PAUL REES ENGLAND’S revival under Steve Borthwick was designed to be built on defence, but South Africa’s decisive try yesterday was created by Damian de […]
Latest Posts
Why does it always go wrong in the last quarter for England?
By Brendan Gallagher Where do England minds go in the final quarter of big rugby games? Why do they lose focus and intensity and why […]
Battling Argentina make it tough for Ireland
By Brendan Gallagher Ireland……………22pts Tries: Crowley 3, Hansen 5, McCarthy 31 Conversions: Crowley 3, 32 Drop goal: Crowley 21 Argentina ………19pts Try: Mallia 45 Conversion: […]
Relieved Andy Farrell glad to ‘win ugly’
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell was relieved his side could register the win and feels they will keep improving as the autumn progresses. He said: […]
France fight back to snatch thriller against All Blacks
By James Harrington France……………. 30pts Tries: Buros 32, Boudehent 44, Bielle-Biarrey 51 Conversions: Ramos 33, 45, 52 Penalties: Ramos 7, 57, 73 New Zealand …29pts […]
Italy facing fierce Georgia test
■ By BEN JAYCOCK PREVIEW… Italy v Georgia Today. Kick-off 1.40pm, Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa RICHARD Cockerill’s Georgia will be looking to earn a major […]
Gatland: If I lose my job, I’ll go to beach
■ By SIMON THOMAS Wales v Australia PREVIEW… Today. Kick-off 4.10pm, Principality Stadium Coach: Warren Gatland ONE of the more revealing comments from Warren Gatland […]
We are ready for a brusing encounter, admits Schmidt
Recalled: Samu Kerevi AUSTRALIA head coach Joe Schmidt feels that Wales will be “incredibly hard to beat” at the Principality Stadium despite their poor record […]
Gritty Portugal can’t keep up with Scots
■By BEN JAYCOCK Dominant: Josh Bayliss runs in to score Scotland’s fifth try PICTURES: Getty Images SCOTLAND showcased their strength in depth with a nine-try […]
Townsend impressed by Jordan link work
SCOTLAND coach Gregor Townsend applauded Portugal’s defensive effort. He said: “We’re pleased with the result. I thought Portugal were really good, they brought line speed […]
I fear that young players will be lost to the game if chances missed
I REFER to Geoff Stalker’s letter of October 27 regarding schools rugby. Some points perhaps need to be amplified so that RFU leadership hear or […]
England look like a clueless rabble
Another one bites the dust: England feel the pain against Wallabies I WATCHED with a g rowing sense of bewilderment as England yet again took […]
Two great games in one day
I SAW two of the best matches of the season last Saturday. The first was “live” between Stow on the Wold and Longlevens, a Level […]
Too many mistakes
ENGLAND have the players to be successful but they seem to lack the mental fortitude to get over the line. They have lost six tight […]
Dream Team – Jimmy Gopperth
JIMMY GOPPERTH, THE FORMER WELLINGTON, HURRICANES, BLUES, NEWCASTLE, LEINSTER, WASPS AND LEICESTER PLAYMAKER, WHO IS STILL GOING STRONG AT AIX-EN-PROVENCE, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE […]
Jac Morgan could lead Wales into new era
By Jeremy Guscott – Outspoken and unmissable every week… Wales do not have much chance of beating Australia today in Cardiff if we use the […]
Undercard get chance to show their A-game
By Paul Rees England’s A team today get their first major work-out after being resurrected earlier this year when Australia’s undercard provide the opposition at […]
Mega-league plan will have to overcome huge hurdles
By Nick Cain – Read his expert opinion every week If 200 of the world’s highest-paid players are about to join the rugby union version […]
Simon Gillham must get justice for the Championship
Simon Gillham’s arrival as chair of the Championship/Tier 2 Board should be good news for English club rugby. Gillham, below, who spent 20 years in […]
Building blocks for England’s future
England A’s fixture against their Australian counterparts at The Stoop at 2pm today is an essential building block for any head coach to assess the […]
McParland keen to shine for England A
By DAN ROBERTSHAW Stepping up: Northampton’s Archie McParland on the attack PICTURES: Getty Images Class: Antoine Dupont NORTHAMPTON scrum-half Archie McParland feels he has returned […]
Bristol’s exciting approach suits me, says Harry Thacker
By Mark Stevens Bristol Bears are fast earning themselves a reputation as rugby’s great entertainers, captivating fans with their bold, high-energy style of play. Known […]
We will all suffer in the land of the giants
By Chris Hewett – Thinking Allowed It was the rugby version of Easy Street, the 1917 silent movie in which Charlie Chaplin, playing a policeman, […]
Pundits need that forward thinking
Ian Robertson put it most colourfully. “I work with backs,” said the celebrated BBC radio commentator on being asked to coach the Cambridge students into […]
Exeter Chiefs in hunt for new investment
By Mark Stevens DoR: Rob Baxter Tony Rowe has confirmed the search for new investors into Exeter Chiefs has begun as he looks to safeguard […]
Chinnor take early control (but don’t tell Twickenham)
■ By MO SHER Chinnor …………..33pts Tries: Crowley 9, Bourton 13, Watson 27, Dugmore 47, Pascoe 78 Conversions: Bourton 10, 14, 28; Smith 79 Cambridge […]
Rising tide of criticism closing in on Warren Gatland
By Peter Jackson – The man truly in the know Warren Gatland will spend another Sunday praying for deliverance from the landslide now threatening to […]
The day France pulled a fast one on Grant
OF all the international coaches in all the world, none can have endured a stranger initiation than Scotland’s Derrick Grant, against France at Murrayfield in […]
I am calm and loving my life, says Danny Cipriani
Paul Rees talks to the former England No.10 as he agrees to put his boots on one final time to help raise money for MND […]
Chalking off White’s try was a mistake
RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER No try: Ben White’s touchdown was ruled out PICTURE: Getty Images IT […]
Coach who gave Hastings brothers their debuts
THERE was a time when the strength of rugby in the Borders was a weathervane for Scottish rugby generally. That period has passed with professionalism […]
Beziers begin to get act together
THESE are hectic and tumultuous times at once-great Beziers. We recently reported that two charges of domestic abuse by Beziers players against their respective partners […]
Gatland’s second coming struggles to lift Welsh spirits
PAUL REES HEARS CRITICISM OF THE WALES COACH MOUNT AS HE PREPARES FOR TODAY’S VISIT OF AUSTRALIA TO CARDIFF Under pressure: Wales coach Warren Gatland […]
‘I decided to work hard and Eddie Jones backed me’ – George Kruis
My Life in Rugby – George Kruis the former England, Saracens and Panasonic Wild Knights second row Man-mountain: George Kruis on the charge for England […]
Dickinson hits the 50-mark for Archers
■By CHRIS COLLYER Proud: Nottingham’s Jack Dickinson PICTURE: Alamy JACK Dickinson brought up his half century of appearnces in style by scoring two tries last […]
Bears swoop for Jordan
BRISTOL Bears have signed Scotland’s Tom Jordan from Glasgow Warriors for next season. The 26-year-old was instrumental in Glasgow’s United Rugby Championship title win last […]
Sela extends deal at Bath
TIGHTHEAD Billy Sela has signed a new deal with Bath. The 19-year-old is currently out for up to two months with a shoulder injury suffered […]
Schmidt praised for Sua’ali’i shift
■By CAMERON STEPHENS Winger: Joe Tomane FORMER Wallaby wing Joe Tomane says Joe Schmidt’s coaching qualities are the reason why Joseph Sua’ali’i has had such […]
Terrific Rotherham Titans celebrate toughest triumph
By Joe Barnes Taylor Sedgley Park .30 Rotherham ……35 Rotherham secured a bonus-point victory in a tough tussle against Sedgley Tigers. Titans opened the scoring […]
Allsopp proves an Ollie good fellow for Birmingham Moseley!
By Rhys Stratton B Moseley …………..27 Rosslyn Park ………26 Birmingham Moseley scored at the death through Ollie Allsopp to record a thrilling win over Rosslyn […]
Hosts are over the Hill and far away
■By JOHN ALLANSON Bishop’s S ……………33 Darlington MP ……. 19 TOBY HILL provided the spark as Bishop’s Stortford beat Darlington MP. The visitors hit the […]
A brace from Botterill is key to victory for Esher
■By MIKE DAVIS Leicester L ……. 31pts Tries: Romano 7, Allen 11, Sterland 24, Murdoch 47, Tebbatt 80 Conversions: Bouchier 8, 12, 48 Tries: Rawstron-Rudd […]
Dings do enough to take wind out of Sale’s fight
■By BAZ JOHNSON Dings …………………… 31 Sale FC………………… 15 EARLY indications suggested Sale could come out on top, especially as it was ill-discipline that gifted […]
Rampant Rams are ten out of ten
By RICHARD ASHTON Rams…………………….33 Blackheath…………. 14 RAMS made it a perfect ten league wins to start the campaign as they won an epic war with […]
Visitors celebrate Pim’s contribution
By PADDY MARSH Plymouth…………….. 15 Richmond…………….20 RICHMOND kept up the pressure on Rams at the top of the table with a hard-earned but deserved victory […]
Home comfort is proving to be the key for the Crusaders
nBy BEN JAYCOCK Taking the lead: Dings Crusaders’ George Boulton GEORGE Boulton describes Dings Crusaders’ welcome to National One as a ‘baptism of fire’ as […]
Power of Faraimo is vital as Hull edge contest
By RICHARD GORE Hull…………………23 Fylde……………… 21 HULL won a hard fought game which was a tribute to their great defence and the ability to create […]
It’s all square after Steene’s late miss
By BRIAN TILLEY Tynedale……………..33 Harrogate…………….33 THERE was nothing to separate these sides at their end of their basement battle. Harrogate raced into an early lead […]
It’s a perfect 10 for impressive Lymm
By MIKE BROWN Billingham…………..26 Lymm……………………38 LYMM made it 10 wins from 10 at Billingham. The visitors were clinical in the first half, racking up 26 […]
Hedgley brings delight for Dale
By EDWIN WILLIAMS Wharfedale……40pts Preston……………14pts A COMMANDING performance helped Wharfedale wrap up this clash between fifth and sixth in the table. At the heart of […]
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