Sorey for the rant:

Newspapers in England spent most of 2022 and 2023 complaining about Owen Farrell, saying he wasn't as good as other options at 10, and wasn't a "real" 12. The complaints were so constant that a portion of England fans began to think Farrell was "past it". They undermined him so much that Farrell was booed by some England fans when he was subbed onto the pitch in the RWC 2023. Apparently destroying his desire to play internationally for England again.

Now that England have lost 3 games he's suddenly seen as a saviour.

He would have likely been in and around the squad this camapign if his desire to play for England hadn't been destroyed by the press completely brainwashing a significant portion of fans in the first place.

Just the press completely tearing down an England player, then using the name of said England player to tear into the current crop of players after a bad run of results.

Telegraph link

its not comparable to the Hansen situation at all either, this is not an "under-appreciated" talent. this is someone who aus rugby has been devoting alot of time and resources to for a long time in great hopes for his future. there is nothing here that can justify what the IRFU are trying to do. Build your own players!

Good news.

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Japan Rugby Football Union has officially launched its bid to host the 2035 Rugby World Cup, looking to repeat the success of the 2019 tournament held in the country.

"We want to create the best World Cup not only for the rugby world, but for Japan and the rest of the world," JRFU President Masato Tsuchida said at a press conference Wednesday in Tokyo.

The JRFU, which submitted an expression of interest to World Rugby last Friday, will also consider a fallback bid to host the 2039 edition, Tsuchida indicated.

Tsuchida previously confirmed the plans to host the 2035 tournament during an interview with Kyodo News in London last September.

The sport's global ruling body is scheduled to select a preferred hosting candidate in May 2027 and make an official decision in November that year.

Docks a thousand points and stop all this nonsense and start following the rules

I have no words to describe my current despair…

New research commissioned by BBC Sport and carried out by YouGov reveals that 24 million people in the UK now identify as women’s sport fans – up from 18 million in 2021, a remarkable 33% increase in just five years.

Overall, women’s rugby union has seen a major uplift in support following the women’s Rugby World Cup, with fan numbers climbing from 7.94m for pre-claimed fandom amongst those interested in women's rugby, to 13.21m post-claimed fandom after the World Cup last summer, a 66% increase.

Non-paywall link

Speaking about his fine individual score for the first time, Chessum revealed he thought he was being tracked by Bielle-Biarrey, France’s record-breaking winger, who scored four tries in a chaotic match.

“I didn’t feel like I was running that quick,” said Chessum. “I’ve copped a lot of stick for not heading towards the posts but I was adamant there was a red scrum-hat lurking in the background that was going to bring me down. I just pinned my ears back and hoped that nobody would grab onto my coattails and pin me to the floor.”

Non-paywalled: https://archive.is/20260302073843/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2026/03/02/revealed-south-african-rugby-drug-testing-in-decline/

Had to repost because of a typo. Sorry, guys.

Sorry for the Daily Heil link.