Quin ace stealing a March
ENGLAND centre Joe Marchant will give his Harlequins club a “massive boost” when he takes part in rugby union’s return to action on Saturday.
More than two months before the game in the UK has any chance of resuming behind closed doors, New Zealand has been given the green light to launch its new Super Rugby Aotearoa in front of packed stands.
Mark Robinson, chief executive of NZ Rugby, said: “We’re incredibly proud, and grateful, to be the first professional sports competition in the world to have our teams play in front of their fans again.”
Marchant, 23, is on a six-month loan to the Auckland-based Blues, who play Hurricanes hours after Warren Gatland’s Chiefs get the competition underway at Otago.
“Seeing rugby start up again gives us all a massive boost,” said Quins chief exec Laurie Dalrymple. “And not just because we’ve got an interest with Joe down there.
“It will be fantastic to watch live rugby again.”
Quins are expected to reach agreement with captain Chris Robshaw to delay his departure until the end of the rescheduled season but Bristol-bound England prop Kyle Sinckler is thought to have played his last game for the club.
NEXT year’s British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa may be pushed back to the autumn due to the knock-on effect of the coronavirus pandemic.
The three-test series is scheduled for July and August but Lions coach Warren Gatland says they would “deal” with any change of dates.
ANDREW FLINTOFF
P11 W2 D2 L7
Branded the captaincy as the toughest job he’s ever had, Flintoff’s nightmare tenure included a 5-0 Ashes whitewash Down Under in 2006/07.
KEVIN PIETERSEN
P3 W1 D1 L1
Spent five months in the post but quit after his feud with ex-coach Peter Moores amid dressing room unrest. Admits he wasn’t cut out for the job.
■
Stokes gets some advice from Pietersen in Australia in 2013