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Columnists
/ 8 months 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
/ 8 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
/ 8 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
/ 9 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
/ 9 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
/ 9 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
/ 9 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
/ 9 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
/ 9 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
/ 9 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
/ 9 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
/ 9 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
/ 9 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
/ 10 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
/ 10 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
/ 10 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
/ 10 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
/ 10 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
/ 10 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
/ 11 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
/ 11 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
/ 11 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
/ 11 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
/ 11 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
/ 11 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
/ 12 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
/ 12 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
/ 12 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
/ 1 year 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
/ 1 year 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
/ 1 year 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
/ 1 year 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
/ 1 year 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
/ 1 year 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
/ 1 year 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
/ 1 year 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...
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Latest News
/ 1 year agoBeaumont needs to show clear thinking
NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK BILL Beaumont is stepping into a saloon in which the tables and chairs...
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Latest News
/ 1 year agoBill Beaumont needs to show clear thinking
By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week Bill Beaumont is stepping into a saloon in which the tables...
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Latest News
/ 1 year agoBeaumont needs to show clear thinking
NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK BILL Beaumont is stepping into a saloon in which the tables and chairs...
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Champions Cup
/ 1 year agoRing fence has made English rugby go soft
By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week The most positive aspect to come out of the opening round...
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British and Irish Lions
/ 1 year agoMy British & Irish Lions team are ready for take-off
By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week... There is a view that picking a Lions Test team almost...
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Latest News
/ 1 year agoPressure builds on RFU chief to resign
By Nick Cain Tom Ilube’s tenure as RFU Board Chairman, and his financial credentials, will come under increased scrutiny with the...
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Latest News
/ 1 year agoIt’s time for a root and branch clearout at RFU
By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week In what sort of world does the wage packet of one...
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Autumn Internationals
/ 1 year agoSteve Borthwick can’t afford another run of failure
By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week When it comes to “jam tomorrow” England teams have produced more...
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Nick Cain
/ 1 year agoMega-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...
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English Championship
/ 1 year agoSimon 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...
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International Rugby
/ 1 year agoBuilding 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...
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Autumn Internationals
/ 1 year agoSteve Borthwick’s bench policy needs work
By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week The bench miscalculations cooking England’s goose in the final quarter of...
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International Rugby
/ 1 year agoAussies are hurt by own protectionism
By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week Whether the Wallabies emerge with a Grand Slam or a slump...
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Autumn Internationals
/ 1 year agoSteve Borthwick needs strength in depth
By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week The 17 RFU central contracts announced by Steve Borthwick on Friday...
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