Goosen – Top 14 reaping what it’s sown December saw Johann Goosen retire from rugby in what some see as a Machiavellian attempt to ditch his current contract, exploit French…
England
2016’s Alternative Rugby Awards
The Eddie Jones Award for Sound Bite Merchant of the Year Winner – Eddie Jones A no-brainer to kick off with. Fast Eddie Jones first and the rest nowhere, with…
Lions bolters for 2017: Who will be Warren Gatland’s surprise packages?
As the new year dawns, we move into the second half of the 2016-17 northern hemisphere season, a season that you will all know ends in a British and Irish…
Rugby’s new tackle laws confusing coaches at all levels
Richard Cockerill, the director of rugby at Leicester, has been around the block a bit, and most things that rugby throws up would not surprise him, but even he is…
Aviva Premiership: Who is on every club’s Christmas wish list?
By Alex Shaw The 12 Aviva Premiership clubs will be writing their letters to Santa Claus this week packed with requests to help them take the next step both domestically…
Dylan Hartley polarises opinion but his ban signals good news for England
Depending on which side of the fence you sit on, and no-one is sitting on it, Dylan Hartley is either a brilliant England captain who has made the odd mistake,…
Stuart Lancaster finds redemption over the Irish Sea
Just over a year ago Stuart Lancaster’s world fell apart and judging by his expression as England exited their own World Cup before the knock-out stages you would have got…
Varsity Match: Can Cambridge stop the rot?
Records are there to be broken and Cambridge University will draw comfort from current form as they attempt to end an unprecedented run of six Oxford University victories in the…
Analysis: Mapping the 46 tries of England’s perfect 2016
Self-awareness spurs ambition like nothing else. Despite a perfect year in terms of results, Eddie Jones’ England need no reminding of their standing in the global order. With New Zealand occupying the…
Autumn Internationals: The Lions squad for 2017 is shaping up
Any Lions squad member selected in April will have to have multi-faceted skills, one-trick ponies need not apply. Any tourist needs to have talent and resolve in abundance, game intelligence…