Rugby: Gatland linked with Lions role

Wales coach Warren Gatland has failed to rule out coaching the Lions tour of Australia after revealing he was free for the role.

The former New Zealand hooker has just signed a new four-year contract with the Welsh Rugby Union following his Six Nations success in 2008 and has one eye on getting things settled ahead of next year's World Cup.

However, speaking about his new deal on Friday, Gatland revealed there was a clause in the contract which allowed him to take a five month break during the summer of 2013.

Gatland, who was a forwards coach on the Lions last tour, failed to say whether he would be involved in three years time but did say it would be an honour to coach the side.

Italy V England Hospitality

"Part of my contract negotiations included being able to spend some time back in New Zealand," said Gatland.

"Wales have agreed that for 2013, while the Lions are touring and Wales play Japan for a couple of games, I could appoint some younger coaches which would enable me to spend four or five months back in New Zealand.

“The Premiership is quicker than the Magners League. There is more strength in depth. Every match is a big one.

“Training is more intense, we work the whole time, there is pressure the whole time. I’m enjoying that.

Buy online Six Nations England V Italy Hospitality Packages with the best prices available! We are covering in England V Italy 2011 Six Nations Hospitality and Tickets

England V Italy Hospitality

Toulon to ask England for give and take over releasing Jonny Wilkinson

Toulon will ask England to release Jonny Wilkinson from their pre-autumn international training camp at the end of the month to play in a Top 14 match in Toulouse on 30 October. The French club are prepared to rest the 31-year-old fly-half on Saturday when they take on Munster in the Heineken Cup, something they would use as a bargaining tool with the England team manager, Martin Johnson.

England's training camp is not governed by the International Rugby Board's regulation governing the release of players for Test match duty, because the opening November international, against New Zealand at Twickenham on 6 November, falls outside the official Test window, meaning clubs not in the Premiership are not obliged to make their players available.

England V Italy Hospitality

Wilkinson has a clause in his contract with Toulon allowing him to be with England whenever called on, regardless of whether it is within a period governed by the IRB regulation, and Twickenham issued a statement today which pointed out that a condition of Wilkinson being selected in the elite player squad, along with James Haskell and Tom Palmer of Stade Français, was that their club contracts allowed them to fulfil all of England's release dates.

"We will not make any attempt to stop Jonny playing against New Zealand," the Toulon team manager, Tom Whitford, said. "What we do ask for is a bit of give and take. Toulouse is a big match for us and we would like Jonny to be involved. We will sit down and talk with him next week and we are in constant dialogue with England."

Whitford said reports that Wilkinson would miss the trip to Munster because of a knee injury were untrue. "He is fit for selection but we have to take a decision on him because he has played every match this season. If he did not play, it would be something we hope would count in our favour come his availability for the Toulouse match."

Six Nations England V Italy Hospitality Packages with the best prices available at www.corporatehospitalitygroup.com. We are covering in England V Italy 2011 Six Nations Hospitality and Tickets

England V Italy Hospitality

Italy V England Hospitality

England V Italy Hospitality available at Corporate Hospitality Group

England competes annually in the Six Nations Championship, which is played against five other European nations: France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales. The Six Nations started out as the Home Nations Championship in 1883 which England won with a Triple Crown.
England has won the title more times than any other nation by winning it outright 25 times, and sharing victory ten times. Their longest wait between championships was 18 years from 1892 to 1910.

England players traditionally wear white shorts, navy socks with white tops, and a white shirt with a red rose embroidered on it, and for the first time in the English rugby team's history, their away shirt is red. Their home ground is Twickenham Stadium where they first played in 1910. The team is administered by the Rugby Football Union (RFU).

Italian Rugby really came to prominence in 2000 when it was added to the Five Nations, creating the Six Nations. Originally on the end of some heavy defeats, the side has grown in competitiveness, recorded a fourth place finish in 2007, and even in defeat, lop-sided losses are becoming far less frequent. Italy is ranked eleventh in the world by the IRB as of 21 June 2010.

Italy has also competed at every Rugby World Cup since the first tournament in 1987, but has to progress beyond the first round. Their best showing thus far has been in 2003 and 2007 where they managed two wins during the pool stages.

Buy online Six Nations England V Italy Hospitality Packages with the best prices available! We are covering in England V Italy 2011 Six Nations Hospitality and Tickets

England V Italy Hospitality

Italy V England Hospitality