Weekly Round Up

Brive make triple signing

Top 14 side Brive have announced three new signings and a number of contract extensions ahead of next season.

Etienne Herjean (Narbonne), Damien Lagrange (La Rochelle) and Franck Romanet (Lyon) have all been recruited for the 2017/2018 campaign.

Eight players meanwhile have signed contract extensions: Soso Bekosvhili, François Da Ros, Vivien Devisme, Saïd Hireche, Sisaro Koyamaibole, Peet Marais, Johan Snyman and Matthieu Ugalde.

Brive are currently ninth in the Top 14 and ten points clear of relegation after 11 rounds.

Ben Morgan extends his stay at Gloucester

Gloucester and Morgan have announced a contract extension for the 76 time capped Cherry and White.

Morgan, who joined Gloucester in 2012 from Scarlets, is enjoying his 5th season in the Premiership and has also earned 31 English caps during that time.

Morgan: "It's great to be part of this club, and it's my local club that means a lot to me. I'm absolutely over the moon to sign a new deal.
 
"I grew up supporting Gloucester, and it is a special place to play. It helps to have that desire and passion for the club, and the feel of the community at this club is a big thing for me, and a big part of my decision to continue at the club."

John Hardie sidelined after suffering ankle injury

John Hardie will not play rugby again this year because of an ankle injury.

The former Highlanders and Southland back-rower suffered the injury playing for Scotland against Australia last weekend.

Scotland Rugby said in a statement that Hardie would return to his club, Edinburgh, to start his rehabilitation and the injury is expected to keep him out of action for eight weeks.

Pollard to return to training next month for Bulls

Flyhalf Handré Pollard will join the rest of the Bulls squad on 4 December for a pre-season camp and is expected to make a return to the playing field on 28 January 2017 when the Bulls face a South African Super Rugby opponent in Zimbabwe in their first match of the year. 

Pollard missed the 2016 season due to knee and shoulder injuries.

England team to face Fiji

Eddie Jones has named his side to face Fiji in the second match of the Wealth Series at Twickenham Stadium.

Teimana Harrison (Northampton Saints) starts at flanker in the only change to the England pack that helped seal a first victory over the Springboks in 10 years. Elsewhere Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby) is named at outside-centre with Elliot Daly (Wasps) moving to left wing.

Alex Goode (Saracens) starts at full-back and there is a return for Semesa Rokoduguni (Bath Rugby) on the right wing, having not played for England since his debut in 2014.

On the bench, uncapped second-row forward Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby) is included for the first time in an England match-day 23 and there is also a return for back Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs).

See full squad here

6-week ban for Robson

Former England Saxons second-rower George Robson has received a ban for six weeks for grabbing Yorkshire Carnegie player Ollie Stedman by the testicles during a clash between the two sides, according to Sky Sports.

The RFU released a statement after the judicial hearing stating that Robson pleaded guilty to the charge.

“The charge against George Robson of London Irish for acts contrary to good sportsmanship, contrary to Law 10.4(m), was heard at the Twickenham Stoop this evening.

“Robson pleaded guilty and was given a six-week suspension. He is free to play again on Wednesday 28 December 2016.”

Australia squad to face France

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has made twelve changes to his starting side for the Test against France at Stade de France in Paris.

Will Genia, Henry Speight and Tevita Kuridrani retain their starting spots while David Pocock shifts to the number seven jersey and will captain the side with Stephen Moore named amongst the reserves.

Pocock will skipper the side for the first time since August 2012, when he led the Wallabies in a 27-18 Bledisloe Cup defeat in Sydney.

It will be a long awaited debut for Kyle Godwin as he becomes Wallaby number 903, two years on from initally joining the Wallabies train-on squad for the 2014 Spring Tour.

Full squad here

Clark Laidlaw to become New Zealand 7s Head Coach

Experienced sevens and rugby coach Clark Laidlaw has been appointed the new Head Coach of the All Blacks Sevens.

Laidlaw, who joined the Exiles ahead of the 2015/16 season, will take up his new role from 1 June 2017.

Ole Avei boosts UBB squad

Bordeaux-Bègles have announced that Samoan international hooker Ole Avei has signed a contract extension at the Top 14 club.

The 33-year-old, who has claimed 24 caps for his country, puts pen to paper on a new two-year deal that will keep him in France until 2019.

Craig Willis banned for 4 weeks

Newcastle Falcons fly-half Craig Willis has been handed a four-week suspension by the RFU disciplinary panel after he was found guilty of 'tip-tackling' Saracens centre Nick Tompkins during their recent Anglo-Welsh Cup clash.

"The tackle started off legitimately, it being a technique he is specifically coached to carry out, however it did not end up as intended and having lifted the player off the ground the first point of contact between the Saracens player and the ground was the top of the shoulder. There was no injury caused," read the RFU discipline panel statement.

"The panel followed the World Rugby memoranda for tackles of this nature and increased the low end entry point of 4 weeks by 1 week. A number of mitigating features enabled the panel to reduce the sanction by 1 week but not 2 as he did not accept the referees award of the red card."

Mano Lemeki ruled out of Wales test

Winger Lomano Lemeki has pulled out of Japan's squad for their remaining internationals in November with an unspecified injury.

Lemeki scored two tries in Japan's 28-22 victory over Georgia in Tbilisi last weekend and will miss matches against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday and against Fiji in France on Nov. 26.

Italy duo ruled out of Bok Test

Italy will be without the services of hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini (toe injury) and prop Andrea Lovotti (rib injury) when they face the Springboks in Florence on Saturday.

“Ghiraldini was diagnosed with an injury to his big toe and Lovotti suffered a knock to the cartilage in his ribcage,” said Italy team manager Luigi Troiani in a statement.

“These injuries have ruled them out of further participation in the November tests.”

Italy head coach Conor O’Shea has called up Treviso prop Nicola Quaglio as Lovotti’s replacement while Zebre hooker Tommaso D’Apice comes in for Ghiraldini.

Eben out of Italy Test

Eben Etzebeth has been ruled out of this Saturday's Test against Italy due to concussion.

The lock was taken from the field with concussion in Saturday's 37-21 loss to England at Twickenham after colliding with big No 8 Billy Vunipola.

The Springboks confirmed that Etzebeth would not be replaced in the squad, with Pieter-Steph du Toit likely to revert back to the second row, while Franco Mostert provides further lock cover.

Coleman ruled out for rest of Wallabies spring tour

Adam Coleman has been ruled out for rest of the spring tour with a grade two medial ligament tear.

Coleman hurt his knee in just the fifth minute of Australia’s 23-22 win over Scotland last weekend, with scans confirming a grade two strain.

Eight players have been flown into the Wallabies setup for the next two weeks, with a midweek tour match against the French Barbarians set for November 24, though any of those could be considered for Saturday’s Test against France, Cheika said.