The first weekend of Rugby Championship action gave rugby watchers their first chance to see what sort of shape four of the world’s top 10 sides were in with the…
New Zealand
Analysis – Why New Zealand still need Richie McCaw and Dan Carter
Every year, without fail, the vast Super 15 talent pool infatuates onlookers from the northern hemisphere. Bleary-eyed from a schedule of early morning alarms, they fall head over heels through…
Dan Cole’s Top 5 tightheads
They’ll be the first to tell you, but the tighthead is one of the most important positions on the pitch. The anchor of the pack and a crucial cog at…
Lions fixtures for 2017 New Zealand tour
The Lions have announced their 10-match fixture list for 2017 tour. Unlike 2013, where they stopped off in Hong Kong for a sponsor-led fixture against the Barbarians, there will be…
Analysis: Five reasons the Highlanders won the Super 15 final
“Nobody said we could” – that was the rabid rallying cry issued by fly-half Lima Sopoaga as the Highlanders took to the pitch for the second period of Saturday’s phenomenal Super 15…
Super Rugby: Hurricanes and Highlanders set to thrill in all-Kiwi final
As if any more ballast was required to reinforce New Zealand’s World Cup credentials, it comes in the shape of this Saturday’s Super Rugby final – the first all-Kiwi affair…
Five things we learned about rugby – June
Sonny Bill Williams needs to stop switching. June saw speculation that Sonny Bill Williams will once again make another career change. The ‘Mr Ben’ (gratuitous Eighties reference) of Southern Hemisphere…
Ardie Savea: The red-hot Hurricane omitted by the All Blacks
“People are always afraid of what is different. They are afraid of change. It is the same everywhere.” So runs a line from Shaolin Tiger, a book written by Australian children’s author Sandy…
The cult of the captain
There are those in rugby who believe the role of captain is a ceremonial post. There are those who believe the word demands a capital ‘C’. Some believe the loss…
Top 14 transfers: Comings and goings
The Top 14 transfer market has more or less closed for the summer. Clubs are still permitted to sign up to two supplementary players in addition to ‘World Cup jokers’,…