Eddie Jones names his squad for the Six Nations on 20 January and he must be wondering which black cat he ran over as the injuries pile up. Jones won…
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Who will reach the Champions Cup knock-out rounds?
Before the 2017 Six Nations swings into full focus and dominates the rugby calendar for the months of February and March, there is the small matter of the final two…
With falling attendances, the Top 14 is starting to lose its lustre
Last week two sets of figures were published. On Wednesday the Aviva Premiership disclosed that attendances are up 10.1% this season with the average gate an impressive 13,833. Two days later…
Saints and Sinners: The weekend’s talking points
The Saints CJ Stander Munster put Racing 92 to the sword in their rearranged European Champions Cup clash, trouncing their hosts 32-7. The whole Munster team did their late…
When Rugby World went on tour with the Barbarians…
STANDING AT the mouth of a tunnel that slopes down towards Marketa Stadium’s pitch – a postage stamp of grass in the middle of a speedway track, teased towards looking…
Who’s next in the Leicester Tigers hotseat?
It did not take long for the curse of Rugby World to strike, no sooner had we given Richard Cockerill a mention in the awards for 2016 than he was…
New Year, New You: a recipe from extreme chef Kiran Jethwa
I was asked to offer advice for the keen player who has let themselves go and wants to get a bit of their spark back. So my first advice to…
Whatever happened to Mourad Bodjellal’s first Toulon side?
Mourad Boudjellal is not leaving Toulon. After months of speculation that he was going to sell the club, the president announced a week before Christmas that he will remain at…
Opinion: Is rugby heading towards a hire and fire culture?
It is human nature that the flaws we see most commonly in others are simply reflections of our own failings. In no regard is this more relevant than in how…
Talking points: Five things we learned in December
Goosen – Top 14 reaping what it’s sown December saw Johann Goosen retire from rugby in what some see as a Machiavellian attempt to ditch his current contract, exploit French…