see as the three I named above. Though Ireland still sit third, that is, imo, very tenuous.

And it has been a funny old 6 N this year, with Ireland also having had a fair measure of good fortune. They also could have lost the games against Italy, and Wales too. They have dropped away badly.

12 Go to comments

Tom 1 hour ago

Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

It's certainly hard to read too much into a demolition of a struggling Welsh side in terms of how that will transpire against better teams.

What I can say is that it was a very good performance. There was genuine trepidation about a resurgent Wales at home with nothing to lose and England blew them away. England weren't ruthless enough to do the same to Italy the week before. It's a step in the right direction. It would be really cool if we could take some of this innovation and build on it. I'd hate for it to be built on sand and come crashing down the next time a bomb squad trundles across the touchline.

12 Go to comments

AA 1 hour ago

Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

Firstly England were terrific for 82 minutes and deserve the plaudits.

Borthwick, though, must be the luckiest coach around .

Had a broken arm not occured Marcus would still be no 10 , had Russell put the kick over and France not dropped the ball , had Lawrence not been injured the scenario would be very different .

England beat the worst team in the northern hemisphere , let’s not get carried away .

The forwards scored 6 of the 10 tries and Mitchell’s was somewhat flukish .

The speed and power of play was the difference and the forwards were unrecognisable from previous games.

Had Marcus had such a ride in his games he too would have been praised for his play .

Ford came on against a poor and beaten team with the score 40 up . Easy peasy. Short memories fail to remember against Nz and Aus , top teams, he lost both games.

The changes were forced on Borthwick , not by natural selection and they have been all for the better.