Loons fall to New England, drop to .

500

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Minnesota United looked like it had fixed last season’s road woes
after back-to-back wins to start its season-opening, five-game road trip, but the Loons have
fallen back to earth over the past two matches.

After a bye week to digest a loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy, the Loons dropped back to
.500 overall, falling to a highly motivated New England Revolution side that picked up its
first win of the season, 2-1, on Saturday afternoon at Gillette Stadium.

Darwin Quintero scored his third penalty kick goal this season, sandwiched between two
Revolution goals, as Minnesota (2-2) struggled to create chances and didn’t score from the
run of play for the first time this season.

“I don’t think our quality was good enough in their half of the field,” Loons coach Adrian
Heath said. “Our final ball wasn’t good enough. The ball was either overhit or it was
underweight. … The first two games of the season, we scored when we needed to, and on
the road you need to get a goal.”

The Loons will be back on the East Coast, facing the New York Red Bulls next Saturday
before playing their home opener and first game at Allianz Field against New York City FC
on April 13.

“Winning on the road in MLS is difficult,” Heath said. “We knew before the season started, it
was a difficult start. Now, we’ve got one to go. Let’s go and give it everything and see if we
can go and pick some points up, and if we pick up one or three points next week, I think it
will have been a good start.”

After making six changes to the starting 11, the Revolution (1-3-1) went ahead in the 10th
minute, as Carles Gil sent in a long-distance curler from the right side that center back Jalil
Anibaba dived to head in at the far post. Loons goalie Vito Mannone got a hand on the ball
but couldn’t keep it from crossing the goal line.

“Different faces, but we still expected them to do what they did — wanting to press forward,
wanting to run forward, be vertical, try to put us under pressure,” center back Ike Opara
said. “Their new guys, they were really hungry, motivated today.”
The Loons tied it 1-1 in the 26th minute after referee Allen Chapman went to video review
and ruled that Michael Mancienne handled the ball in the box. Quintero finished the penalty
kick past goalie Cody Cropper into the left side of goal.

Minnesota nearly went in front in the 29th minute off a right-side corner by Jan Gregus,
connecting with defender Francisco Calvo for a header in the middle of the box. Cropper
made a reactionary save, parrying the ball up off the crossbar.

New England then retook the lead in the 62nd minute after rookie DeJuan Jones sent a
through ball up the middle to Teal Bunbury. He quickly turned and sent the ball toward the
right post and Brandon Bye slid in to tuck it home.

“You can only take so much pressure,” Opara said. “Their second goal: Terrible shot turns
into a great cross. Those things happen when you’re under pressure.”

The Loons had two changes to the lineup as Romario Ibarra (Ecuador) and Rasmus
Schuller (Finland) missed the game after playing for their national teams over the past
week, while Schuller also picked up a leg injury on national team duty. Angelo Rodriguez
and Ethan Finlay made their first starts of the season.

“Both losses we felt like coming in we had an opportunity to get three points and to get zero
out of them was a disappointment,” Finlay said. “We have high expectations this year, and
that means going on the road and getting results.”

02
What a muddle over the RFU's plans for finding a successor to Eddie
Jones as England coach

Let's try to make sense of this, because it is all very confusing. The RFU insist they have a
plan for replacing Eddie Jones as England head coach. That’s not how it appears.

Last week, Nigel Melville was asked to clarify the succession strategy. He spoke at length,
but the situation remains as clear as mud.

In theory, Jones is contracted until 2021 and will oversee the development of a successor.
Well, that was the intention when his deal was extended early last year.
The RFU have yet to put in place a solid succession plan for when Eddie Jones leaves
England

More recently, there has been speculation that Warren Gatland will leave his post with
Wales after the World Cup and switch allegiance to the Red Rose.

However, he has also been linked with a third tour as Lions head coach, to South Africa in
2021 — and the RFU are unlikely to be as accommodating in allowing him to take a
sabbatical as their Wales counterparts have been.

Of course, it all hinges on what Jones does. If the national team don’t progress beyond the
quarter-finals, he could be relieved of his duties, as per the terms of his contract. Or, as is
more likely, he may just choose to walk away.

Speculation has grown that outgoing Wales boss Warren Gatland will replace Jones

Unless this has already been agreed behind the scenes, the decision to extend his deal has
created unnecessary confusion. It was seemingly done to give the RFU breathing space,
but that decision was overseen by Steven Brown, who was ousted as the union’s chief
executive last year.

Now Melville is at the helm on an interim basis and is presiding over the forward-planning
process, as Bill Sweeney won’t arrive from the British Olympic Association until August at
the earliest. He may not even take charge before the World Cup.

If Jones leaves abruptly, what exactly will the RFU do? Gatland may covet the England job,
but there is no certainty it will become available.

He could be lured elsewhere. The plan involving Jones acting as a mentor falls down on the
basis that if the Australian is involved, he will wish to be in charge.

A hands-off role doesn’t suit him — and it wouldn’t suit many leading candidates to work
under such a forceful character.

There is a conspiracy theory doing the rounds that, at a time of union cost-cutting, an in-
house plan is on the cards, with Dean Ryan and Jim Mallinder joining forces to take charge
of the England team. That would require a sudden outbreak of patience from the RFU, to
allow the pair to find their feet at Test level.

England could opt to give the role to a coach excelling at club level such as Exeter's Rob
Baxter

The same applies to English coaches excelling at club level, such as Rob Baxter and
Richard Cockerill — but neither man would wish to be mentored. They would want to stand
or fall on their own terms.

France have also identified Gatland as a target, but the French federation have declared
that they will hold a ballot among member clubs, to choose who should be appointed.
Bonkers.

The RFU won’t do anything so outlandish, but they are still in danger of presiding over a
shambolic process.

Meanwhile, Wales and Ireland have their succession plans sorted, with Wayne Pivac and
Andy Farrell ready to take over. See, it doesn’t have to be difficult after all.

Andy Farrell has already been announced as the successor to Joe Schmidt as Ireland
coach

This Friday is the deadline for all unions to return letters to World Rugby indicating their
intention to support the Nations Championship concept. That won’t happen, because it
involves profound changes to the status quo.

The Six Nations bloc are set to turn their backs on the plan, to avoid the introduction of
promotion and relegation in the annual championship. They like their cosy club the way it
is.

The north-south financial gulf will now widen and the Tier 2 nations will be further alienated.
This is a sport in which the ‘haves’ show no interest in supporting the ‘have-nots’, for the
greater good.
The Scottish Rugby Union evidently has pots of money, given that it has just bought a 30
per cent stake in Washington-based U.S. rugby franchise Old Glory DC, ahead of its entry
into Major League Rugby next year.

On the basis that there are just two professional teams north of the border, there would
have been ample scope for infrastructure investment closer to home, rather than joining the
desperate, unseemly scramble for dollars.

LEICESTER HIRE FORD FOR SAFETY

It should have happened months ago, but finally Leicester have woken up to their
predicament and taken steps to arrest the slump. It has been plain to see that novice head
coach Geordan Murphy has needed experienced assistance, which he will now receive
from Mike Ford.

His coaching know-how should help Leicester to find some stability and avert the threat of
relegation. If his input has a positive impact, the former England defence coach could earn
a long-term role within the Tigers management team but the club must ensure that, this
time, their end-of-season review is thorough and leads to a major overhaul.

Mike Ford's coaching expertise should help Leicester find some much-needed stability

It was another weekend of European club fixtures serving as wall-to-wall television

schedule-fillers, leading to the familiar issue of anti-social kick-off times in the Challenge
Cup.

Worcester v Harlequins took the graveyard slot at 8.15pm on Saturday night, but worst of all
was Clermont hosting Northampton from 7pm local time.

Stade Marcel Michelin is one of the continent’s iconic venues, but many Saints fans will
have been denied the chance to pay a visit as a result of the ludicrous scheduling.

Northampton played Clermont at Stade Marcel Michelin but the scheduling was unfair on
fans

MAJOR GAFFE
Ulster wing Jacob Stockdale has a reputation as a predatory finisher, but he carelessly
spilled the ball in-goal against Leinster — an act described as ‘unforgiveable’ by Brian
O’Driscoll.

STRIKING CELEBRATION

When Munster hung on to beat Edinburgh at Murrayfield, head coach Johann van Graan
stood, and raised his eyes and arms, as if giving thanks for divine intervention.

RELUCTANT ABSENTEE

Owen Farrell missed Saracens’ win over Glasgow to be at the birth of his first child and
director of rugby Mark McCall said: ‘He did phone me at 2.30pm and said “In the next half
hour...” ‘I said, “Owen, the game starts at 3.15pm!”’

SOUR GRAPES

Glasgow head coach Dave Rennie damned Saracens with faint praise after they put 56
points on his side, saying: ‘We got a hiding from a team that choked us.

‘Saracens want to go from set piece to set piece and control the pace of the game.’

SARTORIAL STATEMENT

On match-day, most coaches will wear club polo shirts and shorts of tracksuit trousers, but
not Glasgow’s — who came to Allianz Park clad in matching check shirts and jeans.

ACT OF DEFIANCE

The Sunwolves have discovered that they are to be axed from Super Rugby as part of the
latest revamp of the tournament, so they responded by upsetting the Waratahs in Australia.

FANCY FOOTWORK

Bryce Heem scored a fine try for Worcester against Harlequins — seizing Duncan Weir’s
superb cross-kick at full tilt and managing to quickly apply the brakes, to touch down.

OFFICIAL RELIEF
Champions Cup organisers EPCR will be delighted that Leinster and Munster are both
through to the semi-finals, which means strong attendances are guaranteed for the two
ties.

THE LAST WORD

Bristol are reportedly offering Wales fly-half Gareth Anscombe £500,000 per year to join
them this summer, with the understanding that it would rule him out of the World Cup — as
an exile in England.

In principle, it seems like a simple decision: sign on again with the Blues, go to Japan in the
autumn and savour a career pinnacle with no limit on where the journey could end.

Yet, Anscombe couldn’t be blamed for taking a financial decision and moving to the West
Country. As a Kiwi with Welsh ancestry, he has struggled for acceptance since migrating
from New Zealand to Cardiff.

Frankly, he has been harshly and unfairly treated. If he decides to accept Bristol’s offer,
those who haven’t appreciated him should be filled with regret.

Gareth Anscombe could not be blamed for deciding to move from Cardiff Blues to Bristol

03
England sensation Hudson-Odoi eyes Chelsea spotlight

Cardiff (United Kingdom) (AFP) - For a player who has yet to start a Premier League game,
rising Chelsea star Callum Hudson-Odoi has attracted an awful lot of hype this season.

That spotlight only grew brighter after his outstanding performances for England during the
international break.

However, it remains to be seen whether Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri is as convinced by

the 18-year-old's performances as a substitute against the Czech Republic and on his full
international debut against Montenegro.
Sarri is weighing up whether to name the winger in his starting line-up for Chelsea's Premier
League visit to struggling Cardiff on Sunday.

But Sarri remains guarded in his praise of a young player who has become the focus of a
significant number of Chelsea's supporters.

And it would surprise no-one if the Italian refused to bow to popular pressure and again
named the youngster on the bench.

What is becoming increasingly clear, however, is that Sarri's handling of a player who has
already attracted bids from Bayern Munich last January could help shape the manager's
future at Stamford Bridge.

England had barely returned from the 5-1 victory in Montenegro -- a game in which Hudson-
Odoi was one of a number of players to be subjected to racial abuse by home supporters --
before reports were emerging linking the player with a lucrative move to Manchester United
or Liverpool.

Sarri has attempted to inject what he views as a note of sober realism into the debate about
the limited opportunities offered to a player who has risen through Chelsea's youth system
and into the first team squad without following the more familiar route of spending time
away on loan.

Hudson-Odoi's talent is obvious, as is his ability to handle the step up to a higher level if his
performances for England are anything to go by.

- Learning curve -

For Sarri, though, talent and potential are not enough as he looks for players to fit into the
rigid roles in his tactical game-plan.

In Sarri's eyes, the teenager still has a substantial way to travel along his learning curve.

Increasingly, though, it appears the Italian's stance will be tested as Chelsea fight to qualify
for the Champions League via a top four finish or success in the Europa League.
Hudson-Odoi is clearly an asset Chelsea don't want to lose, but the youngster's current
contract runs only until the end of next season.

The aim is to tie down the England international's future, but Hudson-Odi has already
expressed his impatience and desire for more game-time by pressing for the move to
Bayern before the turn of the year.

Overshadowing all squad matters at Chelsea presently is the threat of the two-window
transfer ban imposed on the club by FIFA after alleged breaches of rules in relation to the
signing of a number of young players.

Chelsea will appeal the ban next month but Andreas Christensen, the young centre-back
who has failed to win over Sarri, claimed last week that players have been told they cannot
leave while the threat of an embargo exists.

Add to that the fact that thirty-somethings Pedro and Willian, the players Hudson-Odoi is
attempting to dislodge in the team, are also poised to enter the final year of their contracts,
and the case for doing everything possible to ensure the youngster pledges his future to the
club grows ever stronger.

Sarri's position at Chelsea has appeared vulnerable for some time.

If he can win Hudson-Odoi's loyalty and bring the best out of the player in the final weeks of
the season, his position will undoubtedly be strengthened.

Should he be seen as having contributed to the departure of the outstanding young talents
in the Premier League, the Italian's standing at Stamford Bridge will drop even further.