Sport

O'Kelly signs new contract

Rugby Digest: Malcolm O'Kelly has signed a new contract which will keep him at Leinster until 2008

Tue Jan 31 2006 - 00:00

Rugby Digest: Malcolm O'Kelly has signed a new contract which will keep him at Leinster until 2008. O'Kelly said in a statement yesterday: "With the new coaching set-up in Leinster and the 2007 World Cup fast approaching, I think these will be very exciting times for the province and the Ireland team. I am happy to have agreed my new contract, allowing me to concentrate on the upcoming Six Nations and the visit of Italy."

Robinson revises squad

England coach Andy Robinson has cut nine players from his 36-man squad ahead of Saturday's Six Nations opener against Wales at Twickenham. Four are sidelined by injury - Pat Sanderson (back), Olly Barkley (dislocated thumb), Mark Van Gisbergen (sprained foot) and George Chuter (knee sprain). The other five are Leicester wing Tom Varndell, his Tigers team-mate, lock Louis Deacon, Wasps centre Stuart Abbott, Perpignan prop Perry Freshwater and Sale flanker Magnus Lund.

ENGLAND SQUAD: Backs: Lewsey (Wasps), Cohen (Northampton), Cueto (Sale), Voyce (Wasps), Noon (Newcastle), Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester), Tindall (Gloucester), Hodgson (Sale), Goode (Leicester), Dawson (Wasps), Ellis (Leicester), Richards (Gloucester). Forwards: Thompson (Northampton), Mears (Bath), Sheridan (Sale), Stevens (Bath), White(Leicester), Borthwick (Bath), Brown (Gloucester), Grewcock (Bath), Shaw (Wasps), Jones (Sale), Moody (Leicester), Worsley (Wasps), Corry (Leicester,capt), Dallaglio (Wasps), Forrester (Gloucester).

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Ruddock agrees deal

Wales coach Mike Ruddock has agreed verbally to a new contract which will take him through to next year's World Cup and beyond.

Ruddock said he has shaken hands on a two-year extension to his contract, which ends in May, and that he would get around to signing it when he was happy with the small print.

Wales have not yet ruled Llanelli flanker Dafydd Jones out of their plans for Saturday's game against England. Jones, lined up to take a place on the bench, was sent off for stamping during Llanelli's Celtic League defeat against Ulster in Belfast on Friday. He faces a WRU disciplinary hearing, which could be convened in Cardiff today, with Llanelli officials believing he has a strong case.

Coach Nigel Davies said: "Ulster tried to take our driving maul down, and when Matt McCullough dropped to the floor a few of our players went over the top of him. It was never a sending-off."