The best, worst, most pleasing, annoying defeat Wales’ performance against the Springboks, in isolation, was impressive. But in the context of the first test, it was miraculous. The performance must…
South Africa
Saints and Sinners: The weekend’s talking points
The Saints Unstoppable New Zealand’s 36-13 win over England was their 17th consecutive Test triumph and equalled the record winning run for a top tier rugby nation. They are playing…
Wales v South Africa: Five things we’ve learned
The gap is widening This week Warren Gatland will feel as though he has gone from O.B.E to OMG. There was a stage when the performance gap between Wales and…
Saints and Sinners: The weekend’s talking points
The Saints Super Smith New Zealand pipped England 28-27 in a ding-dong Test match battle on Saturday, and so took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. The brightest spark…
Wales v EP Kings: Five things we learned
A training ground win Wales beat the EP Kings by a convincing 34-12. It was exactly the result and performance that the coaching staff would have hoped for. Despite some…
Sam Warburton: Rugby’s best opensides
Best for game intelligence – Martyn Williams (Wales) “Martyn was my hero growing up. He was the first person I met at the Blues on my first day in the…
Self-policing in rugby: Right or wrong?
As the second half of Harlequins’ thrilling win over Bath grew fractured and frantic on Saturday, BT Sport commentator Austin Healey indulged in a bit of a whine. Referee Wayne Barnes had…
Mike Blair picks his top five No 9’s
He’s Scotland’s most capped scrum-half, has played at three World Cups and is a British and Irish Lion. Throw in domestic stints in Scotland, France and England and you’d expect Newcastle…
Saints and Sinners: The weekend’s talking points
The Saints Golden Oldie Branded “too old” and “past his sell-by date” by Newcastle Falcons boss Dean Richards last month, David Lemi carried on proving Richards and any other doubters…
Ian Frykberg: The man who changed the face of rugby
Ian Frykberg, a former political journalist and TV executive turned sports rights mogul and deal-maker, died in Sydney on Sunday at the age of 68. His legacy is the deal…