Man Behind The Match

This is where you will find all of The Rugby Paper’s Man Behind The Match news, interviews, opinion and other content.

Man Behind the Match: Grayson knew O’Gara could miss crucial kick

19 August 2013 0 comments

Ronan O’Gara is the Heineken Cup‘s golden boy. He’s the record points scorer, the record appearance holder and in any pub in Cork or Limerick […]

Man behind the Match: Wilkinson comes back – with a record of course!

13 August 2013 0 comments

It was like he had never been away. Exactly 1,148 days since his last England appearance – you might remember that one, in Sydney in […]

Man behind the match: Prince of Pace ensured England wore the crown

30 July 2013 0 comments

There are just five days to go before England are due to step foot in Murrayfield for the first ever Rugby World Cup Sevens and […]

Man behind the Match: Rob Howley and the 2004 Heineken Cup final

22 July 2013 1 comment

The final act of Rob Howley’s playing career was about as perfect as you can ask for. Any rugby fan worth his salt can replay […]

Man Behind the Match: Jon Callard and the 1998 Heineken Cup final

21 August 2012 0 comments

Bath were not given much of a chance of becoming the first British and Irish side to win the Heineken Cup. Their fate in the […]

Man Behind the Match: Rob Andrew and the 1995 Rugby World Cup Quarter-Final

14 August 2012 1 comment

England went into the 1995 World Cup quarter-final in Cape Town having seen many highs since the desperate low of losing the 1991 World Cup […]

Man Behind the Match: Jason Robinson and the 2006 Premiership final

6 August 2012 0 comments

World Cup hero, Lions star, Great Britain rugby league icon, multiple trophy-winner with Wigan … Jason Robinson’s cv is awesome and leads some to offer […]

Man Behind the Match: Bill Beaumont and the 1980 Grand Slam

24 July 2012 0 comments

The Sixties and Seventies were dark times for English rugby. While Wales were enjoying a golden era, each turning year across two decades brought unremitting […]

Man Behind the Match: Stuart Barnes and the 1992 Pilkington Cup final

20 July 2012 0 comments

During the dying embers of amateurism, Twickenham on Cup final day was a very special occasion, and more often than not it was the great […]

Man Behind the Match: Shane Williams and the 2008 Wales win over Australia

10 July 2012 0 comments

In 2008 Wales swept to a second Grand Slam in four seasons under the newly installed coach Warren Gatland – a remarkable achievement. However, the […]

Man Behind the Match: Richard Hill and the 2002 November test against Australia

26 June 2012 0 comments

England victories over the Southern Hemisphere giants are cherished as rare happenings these days but a decade ago they came along as frequently as London […]

Man behind the match: Lawrence Dallaglio and the 2008 Premiership Final

21 June 2012 1 comment

How do you organise a send-off for a man who has won everything? Arrange a world record crowd at Twickenham to see him lead his […]

Man Behind the Match: Brian O’Driscoll and the 2000 Six Nations’ France Ireland

10 June 2012 1 comment

There are certain moments in sport when a realisation dawns that what you are watching is not run-of-the-mill; an extraordinary talent announces itself on the […]