Richard Cockerill, the director of rugby at Leicester, has been around the block a bit, and most things that rugby throws up would not surprise him, but even he is…
Rugby World
Aviva Premiership: Who is on every club’s Christmas wish list?
By Alex Shaw The 12 Aviva Premiership clubs will be writing their letters to Santa Claus this week packed with requests to help them take the next step both domestically…
France wants fewer foreigners, and that can only be a boost for Les Bleus
An era has ended in France. In an interview with Midi Olympique on Monday, national coach Guy Noves discussed his recent lunch with Serge Simon, the number two to new…
Saints and Sinners: The weekend’s talking points
THE SAINTS Finn Russell With Johnny Sexton, George Ford and Owen Farrell all strong options for the Lions, Finn Russell must still be viewed as a ‘bolter’ in the race…
Waking the giant: Rugby World assesses Toulouse
ON THIS late afternoon the wind is only moving the hot air around the back pitches of the Stade Ernest-Wallon. After a tough run in the Top 14 schedule it’s…
Dylan Hartley polarises opinion but his ban signals good news for England
Depending on which side of the fence you sit on, and no-one is sitting on it, Dylan Hartley is either a brilliant England captain who has made the odd mistake,…
Rugby must learn from the tragic end of Isireli Temo’s rugby dreams
In September Isireli Temo flew from France to Fiji for a holiday. The 30-year-old prop had recently joined Tarbes but he’d picked up an injury in pre-season training and the…
How to make it as a radio broadcaster: Ian Robertson
By Graham Jenkins The Forward Pass Podcast – Ian Robertson Welcome to The Forward Pass, a series of conversations with leading rugby union journalists, broadcasters, presenters and photographers who will…
Ireland: Four proud provinces stand up in Europe
By Alex Shaw Four proud provinces. That’s the mantra of Irish rugby and it certainly lived up to that billing this past weekend. There were a lot of premature European…
Saints and Sinners: The weekend’s talking points
The Saints Jamison Gibson-Park Leinster’s Kiwi scrum-half is a hero for his province after he conjured their bonus-point try out of nothing six minutes from the end of their Champions…