British and Irish Lions
Nick Cain: Joe Schmidt may force British and Irish Lions to move on
Joe Schmidt will be hailed as a miracle man if the Wallabies succeed in blindsiding the Lions to edge the forthcoming Test series which starts in...
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Columnists
/ 5 days agoNick Cain: Felipe Contepomi committed selection hara-kiri against England
England deserved most of the plaudits lavished on them after their comprehensive four try 35-12 dismantling of Argentina last weekend. Fin...
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British and Irish Lions
/ 2 weeks agoNick Cain: Jack Willis deserves to be part of this British and Irish Lions party
It is one of the biggest travesties in this sport that Jack Willis could be destined to never pull on a...
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British and Irish Lions
/ 2 weeks agoNick Cain: Owen Farrell’s British and Irish Lions call-up shouldn’t cause discord
The furore surrounding Owen Farrell being brought into the Lions squad as a replacement for Elliott Daly has stirred the nepotism...
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Columnists
/ 3 weeks agoNick Cain: England must concentrate on a power game against Argentina
We are about to find out about the depth in England’s playing resources, and whether the Premiership produces enough players ready...
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British and Irish Lions
/ 3 weeks agoNick Cain: Lessons of Dublin must be learned for the British and Irish Lions
One of the strangest elements about the 2025 Lions starting line-up in the non-tour match against Argentina in Dublin was...
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Latest News
/ 3 weeks agoNick Cain: Let’s hope the Whole Game Union wins the day
The attempts by some within the Twickenham administration to characterise the Whole Game Union’s campaign to bring about democratic change at...
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British and Irish Lions
/ 4 weeks agoNick Cain: Don’t let Joe Schmidt take British and Irish Lions for a ride
The Lions are being taken for pussycats by Australia coach Joe Schmidt. Contrary to the assurance given by Phil Waugh, the...
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Columnists
/ 4 weeks agoNick Cain: Whole Game Union is hoping to land a longshot
There is an RFU AGM on Saturday, and it could pass by with a barely discernible ripple, or deliver a seismic...
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Columnists
/ 1 month agoNick Cain: Steve Borthwick will want young guns to fire on Argentina Tour
The idea being touted that England’s two-Test tour of Argentina at the beginning of July will be the unearthing of a...
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British and Irish Lions
/ 1 month agoNick Cain: Argentina selection’s bad news for British & Irish Lions
The devaluing of fixtures throughout the professional game is becoming a blight, and an understrength Argentina facing the Lions on Friday...
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Columnists
/ 1 month agoPaul Turner – Don’t let the Championship turn into ‘zombie league’
Nick Cain talks to Paul Turner as he says his goodbyes to Ampthill after 14 years in charge Paul Turner’s record...
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Columnists
/ 1 month agoNick Cain: Brute forces which could do the game great harm
Rugby Union has reached a critical crossroads in which the future of our sport is in the balance, particularly in England,...
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Columnists
/ 1 month agoNick Cain: At last! Bath vs Bristol lived up to all the Premiership hype
The Premiership finally lived up to the overblown hype pumped out about it when Bath and Bristol produced a genuinely competitive...
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Columnists
/ 1 month agoNick Cain: Wallabies need to find some form – and sharpish
Australia's whole will have to be much greater than the sum of its parts to win the imminent Lions series if...
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Columnists
/ 2 months agoNick Cain: Henry Pollock needs to wise up – old pros will be keen to take him out
Henry Pollock’s upward trajectory has been so stellar that there was always going to be a queue of gnarled old pros...
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Latest News
/ 2 months agoNick Cain: This American dream will only end in tears
The Premiership/ RFU’s stampede for money, and the pitfalls that come with it, is reflected in the franchise fix proposed by...
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Columnists
/ 2 months agoNick Cain: Time for Steve Borthwick to ignore the easy options
The main challenge facing Steve Borthwick this summer is to maintain England’s momentum by winning a two-Test tour of Argentina with...
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British and Irish Lions
/ 2 months agoNick Cain: British and Irish Lions must get tough by delivering an ultimatum
The longer the Lions Board continues to be as soft-toy cuddly as the mascot that tour youngster Henry Pollock will have...
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Columnists
/ 2 months agoNick Cain: Championship rebrand can be a real game-changer
The rebranding this week of England’s second professional league as Champ Rugby could be a game-changer in English club rugby, and...
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British and Irish Lions
/ 2 months agoNick Cain: Andy Farrell still at 6s and 7s in his British and Irish Lions back row conundrum
While Henry Pollock is the talk of the town, and deservedly so following his meteoric rise and selection for the 2025...
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Champions Cup
/ 3 months agoNick Cain: At last! Welcome words reinforce value of jeopardy
One of the few signs of clear-thinking rugby union sanity this week came from Simon Gillham, the chairman of the Tier...
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British and Irish Lions
/ 3 months agoHenry Pollock’s energy could give British and Irish Lions that extra boost
By Nick Cain The likelihood of any uncapped young “bolters”, who were a feature of Lions squad announcements in the amateur...
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Champions Cup
/ 3 months agoNick Cain: Backing of franchise rugby is myopic, hypocritical and self-serving …
The parallel universe which some of the main movers and shakers in the RFU/ Premiership currently inhabit has revealed itself in...
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Latest News
/ 3 months agoBath owner, Bruce Craig, backs franchise system
Bath owner Bruce Craig argues that scrapping relegation and relaunching the Premiership as a collection of centrally licensed franchises would bring...
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Miscellaneous
/ 3 months agoNick Cain: Invest in the Championship – as well as women’s game
The money cut from the funding to Championship clubs in the last five years is believed to be very close to...
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Columnists
/ 3 months agoNick Cain: Bruce Craig’s protectionism is not what we want
The decision by Bath owner Bruce Craig to break cover by jumping on the franchise bandwagon this week is no revelation,...
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Columnists
/ 3 months agoNick Cain: Blueprint for the future lacks rational thinking with franchise idea
By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week We are coming to the franchise crunch. Finally, after five years...
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Latest News
/ 3 months agoLeinster are good … but they would not beat France
By Nick Cain The hype was in full flood after Leinster’s two-match 142-0 European Cup haul against Harlequins and Glasgow, when...
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Columnists
/ 3 months agoNick Cain: Premiership clubs need to set higher standards
The most concerning aspect of the Harlequins no-show against Leinster at Croke Park last weekend, which finished in a 62-0 European...
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Latest News
/ 3 months agoNick Cain: Time to dismantle the ivory towers
TV adverts are a mixed bag, but at their best they paint a picture that nails an irksome aspect of modern...
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English Championship
/ 3 months agoWorcester Warriors return – RFU Board should tell us what it thinks
By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week The first act of the new Tier 2 Board, which has...
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Latest News
/ 4 months agoRFU must prioritise return of promotion to Premiership
By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week In defeat, defiance. For supporters of the incumbent RFU administration who...
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Latest News
/ 4 months agoThis Premiership cartel is strangling our game
By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week Welcome to gridlock. Everything that is wrong with the English club...
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Letters
/ 4 months agoThe 7-1 bench split must be given the boot
By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week The reality of the 7:1 bench split is unmasked. The development...
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Latest News
/ 4 months agoTommy Freeman deserves a run in the centres
By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week The England midfield has been a mishmash of failed partnerships, wishful...
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Latest News
/ 4 months agoPressure is building on the RFU Board to stand down
By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week The Whole Game Union has added its weight to the call...
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Latest News
/ 4 months agoBen Youngs lifts the lid on Steve Borthwick – but too late
By Nick Cain Ben Youngs lifted the lid last week on Steve Borthwick being a “risk-averse” coach, and stated that the...
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Miscellaneous
/ 5 months agoSupport for change at RFU keeps on building
By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week As the SGM vote calling for regime change at the RFU...
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Latest News
/ 5 months agoCut bench in half to make a game of it
By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week The bench is damaging rugby union, and this Six Nations should...
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Latest News
/ 5 months agoSix Nations – England need to be more consistent
By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week Driving force: Tom Willis has the power to make headway up...
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Latest News
/ 5 months agoFreddie Steward, take a tip from the best…
By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week Freddie Steward was not England’s worst performer against Ireland. However, the...
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Miscellaneous
/ 6 months agoStop giving No.9s so much protection
By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week Welcome to the 2025 Six Nations, and, unfortunately, a new abomination...
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Latest News
/ 6 months agoTime to be brave and start with Henry Pollock at flanker for England
By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week Are England fit for purpose going into the Six Nations? Steve...
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Latest News
/ 6 months agoDo the right thing, Bill Beaumont, and tell Bill Sweeney to be on his way
By Nick Cain Bill Beaumont has a duty to advise Bill Sweeney that his tenure as RFU chief executive is...
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International Rugby
/ 6 months agoGood news on Maro Itoje, but England’s problems persist
By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week Having been a long-time advocate of Maro Itoje as England captain,...
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Club Rugby
/ 6 months agoOllie Lawrence’s play-acting was shameful to watch
Ollie Lawrence’s sham injury in the closing minutes of a knife-edge finish between Northampton and Bath at Franklin’s Gardens last weekend...
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Latest News
/ 6 months agoHybrid Hash will tie Steve Borthwick in knots
By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week The description ‘Hybrid Central Contracts’ does not inspire confidence. Hybrid usually...
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Latest News
/ 7 months agoSteve Diamond adjusts the cap to fit
By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week The season of good cheer got a kick-start last week with...
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Latest News
/ 7 months agoNo surprise as France show how it’s done
By Nick Cain Vannes versus Bordeaux is one of my highlights of the 2024-25 season so far, because if you want...
British and Irish Lions
Living with the British and Irish Lions: What really happens on tour
British and Irish Lions
British and Irish Lions vs Wallabies Preview: Tom Curry favoured over Jac Morgan in first Test
British and Irish Lions
Marcus Smith keeps Owen Farrell out of British and Irish Lions squad for first Test in Australia
Latest News
Jacques Vermeulen: I must prove myself again
British and Irish Lions
Dewi Lake still dreaming of becoming a British and Irish Lion
Features
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