Eight games to go. Eight opportunities for Philippe Saint-Andre to finally settle on his starting XV for France’s opening World Cup game, against Italy at Twickenham on September 19. The…
Blogs
Autumn international player analysis: Sonny Bill Williams, New Zealand
You do not saunter back into a world champion team on the back of 70 minutes’ worth of on-field action in two years without being a very special player. To…
Brian O’Driscoll: The Test – book review
In The Test, Brian O’Driscoll takes the reader behind the scenes of his life from his childhood to his retirement from playing this year, dealing honestly with the most traumatic of…
Should Stuart Lancaster pick Steffon Armitage?
Roger Uttley believes Stuart Lancaster is gambling by not selecting Steffon Armitage and will have to think again should England come a cropper in the QBE autumn series. “Is Stuart…
Badger’s Barbarians can make Australia a laughing stock
It was difficult not to feel sorry for Nick Phipps on Monday as the Wallaby scrum-half fielded questions on sexism and misogyny in sport. Understandably awkward and sheepish, he resembled…
Saints and Sinners: the weekend’s talking points
The Saints The Fab Four George North gave a try-scoring master-class as he crossed the whitewash no less than four times during Northampton’s 34-6 win over the Ospreys in round…
European Champions Cup player analysis: George North, Northampton Saints
One thing about George North that never fails to astonish – more striking even than the staggering raw materials of pace, power and prodigious finishing ability – is his age.…
Joe Worsley on Bordeaux’s flying start
The Top 14 is having a breather until the end of October as European competition holds sway, allowing clubs a chance to assess their performances a third of the way…
Saints and Sinners: The weekend’s talking points
The Saints Centre of attention Glasgow Warriors made the rest of Europe sit up and take notice as they put to the sword a Bath side which has been earning…
European Champions Cup player analysis: Henry Pyrgos, Glasgow Warriors
As Paul Ackford pointed out in his typically forthright column in Saturday’s Times, three of the five men to captain their country to a Rugby World Cup victory have been…