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…
Blogs
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…
Rugby statistics: Is the Aviva Premiership the most competitive league in Europe?
After the European Champions Cup quarter-finals, Wasps’ director of rugby Dai Young suggested all stats point towards the Aviva Premiership as being the most competitive league in Europe. Is that…
Saints and Sinners: the weekend’s talking points
The Saints Chiefs in charge A strong – in every sense – performance from the Exeter Chiefs pack earned the Devon side a 21-10 win over reigning Aviva Premiership champions…
Premiership analysis: Ollie Devoto, Bath’s World Cup bolter?
Ollie Devoto is only 21, but it already feels as though he has been waiting in the wings for a fair while. Strangely, that feels slightly frustrating. The Bath back…
Matt Banahan on Bath’s exciting young stars
Bath take on Newcastle Falcons in the Aviva Premiership this Friday, hoping to continue stunning fans with running rugby. They no longer have a continental trophy to target after they…
Quel combat! The political battle that will determine the future of French rugby
The successor to Philippe Saint-André will be announced next month, but that decision will have only a limited bearing on the long-term fortunes of the national team. The crucial selection…
Rocky Elsom, Jerry Collins and their ProD2 adventure with Narbonne
The Parc des Sports Et de L’Amitie stadium was rocking, flares were going off and the fans celebrated with gusto. Racing Club de Narbonne Mediterannee, better known as RC Narbonne,…
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…
Future of Scotland Sevens threatened
Scotland Sevens could be on the brink of disbanding as the SRU wrestle with their options for the 2015-16 season. Despite being the birthplace of sevens, it is widely rumoured…