Who is popular today?

Experienced official invited to training after penalty glut
‘We have to be cleverer and smarter,’ says coach Mitchell

Wayne Barnes has been laying down the law with the England squad this week after a high penalty count in the opening three rounds contributed to the champions relinquishing their title early. Having cancelled an 11-point deficit against Wales in Cardiff to level in the last round, three offences in nine minutes punctured the comeback and raised the prospect of a bottom-half finish.
England, who contacted Barnes – the game’s most experienced Test referee – after conceding 42 penalties in three matches, face the unbeaten France at Twickenham on Saturday and while Les Bleus have not won a tournament match at the ground since 2005, they are buoyed by the performance of a reserve side in the Autumn Nations Cup final in December when England needed extra-time to prevail after trailing for most of the match. Continue reading...