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Sevens World Series
/ 12 years agoTom Mitchell: Konichiwa from Japan’s capital
Konichiwa! That is pretty much the extent of our grasp of the lingo out here. Of all our stops on the...
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Nick Cain
/ 12 years agoNick Cain: Yes, they’re good – but England are a way off being great
If England can make the same progress over the next 18 months that they have made in the last year then...
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Peter Jackson
/ 12 years agoPeter Jackson: Warren Gatland’s Robocops must find new game
Heavy depressions hanging over Wales in between World Cups are not a new phenomenon even if the latest one may take...
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Nick Cain
/ 12 years agoNick Cain: Moaning Robin McBryde should face all the facts
If Robin McBryde wants to know why Gethin Jenkins was sin-binned against England last weekend he does not need to go...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 12 years agoBrendan Gallagher: Brian O’Driscoll was never a victim again after this act of brutality
The thud and thunder of battles won and lost will never recede entirely, nor will those lightning forks of brilliance that lit...
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Jeremy Guscott
/ 12 years agoJeremy Guscott’s verdict: Even Manu Tuilagi can’t step straight into this ace side
The final weekend may not have gone entirely to script for Stuart Lancaster‘s side but the England head coach should be...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 12 years agoBrendan Gallagher: Why Barbados against mighty All Blacks will be no rum do
It’s a bleary-eyed Sunday morning on Aldershot Garrison Common where the icy wind knifes you in two and the freezing rain...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 12 years agoBrendan Gallagher: Why we have to keep Georgia on our minds
While the rest of the rugby world would be delighted to avoid playing New Zealand in the World Cup, Georgia will...
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Jeff Probyn
/ 12 years agoJeff Probyn: Taller props are causing more front row injuries
Last week Nick Cain asked where are all the tighthead props – when what he could have asked is, why are...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 12 years agoBrendan Gallagher: Let’s hear it for the new glory boys wearing 15
For decades it was the pin-ups at half-back who always seemed to hold sway, the mercurial playmakers and distributors who were...
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Nick Cain
/ 12 years agoNick Cain: No wonder stone-face Steve Hansen has a smile at last
Here’s Stuart Lancaster‘s nightmare scenario. The week before England are due to play the first Test of their three Test June...
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Jeremy Guscott
/ 12 years agoJeremy Guscott: England must stop Jamie Roberts – and this is how to do it!
A fit Jamie Roberts is very important to Wales in a specific way. The power of his carrying gets the Welsh...
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Nick Cain
/ 12 years agoNick Cain: Disco kids can lead Wales a dance
Danny Care and Owen Farrell have been dancing to a new beat this season. It emerged this week that when the...
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Peter Jackson
/ 12 years agoPeter Jackson: Man-for-man Wales hold the edge over England
There was a time when Wales lorded it over England at Twickenham, an affluent corner of London town which they never...
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Nick Cain
/ 12 years agoNick Cain investigates the great mystery: where have all the tight-heads gone?
Where have all the tight-heads gone? That was the question giving England fans pause for thought this week as they contemplated...
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Jeff Probyn
/ 12 years agoJeff Probyn: Barrie-Jon Mather’s baptism must be a warning for Sam Burgess
The fanfare that has followed the news that Sam Burgess is to play for Bath next year is once again fostering...
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Nick Cain
/ 12 years agoNick Cain: Yapping at the man in the middle has to stop
Having been immune from the scourge of football-style dissent and badgering, or intimidation, of match officials for the best part of...
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Peter Jackson
/ 12 years agoPeter Jackson: How WRU made the Euro deal possible
As the English clubs and Welsh regions edge towards victory in the war over Europe, their commanders must be tempted to...
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Jeremy Guscott
/ 12 years agoJeremy Guscott’s verdict on England: England are growing into World Cup contenders
England took another major step towards being genuine World Cup contenders with this dogged, back to the walls display against Joe...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 12 years agoBrendan Gallagher’s verdict on England: Stuart Lancaster’s tough love is paying off
A little bit of faith, albeit combined with tough love, can go a long way in sport as Stuart Lancaster is...
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Nick Cain
/ 12 years agoNick Cain’s verdict on Wales: French can’t breach Shaun Edwards’ stone wall
Any sense that Wales were going to go quietly into the Six Nations night, relinquishing their champion status without a fight,...
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Nick Cain
/ 12 years agoNick Cain: ‘Aggro’ Joe Marler is just a big chicken!
Joe Marler has a reputation for not walking away if the opposition are looking for a bit of aggro. Scotland were...
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Jeff Probyn
/ 12 years agoJeff Probyn: Scotland’s slump is so bad for Northern Hemisphere
I know it may sound strange but I am really saddened by the Calcutta Cup game last Saturday, not the result...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 12 years agoBrendan Gallagher: The Ultimate Warrior Chris Pennell stands tall in the battle for survival
There was a fascinating and rather poignant moment down at Sixways the other night as Worcester trooped off after losing to...
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Peter Jackson
/ 12 years agoPeter Jackson: James Hook plays the Invisible Man come hail or shine
The Invisible Man of the Six Nations could be seen down by the Mediterranean the other day, literally warming up for...
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Nick Cain
/ 12 years agoNick Cain: We must find out soon if George Ford is the real deal
Stuart Lancaster is a careful planner, so when I asked him this week about his bench policy in the opening two...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 12 years agoBrendan Gallagher: A belting then BOD became the scourge of England
Brian O’Driscoll has been waging war on England since his Six Nations debut in 2000 and although there have been highs...
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Jeremy Guscott
/ 12 years agoJeremy Guscott: England must beware the day of the jackal
You cannot help but be impressed by the Irish team since Joe Schmidt took over. The game against New Zealand might...
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Sevens World Series
/ 12 years agoTom Mitchell: Semi-final defeat to New Zealand hurts but we can’t wait for Tokyo
As we return to England with another fourth-place finish there is a now familiar feeling of so close yet so far....
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Nick Cain
/ 12 years agoNick Cain: Stubborn Stuart Lancaster must admit mistakes
Stuart Lancaster is doing a Sinatra. By sticking with the same 23 man line-up against the Scots that lost to France...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 12 years agoBrendan Gallagher: Ruan Pienaar keeps faith with Ulster
There might have been a more influential and committed ‘overseas’ signing than Ruan Pienaar in the last 18 seasons since rugby...
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Nick Cain
/ 12 years agoNick Cain: ‘Slammin Sam’ Burgess could be hit for England
Sam Burgess might just be the answer to England‘s 2015 prayers. The idea of an outstanding 18 stone, 6ft 5ins athlete...
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Peter Jackson
/ 12 years agoPeter Jackson: Ordeal of Iestyn Harris is a warning to Sam Burgess
The Welsh Rugby Union’s first central contract, as awarded to Iestyn Harris, amounted to £1.6m with half of it paid to...
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Jeremy Guscott
/ 12 years agoJeremy Guscott’s verdict on England: Chris Robshaw has come of age as openside
Chris Robshaw has led England from the front with bravery and tenacity since his tenure as skipper began two years ago....
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Peter Jackson
/ 12 years agoPeter Jackson’s verdict on Wales: It screamed out for a gamble on James Hook
In the privacy of the team room just before the Six Nations began, Warren Gatland urged Wales to play with ‘a...
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Jeff Probyn
/ 12 years agoJeff Probyn: Hurt and angry? England will just be disappointed!
What a start to the Six Nations! All the matches brimmed with pace, power and pathos, from the first to the...
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Jeff Probyn
/ 12 years agoJeff Probyn: Bashed up by the French, but I loved every minute
It’s that time of year when I am filled with a mixture of emotions ranging from excitement to regret. The start...
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Nick Cain
/ 12 years agoNick Cain: Sam Warburton could be the first casualty of Welsh war
Sam Warburton‘s central contract with the WRU is threatening to become an unholy mess. When the news broke last weekend that...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 12 years agoBrendan Gallagher talks Calcutta Cup with Peter Brown
It’s exactly 50 years ago since Peter Brown started taking the sword to the Sassenachs in earnest and, save for Robert...
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Peter Jackson
/ 12 years agoPeter Jackson: The ancient battleground welcomes Warren Gatland again
So Warren Gatland has felt it necessary to make a pre-emptive strike aimed at reducing the hostility level towards him in...
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Nick Cain
/ 12 years agoNick Cain previews the clash between Scotland and England
Legend has it that the 9th Roman Legion disappeared without trace after marching north of Hadrian’s Wall into the Scottish hinterland....
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Tom Mitchell
/ 12 years agoTom Mitchell: What happened in Vegas stayed in Vegas so now we can concentrate on Wellington
Ten days of temptation is plenty and we’ve battled Sin City for long enough. After three days of intense competition we’ll...
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Jeremy Guscott
/ 12 years agoJeremy Guscott’s verdict on England: Character is there… now cut out errors
After a horror start England showed they have the character and class to fight back and almost win this marvellous match...
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Peter Jackson
/ 12 years agoPeter Jackson’s verdict on Wales: So close as Wales dodge a Tyson KO
For a few startling minutes towards the end, Wales ran the risk of falling victim to the biggest upset in Six...
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Peter Jackson
/ 12 years agoPeter Jackson: Dr Ron still at the head of Grand Slam pack
It has been said of Dr Ronald Cove-Smith that he never turned up on a Saturday afternoon without his little black...
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Jeff Probyn
/ 12 years agoJeff Probyn: All shapes and sizes should play rugby
Money, money, money, it’s a rich man’s sport. The increase in the salary cap, up by £500,000 to £5 million, will...
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Nick Cain
/ 12 years agoNick Cain: England need Saxons to be battle-hardened
The Saxons should be a huge influence in building an England team, so that the head coach never runs out of...
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Peter Jackson
/ 12 years agoPeter Jackson: Rookie 10s can shape outcome of Six Nations
The Six Nations cast for 2014 includes seven fly-halves who have yet to play in the tournament and seven more who...
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Jeff Probyn
/ 12 years agoJeff Probyn: Italians have a lot to gain by forming their own league
The comments of Italian Rugby Federation (FIR) president Alfredo Gavazzi that they may remove their two professional teams from the Rabo...
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Tom Mitchell
/ 12 years agoEngland Sevens captain Tom Mitchell: Sevens in Sin City
When people think of Las Vegas they think of high rollers, world famous shows, Caesar’s Palace and the MGM Grand. It...












