News in Brief
All Blacks set San Siro date
The San Siro will play host to the All Blacks and Italy in November
© Getty Images
- New Zealand have announced another date for their November tour of the northern hemisphere. After yesterday announcing a showdown with the Barbarians at Twickenham in December, the All Blacks have confirmed that they will take in the sights and sounds of Milan on November 14 before playing Italy at the San Siro.
The San Siro, home of Serie A football teams AC and Inter Milan, has only hosted a single rugby international in the past, Italy losing 12-3 to Romania in 1988 in front of a crowd of 9,000. Leading All Blacks, including Dan Carter and Richie McCaw, also attended a promotional event at the ground alongside AC Milan players last November.
The All Blacks tour will also take in stops to face England on November 21 and France on November 28, while a meeting with Wales at the Millennium Stadium is mooted for November 7.
- Saracens prop Cobus Visagie has announced that he will retire from playing at the end of the season. The former Springbok international, 35, will continue to work with Sarries as a scrum consultant whilst furthering his career in finance.
"I think you need to recognise when you have had a good run," explained Visagie when asked about his retirement. "What has kept me going in the past few years is the chance to win some silverware with Saracens and there is still one last chance to do that this season so I want to go out on a high. I've have had a really good time at the club, but it is right to call it a day and move on to life outside of rugby."
- Sale winger Mark Cueto has been banned for two weeks by an RFU disciplinary panel after being found guilty of a dangerous tackle on Bath's Andrew Higgins during their Guinness Premiership tie on March 27. Cueto will be free to play again on April 22nd.
- Worcester academy quartet Callum Black, Jonny Arr, Charlie Fellows and Jordan Page have all committed their futures to the club by signing new deals. Black has signed a two-year deal at Sixways while the other three players have penned one-year extensions.
- The Ospreys have signed scrum-half Tom Isaacs from the Dragons on a two-year deal. Isaacs, 22, was part of the Welsh side that won the Rugby World Cup Sevens in March.
- L'Aquila, the rugby club from the Italian town rocked by an earthquake earlier this week, is mourning the loss of prop Lorenzo Sebastiani. Sebastiani, 20, was one of a reported 250 casualties in the earthquake.
© Scrum.com
1. Max Verstappen ()
