Beautiful rugby is back Rugby has become a rather routine affair over the past five years, with hyper-organised defences creating largely risk-averse attacking strategies led by tactical kicking. But thankfully,…
Tournaments
Saints and Sinners: The weekend’s talking points
The Saints Stand-out stand-off He helped himself to 18 points in a 28-16 victory, controlled the tactics and tempo with a superb kicking game and won the Peter Deakin Medal…
Guinness Pro12 final preview: Glasgow Warriors v Munster
WE ALL want a free-running Guinness Pro12 final, don’t we? The obvious question has to be asked because when both Glasgow Warriors and Munster pick themselves off the Ravenhill turf…
Aviva Premiership Final preview: Bath v Saracens
Beauty versus the beast. The great entertainers versus the great nullifiers. It’s easy for commentators to paint the narrative of the Aviva Premiership final clash as a battle of styles.…
France: Top 14 rugby schedule on TV5MONDE
The multi-million Euro Top 14 is coming gloriously to a boil and for fans of French rugby with Champions Cup finalists, Clermont facing surprise packages Stade Francais in the Final…
Should Basque clubs Bayonne and Biarritz join forces?
Following Bayonne's relegation from the Top 14, talk of a merger with local rivals Biarritz to create a Basque 'super club' is hotting up
Analysis: Carl Fearns’ bench impact for Bath
In every title-winning campaign there is an unsung hero, a player who is largely unheralded yet integral to success. For Bath this year, the under-the-radar star has been Carl Fearns. Though…
Saints and Sinners: The weekend’s talking points
The Saints Brilliant Bath It’s not a bad success rate is it? Seven tries from eight visits to the opposition 22 in one match. Such was the pure brilliance of…
England name 50-man training squad for Rugby World Cup tilt
However you judge Stuart Lancaster in the fullness of time, you cannot deny he is a man of conviction. In the Shakespeare room deep within Twickenham, he laid out his…
PSA names preliminary 36-man France squad
Philippe Saint-Andre unveiled his World Cup squad on Tuesday morning and among the 36 names there were a few surprises. Three of the squad involved in France’s last Test match,…