Who’s hot and who’s not!

David Skippers
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It’s time for our Monday wrap of who has their name in lights and who is making the headlines for all the wrong reasons after the weekend.

THEY’RE ON FIRE!

Lee Blackett: The former Wasps attack and backline coach was appointed as the Premiership outfit’s new head coach after impressing in the position on an interim basis. This, after Dai Young resigned from his role as the club’s director of rugby two months ago, following a nine-year stint in the hot seat. Since Blackett took charge of the team, Wasps have done well, claiming three bonus point wins and suffering just one defeat before the season was suspended. It’s therefore a deserved reward for Blackett who is highly thought of in the English game.

Jamie Roberts: The Welshman continues to go above and beyond in the fight against Covid-19 after volunteering to help the NHS during this crisis. Roberts made headlines last month by offering his empty flat to a frontline doctor and, following his return from South Africa, the Stormers player is now helping the Cardiff and Vale Health Board. The 94-times capped international completed his medical degree in 2013 and told the BBC: “Some staff members will maybe have relatives or friends who are suffering or even grieving and their ability to work so hard through this is so impressive and humbling.”

Munster doctor’s selfless act: Following on from our Roberts praise, earlier this week Munster head of medical, Jamie Kearns confirmed he will be working at University Hospital Galway to help in the fight against coronavirus. He’ll assist in the Emergency department at his home city’s hospital, revealing Munster were “very supportive” of his request as he looks to contribute to the cause. When announcing the news, Dr Kearns offered plenty of thought provoking words such as this: “There’s a number of doctors, nurses, healthcare assistants, cleaners – I don’t think people see that, the people who come in for not a huge amount of money to make this sacrifice in what is a very high risk environment. I think it’s important that all those people are recognised for what they do.” Hear hear.

Jimmy Gopperth: Another rugby player doing his bit but in a different way has been New Zealander Gopperth. Wasps, like many clubs around the world at the moment, have been supporting the community and it’s clearly had a positive effect on the veteran centre as he led the #MakeThatCall campaign, which urged people to pick up the phone over the “tough” Easter weekend and speak to family and friends. Gopperth knows better than anyone how it feels to be away from loved ones, with most of his family thousands of miles away in New Zealand and wanted people to have virtual Easter Sunday lunch using modern technology. Well done, Jimmy.

COLD AS ICE!

Warren Gatland’s call for 2017 series decider: We have to admit to being surprised that our poll on this idea received almost 44% in favour of setting up such a match. Yes, British and Irish Lions head coach Gatland wants his side to play the All Blacks in a series “decider” when the coronavirus crisis has ended, which he feels will generate much needed revenue from looking outside the box. While the game might be a decent watch, how the hell would this work two years on from the 15-15 draw at Eden Park. Any possible extra game would see two different teams plus New Zealand are under a different coach. It’s a massive no from us.

Will Hurrell retirement: Planet Rugby wishes him well for the future as the Bristol centre was unfortunately forced to hang up his boots last week after suffering a probable stroke in January. Hurrell was taken to hospital following the game with Leicester Tigers earlier in the year after sustaining a head injury during that encounter. The 30-year-old spent four years at the West Country outfit, making 68 appearances, and also had successful spells with Coventry, Bedford Blues and Doncaster Knights.

Raelene Castle’s huge pay cut: With Rugby Australia facing financial ruin after reporting a provisional loss of AUS$9.4 million for 2019 and with the governing body preparing for the worst case scenario that could see AUS$120 million in lost revenue should no rugby be played in 2020 due to Covid-19, there has been a lot of finger pointing towards their chief executive, Castle, during this period. After initially agreeing to a 50 per cent pay, she has now decided to increase it to 65 per cent. That is a large sum of money and although Castle must shoulder some of the blame for the current situation her organisation finds itself in, we feel she should not have to take such a financial hit at the current time.

Crusaders players’ lockdown breach: A handful of the 10-time Super Rugby champions’ players were in trouble early last week when they disobeyed New Zealand’s lockdown rules by training together in Christchurch. All Blacks fly-half Richie Mo’unga, who was part of the guilty party, said it was merely a coincidence that he was at the informal training session with his club-mates but the players’ actions were condemned by New Zealand Rugby, who labelled it as “unacceptable” and reminded everyone involved in rugby in the country “that they must abide by the New Zealand government’s Covid-19 guidelines”.

 

British and Irish Lions