Twickenham renewal: As the Government delays over the announcement of a proposed new national stadium, Twickenham, home of England, is set to receive more cosmetic surgery.
The planning committee of the Richmond on Thames Council has voted unanimously to allow the the English RFU to develop the South Stand at Twickenham. The plan was submitted last year to rebuild the stand that will incorporate a hotel, amongst other facilities. The new stand would increase the capacity at Twickenham from 75,000 to 82,000.
The RFU also confirmed they paid off the final instalment of a four-year £38 million loan last September. The new stand is expected to be completed in time for the 2007 Six Nations Championship.
Hansen may go south
Wales coach Steve Hansen has already announced his intention to quit his post following the 2004 Six Nations Championship and the speculation in New Zealand suggests he could link up with the new All Blacks coach Graham Henry, thereby reuniting a coaching team that presided over the glory days in Auckland rugby.
The WRU has set up a committee to find a successor to Hansen and included in the reckoning is former Leinster and Bective Rangers coach Mike Ruddock, along with favourite, and current Llanelli coach, Gareth Jenkins. The five-man committee is David Pickering, David Moffett, Terry Cobner, David Rees and Steve Lewis.
Cup tickets sell out
The first tranche of 5,000 tickets for this season's Heineken European Cup final have been put on public sale through Ticketmaster and were snapped up within hours.
The draw for the semi-finals will take place at the end of the pool stages once the quarter-final line-up is known. European Rugby Cup Ltd (ERC) has already commenced work on identifying neutral venues for the semi-finals.
European Cup final ticket prices start at £20, with top category tickets priced at £45.
England in the money
The English RFU have announced record profits for the year ending June, 2003. The total revenue generated was up 22 per cent to £71.8 million, while total costs were also up, 14 per cent, to £53.3 million, producing an operating profit of £18.5 million.
What might be of greater interest to the IRFU is that ticket revenue alone generated by English rugby is responsible for a figure of £16.5 million. It merely highlights the revenue that can be generated when you have a decent stadium with a reasonable capacity.
The much beleaguered South African Rugby Football Union (SARFU) didn't receive too much cheer on the balance sheets to counter the trials and tribulations of their pre- and post-World Cup problems on and off the pitch. The union announced a net profit of 4.8 million South African rand, down from 17.5 million rand the previous year.
Winner's choice
Congratulations to Paul Murray who won two tickets for an Irish-based Heineken European Cup match of his choice when he correctly answered that former Munster second row Mick O'Driscoll is playing his rugby with French club side Perpignan this season. More tickets will be available when the European Cup and the Planet Rugby column resumes in January.
Making the wrong call
We all know how difficult it can be to get a builder these days - too much work on - but that doesn't seem to be the problem in New Zealand, or at least not for French club Castres Olympique. They were chasing outhalf Andrew Mehrtens and hoping to persuade him to come to France.
Having been given the number by a good source they set about trying to contact Mehrtens. Mehrtens lives in Christchurch in the middle of the South Island of New Zealand. The French club were phoning an anonymous builder who lives in Northlands, right at the top of North Island.
The club claimed the builder's phone number had been given to them by Gary Whetton, the former All Black captain. Mehrtens, who is in the Crusaders' Super 12 squad, says he has had no contact with any French club.
The builder did give Castres a commitment to come and look at the job but was unable to say when he'd start.
Mitchell set to quit
John Mitchell is set to quit New Zealand and take up a coaching position abroad. The former All Blacks coach who was demoted in favour of former Wales, Lions and Auckland coach Graham Henry is furious that off-pitch rumours were bandied about with regard to his former personal assistant Bridgit Hickman.
Mitchell is looking for an early release from his contract with the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) when he meets with the board today. He admitted last week he had "paid the ultimate price" for New Zealand's Rugby World Cup semi-final loss to Australia. Mitchell is believed to be considering job offers in France and England.
"I have to make a decision whether I travel overseas between Christmas and New Year. I still want to coach and I can't afford to be out of the game for too long."
He added that he had become the victim of "vicious rumours" and innuendos during his stint with the All Blacks - including one of an affair with Hickman. He called on the NZRU to clear his name.
"The difficult thing that goes with the territory of being All Blacks coach is all the crap you have to take and all the vicious rumours that have been flying around.
"Since I started this job, you name it, I've had it all. And they are all totally incorrect, garbage."
Nel is on the up
Former Connacht coach Steph Nel has made a decent start to his new role as Director of Rugby with Zurich Premiership club Rotherham. Even though the Titans lost their 12th successive match, 15-10 to London Irish, it was a much improved performance. Ireland's reserve scrumhalf Guy Easterby was promoted to captain by Nel, the former having joined from Llanelli.
One final joke
"On their return from Australia, the South African Union threw a party for the squad. Rudolf Straeuli turned up as a pumpkin in the hope that he would turn into a coach at midnight." The former Springbok coach - gone but not forgotten.
