Rugby Matters

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

Ireland mustn’t copy this breakdown flaw

28 May 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER The tumultuous happenings in Dublin last week were on such a large […]

Let’s hope technology passes trial

28 May 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER Be careful for what you wish for! World Rugby are carrying out their promise to trial chip technology in the match […]

Sharks deserve far more recognition

21 May 2023 0 comments

BRENDAN GALLAGHER Rugby has its favourites and we in the media are as guilty as any of promoting them above others but I’ve always been […]

New Zealand schools side in ’93 was the best ever

21 May 2023 0 comments

The greatest national schools team ever? That debate kicked off on Twitter recently and my mind immediately went back 30 years to 1993 and interviewing […]

Refs must demand immediate release

21 May 2023 0 comments

Another game, yet another big “jackal” injury, this time it was the unfortunate Ben Curry as he bent low to turnover Leicester, was violently rolled […]

On the clock: Who put the minutes in?

14 May 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER I’m indebted to stats guru Stuart Farmer who has faithfully logged the […]

Leinster turn out at the Aviva more often than Ireland

14 May 2023 0 comments

Much debate, some of it a tad heated, recently about the massive advantages real or perceived that Leinster enjoy over other teams in the United […]

60 years on…The tour with no jet lag

14 May 2023 0 comments

Sixty years go this week England embarked on their first ever overseas tour and it remains a splendid exercise in both madness and false optimism. […]

Players must keep a licence to thrill

7 May 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER If, God forbid, I ever find myself in the dock I will be hiring Sam Warburton KC to defend me. The […]

How about a sharp shot of summer fun?

7 May 2023 0 comments

So there we go, it’s May 7 and seven of the 11 Premiership teams have no competitive rugby now until the Premiership Cup starts in […]

Treviso standing on the edge of history

30 April 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER A weekly look at the game’s other talking points AT the last count, Benetton Treviso had won 15 Italian Championships and, […]

Let’s hope this new-look Cup has meaning

30 April 2023 0 comments

So the Premiership Cup is to remuster in yet another guise this autumn as a joint competition with the Championship sides which I would greet […]

Ashton did it all his way, and we can only applaud

23 April 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER Over the years, I’ve probably had more abuse and slagging off over […]

Tall poppy syndrome or a case to answer?

16 April 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER For all sorts of reasons, all conquering Leinster seemed to be getting […]

There’s no place for jackals and crocodiles in rugby jungle

9 April 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER I don’t watch enough David Attenborough – frankly his droning voice is my go-to remedy for insomnia – to know if […]

It’s not British Bulldogs … needs of the defender matter as well

9 April 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS – BRENDAN GALLAGHER As the subject de jour seems to be rugby absurdities let me highlight an instructive moment which popped up in […]

At last minnows will have their chances

2 April 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER It’s an ill wind that blows no good. I’ve been listening to […]

Reject this mad idea to shorten Six Nations

2 April 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS SO it seems the Six Nations will be further shortened from seven to six weeks, with just one fallow week in future seasons. […]

Dupont’s strength defies all science

19 February 2023 1 comment

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER Where to start with Antoine Dupont’s extraordinary try saving tackle on Ireland […]

MY TOP FIVE TRY SAVING TACKLES

19 February 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS 1= Antoine Dupont (Fr) on Mack Hansen (2023): An unparalleled demonstration of strength and mind over matter to deny Hansen. Every time you […]

Italy benefit from the brotherhood

12 February 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER I have a half-baked theory that the comparative health and success of […]

Gone too soon, a young man destined to be England’s No 1

12 February 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS Can it really be 20 years since young Harlequins and England scrum-half Nick Duncombe passed away – Friday, February 14, 2003 – suddenly […]

We need laws for the ages, not for a season

5 February 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER A few weeks back, the first round of the European Champions Cup […]

Georgia the team to beat in Euro fiesta

29 January 2023 2 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER ALL eyes on the Six Nations but the Rugby Europe Championship also […]

It’s time to give credit to the URC

29 January 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS Ok, I think we can all agree that one or two French players have been pacing themselves a little in this most important […]

The golden voice… that glorious try…

22 January 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS WE are fast approaching the 50th anniversary of what many consider the greatest try ever scored and frankly there is little more to […]

Thrilling finish in ‘73 never to be repeated

8 January 2023 1 comment

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER What with Italy looking more competitive, the 2023 Six Nations could be […]

Dickson wrong to ignore his TMO

8 January 2023 0 comments

For me there are only two reasons for a TMO. First to adjudicate whether a try has been legally scored and second to identify foul […]

Take five: Looking back, and forward

31 December 2022 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER FIVE BEST MEMORIES OF 2022 1: Italy’s Ange Capuozzo cutting an absolutely […]

When the old European Cup was just the ticket

23 December 2022 1 comment

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER This column has been warning about the decline of the Heineken Cup, […]

Hamza improves on rugby’s record

23 December 2022 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS Rugby has a decent record in Strictly Come Dancing – think Austin Healey and Matt Dawson although perhaps not Ugo Monye – and […]

How baseball kept Bish on right track

18 December 2022 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER Ken Poole, the head of economic development for Cardiff City Council, has […]

Mystery surrounds Robinson departure

18 December 2022 2 comments

BRENDAN GALLAGHER It was a week of departures for Romania, one unexpected but the other less so. First the shock resignation of former England coach […]

Israel banking on the Heat to build profile

11 December 2022 1 comment

RUGBY MATTERS – A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER One of the more unusual modern days rugby stories is currently […]

So who is the real villain here?

11 December 2022 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS – Brendan Gallagher Newcastle’s Carl Fearns has been at the sharp end of professional rugby for nearly 14 years and has never taken […]

England toiling in the foothills

11 December 2022 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS I will leave it to others to do the heavy lifting in dissecting the sacking of Eddie Jones but here’s a couple of […]

Remarkable band of Rogue Heroes

4 December 2022 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER The BBC drama series Rogue Heroes concluded on Sunday and, despite one or […]

Only the pin-ups win top awards

4 December 2022 2 comments

RUGBY MATTERS What have the following got in common? Brian O’Driscoll, Eben Etzebeth, Malcolm Marx, Fourie Du Preez, Taulupe Faletau, Ma’a Nonu, George Smith, Michael […]

Georgia’s triumph shouldn’t be wasted

27 November 2022 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER It was bittersweet bordering on intensely frustrating to listen to Georgia’s victorious […]

Give me a break! It’s time we had much more clarity on the advantage law

27 November 2022 2 comments

What’s happening with the advantage law? It’s even more all over the place than usual this season. Have we missed a memo or something? First, […]

Los Lobos keep cool and take their place in France

20 November 2022 1 comment

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER Life with Los Lobos is never dull and, although their excruciating, nail […]

Women’s game needs teamwork to progress

13 November 2022 2 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER SO that’s a wrap. The Women’s World Cup is finally done and […]

When the Munster haka stole the show

6 November 2022 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER I’ve never been a huge fan of the New Zealand haka, believing […]

All hail, the slayers of All Black slayers …

6 November 2022 1 comment

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER CORRECTION c orner. Last week I mistakenly said that Munster got thumped 33-6 by London in their warm up game for […]

Sharing delight of beating All Blacks

30 October 2022 2 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER There is rightly much focus on the 50th anniversary tomorrow of Llanelli’s […]

When the Mayne man was in charge

30 October 2022 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER PLAYING I reland and Lions rugby legend Paddy Mayne in any film representation of the SAS was always going to be […]

Flexibility key if we want to keep playing

23 October 2022 3 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER It’s funny how sport and life often come full circle. Many decades […]

Reasons why we will miss Wasps

23 October 2022 3 comments

RUGBY MATTERS SO farewell Wasps, at least the club we knew. Who can forget those misty afternoons at Sudbury sheltering in their toy town ‘grandstand’; […]