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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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Brendan Gallagher
/ 2 years agoDid that just happen? Five other jaw dropping moments
FRANS STEYN DROPPED GOAL (2010) The huge Bok centre was playing for Racing at Clermont. His side were trailing 14-12 when...
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Jeff Probyn
/ 2 years agoNow that’s what I call a performance, England
JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME OKAY, I was wrong in my prediction a couple of weeks ago...
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James Harrington
/ 2 years agoToulouse and Stade in line for a race to glory
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN The top two tiers of French domestic rugby have been on hiatus this weekend, giving fans a...
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Paul Rees
/ 2 years agoBorthwick gets his big selections right
PAUL REES Seldom can a victory plundered with the last kick of the match have been so richly deserved. England, so...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 2 years agoSticking with Furbank shows England’s attacking intention
BRENDAN GALLAGHER I’M tempted to call it bums on seats rugby.... except 82,000 fans at Twickenham and millions back home or...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 2 years agoFor me, this was their finest Six Nations win
BRENDAN GALLAGHER Could have beaten England. Should have beaten France, finally did the business against Scotland. Italy took the major scalp...
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Jeremy Guscott
/ 2 years agoPlay with tempo and Wales could steal it
JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK WALES are rebuilding, and most people accept that. There are usually ups and downs...
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Nick Cain
/ 2 years agoIt’s time for the real France to stand up
NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK FOR crying out loud, when will the real France stand up and be...
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Nick Cain
/ 2 years agoBattling U20s still have a lot to learn
England U20s entertaining 32-32 draw with Ireland in Bath on Friday night was pure curate’s egg. The good part was that...
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Nick Cain
/ 2 years agoEn garde, England
World rugby’s absurd international residency qualification of just three years should put the RFU on its guard that England will not...
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Chris Hewett
/ 2 years agoIt’s a long walk but Wales on right road
CHRIS HEWETT We've all heard it: “You don’t beat Wales at rugby – you just score more points than them.” Like...
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Chris Hewett
/ 2 years agoCome on, Joe! Time to pay attention
JOE Schmidt, the recently-appointed coach of a Wallaby vintage who wear the same colours as Matthew Burke, David Campese, Tim Horan...
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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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Peter Jackson
/ 2 years agoStars who followed in their father’s footsteps
Louis Lynagh’s debut for Italy, almost 30 years after his father Michael made his last stand for the Wallabies, completes the...
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Peter Jackson
/ 2 years agoAfter signing, only Cliff came to my wedding
PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW For the first time in more than 70 years, Wales will have to...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 2 years agoSorry Cockers, but it’s Portugal for me
RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER I wish the doughty warriors of Georgia no...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 2 years agoWe are going to miss you guys a lot
All career-ending injuries are to be mourned but the last couple of weeks or so have been hard to digest for...
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Jeff Probyn
/ 2 years agoAt last! England find reason to be cheerful
JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME We were waiting and hoping for a game that will define how...
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James Harrington
/ 2 years agoOyonnax have to keep on believing
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Oyonnax manager Joe El-Abd promised last week that his side would ‘fight to the end’ following their...
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Jeremy Guscott
/ 2 years agoIf England cut the errors, they will be in the game
JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK ENGLAND will be disappointed with the result at Murrayfield and will look at the...
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Nick Cain
/ 2 years agoBorthwick must stop delaying and rebuild
NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK WHEN Steve Borthwick took over from Eddie Jones as England head coach he...
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Nick Cain
/ 2 years agoFurbank would be central to my team
An English upset against Ireland on Saturday is about as likely as Donald Trump losing his fake tangerine tan. However, witnessing...
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Chris Hewett
/ 2 years agoBorthwick should put faith in this trio
CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED PETER Winterbottom knows a thing or three about our sport, so you would expect him to make...
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Chris Hewett
/ 2 years agoBest ever? It has to be NZ’s 1987 masters
ON the subject of six-seven-eight combinations from dreamland, those of us who spent our rugby careers (for want of a better...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 2 years agoHow one player really can make a team tick
RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER WHY have France fallen off a cliff ?Can...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 2 years agoIt doesn’t feel right to see Italy at the bottom
Various non rugby specialists have contacted me this week asking why Italy are currently bottom of the Six Nations table. Patiently...
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