Sitting In The Cheap Seats

A week from today the Women’s Six Nations 2021 kicks off. The modified tournament structure and delayed start date have, understandably, resulted in mixed feelings but it’s great to have games about to kick off again. We caught up with England Women head coach Simon Middleton to get his thoughts on this years squad, the games head and more.

The Walt Disney Company UK and Ireland  has today announced that London’s landmark musical,  DISNEY’S THE LION KING  will reopen in the West End on 29th July 2021.

In their recent run of wins a lot of light has been shone on London Irish ’s superstars and their academy graduates. But there’s an equally important, and often overlooked, factor to consider too. Their starting props, both signed from the Championship, have shown there is more than one route to success. I caught up with fan favourite Lovejoy Chawatama to get his view on the season.

2021 has been good to London Irish . Six games played, one loss, two draws (including an impressive fight back against Bristol) and a trio of wins have left rugby fans, writers and pundits reflecting on the Exiles’ place in the Gallagher Premiership hierarchy as they evolve from a team who everyone likes to one that opponents increasingly fear to line up against.

It’s a World Cup year for England Women and as such the forthcoming Six Nations tournament is the last real opportunity for head coach Simon Middleton to refine his squad ahead of the trip to New Zealand. While the Red Roses core has seemed remarkably consistent through recent seasons, a close examination shows that there has been plenty of change through the squad. Here I highlight six players who just might play their way into the head coach’s thinking ahead of the tournament. First of all, a few ground rules. None of the players I’m picking here have appeared in England squads over recent international windows. I’ve picked on a mix of current form, potential and in a couple of cases who have had injury issues, the talent they have shown previously.

A huge shout out to Harlequins for being the first Gallagher Premiership and Allianz Premier 15s team to create a Pride fixture and today taking that a step further with the launch of their LGBTQ+ Supporters Association to sit alongside their existing SA. It’s great to see the game making moves to make people feel seen and included. Here’s hoping other teams follow suit! Read on for the full announcement from the team.

He’s a former fan favourite from the cherry and whites, now making a name for himself as an up and coming young coaching talent with Gloucester-Hartpruy Women.  We caught up with James Forrester to see how he’s settling in.