Nick Cain

This is where you will find all of The Rugby Paper’s Nick Cain news, views, opinion and other content.

TMO must be called on if there is any doubt

29 October 2017 0 comments

TO use the TMO, or not to use the TMO? That is the question that was raised (again) during Wasps win at Northampton when scrum-half […]

Eddie’s after excellence

29 October 2017 1 comment

ELLIS Genge played like a runaway bull last weekend, scattering Castres tacklers like chaff. Was Eddie Jones impressed? Not entirely. The Jones verdict: “I know […]

American ‘partnership’ will be far from friendly

29 October 2017 0 comments

This afternoon Twickenham is once again opening its doors to American Football by hosting the NFL “international series” game between the Minnesota Vikings and the […]

Cain column: Gatland scorched by heat in Lions kitchen

26 October 2017 0 comments

Nick Cain looks at whether being head coach of the British & Irish Lions is more trouble than it’s worth given the levels of scrutiny

Cain column: ‘Teflon Rob’ could have done so much more

18 October 2017 0 comments

By Nick Cain ROB Andrew’s reputation as the Teflon man of English rugby may have taken a knock when he was sacked as the RFU‘s […]

Cain column: Kyle Sinckler can consider himself lucky as inconsistency in bans perpetuate

11 October 2017 0 comments

By Nick Cain KYLE Sinckler can consider himself fortunate to get off with a seven-week ban after making contact with Northampton lock Michael Paterson’s eyes […]

Cain column: Players have not been consulted over extending the season

5 October 2017 0 comments

By Nick Cain PLAYERS and coaches in the Premiership have started to align in their resistance to the World Rugby blueprint for a ten to […]

O’Brien’s view on Lions coaching mishaps is wrong but he’s entitled to voice his opinion

27 September 2017 0 comments

By Nick Cain Sean O’Brien is one of the fiercest competitors in the game, yet his view that the 2017 Lions coaches were responsible for […]

Nick Cain: It’s wrong Eddie must wait a year to face those NZ bullets

21 September 2017 0 comments

Eddie Jones was in full ogre-slaying mode this week, sounding like the armour-plated incarnation of St George as he talked about making England “bullet-proof” going […]

Nick Cain: Brits is best of all the imports into Premiership

13 September 2017 0 comments

The Schalk Brits masterclass against Northampton that lit up the Twickenham double-header last weekend made up my mind that he is the greatest overseas import […]

Nick Cain: Fearns in Les Bleus? C’est un outrage!

6 September 2017 0 comments

The thought of Carl Fearns becoming a surrogate Frenchman fills me with dread. This is not so much because the Lyon-based Liverpudlian is a formidable […]

Fearns in Les Bleus? C’est un outrage!

3 September 2017 0 comments

Switching allegiances? Carl Fearns on the burst for Lyon The thought of Carl Fearns becoming a surrogate Frenchman fills me with dread. This is not […]

The sweaty basics pay dividends for new-look Gloucester

3 September 2017 0 comments

JOHAN Ackermann might just be able to galvanise Gloucester judging by their cliff-edge 28-21 win over champions Exeter at Kingsholm on Friday night. The victory […]

Spit-spot it’s a solution!

3 September 2017 0 comments

A POTENTIAL breakthrough in the diagnosis of concussion through a simple saliva test is a note of good news at the start of the season. […]

Nick Cain: Lack of common sense could kill Aussie rugby

17 August 2017 0 comments

The Aussies are used to baking hot temperatures and droughts, but as sporting meltdowns go they do not come much worse than the one experienced […]

How Henley helped make England Women great

16 August 2017 0 comments

Rochelle Clark and Tamara Taylor are seasoned world champions who will play a crucial role in the Red Roses’ bid to retain their title at […]

Lack of common sense could kill Aussie rugby

13 August 2017 2 comments

THE Aussies are used to baking hot temperatures and droughts, but as sporting meltdowns go they do not come much worse than the one experienced […]

Piutau will be worth his £1m salary at Bristol

13 August 2017 0 comments

CHARLES Piutau’s £1 million a year deal with Bristol confirms the accelerating trend of All Blacks leaving New Zealand in mid-career for lucrative Northern Hemisphere […]

Mad, Manu

13 August 2017 0 comments

MANU Tuilagi’s decision to go on a drinking spree with Denny Solomona until 4am knowing he would be taking part in a full England training […]

Nick Cain: Dangerous for PRO14 to copy Super Rugby conferences

10 August 2017 0 comments

The new PRO14 marks South Africa’s first steps at shifting from SANZAAR to align with the Northern Hemisphere. The inclusion of the Cheetahs and the […]

Nick Cain gets Eddie Jones’ verdict of the summer action

9 August 2017 0 comments

Eddie Jones started the new season by announcing he intends to turn his England squad into trailblazers who will reach fitness levels never achieved before […]

Nick Cain: Baxter must join Eddie’s team if he’s to succeed

28 July 2017 0 comments

One of the most vexing issues that all four Home Unions have had to face over the last eight years is that their homegrown international […]

Nick Cain: Without doubt, Ford’s found fresh gears since Bath exit

26 July 2017 0 comments

Welcome to the new, improved, Ford. In this case, however, the model is called George rather than describing the latest product off the car company’s […]

Nick Cain: Lions should have taken 45 players in first place

7 July 2017 0 comments

Replacement strategies are becoming the bane of Lions tours, as the furore around the ‘Geography Six’ – the late call-ups to this squad –has thrown […]

Nick Cain: Farrell has become Mr VIP for the Lions

14 June 2017 0 comments

Owen Farrell is the embodiment of the ‘all for one, one for all’ ethos that is the foundation for winning Lions tours, and also for […]

Hansen feels the strain of building a legacy

4 June 2017 0 comments

The pressure is starting to build on Steve Hansen. Ironically, the tell-tale sign is how often the words “pressure” and “responsibility” crop up in the […]

Now NZ may rest their stars

4 June 2017 1 comment

HAVING undertaken to play the All Blacks in the early tour matches against the NZ Super Rugby franchises, there are signs that New Zealand will […]

Divided camp not Gat’s way

4 June 2017 0 comments

WARREN Gatland got his retaliation in early with a pre-emotive strike aimed at 2001 Lions coach Graham Henry. As New Zealand’s 2011 World Cupwinning coach, […]

Nick Cain: Of course Billy’s a loss, but others will step in

1 June 2017 0 comments

The wailing and gnashing of teeth over Billy Vunipola’s withdrawal from the Lions tour party to New Zealand due to a shoulder injury has been […]

Nick Cain’s Premiership of the Year

25 May 2017 0 comments

Saracens’ exceptional European Cup double explains why they have almost half the starting line-up in my 2016-17 Team of the Season. The European Cup is […]

Nick Cain: Ritchie gets even richer thanks to RFU pay

24 May 2017 0 comments

Ian Ritchie’s sudden announcement that he is leaving his £700,000 a year post as the RFU‘s chief executive this summer after five years was a […]

Ritchie gets even richer thanks to RFU pay

21 May 2017 0 comments

IAN Ritchie’s sudden announcement that he is leaving his £700,000 a year post as the RFU’s chief executive this summer after five years was a […]

Nick Cain: Jack can be the lad to help swing it for the Lions

18 May 2017 0 comments

You underestimate Jack Nowell at your peril, as many international defence coaches will readily concede. The nuggety Cornishman is not the biggest wing on the […]

Nick Cain: World Cups need more pools of death

17 May 2017 0 comments

Here are the cold hard facts. There is only one “pool of death” in the 2019 World Cup draw made in Kyoto last week, and […]

World Cups need more pools of death

14 May 2017 0 comments

HERE are the cold hard facts. There is only one “pool of death” in the 2019 World Cup draw made in Kyoto last week, and […]

Brown had to take off his passing blinkers to be a Lion

14 May 2017 1 comment

YOU would have to have an ice block rather than a heart not to empathise with Mike Brown, and all the other Home Unions players, […]

Nick Cain: The good, the lads and the ugly, by Burger

11 May 2017 0 comments

Schalk Burger has scaled most of the high peaks in the game, including reaching the summit as part of South Africa’s 2007 World Cup-winning side. […]

Nick Cain: Don’t bleed for All Blacks, they don’t care about us

10 May 2017 0 comments

The growing list of New Zealand injuries is starting to worry Steve Hansen. The All Black coach usually does a passable impression of a Gallic […]

Don’t bleed for All Blacks, they don’t care about us

7 May 2017 0 comments

THE growing list of New Zealand injuries is starting to worry Steve Hansen. The All Black coach usually does a passable impression of a Gallic […]

The haka in danger of losing its ability to intimidate

7 May 2017 0 comments

BRACE yourselves for a haka fest… with the 2017 Lions having to watch the All Blacks go through their war dance routine before the three […]

Nathan Earle speaks out after his surprise England call-up

4 May 2017 0 comments

Nathan Earle says he is glad he was horizontal in bed when he got the news of his selection for the England tour party to […]

Nick Cain: McCafferty cannot be allowed to cage Lions

3 May 2017 0 comments

Mark McCafferty is making a serious mistake in trying to push the Lions into a five-week cage while, at the same time, attempting to extend […]

Nick Cain: Hansen’s barbs hide All Blacks’ insecurity

26 April 2017 0 comments

Steve Hansen didn’t hang around when it came to giving the 2017 Lions the voodoo doll treatment. No sooner had the Lions squad been announced […]

Nick Cain: Sonny Bill is still king – of double standards!

20 April 2017 0 comments

Sonny Bill Williams has a habit of cornering the headlines when it comes to Antipodean rugby – whether Union or League – and this week […]

Take 45 players to New Zealand, you’re going to need all of them!

18 April 2017 0 comments

The 2017 Lions must go to New Zealand mob-handed – and only heavy hitting hard nuts need apply. That is the message from Dick Best, […]

Don’t blame us, Pichot

16 April 2017 0 comments

AGUSTIN Pichot is banging the drum that Georgia should be allowed into the Six Nations for the good of the game. Unlike Six Nations chief […]

Sonny Bill is still king – of double standards!

16 April 2017 0 comments

Cover up: Sonny Bill with plasters over the collar logos PICTURE: Getty Images SONNY Bill Williams has a habit of cornering the headlines when it […]

Play it straight for game to flow

16 April 2017 0 comments

THERE is a growing concensus – at last – that the scrum, rather than being a collapse-fest in which front rows try to con penalties […]

Nick Cain: Solomona is quality, but don’t pick him

5 April 2017 0 comments

That Denny Solomona has had a phenomenal start to his Rugby Union career, with 11 tries in 11 matches for Sale Sharks, is not in […]

Nick Cain: O’Connor had better watch his back at Leicester

31 March 2017 0 comments

The knives are out at Welford Road – again – with Matt O’Connor on his way back in as Leicester’s head coach and Aaron Mauger […]

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