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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...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 12 years agoBrendan Gallagher: George Chuter is the face of professional game
He looks and sounds like a London publican and certainly a job for life awaits on the EastEnders set should luvviedom...
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Nick Cain
/ 12 years agoNick Cain: French cash pile could bury international game
Ben Mowen’s decision to quit Australian rugby at the end of this year to take up a contract with a Top...
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Jeremy Guscott
/ 12 years agoJeremy Guscott: Luther Burrell and Billy Twelvetrees are big men for big job
The starting England backline in this season’s Six Nations should have a locked-in belief that they can strike up a connection...
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Nick Cain
/ 12 years agoNick Cain looks at the challenge awaiting England in their opening six nations match in Paris
Le Crunch 2014 is going to leave either England or France broken*. The opening Test of the Six Nations in Paris...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 12 years agoBredan Gallagher: Nutter who made Jim Telfer’s class of ’84 finest of all
Jim Telfer shakes his head in amusement and then caves in completely and laughs uproariously. It happens occasionally: “All really good...
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Peter Jackson
/ 12 years agoPeter Jackson: Italy arrive in Wales on a wing and a blessing
Italy come to Cardiff for the opening match in the Six Nations next month armed with something different, a Papal blessing....
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Jeff Probyn
/ 12 years agoJeff Probyn: Just 20 games to go for Stuart Lancaster to get it right
With last week’s additions to the Elite Player Squad, Stuart Lancaster gets his one and only chance to choose the players...
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Nick Cain
/ 12 years agoNick Cain: It’s not all tickety-boo as debenture holders revolt
Imagine paying £7,000 for a debenture seat which is meant to guarantee you the right to buy a face-value ticket for...
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Nick Cain
/ 12 years agoNick Cain takes a look at Stuart Lancaster’s Six Nations squads and likes what he sees
If England can show the sort of staying power that Stuart Lancaster demonstrated at Twickenham last Thursday then it will hold...
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Peter Jackson
/ 12 years agoPeter Jackson: Let’s spare a thought for Toggie and Tanky
Freddy ‘Tanky’ Turner captained Scotland one hundred years ago, a Liverpudlian by birth who worked in the family printing business and...
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