stint

Too popular, too strong and a deep domestic league is a problem Rouet would love Canada to have.

“The fun part with the [Canada] girls being in PWR is the quality of games,” he added.

“If you look at the top eight in the PWR, even Bristol, who are last, have six wins.

“There are no easy games, and this is the value for the players definitely.

“But off the pitch, the [Canada] girls have to live as students. They are not well paid, Rugby Canada doesn’t provide them enough money and their visas don’t allow them to work on the side.

“So, PWR is very helpful, but it’s also not sustainable for them to do that for 10 years.

“Also the only reason this PWR is the best of the leagues is because there are players from six, seven, eight countries that play in England.

“Those young English players who aren’t centrally contracted, have to grind to get game time. That is not bad for them. It’s the same for the senior Canada players when they come to a PWR club.”

Those Canada players and their colleagues will get three shots at England, and revenge for their World Cup final defeat, this autumn. They meet the Red Roses in Exeter on 19 September, before home fixtures in Toronto and Ottawa on 17 and 24 October.

Canada will have big crowds, but, with players scattered across continents and Rugby Canada’s focus switching to the men’s side and Australia 2027, short preparation time for those games.

“That’s the reality of our programme – we have to just be confident, but also be mindful if we don’t beat England, that’s OK,” said Rouet.

For Saracens, expectations are higher. They finished the PWR’s regular season strongly.

Gloucester-Hartpury, the three-time defending champions, didn’t.

The ‘Circus’ is in danger of falling flat after defeats by Ealing Trailfinders and Bristol Bears in their final two games.

Saracens take on Exeter this Sunday in the semi-finals and Rouet and his team are determined to put on a show of their own.

“We have a duty to try to promote the women’s game and part of that is playing fast rugby that is exciting, fun and beautiful to watch,” he added.

“We have great players at Saracens, players who love to take initiative, take an option, read the game as well as respect the structure. They love to do that, maybe I just try to empower them to do so.”

He can build bridges, but Rouet also hopes to destroy dynasties.

Ed Orgeron is back.

Back at Louisiana State, where he coached the Tigers to a 15-0 record and a national championship during the 2019 season.

And back with Lane Kiffin, the new LSU head coach who now has made Orgeron a member of his staff at three schools following their stint together as USC assistant coaches under Pete Carroll.

LSU announced Wednesday that the 64-year-old Louisiana native is returning to the Tigers as a special assistant for recruiting and defense.

“I’m excited to bring Coach Orgeron back to LSU,” Kiffin said in a statement. “He brings us tremendous value with his ability to recruit elite players nationally, but especially the impact he can have for us recruiting the great state of Louisiana.”

Orgeron played defensive line for four years at Northwestern State, then started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater in 1984. After spending the next decade-plus as an assistant on a variety of coaching staffs, including at Miami and Syracuse, Orgeron joined USC coach Paul Hackett’s staff as the defensive line coach.

When Carroll replaced Hackett before the 2001 season, he retained Orgeron on his staff and eventually also made him recruiting coordinator. Also in 2001, Carroll hired Kiffin, who started as tight ends coach and eventually worked his way up to offensive coordinator.

After winning two national championships under Carroll, Orgeron was hired as head coach at Mississippi before the 2005 season. He offered Kiffin a job on his staff as offensive coordinator, but the then-Trojans passing game coordinator turned it down (Kiffin would much later serve as the Rebels head coach from 2020 to 2025).

Orgeron went 10-25 at Mississippi and was fired after the 2007 season. After a year as the New Orleans Saints defensive line coach, Orgeron joined Kiffin’s staff at Tennessee as defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator.

When Kiffin returned to USC as head coach in 2010, Orgeron joined him as defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator. On Sept. 29, 2013, Kiffin was fired by USC. Orgeron was named interim head coach but left the team at the end of the season after Steve Sarkisian became the permanent head coach.

Orgeron joined LSU as the defensive line coach in 2015. He became interim head coach the following September after Les Miles was fired and got the full-time job at the end of the season.

The undefeated 2019 season, with Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Joe Burrow, was the peak of Orgeron’s stint with the Tigers. The team’s fortunes dipped after that, with Orgeron and LSU parting ways following the 2021 season. In six seasons with the Tigers, Orgeron went 51-20.

Less than five years later, Orgeron is reunited with the Tigers and his old friend Kiffin.

“Coach O understands my expectations and commitment to being a championship program,” Kiffin said. “I look forward to seeing him with recruits and his intensity working with our defensive players.”

England and Leicestershire leg-spinning all-rounder Rehan Ahmed is joining Delhi Capitals for the remainder of this year’s Indian Premier League campaign.

The 21-year-old, who has played 27 internationals for England across all formats, will leave immediately for his first taste of the IPL and will be away until at least the end of the group stages of the competition on 24 May.

Delhi are currently fifth in the standings, having won three and lost three of their six games so far.

Ahmed, who will earn £60,000, will miss the Foxes’ next four County Championship matches and at least their first two group games in the T20 Blast.

“We’re absolutely delighted for Rehan and incredibly proud as a club to see him earn this opportunity,” Leicestershire director of cricket Claude Henderson said.

“It’s a real testament to the hard work of everyone within our academy and pathway system, and exactly what we strive for.

“We’re excited to watch him go and express himself, and we’ll be right behind him every step of the way before welcoming him back to Leicester.”

Ahmed has taken six wickets and scored 56 runs across the Foxes’ first two red-ball matches this season on the club’s return to the first division of the County Championship.