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Posted 88 days ago
AFTER A brief sojourn from the RBS 6 Nations, we were rewarded with three fascinating Six Nations duels in Round 3. England are now the only side capable winning a Grand Slam, but Wales and Scotland are still in the running for the title. We’ve picked our Lions contenders based on this weekend’s performance, but do you think we’ve got…
Posted 89 days ago
WALES’ GAME plan was executed perfectly in Rome – their territorially driven ‘kick chase’ was mightily effective in the wet Stadio Olimpico. Dan Biggar and Leigh Halfpenny were instrumental throughout the whole game. Biggar’s array of wiper kicks combined with Halfpenny’s high balls and deep clearances kept Italy pinned in their own half for large swathes of the game.
Posted 91 days ago
WALES TRAVELLED to Rome with a fragile confidence but they will have returned from their Italian sojourn with more than a little gladiatorial swagger about them. In dank, wet conditions, they had the better of the opening 40 minutes yet had only a three-point advantage to show for it at the break, thanks to Leigh Halfpenny’s trusty boot.
Posted 93 days ago
WE’VE HAD a breather from the RBS 6 Nations to catch our breath, but the heat is back on this weekend as Wales head to Rome, France hop across the channel to Twickenham and Scotland host Ireland. We put our neck on the line and pick our winners, but do you think we’ve got it right? Join the discussion on Facebook Rugby World magazine and Twitter @rugbyworldmag.
Posted 95 days ago
THE BRITISH and Irish Lions are still hotter than a Justin Bieber and David Beckham collaborative calendar. Need proof? Every single test ticket for this summer’s tour sold out in 15 minutes. People are tearing their hair out, trying to find a seat. The powers that be Down Under have promised a spectacle to rival the 2003 Rugby World Cup and the omens are good.
Posted 102 days ago
WALES FULL-BACK Leigh Halfpenny watched the Living with Lions video that followed the 1997 tour to South Africa countless times and remembers the 2001 trip to Australia well too. Here are his three top Lions memories from those tours…
1. South Africa v Lions, Second Test, 1997
“I remember Scott Gibbs running over Os du Randt – that was one of my…
Posted 103 days ago
WALES’ WIN against France cannot be summed up by numbers and statistics – even though, scrum apart, the numbers were in the black. The Welsh lineout ran at an impressive 90.9%. Wales had parity with possession and territory and Leigh Halfpenny once again kicked everything that he placed on the tee.
Posted 104 days ago
This was a drab game, full of errors and lacking inspiration, with little to entertain as players trudged from scrum to scrum. In fact, it look like the pitch was going to be the main talking point until George North dived over the line. That try broke the deadlock after an insipid 72 minutes and from there Wales closed out a memorable win against a dire French side.
Posted 106 days ago
THE ONE shred of positivity in the autumn for Wales was that in the face of four straight home losses – now a record five defeats after last week’s defeat to Ireland – the bigger picture remained clear, a firm belief in youth. Jack Dixon, the teenage heir apparent was being groomed to join Wales’ midfield, alongside Ospreys lock, Lloyd Peers, who were both introduced to the senior national set-up whilst in Poland in October.
Posted 110 days ago
WALES HAD a tremendous second half against Ireland. It was as well as they have played at any point during the last nine months. They dominated the entire period and forced the Irish to defend for 30 minutes. This unusually one-sided period meant that Wales finished the game with 65% of the territory and 63% of the possession.
