The number seven is almost as sacred in modern Test rugby as it is at Old Trafford, Manchester United’s theatre of dreams. Thanks to a lineage of eye-catching, influential players…
European Champions Cup
Clermont giant Sebastien Vahaamahina ready to rumble
Sebastien Vahaamahina is a big man with a soft voice. And soft hands, too, as he’s shown this season for Clermont in combining set-piece solidity with ball-handling athleticism in the…
European Champions Cup final: A statistical preview
Jack D'Arcy takes a look at the facts and figures ahead of this weekend's European Champions Cup final between Clermont and Toulon at Twickenham…
Saints and Sinners: The weekend’s talking points
The Saints Diamond chip The most delicate of dinks created the solitary try of Saturday’s European Champions Cup semi-final between Clermont Auvergne and Saracens. Clermont No 10 Brock James popped…
European Champions Cup analysis: Maro Itoje, Saracens
European Champions Cup analysis: Maro Itoje, Saracens The re-signing of a 20 year-old academy graduate rarely registers on the public consciousness. When news of Maro itoje’s “long-term” deal at Saracens…
European Champions Cup semi-finals: A statistical preview
Ahead of this weekend's Champions Cup semi-finals, Jack D'Arcy takes a look at the key statistics from the tournament to date
Tackle by tackle: How Jacques Burger stopped Clermont
If Saracens are the comic villains of European rugby – and one prominent Irish blog has rather wittily christened them Globo Gym after the muscly-but-dumb badguys in Ben Stiller’s boisterous movie…
Clermont’s Jamie Cudmore on wine and winning
Clermont lock Jamie Cudmore looks ahead to the European Champions Cup semi-final against Saracens and talks about his new wine label
European Champions Cup analysis: Four exceptional English full-backs
The top tier of European competition annually offers exiles a shot at the “exceptional circumstances” clause and a chance to prove England should cast aside domestic performers in favour of…
Saints and Sinners: the weekend’s talking points
It was a dramatic weekend of rugby – we take a look at who and what stood out for the right, and wrong, reasons