Rugby World Cup

Borthwick has tough decisions to make

29 October 2023 0 comments

PAUL REES FOURTH in the Six Nations, third in the World Cup. Redemption rather than progress for England given the pool they were in and […]

England will struggle to replace Marler and Cole

29 October 2023 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK Here is a prediction. England will not win another World Cup, or Six Nations Grand Slam, or […]

Village teams which gave stars their start

29 October 2023 0 comments

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND WHEN the Principality Stadium crowd rises to salute Leigh Halfpenny as he makes his final appearance on the international […]

‘Pence’, the most humble superstar

29 October 2023 0 comments

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW When the curtain comes down on his international career next Saturday, Leigh Halfpenny will need a removal […]

Final bow for these veterans

29 October 2023 0 comments

PETER JACKSON Now that the World Cup has come and gone, so, too, has a distinguished team of veterans with matching track records. While the […]

Lagisquet’s effort cannot be ignored

29 October 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS World Rugby could desperately do with an injection of PR savvy not to mention a certain generosity of spirit. Take their awards ceremony […]

England missed their big chance

29 October 2023 0 comments

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME I can’t help thinking the disappointment that is currently being felt by England fans is probably […]

Rugby’s greatest rivalry back on biggest stage

27 October 2023 0 comments

The Rugby World Cup’s two most dominant teams will meet in their first final since 1995 this Saturday as New Zealand and South Africa face […]

Youngs to retire after Argentina play-off

25 October 2023 0 comments

Ben Youngs will retire after England’s Rugby World Cup third-place play-off this Friday as his country’s most-capped player. Scrum-half Youngs, 34, will start his first […]

Lawes left out for Curry in England’s final match of World Cup

25 October 2023 0 comments

Courtney Lawes has missed out on being selected for England’s final game of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, with Tom Curry getting the nod at […]

24-team World Cup, Nations Cup and global calendar confirmed by World Rugby

24 October 2023 0 comments

World Rugby have announced there will be a new international league competition included in a global calendar from 2026, with a 24-team World Cup given […]

Kleyn could never have imagined final with South Africa

24 October 2023 0 comments

Former Ireland player Jean Kleyn has revealed that being involved in a World Cup Final for his native South Africa was “outside the realm of […]

Series 3, Episode 14: Nick Easter on the World Cup final and what’s next for England

23 October 2023 0 comments

England so nearly pulled off a shock upset against the Springboks but it was Handré Pollard’s boot that condemned the Red Rose to a semi-final […]

England legend Lawes to retire

23 October 2023 0 comments

England veteran Courtney Lawes has announced his retirement from international rugby, bringing to an end a 14-year career. 34-year-old Lawes, who debuted alongside now coach […]

It’s heartbreak

22 October 2023 0 comments

England go so close but Springboks steal it From ADAM HATHAWAY Owen Farrell predicted great things for England despite their heartbreaking semi-final defeat to the […]

Gallant England cruelly denied by Boks

22 October 2023 0 comments

By NICK CAIN England …………………………15pts Penalties: Farrell 3, 10, 24, 39 Drop goals: Farrell 53 South Africa …………………16pts Tries: Snyman 69 Conversions: Pollard 70 Penalties: […]

All Blacks move into the final but this was a sorry mismatch

22 October 2023 0 comments

From NICK CAIN at the Stade de France Argentina……………………….6pts Penalties: Boffelli 4, 34 New Zealand………………….44pts Tries: Jordan 10, 61, 72 Barrett 16, Frizell 41, 48, […]

Paying the price of a lopsided draw

22 October 2023 0 comments

BRENDAN GALLAGHER And there, ladies and gentlemen, we can see the mortal danger of having such a lopsided draw. We may have spent all last […]

McKellar in frame for Jones position

22 October 2023 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE Leicester Tigers boss Dan McKellar, above, has emerged as a potential target for the Australian Rugby Union if Eddie Jones, below, walks […]

Why take off key players?

22 October 2023 0 comments

NICK CAIN The main factor in France being edged out by South Africa in last weekend’s quarter-final classic was that there was a drop-off after […]

Next time, Dupont will take what is his

22 October 2023 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED DID the spirit of rugby romance go to meet its maker in the immediate aftermath of the World Cup quarter-final weekend […]

Curtain falls on dynamic duo

22 October 2023 0 comments

Paul Rees sees Johnny Sexton and Dan Biggar exit stage left as their epic international careers come to a close ALL things must pass, none […]

Put Kolbe fast show on the big TV screen

22 October 2023 0 comments

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Seven days on, Thomas Ramos will still be kicking himself over falling victim to the mother of […]

Why the final step is often one too many

22 October 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER If I had a fiver for every time I’ve heard the expression […]

Pleased Dickson made the right call

22 October 2023 0 comments

Did you, like me, cheer inwardly when Karl Dickson could be heard on comms explaining that not all hits to the head are foul play […]

I’m going nowhere, promises Galthie

22 October 2023 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN “I have a contract that runs until June 2028, so no.” That was France head coach Fabien Galthie’s succinct – and […]

Steward in for one of three England changes for South Africa

19 October 2023 0 comments

Freddie Steward has replaced Marcus Smith in one of three England changes for their Rugby World Cup semi-final against South Africa, with the Springboks unchanged […]

Argentina and New Zealand go largely unchanged for semi-final

19 October 2023 0 comments

Argentina have made just one change to their starting line-up for Friday’s semi-final against New Zealand, who have only made two of their own in […]

Series 3, Episode 13: The greatest quarter-finals in RWC history and a look to the semis

18 October 2023 0 comments

Wow. Just wow. The Rugby World Cup 2023 quarter-finals certainly did not disappoint, with two all-time great matches in Paris accompanied by a couple of […]

Five semi-final shocks to inspire England and Argentina

17 October 2023 0 comments

The odds of both England and Argentina overcoming their semi-final opponents this weekend to reach the Rugby World Cup Final are anything between 33/1 or […]

Raiwalui confirms Fiji departure after World Cup exit

17 October 2023 0 comments

Fiji boss Simon Raiwalui has confirmed he will step down at the end of the year after his side’s Rugby World Cup campaign ended with […]

South Africa stun France to set up England rematch

15 October 2023 0 comments

By Nick Powell, Online Editor France………………………………………..28 Tries: Baille 4, 31; Mauvaka 22 Conversions: Ramos 5, 32 Penalties: Ramos 40+1, 54, 73 South Africa…………………………….29 Tries: Arendse […]

England hold off Fiji fightback to reach semis

15 October 2023 0 comments

By Nick Powell, Online Editor England…………………………….30 Tries: Tuilagi 14, Marchant 23 Conversions: Farrell 24 Penalties: Farrell 11, 34, 38, 54, 78 Drop-goal: Farrell 72 Fiji………………………………………24 […]

Care: Time to grab this chance of a lifetime

15 October 2023 0 comments

From ADAM HATHAWAY Danny Care has urged England to seize the day against Fiji this afternoon because it could be the last dance for a […]

Gatland: Change of ref did not help

15 October 2023 0 comments

From ADAM HATHAWAY in Marseille Warren Gatland claimed a change of referee put a spoke in the wheels of his Wales side as they crashed […]

Confident England set to get out of jail

15 October 2023 0 comments

From ADAM HATHAWAY PREVIEW… England v Fiji Today. Kick-off 4pm, Stade de Marseille Steve Borthwick and his coaching staff are on parole today as England […]

Fairytale finale for revived Pumas

15 October 2023 0 comments

From NICK CAIN Wales……………………………. 17pts Tries: Biggar 14, T Williams 57 Conversions: Biggar 16, 57 Penalties: Biggar 21 Argentina ……………………. 29pts Tries: Sclavi 68, Sanchez […]

Unbelievable! It all ends in Irish tears

15 October 2023 0 comments

By TOM BRADSHAW Ireland………………………. 24pts Tries: Aki 27, Gibson-Park 39, Penalty 64 Conversions: Sexton 29, 40 Penalties: Sexton 22 New Zealand……………. 28pts Tries: Fainga’anuku 19, […]

Sorry end for Sexton and his band of brothers as they fall short yet again

15 October 2023 0 comments

BRENDAN GALLAGHER No No No. Not again surely? After 36 years of trying to win a quarter-final Ireland have fallen short again but what drama. […]

France put faith in Dupont return

15 October 2023 0 comments

By TOM BRADSHAW PREVIEW… France v South Africa Today. Kick-off 8pm, Stade de France France are preparing for a game of “rare intensity” and simmering […]

England must get best out of Smith

15 October 2023 0 comments

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK STEVE Borthwick does not have a lot of choice when it comes to selecting his forwards for today’s […]

The twin pillars of England’s rebuild

15 October 2023 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK Ollie Chessum and Marcus Smith play with such enthusiasm when they pull on the Red Rose jersey […]

Time to discover if spine is strong

15 October 2023 0 comments

NICK CAIN One of the oldest methods of assessing the strength of a team is to look at the 2-8-9-10-15 positions that form the spine. […]

One Goon show we could all do without

15 October 2023 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED It is just about possible, if you’re seriously odd, to imagine that Dan Cole might stand a chance of out-performing Simone […]

Travelling coast to coast is a delight

15 October 2023 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT A good many moons ago, this column identified the No.14 shirt as the latest cutting-edge fashion garment in the rugby wardrobe. After all […]

A French-inspired XV to take on the world

15 October 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER A weekly look at the game’s other talking points The ProD2 Twitter account – sorry X account – conveyed congratulations earlier […]

Why do Aussies let so many escape?

15 October 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS The problems facing Australian Rugby are many and numerous but a largely unmentioned issue would appear to be letting outstanding Australia-qualified and Aussie […]

History backing France

15 October 2023 0 comments

PETER JACKSON For reasons that defy all logic, France have never failed to reach a World Cup final once every 12 years: Auckland 1987, Cardiff […]

Blocking out the noise

15 October 2023 0 comments

PETER JACKSON The Springboks have been warming up for tonight’s semi-final against France to the overpowering sound of an ecstatic Gallic multitude ringing in their […]

Banahan: England will reach the semis

15 October 2023 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE On the weekend that he started his own international coaching career, Matt Banahan is backing England to reach the World Cup semi-finals. […]

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