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…
Tournaments
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…
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…
Clermont’s Jamie Cudmore on wine and winning
Clermont lock Jamie Cudmore looks ahead to the European Champions Cup semi-final against Saracens and talks about his new wine label
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…
Letter from South Africa – April
Apologies for Shark’s third red card Sharks chief executive John Smit took to social media to apologise to fans this month after a third franchise player was red-carded and suspended…
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…
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,…