SPORTING CLICHES are often abused. Every tournament has a Group of Death and every player is weighed and measured to see if they will be found inferior or capable of…
Countries
Balshaw hoping to extend his French stay
FOR ALL the talk in recent weeks about Jonny Wilkinson, and will-he-or-won’t-he sign on for another stint at Toulon, there’s another Englishman in the south of France in a similar…
Stuart Lancaster puts faith in a new England
NO ONE has called him a school teacher since Best Team in the World™ was sent back over the equator, but England’s headmaster Stuart Lancaster now has the responsibility for…
Dean Ryan and a Scottish Enlightenment?
NECESSITY IS the mother of invention. That is what you are told, as if the hard times cannot be hard for too long. The toaster was invented because sliced bread…
Aviva Premiership head-to-heads: Five key battles
WITH NEXT Wednesday’s announcement of England squad announcement looming, Rugby World looks ahead to five head-to-head clashes in this weekend’s Aviva Premiership
New Year predictions: 2013
GET THE chopping block ready. Remove the ceremonial stretching-rings. It's time to put my neck on the line. The season has, so far, provided very few genuine shocks. However, as…
Wales in focus: Five things we’ve learned
MANY OF Wales’ regional rugby fans would admit to being one eyed. Thankfully, there’s now an excuse; they’re keeping the other eye on London Welsh. Whilst Welsh regional rugby is…
Four players to watch for 2013
COMING OUT from the festive fog, carried on the breath of several days of heartily enjoyed time off work chimes that familiar phrase, ‘Happy New Year’. And happy it may…
Top 14: Expat half-term report
JONNY WILKINSON brought down the curtain on 2012 in fine style, signing off with a 26-point haul as Toulon crushed Perpignan 46-13 and consolidated their position as the Top 14’s…
Chill-out chat with Tim Visser
Scotland’s wing on Rees, roundabouts and revenge. By Sarah Mockford RUGBY WORLD: Who would play you in a film of your life? TIM VISSER: The guy from The Hangover. Bradley…