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Nick Cain
/ 2 years agoJones still making the wrong headlines
NICK CAIN Eddie Jones is good at grabbing headlines, but increasingly they are not the sort that does rugby union any...
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Nick Cain
/ 2 years agoEdwards showed the way
NICK CAIN Shaun Edwards had two of the greatest low tacklers the English game has produced when he was coaching at...
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Paul Rees
/ 2 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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Chris Hewett
/ 2 years agoA brief history of tackles which changed a game
CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED It has been fiendishly difficult to identify rugby union’s precise place in the constellation of professional sports...
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Chris Hewett
/ 2 years agoIgnore the league tough guys, it’s better to be soft and safe
CHRIS HEWETT Contrary to popular belief, there are still differences between the two codes of rugby. Union still has its flankers...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 2 years agoThe cruellest time to suffer an injury
RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER The agony of these eve of World Cup...
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Peter Jackson
/ 2 years agoHardly the sound of a world in harmony
PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW THE majority of the all-Australian trio responsible for clearing Owen Farrell will be...
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Peter Jackson
/ 2 years agoHesford built on the family tradition
Bob Hesford did more than his bit to extend and enhance the family’s unique tradition of appearing in cup finals across...
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Jeff Probyn
/ 2 years agoEngland’s discipline now a major concern
JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME WELL it has to be said, the win last week was certainly...
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James Harrington
/ 2 years agoLyon take the heat to topple Toulon
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN A "heat dome" settled over France last weekend to send temperatures soaring as the new Top 14...
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Paul Rees
/ 2 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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Brendan Gallagher
/ 2 years agoAt last! The old hands finally agree to come to the party
BRENDAN GALLAGHER Fired up: Jamie George found his second wind when England were on the ropes I THINK it’s the Buddists...
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Rugby World Cup
/ 2 years agoNo excuses – Wales simply switched off
SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND For about 60 minutes of England versus Wales, I wondered why I was watching it...
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Jeremy Guscott
/ 2 years agoIt’s now time for England to reboot
JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK There are a number of utility players selected in the England World Cup squad...
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Nick Cain
/ 2 years agoCan Big Billy the tank still break the barriers?
NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK WHEN Steve Borthwick picked his 33man England squad for the 2023 World Cup...
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Nick Cain
/ 2 years agoRuling out France-based players is yet another self-inflicted wound
NICK CAIN The RFU is in a mess over international player eligibility, because its rules dictate that rising England stars Jack...
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Chris Hewett
/ 2 years agoA hat-trick for Sam would be deserved
CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED We'll know soon enough if Sam Whitelock is finally past it. The venerable All Black lock from...
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Chris Hewett
/ 2 years agoSorry we won’t see Hooper in France
CHRIS HEWETT Wayne Shelford lost matches as captain of the All Blacks as often as he finished second in hand-to-hand combat....
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Paul Rees
/ 2 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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Brendan Gallagher
/ 2 years agoSamoa look ready to spring surprise
RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER This column has had its say – whinge...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 2 years agoItaly need to protect their stars
We are barely halfway through the dreaded World Cup warm-up season and Italy in particular are feeling the pain from these,...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 2 years agoIt will be tough to dethrone Dupont
Brendan Gallagher looks at the players who could light up the tournament So who will emerge as the iconic player and/or...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 2 years agoA sense of revenge and destiny in the air
RWC 2023 is nearly upon us and it’s difficult to think of a more eagerly anticipated tournament, for all sorts of...
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Peter Jackson
/ 2 years agoSo sad to see WRU still living in the past
PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW IT TOOK both sides at The Battle of the Big Little Horn 50...
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Peter Jackson
/ 2 years agoGolden oldies make decent team
PETER JACKSON Johnny Sexton will not be the oldest player on starting grid when the chequered flag goes up on the...
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Jeff Probyn
/ 2 years agoNot enough variation in England’s approach
JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME WELL, last week’s game between Wales and England certainly showed us a...
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James Harrington
/ 2 years agoTwo-step start gives big names extra test
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN FRANCE’S Top 14 kicks off on Friday evening, with Bayonne entertaining Toulouse in the season opener. Which...
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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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Brendan Gallagher
/ 3 years agoEngland need to start trusting their instincts
BRENDAN GALLAGHER But what does it all mean? That is always my big problem with these trial games – sorry, World...
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Shane Williams
/ 3 years agoWhy deny us Louis’ moment of brilliance?
SHANE WILLIAMS As useful as technology can be in professional sport, there are moments when you have to curse it. Why...
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Jeremy Guscott
/ 3 years agoMentality of the players holds key
JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK OWEN Farrell has won over 100 England caps, George Ford has 81 caps, Manu...
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Nick Cain
/ 3 years agoToo much Politburo, too little democracy
NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK THERE are aspects of the way the RFU is being run that would...
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Nick Cain
/ 3 years agoArgentina threaten England’s progress
NICK CAIN There has been far too much talk about England’s “free pass” into the semi-finals of the 2023 World Cup,...
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Chris Hewett
/ 3 years agoCrowds need to be part of the action
CHRIS HEWETT THE best part of 84,000 spectators congregated at “The G” for last weekend’s Bledisloe Cup contest in Melbourne, which...
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Chris Hewett
/ 3 years agoThe day Mouritz showed his desire
CHRIS HEWETT Every so often, rugby sheds its hard skin and shows us its soft side. Not that Mouritz Botha was...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 3 years agoAt last! Spain show us what they can do
RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER IT’S BEEN a bittersweet roller coaster five or...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 3 years agoThe time that Dixon bolted out of the blue
RUGBY MATTERS Bolters seem to be less common in top rugby these days but as teams finalise their World Cup squads...
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Peter Jackson
/ 3 years agoTop Cat: charisma, sermons and style
PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW IF ONLY Mark Twain had been born half a century later, on the...
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Peter Jackson
/ 3 years agoNorton never forgot his friend Murdoch
PETER JACKSON Tane Norton never lost sight of one image from his first UK tour as an All Black, that of...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 3 years agoThe Rainbow Nation enjoys day of history
Brendan Gallagher looks back at the players who shone on the biggest stage Rugby World Cup has spawned many iconic moments...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 3 years agoJapan host great party as Boks snatch the glory
Japan, having been thwarted at the death in their efforts to stage RWC2011, finally achieved their aim in 2019 and made...
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Jeff Probyn
/ 3 years agoBorthwick deserves a chance to learn
JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME WITH England’s first warm-up game taking place this weekend, it brings home...
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James Harrington
/ 3 years agoPlaying numbers game at Castres
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN "Guys, you’re trying to replace Giambi. I told you we can’t do it. Now, what we might...
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Jeremy Guscott
/ 3 years agoEngland need to hit the ground running
JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK WHAT England need to happen is for them to play exceptionally well in the...
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Latest News
/ 3 years agoNo room for deals – time to get serious
NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK MAKE no mistake, the 2023 World Cup starts for England this weekend. Even...
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Latest News
/ 3 years agoWe should not wait so long for RFU review
NICK CAIN IT is inconceivable that in any other era in English rugby a vote of no-confidence in the governance of...
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Chris Hewett
/ 3 years agoThe greatest tour ever? Not likely…
CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED IT IS no exaggeration to place exaggeration very high on the list of rugby’s deadly sins. It...
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Chris Hewett
/ 3 years agoAlways room for Bakkies and Co
CHRIS HEWETT SAY what you like about Bakkies Botha – most people don’t, for reasons of self-preservation – but there are...
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Latest News
/ 3 years agoHalfpenny deserves to join illustrious 100 club
SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND IHOPE that Leigh Halfpenny’s name is the first put down on the team sheet by...
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Latest News
/ 3 years agoHow the £1m man found true love in Llanelli
PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW THE sorrow of Trevor Francis’ sudden death extended beyond the cavernous theatres of...
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