Following a month-long coma and weeks of rehabilitation at a Johannesburg hospital after he woke, he beat the odds and was delighted to now have finally made his first trip back to South Africa since his near-death ordeal.
A green bottle of Castle Lite was suddenly the beverage of choice… and why not? England had just been crowned champions. “I've already necked two,” he chucked.
Given that they are about to fly to South Africa for the World Rugby U20 Championship, a tournament that will be played in the southern hemisphere mid-winter, it sounds daft that Mapletoft and co did preparation in a very different climate.
The RFU have confirmed that England Women head coach Simon Middleton will step down following 2023 TikTok Women’s Six Nations.
The Red Roses thumped South Africa to set up a World Cup quarter-final against Australia.
The European Finals weekend brought plenty for French teams to celebrate. Three of the four finalists in the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup showdowns hailed from France and, when La Rochelle turned a dream into a reality, total European dominance was confirmed.
Gloucester head coach George Skivington praised the consistency his players are building following an impressive 27-10 Gallagher Premiership victory over Bristol.