SOMETHING SHOULD have been jarred loose as New Zealand met France in the 2011 Rugby World Cup final, 24 years after the pair had last faced off at Eden Park…
Countries
Spots in France’s World Cup squad up for grabs
The matches between France and England in August will be crucial to determining their final World Cup squads
Rugby Statistics: Does World Cup form matter?
How much attention should be given to form going into a World Cup? Significance may well be attached to ‘building momentum’ in competitions such as the Rugby Championship beforehand, but…
France go high and take to their bikes
If France do surprise the world and win the Webb Ellis Cup in October they’ll have to give grudging thanks to a British invention. The ‘Wattbike’ has been their primary…
Poll: Who is Australia’s best midfield playmaker?
Australia’s last-gasp victory over South Africa on Saturday was a truly compelling spectacle. A win for the Wallabies, who had been 20-7 down with half an hour to go, opened…
Rugby Championship Talking points – Round 1
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…
Letter from South Africa – July
DE VILLIERS MAKES CAUTIOUS BUT SUCCESSFUL COMEBACK Springbok captain Jean de Villiers returned to action for the first time in nine months when he came off the bench against a…
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…
Pro 12 transfers 2015-16: Comings and goings
In a game of inches, sides with an established foundation of pragmatism usually emerge clutching the etched handles of oversized silverware. For once it was a debonair attitude to open…
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…