Friday’s rugby news has Genia Injured, Jones touted to take England top job, Quade’s tribute to his grandmother and Burgess not to blame for Lancaster downfall.
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Genia Injured
Will Genia has been left out of Stade Francais side to face Leicester Tigers in the European Rugby Champions Cup-opening fixture due to a knee injury.
Genia reportedly sustained the injury in the World Cup semi final against Argentina.
“It’s nothing serious,” said Stade Francais coach Gonzalo Quesada.
“He will continue his recovery and he will be available to train with the squad from next week.”
“I am a competitor – I am not here for a vacation,” Genia said.
It is possible Genia will make his debut for Stade in the European Cup clash against Munster on November 22.
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Jones to Coach England?
Former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones is being touted as the next England head coach following the announcement that Stuart Lancaster has stepped down.
World Cup winning coach Graham Henry is also being talked about as taking up the position as head coach which Will Greenwood claims is “is the biggest in the world.”
Former British and Irish Lions halfback Dewi Morris wrote “So who do England turn to next?”
“Well the man I think England should move heaven and earth to get is Graham Henry. I don’t think they will but look at what he has done with Argentina.
Meanwhile BBC rugby commentator Ian Robertson said: “Name a qualified English coach who could take over and do a better job? I can’t name you one. If for the first time ever England go for a foreign coach the obvious answer is Eddie Jones, who took Japan to three wins out of four – including beating South Africa. I can’t name one who would be better in England than Stuart Lancaster.”
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Quade’s Tribute
Quade Cooper has paid tribute to his grandmother who recently passed away.
Quade Cooper’s grandmother, Millie Cooper who was in her early 80’s, passed away on Tuesday in New Zealand.
Quade posted a photo of himself and his grandmother on Twitter with the caption “I wish I could climb up to heaven to give you a hug and tell you how much I love and miss you.. Rest easy nan”.
The NZ Herald has reported that Quade Cooper often visited his grandmother in his Christmas holidays and stayed at the Kaikohe home where he spent part of his childhood.
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Burgess Not to Blame
English rugby chief Ian Ritchie says that Sam Burgess’ failure in Rugby Union is not to blame for the resignation of England head coach Stuart Lancaster.
“I don’t find the Sam Burgess situation in any way embarrassing,” said Ritchie.
“We had one of the leading rugby league players in the world wanting to come and play rugby union, and I think that was a positive.
“We were delighted that he wanted to come and delighted that he came.
“We did not pay a sum of money for Sam Burgess to come to rugby union and there was no insistence from Stuart, or anyone else at the RFU, that he had to be picked.
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