THIS IS not to belittle England’s 50-point spree last weekend but the Fiji squad touring Britain and Ireland is a desperately mediocre bunch. No team should concede tries as soft…
Countries
France’s toughest battle with themselves, not the Pumas
THE GREATEST challenge facing France on Saturday in Lille isn’t the Pumas – strong as they’ll be - but the French themselves. “We will see if we’re capable of stringing…
Missing the party: Four players not invited this Autumn
THE FIRST round of the Autumn Internationals has been and gone and happiness isbeing found in some unlikely places. England rumbled onwards, despite chronic wastefulness. Ireland got up close to…
Inside the England camp: Part 2
AFTER A comfortable win over Fiji in their opening QBE International, England are preparing to take on Australia at Twickenham on Saturday afternoon. So what have Chris Robshaw & Co…
Wales v Samoa: The Preview
The best way to describe Wales' performance against Argentina is flat. There was no energy, no spark and certainly none of the pizzazz that is now expected from the men…
England 54-12 Fiji: The Verdict
By Owain Jones, Rugby World Editor In a nutshell England performed a satisfactory, if perfunctory job on an underprepared and underpowered Fiji side. The hosts got off to a sluggish…
Lewis Moody’s greatest challenge
FORMER ENGLAND captain Lewis Moody is embarking on a huge challenge in February 2013. He’s heading to Canada to take part in the Yukon Arctic Ultra – a 300-mile trek…
A memorable try for Freddie Burns
GLOUCESTER FLY-HALF Freddie Burns scored 17 points in Gloucester’s 27-21 victory over Leicester in the Aviva Premiership in October, including an impressive chip-and-chase try. That touchdown was the Premiership’s Try…
Scotland outclassed by peerless All Blacks
MURRAYFIELD MAY have hosted the world famous All Blacks, but the only way to see the game properly was in a pub where the sounds of the football drowned everything…
Ireland need to get back to winning ways
I CAN'T begin to imagine the impact on Ireland's pysche having come so close to beating the World Champions on their own turf, and then suffering a record defeat the…