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Paul Rees
/ 2 years agoPlayers or gladiators? Why the game is struggling to find the right balance
Paul Rees reports on World Rugby's attempts to broaden the sport's appeal but can see problems ahead It has become an...
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Paul Rees
/ 2 years agoIt’s time for take – off, England
Paul Rees says that, with Ireland at home and France away to come, Borthwick's men must become relentless IT WAS three...
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Paul Rees
/ 2 years agoBorthwick’s conundrum: Stick or twist for Ireland
PAUL REES It was England’s first real test this Six Nations as they faced a team that expected to defeat them...
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Features
/ 2 years agoLawes can bring some order
Paul Rees says the former England captain who has signed for Brive will have much to offer when he retires Brive...
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Features
/ 2 years agoBorthwick is still in search of right mix
Paul Rees predicts a close encounter in the Calcutta Cup but sees Ireland winning another Grand Slam THE second round of...
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Paul Rees
/ 2 years agoAfter two wins, it just gets harder from here for England
SIX NATIONS 2024 PAUL REES England named an unchanged side for the first time since the 2019 World Cup, but although...
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British and Irish Lions
/ 2 years agoLegend who had no wish to be one
Paul Rees says it was hard not to fall in love with rugby as a young boy, watching his hero play...
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Paul Rees
/ 2 years agoEngland look ready to throw off the chains
SIX NATIONS 2024 PAUL REES CLOSE yet comfortable summed up a contradictory England performance. Exposed in defence at times, they smothered...
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Paul Rees
/ 2 years agoBorthwick puts club form at top of his list
SIX NATIONS COUNTDOWN Paul Rees says change will be gradual rather than sudden as teams renew after World Cup THE first...
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Paul Rees
/ 2 years agoWith Smith and Mitchell, there should be fireworks
Paul Rees talks to Topsy Ojo and finds the TV pundit in optimistic mood for both club and country Topsy Ojo...
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Paul Rees
/ 2 years agoBorthwick puts his foot on the accelerator
Paul Rees looks at how England, without Owen Farrell at the helm, could turn into an attacking force Steve Borthwick’s England...
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Paul Rees
/ 2 years agoReasons to be cheerful for rugby’s year ahead
Paul Rees canvasses the views of Premiership directors of rugby and finds there is a fair amount of optimism IT IS...
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Challenge Cup
/ 2 years agoThe French out in front? That’s not how it looks
With 12 victories in 16 games, Paul Rees reflects on a promising start by English clubs in the Champions Cup It...
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Paul Rees
/ 2 years agoToo many are being pushed to the edge
Paul Rees says it's time to ensure players spend less time in the gym and more with the ball in their...
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Paul Rees
/ 2 years agoRace for the top is going to be close
The Premiership is taking a short rest after eight rounds and by Christmas will have reached the halfway stage. It is...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 years agoBig clubs ready to rumble
Paul Rees looks forward to the Champions Cup, kicking off this weekend THE Champions Cup returns this week with a tweaked...
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European Challenge Cup
/ 2 years agoGeorgia happy to be joining the party
The Challenge Cup is being used to widen boundaries. A Georgian side, Black Lion which will play its home matches in...
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Paul Rees
/ 2 years agoSet-pieces which make the difference
Paul Rees canvasses expert opinion on how scrums and lineouts can separate the two codes of rugby Last month, World Rugby...
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Features
/ 2 years agoScottish genie turning on the magic at Bath
Paul Rees looks at Finn Russell, the big-money signing who is making a name for himself in the West Country Big-name...
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Features
/ 2 years agoUnassuming Charlie, the water carrier
One of the attractions of rugby union is that it is a game which provides a refuge for the likes of...
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Paul Rees
/ 2 years agoBorthwick has tough decisions to make
PAUL REES FOURTH in the Six Nations, third in the World Cup. Redemption rather than progress for England given the pool...
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Paul Rees
/ 2 years agoSmall steps, but it may be a quiet revolution
Paul Rees is pleased to see World Rugby introduce three changes which will help grow the global game World Rugby is...
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Paul Rees
/ 2 years agoWhy we won’t see the likes of this victory again
What the planned changes will not do is revive the old-fashioned international tour that used to be a feature of the...
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English Championship
/ 2 years agoCoventry show how it should be done…
Paul Smith takes a look at rugby values...and which club in particular is walking the walk while England talk the talk...
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Paul Rees
/ 2 years agoEngland go with heads held high
PAUL REES England did everything but win. They were ahead after two minutes and held on to the lead until there...
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Paul Rees
/ 2 years agoCurtain falls on dynamic duo
Paul Rees sees Johnny Sexton and Dan Biggar exit stage left as their epic international careers come to a close ALL...
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Paul Rees
/ 2 years agoTop teams getting too far ahead
The World Cup kicked off to a barrage of complaints about the draw for the groups, which was made three years...
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Paul Rees
/ 2 years agoBig four are streets ahead
Paul Rees says the 40 group matches have highlighted the difference in the two sides of the draw World Rugby’s plans...
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Paul Rees
/ 3 years agoNot enough clarity, too much confusion
PAUL REES A victory but a step backwards. After three matches that were largely stress free, Danny Care burgled Samoa with...
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Paul Rees
/ 3 years agoTime for the mind games to take centre stage
Paul Rees wonders whether a demanding run-in for the favourites will open the door for England and Wales THE World Cup...
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Paul Rees
/ 3 years agoBunker system may expand to other contests
It was always going to be a World Cup in which discipline would be crucial with a zero tolerance on head...
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Features
/ 3 years agoNorthern stars enjoying life in the new order
Paul Rees sees the wheel turn, proof of how despair for some teams can quickly turn into dreams Was it only...
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Paul Rees
/ 3 years agoGatland right to put his faith in Tompkins
After Wales’s home defeat to England in the Six Nations, a match which went ahead after their players backed down from...
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Paul Rees
/ 3 years agoGrowing options for Borthwick
PAUL REES It was Chile, and England were hot stuff. They had three outside-halves on the pitch in the final 30...
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Paul Rees
/ 3 years agoMinnows beginning to prove their worth
Paul Rees reports on how World Rugby's investment below decks has started to make a difference THE Adelaide Oval is arguably...
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Paul Rees
/ 3 years agoFord does not need escort to guide England
Joe Marler likes to say it as it is. The England prop is not one to cloak his words in euphemism...
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Features
/ 3 years agoReviving the lost art of the drop goal
Paul Rees sees George Ford join an impressive list of players whose quick thinking has made the difference GEORGE Ford resurrected...
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Paul Rees
/ 3 years agoTime aspiring nations received more even-handed officiating
IT WAS hard not to feel for Fiji at the end of one of the epic World Cup matches. Not because...
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Paul Rees
/ 3 years agoWhere does this leave Farrell?
PAUL REES Steve Borthwick tore up his playbook with the team he selected to face Argentina and his boldness saw a...
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Paul Rees
/ 3 years agoIt’s time for islanders to prove their worth
Analysis >> Paul Rees says Bill Beaumont's slow but steady approach as chairman of World Rugby is seeing its reward WORLD...
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Paul Rees
/ 3 years agoHeat ramping up on Borthwick
PAUL REES AS THE start of the World Cup looms, the heat increases. Steve Borthwick has been mopping his brow increasingly...
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Paul Rees
/ 3 years agoBeer talk: Eddie happy to stay in the headlines
Paul Rees on how the Aussie coach is creating the news - again - by talking to his old mate EDDIE...
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Paul Rees
/ 3 years agoBorthwick must put trust in players
PAUL REES ENGLAND need someone to shoulder the burden, but they keep sticking their shoulder into the head of an opponent....
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Paul Rees
/ 3 years agoConfusion rules over high tackle crackdown
Paul Rees says there needs to be clarity over challenges that come after a carrier's late change of direction Rugby's disciplinary...
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Paul Rees
/ 3 years agoFord puts England on the front foot
PAUL REES There was a moment six minutes into the second-half which summed up England. Courtney Lawes stole a lineout near...
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Paul Rees
/ 3 years agoAvoid being robots, England
Paul Rees says discipline will be key to success in France and urges Borthwick's men to think for themselves The conversation...
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Paul Rees
/ 3 years agoNext week matters for Borthwick’s men
PAUL REES There is a danger of reading too much into a pre-World Cup friendly between two sides some way below...
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Features
/ 3 years agoSouth Africa know right recipe
Paul Rees makes his case for why Springboks will be a very different animal come the World Cup In this instant...
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Paul Rees
/ 3 years agoPaying a high price for alcohol
Paul Rees reports on why fears of crowd trouble at the World Cup in France are beginning to increase SOUTH Africa‘s...
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Features
/ 3 years agoNorth and south set for global showdown
Paul Rees considers the implications of a biennial 12-team international tournament due to begin in 2026 It has taken years to...
International Rugby
Mike Tindall: Steve Borthwick is still the man to lead England forward
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