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Nick Cain
/ 11 years agoNick Cain: Blood these youngsters to revive the Rose
Stuart Lancaster and Conor O’Shea have been attempting the defence of England‘s 2015 World Cup realm this week by side-stepping the...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 11 years agoBrendan Gallagher: This golden generation of Pumas WILL top the world
As befits a good Yorkshire man, Les Cusworth is not a betting man. But if he was he would invest heavily...
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Nick Cain
/ 11 years agoNick Cain column: Kiwi coaches rule – and that’s good for game
Wales have done it with Warren Gatland, and so have Ireland with Joe Schmidt, and Scotland with Vern Cotter. However, England‘s...
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Peter Jackson
/ 11 years agoPeter Jackson column: Brynmor’s lad is still selling to dummies
The man in Seat 54, Row U of the middle tier of the East Stand looked down on a familiar figure...
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Jeff Probyn
/ 11 years agoJeff Probyn column: Hype surrounding Sam Burgess is biggest issue for England
Decisions, decisions, when are they right and when are they wrong? That is a question that all of England has been...
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Jeremy Guscott
/ 11 years agoJeremy Guscott column: Ireland’s big name players are enhancing reputations
My forecast for an England Ireland semi-final looks to be 50 per cent true at this stage, with Ireland pretty much...
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Nick Cain
/ 11 years agoNick Cain takes to the road to find the true spirit of the World Cup alive in Exeter
It was a blessed relief to break away from the the trials and tribulations of the 2015 World Cup‘s most badly...
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Nick Cain
/ 11 years agoNick Cain Inquest: Disastrous failure of nerve and judgement
As England limp out of the 2015 World Cup into the annals of great sporting failure as the first host nation...
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Shane Williams
/ 11 years agoShane Williams column: Finally, Wales are learning from Wallaby heartbreaks
Warren Gatland should have the last 20 minutes of the game against England on repeat in the Wales team room this...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 11 years agoBrendan Gallagher recounts the intriguing tale of the ‘first World Cup’
The road not taken is an enduring theme in sport and now, right in the middle of a riotously successful World...
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Shane Williams
/ 11 years agoShane Williams column: Give Tier Two heroes games against the best
The underdogs have done their job – now it’s time for World Rugby to do theirs if we’re going to make...
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Jeff Probyn
/ 11 years agoJeff Probyn column: Scrum’s the winner in first week of the World Cup
The first week of the World Cup brought a big shock. No, not Japan beating South Africa (although that was pretty...
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Nick Cain
/ 11 years agoNick Cain column: Ninja Eddie Jones slew Boks with lethal planning
Welcome to Ninja rugby, the brainchild of Eddie Jones. The Japan coach borrowed from the methods of the covert mercenaries feared...
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Peter Jackson
/ 11 years agoPeter Jackson column: Don’t be a man, stay down says Jonathan Thomas
Jonathan Thomas began wondering whether something might be wrong when he spoke to the Worcester Warriors‘ squad one day last October. ...
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Nick Cain
/ 11 years agoNick Cain: England need a Raging Bull to down these cocky Aussies
Michael Cheika has not made many slip-ups since his appointment as Wallaby coach last year, but his decision to play down...
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Peter Jackson
/ 11 years agoPeter Jackson’s verdict: Who needs Leigh Halfpenny when you’ve got Dan Biggar?
They paid £20,000,000 to be ringside at Twickenham last night, a suitably monstrous sum for a neighbourly battle billed as the...
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Shane Williams
/ 11 years agoShane Williams’ comment: Dan Biggar was the man and not just for his boot
What a performance and what a result. It certainly wasn’t pretty but no Welsh fan will care when England are beaten...
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Jeff Probyn
/ 11 years agoJeff Probyn’s column: Stuart Lancaster must try to keep his own emotions in check
What was Stuart Lancaster thinking of when he thought it would be necessary to address the players and explain to them...
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Nick Cain
/ 11 years agoNick Cain’s column: The haka’s a sideshow not a sacred ceremony
Holy cow! The haka defence brigade were out in force last week with the England 2003 World Cup winner, Matt Dawson,...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 11 years agoBrendan Gallagher talks to Wallaby legend Michael Lynagh
Michael Patrick, Thomas Lynagh – yes there are some Irish antecedents there for sure – doesn’t really ‘do’ drama. As a...
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Jeremy Guscott
/ 11 years agoJeremy Guscott: Slammin’ Sam will deliver – I’d start him against Wales
The lack of big match international experience showed on Friday night and England cannot afford another performance like that in this...
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Jeff Probyn
/ 11 years agoJeff Probyn: Dan Cole Can help get nudge on up front
As preparation for a World Cup begins, every coach will be ascertaining they have the basic fundamentals of the game correct...
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Peter Jackson
/ 11 years agoPeter Jackson’s column: Let’s hope Warren Gatland won’t take a kicking
Wales went into their semi-final at the last World Cup fully loaded with goalkickers – a veritable arsenal of weaponry providing...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 11 years agoBrendan Gallagher’s feature Time for Rugby World Cup to make another Quantum leap
Far be it from me to heap the pressure on the already overworked organisers but RWC2015 is probably the most important...
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Jeremy Guscott
/ 11 years agoJeremy Guscott’s Rugby World Cup Dream XV
Picking this team of World Cup winners from the seven tournaments that have been played was not an easy task, simply...
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Jeremy Guscott
/ 11 years agoJeremy Guscott’s column: Wales won’t be weakened with Liam Williams and Mike Phillips
Injuries are a fact of Rugby Union life, and it’s always been a case of, ‘the King is dead, long live...
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Nick Cain
/ 11 years agoNick Cain’s column: The devil’s in the detail with England’s centres
It is a tale of two England centres, one cast as a sinner, the other a saint. Manu Tuilagi is wearing...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 11 years agoBrendan Gallagher – Watch out England, Leone Nakarawa has it all
Leone Nakarawa is the Fijian rugby player of everybody’s dreams and most opponents’ nightmares. Long legged, lean and mean he can...
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Shane Williams
/ 11 years agoShane Williams’ column: Sam Burgess is a beast, but is he really ready yet?
Sam Burgess is a beast but he could also be the chink in England‘s armour that Wales can exploit. England have...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 11 years agoBrendan Gallagher’s RWC absent friends XV
15 Israel Dagg (NZ) Arguably the star of the tournament four years ago, certainly a key player with five tries and...
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Jeff Probyn
/ 11 years agoJeff Probyn’s column: Hopefully England will go one better than us in ‘91 and win it
With the phoney war over, now is the time for the squad to focus on the challenges that lie ahead. The...
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Peter Jackson
/ 11 years agoPeter Jackson’s column: Hair Bear Adam Jones has to take his share of the blame
Michael Clarke retired from the Test arena on a point of honour. Adam Jones did so in a fit of pique. ...
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Nick Cain
/ 11 years agoNick Cain’s column: Is Teflon Rob Andrew ensuring he hangs onto his job?
Maybe it’s a cunning plan? Rob Andrew’s version of lulling England‘s opponents in the 2015 World Cup into a false sense...
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Shane Williams
/ 11 years agoShane Williams’ column: Injuries like these can hit spirit of entire squad
It’s fair to say that was Warren Gatland‘s worst nightmare. What we hoped would be a huge send-off for the lads...
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Jeremy Guscott
/ 11 years agoJeremy Guscott’s verdict: Muscleman Jonny May sums up England’s transformation
What a difference a fortnight makes. England were ten times better than the side that meekly went down to France and...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 11 years agoBrendan Gallagher’s verdict: Yes Rob, the future is bright, but it’s all about the here and now…
That was an angry England team out there yesterday, especially in the first half, and I’m not surprised after their no-show...
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Nick Cain
/ 11 years agoNick Cain: Trim bench to five to keep players healthy
The timing of Warren Gatland‘s comment that “one or two more serious knocks” could end George North‘s career, made on the...
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Peter Jackson
/ 11 years agoPeter Jackson: Mauro Bergamasco debut ruined by England’s lucky break
Mauro Bergamasco and the World Cup go back a long way, to a chilly Sunday in Yorkshire during the last century...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 11 years agoBrendan Gallagher pays tribute to Bakkies Botha
It’s all a bit rock’n’roll for Bakkies Botha at present. Farewell gigs in Cape Town, Tokyo and, most recently, at the...
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Nick Cain
/ 11 years agoNick Cain on why Brad Barritt is England’s go-to centre
Brad Barritt has a reputation for being England‘s midfield rock. We are talking about a centre who is not just teak-tough...
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Jeff Probyn
/ 11 years agoJeff Probyn’s column: We’re running out of time to get the scrum working
As Stuart Lancaster tears up the selectors’ hand book and does what was expected, the whole of England’s rugby community will...
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Nick Cain
/ 11 years agoNick Cain’s verdict on England’s World Cup squad
Apart from Stuart Lancaster saying that he had to make choices that brought tears to his eyes, it was business as...
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Shane Williams
/ 11 years agoShane Williams’ verdict: At last we’ve seen the real Wales again, bring it on!
Now that was more like it! What a difference experience can make to a side. Two weeks ago Wales were all...
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Nick Cain
/ 11 years agoNick Cain: Man-of-the-match Justin Tipuric holds the key to unlocking the breakdowns
They are coming round the corner hard, fast, and in numbers, as Warren Gatland‘s sides tend to do – and England...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 11 years agoBrendan Gallagher recalls the biggest World Cup upsets in history
Shock results – upsets – are not a common occurrence at World Cups where generally thing go very much to form. Indeed...
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Nick Cain
/ 11 years agoNick Cain’s column: James Horwill axe shows how the mighty can fall, fast
James Horwill’s arrival at The Stoop to join his new Harlequins team-mates will probably come sooner than he expected following his...
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Jeremy Guscott
/ 11 years agoJeremy Guscott’s column: Fortune will favour the brave in Ireland
The England–Ireland World Cup warm-up game on September 5 has huge significance for both sides. The managements can spin this however...
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Peter Jackson
/ 11 years agoPeter Jackson’s column: Ironman’s meteoric rise stands test of time
The eighth World Cup will generate more money than the previous seven. It may even produce a Six Nations winner but...
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Jeff Probyn
/ 11 years agoJeff Probyn’s column: Two ‘big hits’ not enough to put Sam Burgess ahead of Henry Slade
Looking back at last week’s game and the England team’s performance against France at Twickenham, I have the feeling that I...
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Shane Williams
/ 11 years agoShane Williams’ column: Absolute honour to play with a true great like Ryan Jones
Of the hundreds of memories I cherish from playing with Ryan Jones for the Ospreys, Wales and the British & Irish...
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