Five things we learned about rugby – April Don’t hate Toulon, they’re simply getting it right. Okay, so it was May 2, but it’s easy having a pop at Toulon.…
European Champions Cup
Saints and Sinners: The weekend’s talking points
The Saints Treble triumph We can all accuse Toulon of buying their success, and there is no doubt their riches have allowed them to assemble an unparalleled squad, but they…
What we learnt from the European finals
Analysis and photos from the European Champions and Challenge Cup finals
Analysis: What do Armitage and Kvesic offer at the breakdown?
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…
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…