News about Dan Cole

CHRIS FOY - WORLD OF RUGBY: As the Leicester faithful tried to come to terms with another let-down campaign, the backlash boiled over on Saturday to such an extent that the club may take action against some of their own disgruntled fans. The cause of the unrest was a shocking collapse by the Tigers, who were beaten again at Welford Road. Bristol were down and out, or so it seemed, trailing 19-0 with 11 minutes left. Not so. Leicester couldn't close it out. Reduced to 14 men, they folded, conceding three late tries to lose 21-19. It was a calamitous result which snuffed out any faint hope in the East Midlands that the Tigers could reach the play-offs, which was once an annual routine. Those present didn't take it well at all, as the aftermath of the game turned toxic.

JOE MARLER: At times like this, there is nothing quite like the dressing room. You're with a group of guys who you see at the best and worst times of times, and it's a really special relationship. Our families come and join us, and it feels like a safe place where time never stops. Sam Underhill is expected to start the song after taking over Jonny May's role. There's a lot of mystery that goes into it. Every week, he designs a new line that only gets used if we win. It's constantly being redesigned. Owen Farrell and Mako Vunipola arrived and joined us. Owen didn't say too much because he kept his head down. It was certainly a strange situation for him. Mako made a few remarks about his latest hair cut; he's getting to a point where wearing hats is more appropriate.

CHRIS FOY: England seems to have crossed the road as they brace for a showdown with Ireland at Twickenham on Saturday. They have reached a difficult junction, in fact, all the lights are off, and they don't have a map. When Steve Borthwick took over the national team in December 2022, the buzz word was 'clarity,' and that was achieved with a narrow game-plan at the new World Cup.

CHRIS FOY: The investigation and repair work will be comprehensive, no doubt, but after this tragedy at Murrayfield, it is impossible to imagine how England will find quick fixes before Ireland visits Twickenham with another Slam in their sights. Well, this latest loss to Scotland has ended their Six Nations title hopes, ironically. They are stumbling toward a potential campaign win of two wins from five games, which is disappointing. Explicity once more. That is perhaps an inaccurate prediction, but the Irish people will believe that England will be on the field for the taking on March 9, even if they don't have 15 guys on the field this week - and France will be marginal favorites in Lyon a week later, despite their own unconvincing results in this tournament.

NIK SIMON: Valentine's Day has always been a difficult one for Dan Cole, despite being known as one of rugby's most romantics. Isobel's wife is a florist in Leicestershire, so finding the right bouquet isn't straightforward. 'It's really difficult to buy flowers for my wife because they're mocked,' the prop, whose work on the rugby pitch does not necessarily have a delicate touch.' 'I just bought her chocolates.' Cole's floral arrangements may never be Cole's destiny, but if the day comes that he hangs up his boots, he already has a role in mind. I have no creativity.' After I am retrained, I told my wife that I will be the delivery boy, but she says, "I don't want you to meet the customers."

JOE MARLER: I'm excited for the game against Wales this weekend. It's my all-time favorite match of the lot. Sometimes I have to go for a little lie down because I'm so excited. The rivalry, the roots, and the venom are among the reasons. It's top notch. The Welsh have a love-hate relationship. I adore them and they loove me. Can I blame them? No, I can't. When we play together, we always have a surge in energy and vigour, and in some cases, it can get the best of you. I'm a walking, ploding example of that. I've lost my head in this fixture a few times, so let's talk to Alun Wyn Jones and Samson Lee. When Welsh people come to me and have a pop, I often tell them a little pork pie and say I'm half Welsh because I want them to like me. I've been to Snowdonia and it was magical. I loved Welsh cakes as well. We live in a beautiful world with lovely people, but we just seem to dislike each other when it comes to rugby.

The Six Nations are upon us, and England is hoping to win their first title since 2020. The tournament hasn't been generous to England since winning, but there is a cautious optimism despite a pick overhaul sparked by a slew of injuries to regular starters. With three losses on the bounce, including three against Scotland and one against France, the first fixture has been tense in recent years.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: This is the first thing I want to say is congratulations to Jamie George for being crowned England captain. I can see why they've chosen him. He's clearly a good communicator, a good whistle, and, most important, a superb player. He has also been England's most consistent performer during a challenging period, superbly controls the referee, and is the best player in his position. All major ticks on my captaincy checklist are checked. George has also been an unofficial spokesperson for the overseas playing rules and centralized labour, which is not by chance.

CHRIS FOY: After an epic World Cup finish with a slew of retirements, England is back in a new era. Courtney Laws, Ben Youngs, and Jonny May have all passed away, though Owen Farrell's attention will be on Saracens for the foreseeable future. It could be a very new-look England in the Six Nations opener against Italy in Rome on February 3, despite rumors regarding veterans Dan Cole and Billy Vunipola.

For those who play in the front row, the brutal reality of what it takes to play competitive rugby these days means that post-match nights are now largely out. Will Stuart's physical demands and the ensuing pain are worth it, as the prop forward continues his upward climb with exciting Bath and England as the 2024 season arrives. 'Post-games are a write-off.' I can't sleep, so I am usually tucking up with a drip-feed of tea and binge watching Netflix. That's pretty much it on a Saturday night,' Stuart said.

It was a great game on a cold night. Nottingham blasted a spirited Cambridge side 22-19 at Lady Bay last Friday to briefly take second place in the Championship for a short time. Given that the top tier is locked up and will remain so, to the Archers, they were near the top of the English rugby pyramid. A crowd of about 1,000 people enjoyed a close match that showed how competitive the second division of English rugby can be. The DJ's songs created a buzzing atmosphere. Plenty of young spectators attended the cheap tickets, including many students. The coffee was good, the food was good, and the rugby was good. There is life under the Premiership's and real value. Nottingham has a rich tradition of developing Test talent for England, from Brian Moore and Rob Andrew to Tom Youngs, Dan Cole, Will Stuart, and Ollie Chessum. However, they and their opponents are struggling with reduced funding and restructuring efforts initiated by the RFU and PRL, which they don't like.

SIMON NIK SIMON: The team returned to France in disarray after a disastrous warm-up run, but in the semi-finals, they silenced some of their opponents. With a victory on Saturday, Ben Youngs and Dan Cole started their international careers as Farrell praised their service to the national team. The No. 10 said, 'I'm proud we found a way to win tonight.' It was a tumultuous old game, but I thought it was a good effort on the back of another six-day turnaround and a loss last weekend.'

CHRIS FOY IN PARIS: The Pumas are in danger. England is brimming with righteous indignation, and there is every chance that Argentina will be the ones to savor the whirlwind tonight. Any team in the history of Rugby World Cups has so much multi-dimensional energy into one of these pre-show matches, which are often referred to as a bronze final these days. They will unleash a veritable mountain of rage in this consolation contest at the Stade de France, as with the uncertainty in the England camp over being refused a place in the final by the narrowest of margins on tomorrow.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: The bronze medal match at a World Cup is the one no one wants to play in. I'm not concerned if England places third or fourth in France. What matters is that Steve Borthwick plays the game as the start of a new age, the chance to press the reset button on England's journey to 2027. I've selected my squad for the 2027 World Cup, and eight of them are playing against Argentina, which is exciting.

SIR CLIVE WOORDWARD: England may have lost their World Cup semi-final with South Africa by the narrowest of margins, but it was their best result since 2019 bar none. Not since the national team beat New Zealand in the last four years in Japan, four years ago, do we come close to seeing Steve Borthwick's team against the Springboks on display. We should all agree that this was a limited game plan. It was what the circumstances required, but the simple truth is that it was England's only hope of defeating South Africa. It was also England's most cohesive, united, and enthralling display for a long time.

England is aiming for their second straight Rugby World Cup final on Tuesday, but South Africa is also up for a tough challenge. When they defeated Fiji, Steve Borthwick's side survived a big scare to make it five wins out of five. When South Africa defeated France last weekend, they played out one of the best matches of the tournament.

SHAUN EDWARDS - The defence COACH of France is a former English defender. Everyone agrees that England has no chance against South Africa, but I disagree. I think it will be a tense match that may be decided by a single point. Our match against the Springboks on Sunday night was such a close match, and recovering from a game like that is often difficult. England has a good chance because they have a similar style. Steve Borthwick's experience is the line-out, and I am sure he will be planning to stop South Africa's driving mauldron. I haven't been through our match in depth yet - it's still stings - but there are a few key areas that England will investigate.

ALEX BYWATER: South Africa is often renown for their firepower off the bench, but it appears England has adopted a similar tactic ahead of their massive semi-final clash on Saturday. As lock Ollie Chessum and props Ellis Genge and Kyle Sinckler were withdrawn from the bench in favour of George Martin, Joe Marler, and Dan Cole, eyebrows were raised. However, it seems that boss Steve Borthwick has a scheme in place - to have a huge physical effect off the bench in the second half. Ellis Genge, one of England's vice-captains, has gotten used to starting in a white shirt with Joe Marler coming off the bench.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: South Africa is a hot favourite for their World Cup semi-final with England, but this is a difficult situation to be in. Steve Borthwick's side has a chance of a big upset. It's David vs. Goliath, but we've already seen a lot of horrors in France. England could produce another. It will take a spectacular show and united thinking about pick and tactics to beat the Springboks. Here's a five-point blueprint for beating the Boks.

CHRIS FOY: This is it, the moment of truth. With a game that will define this campaign and several careers, the business end of the World Cup for England begins. Steve Borthwick's crew must win to protect names and avoid tumultuous inquests. The quarter-final showdown with Fiji at Stade Velodrome tomorrow demonstrated the sharp divide between a pass mark and a failure. Victory would send the national team into the last four, which was widely believed to be the upper limit of what could be expected of them in those difficult circumstances at this tournament. No doubt that the defeat would be seen as a failure. Whatever happens, Borthwick's England team is secure because he has the complete support of his manageresses at the RFU, but a game that might come as a verdict on the rushed first phase of the recovery effort that he accepted late last year is a huge factor. This year's chaos, upheaval, instability, critique, and turmoil has all contributed to this make-or-break occasion.

CHRIS FOY IN LYON: After suffering an injury scare days before the departure for France, Kyle Sinckler has expressed his relief and admiration for the prospect of another World Cup shot with England. In the first minutes, the 30-year-old prop was knocked out of the 2019 final as England was smashed into submission by South Africa. Sinckler would not make it to the tournament, but the Bristol tighthead reassured head coach Steve Borthwick that he would tackle an untimely chest injury and has been true to his word.

CHRIS FOY: Many of those who were there to help the underdogs became part of a re-connection between the team and the public at a re-connection event. It seemed like a watershed. They were dancing in the stands by the time we got to the end. They were already performing outside the streets an hour later. In this logic-defying World Cup opener, coaches and players had talked about wanting to unite the English people behind them, and they did just that in spades. Anyone arguing about a victory solely on kick points wasn't there to see this live; the gutsy show and the moving scenes around it. The commotion in England during the lap of honour was amazing. It was an outpouring of joy to see something hopeful at last after so much despair. People had little hope but were left euphoric.

LUKE AUGUSTUS at THE O2 ARENA: Ben Youngs and Dan Cole believe England has the right captain in Courtney Laws going into the Rugby World Cup, with captain Owen Farrell suspended. The laws in France will not include England for their first two matches, beginning against Argentina on Saturday night (8 p.m.) and ending in Nice (8pm kick-off). Due to Owen Farrell's ban, the 34-year-old's position has been enhanced.

LUKE AUGUSTUS AT THE O2 ARENA: Dan Cole has no doubts about the challenges Argentina will face for England in their first Rugby World Cup match, but believes they have the expertise to hold them in good shape. On Saturday night, England will face Argentina in Marseille (8 p.m.), with the former being the overriding favorites for the Group A showdown. The South Americans go into the contest off a good summer that saw them triumph over Australia away from home in the Rugby Championships and then fall by a point to the reigning world champions South Africa in another match. They defeated Spain 62-3 in their most recent match.