Nick Cain

RFU heads Bill Sweeney and Andy Cosslett

RFU must rethink its policies and direction – Francis Baron

25 April 2021 2 comments

“I am passionate about the RFU and find it distressing to see it in such difficulties” – what to expect in the three-part series with Francis Baron

No place for basketball scorelines in rugby | Nick Cain

25 April 2021 1 comment

PREMIERSHIP cheerleaders itching to break out the bunting in support of ringfencing should think again. The successful football fan rebellion against the European Super League, […]

Premiership’s treatment of Lions is a scandal | Nick Cain

18 April 2021 0 comments

Nick Cain aims both barrels at Premiership Rugby for playing innocent of being misinformed over Warren Gatland’s timetable for the Lions tour

Time to get the rules right over TV replays | Nick Cain

11 April 2021 2 comments

THE confused protocols surrounding camera angles, TV match directors, referees, and TMOs have been a contentious area throughout the professional era. The rub is that […]

Evaluating how ready the Springboks are for the Lions

11 April 2021 0 comments

NICK CAIN EVALUATES THE SPRINGBOKS PREPARATION FOR THE UPCOMING LIONS SERIES WHEN Faf de Klerk was buried by a brutal Jake Ball tackle in Llanelli last […]

England’s ‘power’ scrum looks more powder puff | Nick Cain

4 April 2021 0 comments

Nick Cain looks at England’s troubles at the scrum, with the same errors holding back the front row that occurred at the 2019 Rugby World Cup final

Why such MI6-style secrecy over Eddie’s RFU judging panel? | Nick Cain

28 March 2021 0 comments

Bill Sweeney told the media some of the people involved on the panel overseeing the RFU’s debrief of England’s Six Nations failings will remain unnamed

Gatland’s Lions will give the pride of place to Six Nations Celtic warriors

28 March 2021 0 comments

Nick Cain selects his British & Irish Lions tour XV to face the Springboks, after the Six Nations put form into context ahead of flying to South Africa this summer

Captain Tom Curry could be Eddie’s own Will Carling | Nick Cain

21 March 2021 0 comments

Eddie Jones can start his rebuild in the young openside flanker and free up Owen Farrell

History insists Eddie Jones is heading for 2023 defeat | Nick Cain

14 March 2021 0 comments

SOUTH Africa bucked the overall World Cup trend twice at the 2019 tournament. The first time they did so was by appointing Rassie Erasmus as […]

RFU need a French lesson | Nick Cain

14 March 2021 1 comment

NICK CAIN ARGUES THAT THE FOREIGN INVASION IS HARMING HOME-GROWN PLAYERS – UNLIKE IN FRANCE THERE is still a field of dreams out there, and […]

England 23-20 France: What a show as Engand throw off the shackles

14 March 2021 1 comment

Maro Itoje puts the finishes touches on a humdinger at Twickenham, as England come from behind to end French Grand Slam hopes

The chickens are coming home to roost for Eddie Jones | Nick Cain

7 March 2021 1 comment

How close should England be to pushing the panic button with their Saracens stars and high penalty count?

Bristol Bears full-back Charles Piutau is a marquee-designated player

Marquee men mock the salary cap principles | Nick Cain

28 February 2021 0 comments

Nick Cain examines the proposterous regulation of marquee players under the Premiership salary cap

Reviving the England Saxons would help Eddie’s arousal plan

28 February 2021 1 comment

Nick Cain looks at the defunct England Saxons programme, and asks notable figures Ali Hepher and George Skivington about their time as a Saxon

Wales 40-24 England: Don’t blame the ref, this was English indiscipline

28 February 2021 1 comment

Nick Cain reports from the Principality Stadium where Wales claimed the Triple Crown against an improved, but indisciplined, England

Decision time, Eddie – put down the yo-yos! | Nick Cain

21 February 2021 0 comments

Nick Cain questions whether England captain Owen Farrell is facing up to the toughest period of his career with club and country

Clang goes gate on our great game thanks to RFU Council vote | Nick Cain

14 February 2021 0 comments

Nick Cain writes on the dismantlement of English rugby union by the RFU Council’s vote to approve a moratorium on relegation to the Championship

Aussie Press-up Boys would surely disagree with Sir Clive’s verdict | Nick Cain

14 February 2021 1 comment

Nick Cain reacts to Sir Clive Woodward’s labelling of England’s performance against Scotland as ‘the worst I have ever seen England play by some margin’

Australia must be the choice for Lions | Nick Cain

7 February 2021 1 comment

With the decision on what the Lions will do this summer still to be agreed, Nick Cain breaks down why moving the tour to Australia makes the most sense

RFU risk the second great schism with wrong vote | Nick Cain

5 February 2021 0 comments

Nick Cain writes on the significant ring-fencing vote the RFU Council will hold on Friday, and its potential to create a devastating divide in English rugby

Six Nations round table: Grand Slam or not, let’s see some style!

4 February 2021 0 comments

The Rugby Paper’s annual round table Six Nations debate looks a little different this year, but the discussion is just as analytical and fierce

Duhan could make England pay if front row get the edge

31 January 2021 0 comments

Nick Cain previews the Calcutta Cup and believes the disparity between the English and Scottish packs has narrowed

Hold the smiles Eddie, give us Grand Slam joy instead

29 January 2021 0 comments

Nick Cain explores the fault line in England’s undoing at the 2019 World Cup and the prospects of a Six Nations Grand Slam slipping from their grasp in recent years

Honesty isn’t always the best policy, just ask Paul Gustard | Nick Cain

27 January 2021 0 comments

All change at Harlequins and Sale Sharks; Nick Cain looks at the moves made by Paul Gustard and Alex Sanderson

Pivac feels the need for speed in his 9-10 combo | Nick Cain

24 January 2021 0 comments

Nick Cain analyses Wayne Pivac’s Wales squad selection for the 2021 Six Nations

Coventry managing director Nick Johnston

Fight to save Championship: Nick Cain talks to Coventry director Nick Johnston

22 January 2021 0 comments

The managing director of the Championship club fumes over the lack of collective agreement over the TEC and the absence of RFU directive

Covid points loss is wrong | Nick Cain

13 January 2021 1 comment

Nick Cain argues why the new Premiership regulations on cancelled matches are jeopardising the integrity of the season

Waterboys should keep out of the deep end | Nick Cain

10 January 2021 2 comments

Gloucester’s loss to Sale Sharks in the Premiership had its fair share of flash points

Sanderson: Saracens’ Super Six will be ready for England duty

7 January 2021 1 comment

Nick Cain taps into Saracens’ plans for their England stars while they play in the Championship by talking with forwards/defence coach Alex Sanderson

Meritocracy is RFU’s need, not chiselled platitudes | Nick Cain

3 January 2021 0 comments

Nick Cain criticises the lack of leadership shown by RFU chairman Andy Cosslett in the face of urgent financial planning needed at HQ

Laporte casts cloud over Six Nations | Nick Cain

3 January 2021 0 comments

THE last thing we needed to start the New Year is more stories of pandemic- induced meltdowns, but unfortunately the road ahead for not only […]

Points hit on Exeter Chiefs is far too harsh – change it! | Nick Cain

27 December 2020 0 comments

TRP’s chief writer Nick Cain finds moments to treasure – and to question – from a difficult 2020

You lot are subs right? | Nick Cain

23 December 2020 1 comment

Nick Cain looks at how squads attempting to build an atmosphere at empty stadiums can cross the line

Japan and Fiji could spring the big surprise at 2023 Rugby World Cup

22 December 2020 1 comment

Nick Cain examines the winners and losers from the 2023 Rugby World Cup draw

Will Melville be able to stick with his no ring-fence stance?

20 December 2020 0 comments

THE arrival of Nigel Melville in a new role as executive chairman of Premiership Rugby’s investor board is a welcome appointment – not least because […]

RFU must not cave in to Prem pressure

6 December 2020 0 comments

WITH strong rumours of an attempt to ring-fence the top league at the end of this campaign persisting, it is time for the RFU to […]

Cain column: The control freaks will stifle rugby fans’ interest

2 December 2020 0 comments

Nick Cain responds to Eddie Jones’ calls for an end to the ‘archaic’ rule of naming a squad 48 hours before a contest

Wounded Welsh Lions face battle for survival

27 November 2020 0 comments

The plight of Wales this autumn could hinder the number of Lions tourists selected by Warren Gatland, should their faults not be fixed

Cain column: King Sam Cane belittles his subjects – and his All Blacks captaincy

25 November 2020 0 comments

Nick Cain writes on Sam Cane disparaging his own captaincy with criticisms of All Blacks fans

Geordan Murphy has left Leicester Tigers

Cain column: Geordan Murphy was laid out like a lamb headed for slaughter

18 November 2020 0 comments

Geordan Murphy is a victim of long-standing mismanagement by Leicester chairman Peter Tom and the Tigers board, writes Nick Cain

Let’s blood the newcomers against Georgia

12 November 2020 0 comments

Nick Cain suggests the team that England head coach Eddie Jones should test against the Lelos

Cain column: Italy are hanging over the cliff edge in face of no coaches

11 November 2020 0 comments

Nick Cain looks at how the development of Italian coaches in the professional era is virtually non-existent

Cain column: Irish prudence poses more questions to the RFU

6 November 2020 0 comments

Now is the time that unions are releasing their financial accounts – Nick Cain looks at the numbers and finds disparity between the RFU and IRFU

Eddie Jones needs tries to make up ground on Ireland in Six Nations finale

27 October 2020 0 comments

Nick Cain shines the spotlight on England’s midfield being the main area requiring clear thinking in selection ahead of facing Italy

Cain column: Justin Marshall was lone voice in the call for fair play

21 October 2020 0 comments

A blatant penalty from Game 1 of the Bledisloe Cup has ben purged from highlights of the 16-16 draw

Cain column: Will Eddie’s big smile embrace the new caps?

15 October 2020 0 comments

Nick Cain believes England head coach Eddie Jones could have better utilised his training camp to whet the midfield options available

Cain column: How did a £91m sink hole open up to swallow RFU?

7 October 2020 0 comments

Nick Cain questions where the RFU cash reserves have been spent, and how the government will be asking the same

Cain column: Why can I mingle in a shop but not at rugby?

30 September 2020 0 comments

It’s time for Bill Sweeney to rattle the government’s cage, writes Nick Cain

Premiership play-off race going down to the wire

28 September 2020 0 comments

Nick Cain looks at the Premiership run-in with three play-off places still up for grabs

Nick Cain

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