RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER Now here’s a little in-house admission. A couple of months ago, when […]
Ben Youngs will retire after England’s Rugby World Cup third-place play-off this Friday as his country’s most-capped player. Scrum-half Youngs, 34, will start his first […]
By NICK CAIN England …………………………15pts Penalties: Farrell 3, 10, 24, 39 Drop goals: Farrell 53 South Africa …………………16pts Tries: Snyman 69 Conversions: Pollard 70 Penalties: […]
Freddie Steward has replaced Marcus Smith in one of three England changes for their Rugby World Cup semi-final against South Africa, with the Springboks unchanged […]
From ADAM HATHAWAY PREVIEW… England v Fiji Today. Kick-off 4pm, Stade de Marseille Steve Borthwick and his coaching staff are on parole today as England […]
WALES and England fans were flooding into the Vieux Port in Marseille on Friday afternoon ahead of this weekend’s fixtures. There were also Australian accents […]
Australia……… 34 Portugal ………..14 AUSTRALIA secured a bonus-point win to keep their slim chances of reaching the quarter-finals alive despite a two sin-binings in the […]
Premiership team-by-team previews: Leicester Tigers The Tigers did well to reach the play-offs last season after losing head coach Steve Borthwick and his right-hand man […]
JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK AS England approach their last pool match against Samoa on Saturday, and the likelihood of a quarter-final against […]
JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK OWEN Farrell was back in the England starting line-up for Chile, and it will almost certainly be the […]
By PAUL REES PREVIEW… Wales v Australia Today, 8pm, Parc Olympique Lyonnais Big test: Ben Donalson stars at fly-half for Australia PICTURES: Getty Images EIGHT […]
NICK CAIN The reaction to the landmark RFU Council letter in which 30 members have challenged the current leadership of RFU Board chairman Tom Ilube, […]
By NICK CAIN PREVIEW…England v Japan, Today. Kick-off 8pm, Stade de Nice Can Japan produce another “Brighton Miracle”, mirroring their incredible win over South Africa […]
By PAUL REES PREVIEW… Australia v Fiji Sunday September 17. Kick-off 4.30pm, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne Return? Will Skelton could be back for Australia THE World […]
Alan Martinovic fears that the England Rugby player development pathway recently criticised by Eddie Jones will run into more difficulties if Labour wins the next […]
By GARY FITZGERALD England’s failing stars have been ordered to cut out the “siege mentality” and begin “owning their performances”. World Cup winner Lawrence Dallaglio […]
SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND THIS may still be the phoney war period, but what a statement the world champion Springboks made at Twickenham […]
Billy Vunipola has joined Saracens teammate Owen Farrell with a ban that will rule him out of playing against Argentina in England’s opening game of […]
Australian legend David Campese is concerned that rugby union is starting to mimic traditional rugby league and is a poorer sport as a result. Campese, […]
PAUL REES There was a moment six minutes into the second-half which summed up England. Courtney Lawes stole a lineout near Wales’s line, prime attacking […]
JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK There are a number of utility players selected in the England World Cup squad of 33 announced this […]
ONE is left wondering what rugby planet coach Steve Borthwick and his England side inhabit after witnessing the depressing 20-9 defeat facing an enterprising Wales […]
ON THE BLINDSIDE Gareth Southgate is forging close links with his rugby counterpart Steve Borthwick after enjoying a close friendship with his predecessor Eddie Jones. […]
JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK WHAT England need to happen is for them to play exceptionally well in the World Cup warm-ups which […]