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English Championship
/ 2 years agoWe need a fairer deal for all levels
JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME I cannot believe that there is any way an agreement between the...
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James Harrington
/ 2 years agoBiarritz’s future is back in its hands
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN To the relief of fans, white smoke was finally seen over the stand tops of Biarritz’s Parc...
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Jeremy Guscott
/ 2 years agoEngland need access to their overseas stars
JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK ENGLAND and New Zealand, who meet in a two-Test series this summer, find themselves...
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Nick Cain
/ 2 years agoToo much tinkering is causing confusion
NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK Rugby Union is in the grip of the “the law of unintended consequences”,...
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Nick Cain
/ 2 years agoSecond fine for Tigers is case for concern
The recent announcement of a second salary cap infringement by Leicester indicates that the Premiership’s policing of its own financial regulations...
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Chris Hewett
/ 2 years agoModernise the scrum, don’t allow it to die
CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED IF WE take the Book of Ecclesiastes as our guide – ancient though it may be, it...
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Chris Hewett
/ 2 years agoIt’s all a difficult question of trust
Leicester's latest fine for salary cap irregularities – their second in as many years – throws up an interesting question or...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 years agoThe day Crane had final word at Cardiff
PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW The Millennium Stadium once staged a trio of penalty shoot-outs in four years...
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Peter Jackson
/ 2 years agoVile keeps his record as Care steps down
Tommy Vile and Danny Care were born in the same decade of different centuries, the former in Newport during the first...
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Paul Rees
/ 2 years agoIt’s still all to play for in race to the finishing line
Paul Rees predicts a nerve-racking end to the Premiership season where bonus points will prove crucial THE two-month Premiership break has...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 2 years agoHere’s hoping we see another drop of magic
RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER IT’S Northampton against Munster in Europe today and...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 2 years ago25 years of hurt and counting for Scotland
Scotland fans should look away now but this week – April 10 to be precise – will be the 25th anniversary...
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Jeff Probyn
/ 2 years agoScrums can provide the best attacking platform
JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME Why the scrum is having to fight to stay a part of...
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Jeff Probyn
/ 2 years agoTell players to stay focused – or face axe
There are some interesting excuses from coaches as to why there are such variations in results in the Premiership week by...
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James Harrington
/ 2 years agoTV deal to break €500m barrier
FRENCH COLUMN - JAMES HARRINGTON France's Ligue Nationale de Rugby hopes to pocket more than half-a-billion euros, after launching a call...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 2 years agoTime we demanded more from players
RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER THE other weekend – although it could probably...
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Jeff Probyn
/ 2 years agoWith debts up to £300m, the game has lost its way
JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME WITH the international window now over for the men’s game, the focus...
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Jeremy Guscott
/ 2 years agoBath will have to go full metal jacket all the way
JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK BATH have got a very good shout of winning the Premiership for the first...
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Nick Cain
/ 2 years agoTime for club owners to come clean on plans
NICK CAIN - READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK SEETHING financial undercurrents are undermining the main pillars of the game in...
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Nick Cain
/ 2 years agoThis was a cracker but still too many blowouts
The Premiership run-in produced a highly competitive cracker of a match at Franklin’s Gardens on Friday, with Northampton securing a 41-30...
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Nick Cain
/ 2 years agoSanzaar miss chance to inject new blood
The 2024 Six Nations has been lauded in the southern hemisphere for its sensational quality and entertainment – which has not...
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British and Irish Lions
/ 2 years agoLet’s hope the Lions can find their roar
CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED IN THE unlikely event that anyone out there is still searching for something nice to say about...
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Chris Hewett
/ 2 years agoTake TMOs seriously? That’s up to you…
IT was a close-run thing, but on the balance of predicatability, the TMO system just sneaked home ahead of Owen Farrell’s...
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Paul Rees
/ 2 years agoThe scrum is fighting to stay in the game
Paul Rees wonders whether some of World Rugby's law tweaks will mean the end of the scrum as we know it...
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Peter Jackson
/ 2 years agoGatland’s left with mountain to climb
PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW AN alternative Wales squad, one untainted by the Six Nations whitewash, is to...
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Peter Jackson
/ 2 years agoWales can’t afford four
The Scarlets’ proud proclamation welcoming fans to ‘Heart and Soul Rugby Country’ looks even more threadbare this weekend. A loss of...
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Peter Jackson
/ 2 years agoUlster have little to offer
Shortly after Dan McFarland’s abrupt exit as Ulster’s head coach, chief executive Jonny Petrie dismissed any questions over his future at...
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Peter Jackson
/ 2 years agoCare takes long road
Danny Care’s Test career spanned a longer period than every other scrum-half centurion; George Gregan (139 for Australia), Ben Youngs (129...
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Jeremy Guscott
/ 2 years agoEngland on their way to being a real force again
JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK IT’S been a chalk and cheese Six Nations for England, with the first three...
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Nick Cain
/ 2 years agoRelegation saga still a shadow over game
NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK There is so much that makes so little sense in the English club...
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Chris Hewett
/ 2 years agoBeware this move to 15-a-side Rollerball
CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED IF THE Six Nations failed to meet expectations, it was in a good way. Italy’s knee-clenching World...
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Chris Hewett
/ 2 years agoIt’s time to consider talent, not geography
If everyone is heading to French club rugby, including the England centurion Courtney Lawes, it makes Courtney Lawes right: rival unions...
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Peter Jackson
/ 2 years agoWales look like missing out again
PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW As Wales ‘wails over the embarrassing state of its national sport’, a club...
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Peter Jackson
/ 2 years agoQuestions Gatland needs to answer
The day after offering his resignation, Warren Gatland appeared on BBC Wales’ flagship rugby programme, Scrum V. A shame that two...
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Paul Rees
/ 2 years agoIreland’s finest take control
Paul Rees picks his Six Nations team of the tournament with the men in green providing six of the best ...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 2 years agoTen Italian tyros who will hit the headlines
RUGBY MATTERS IT’S BECOME almost a mantra or article of faith recently that reinforcements, in the form of a squadron of...
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Jeff Probyn
/ 2 years agoEngland were good, but a bit complacent
JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME WATCHING the France versus England game last Saturday night, I couldn’t help...
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James Harrington
/ 2 years agoToulon heading in right direction
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN TOULON coach Pierre Mignoni earned something of a reprieve this weekend, as his side’s 54-7 win over...
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Paul Rees
/ 2 years agoEngland prove they are a force again
SIX NATIONS 2024 PAUL REES The Six Nations saved the best to last. France sealed second place ahead of England in...
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Jeremy Guscott
/ 2 years agoEngland must not drop this standard
JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK ONE of the hardest aspects of sport is to get grounded again to repeat...
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Nick Cain
/ 2 years agoItaly wins ignite the Six Nations
NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK The game-changing force of last weekend’s Six Nations tales of the unexpected cannot...
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Nick Cain
/ 2 years agoI doubt Le Garrec would be snared easily under any laws
NICK CAIN Nolann Le Garrec’s spectacular 40-metre reverse pass to Thomas Ramos just after the half-hour in France’s 45-24 win over...
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Nick Cain
/ 2 years agoEngland A need to face ‘real’ Portugal
NICK CAIN Portugal face multiple champions Georgia in the Rugby Europe final at the Stade Jean Bouin in Paris today, and...
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Nick Cain
/ 2 years agoWe need to make most of this team
NICK CAIN The England U20s won their first Six Nations title since 2021 with a tremendous second-half effort in which they...
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Chris Hewett
/ 2 years agoWe must not take road to Hulkism
CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED Message from receptionist to doctor: “We have an invisible man in the waiting room.” Doctor to receptionist:...
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Chris Hewett
/ 2 years agoA stark reminder of rugby finances
CHRIS HEWETT Rugby's political scene is quite lively enough when the arguments are being conducted in a sporting echo chamber. When...
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British and Irish Lions
/ 2 years agoGeorge the Great takes his final bow
PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW On a Tuesday afternoon at Anfield in the late autumn of 1993, All...
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Peter Jackson
/ 2 years agoOnly a few can claim not to miss a minute
PETER JACKSON More than 200 players lined up on the starting grid for the Six Nations. Six weeks later, those going...
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Paul Rees
/ 2 years agoAll set for a race to the finish
With the Premiership resuming next weekend, Paul Rees looks at how the runners and riders are gearing up The Premiership resumes...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 2 years agoLucky? No, that was pure skill
RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER THE sainted Antoine Dupont might be on a...
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