Tigers Appoint Meyer as Head Coach

Leicester Tigers have ended the speculation over their head coaching role by appointing former Blue Bulls supremo Heyneke Meyer to the role vacated last month by Marcelo Loffreda.  This move, widely expected after fellow candidate Neil Back withdrew from the race by moving to Leeds Carnegie, will become final before the start of the new Guinness Premiership season.

Meyer will be charged with resurrecting the Tigers’ fortunes after a trophy-less season at Welford Road, during which the team reached two finals and exited the Heineken Cup at the pool stage.  While such a record would be welcomed at many clubs, the history of success at Leicester put former Pumas head coach Loffreda on very shaky ground.  Tigers’ former Springbok lock Marco Wentzel, a former Blue Bulls charge of Meyer, had gone on record as supporting the appointment as early as last Friday.

Meyer himself has said of his new job:  “I am humbled a club like Leicester has considered me. I am very thankful they have appointed me and I am looking forward to getting started.  I have always thought that if I want to get back into rugby it must be with one of the best clubs in the world, and I truly believe Leicester Tigers are one of the best clubs.”  Tigers fans will be hoping that the new man hits the ground running, with the Heineken Cup draw putting Leicester in a pool with last season’s EDF Cup winners the Ospreys, and a Perpignan side galvanised by the six-month loan signing of Dan Carter.

Gatland picks Hook, drops hooker for France game

Wales coach Warren Gatland has picked James Hook to start at fly-half for Saturday’s Six Nations decider against France, hinting at a change in tactics for a match which could see the Welsh secure a Grand Slam just 12 months after taking the Wooden Spoon under Gareth Jenkins. Hook, who started against England and Scotland only to take a back seat to Llanelli’s Stephen Jones for the Italy and Ireland games, returns in order to pose a greater threat in the open field.

In the only other change, hooker Huw Bennett returns to the starting line-up after flu ruled him out of the Croke Park victory. French coach Marc Lievremont will name his team on Wednesday, having decided to take in another training session before committing himself to his usual welter of changes. Definitely out are Aurelien Rougerie, Yann David, Julien Tomas, Ibrahim Diarra, Louis Picamoles and Guilhem Guirad, with Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, David Skrela, Cedric Heymans, Thierry Dusautoir, Elvis Vermeulen and William Servat restored to the 22.

Cipriani gets quick reprieve; Wilko and BO’D absent

England bad-boy Danny Cipriani has been rewarded for taking his punishment like a man with a first full cap for the side in place of … Jonny Wilkinson.  Wilkinson, who for some time has been considered undroppable, has suffered from poor form so far in this year’s Six Nations, and club kid Cipriani is the man to benefit as the Falcons man drops to the bench, consigning Charlie Hodgson to club duty for the final game of his country’s campaign, against Ireland on Saturday.

Also absent from the action at Twickenham is Irish captain Brian O’Driscoll.  O’Driscoll suffered a hamstring tear against Wales on Saturday past, and will be out for about four weeks.  The injury caps a miserable tournament for the Leinster man, whose previous heroics have been conspicuous recently only by their absence.  O’Driscoll is replaced in the centre by Shane Horgan, in the team by the returning Geordan Murphy, and in the role of captain by fly-half Ronan O’Gara - himself one of the few bright spots in a poor campaign for Ireland.  With Murphy back at full-back, the exciting Rob Kearney returns to the wing for the tournament’s penultimate game.

Welcome to the Oval Office

Welcome to the Internet’s newest Rugby Union blog (at the moment).

The Oval Office will be - we hope - an indispensable companion to you, the rugby union fan lookig for news, views, rumours and anything else that wets your whistle rugby-wise. Hoping to strike a balance between genuinely informative and cruelly humorous, we will cover stories that strike us as being important, and offer analysis, updates, opinions and whatever else fills space invaluable information to add to your enjoyment of the sport.

Launching at the tail-end of a seemingly already-decided Six Nations, we are already showing an ability to strike while the iron isn’t even lukewarm, but in all honesty we couldn’t hold it in any longer.  With the small matter of a Lions tour to the home of the World Champions literally not all that far in the future, the Oval Office will bring you updates on potential squad members, fixtures, announcements and over the coming weeks will start to piece together our own Lions squad and preferred XV.  When a coach is named for the tour, and when he names his squad, we will offer immediate reaction and analysis.

Also in the coming weeks, there is the return of the Heineken Cup to look forward to.  With sides from four nations involved, the identity of this season’s winners has the potential to be hugely surprising, or Toulouse again.

With this and the usual day-to-day news to be covered, we will aim to provide information, laughs and worthwhile analysis on a daily basis.  Keep coming back here for the latest!