The England pack lacked balance England have been renowned for their strength in depth but the eight men they chose to give their backs a platform didn’t work, despite Eddie…
France
Should the Six Nations introduce promotion and relegation?
Sir Clive Woodward waded into one of the perpetual debates about the Six Nations this week and got right behind the concept of introducing promotion and relegation to the tournament.…
England are a daunting task for Les Bleus
The task confronting Les Bleus is daunting. If they wish to start the 2017 Six Nations with a win they must beat an England side unbeaten since October 2015. They…
Six talking points ahead of the Six Nations
The Six Nations launch is usually a convivial get together, bordering on the mundane, but eyebrows were raised at Eddie Jones’ almighty shiner caused, we were told, by falling in…
Six Nations: Players to watch for the 2017 Championship
By Alex Shaw The Six Nations squads are all in. Conor O’Shea got the ball rolling last week, naming an experienced Italian squad for his debut campaign, followed by Rob…
Racing 92 are only halfway through a long and troubled season
“A Season in Hell” was Midi Olympique’s headline at the start of this month, and few at Racing 92 would contradict that curt assessment. And that was written before the…
Who will reach the Champions Cup knock-out rounds?
Before the 2017 Six Nations swings into full focus and dominates the rugby calendar for the months of February and March, there is the small matter of the final two…
With falling attendances, the Top 14 is starting to lose its lustre
Last week two sets of figures were published. On Wednesday the Aviva Premiership disclosed that attendances are up 10.1% this season with the average gate an impressive 13,833. Two days later…
Whatever happened to Mourad Bodjellal’s first Toulon side?
Mourad Boudjellal is not leaving Toulon. After months of speculation that he was going to sell the club, the president announced a week before Christmas that he will remain at…
Talking points: Five things we learned in December
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…