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Nick Cain
/ 13 years agoNick Cain looks at the TV sub-plot beneath this season’s Heineken Cup
If the English clubs want clout when it comes to the future of the European Cup, as in bargaining power, then...
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Jeremy Guscott
/ 13 years agoJeremy Guscott: The Toulouse test will show Tigers where they stand
There’s been a lot of talk about the BT Vision contract signed by the Premiership clubs, and a potential English and...
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Champions Cup
/ 13 years agoPatient Ulster get the goods in rainy Glasgow
A second half try from flanker Chris Henry helped Ulster to a 19-8 win over Glasgow to put the Irish in...
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Champions Cup
/ 13 years ago“It will be hard but we’re a different team now,” – Chris Robshaw
Tomorrow, Harlequins are travelling back to Galway to face Connacht, the exact same place their dream of reaching the Heineken Cup...
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Champions Cup
/ 13 years agoHeineken Cup round 2: preview and predictions
Pool 1 Munster v Edinburgh Munster will be disappointed they did not close the game out last Racing Metro last week,...
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European Challenge Cup
/ 13 years agoAmlin Challenge Cup round 2: preview and predictions
Dragons v Bayonne Tonderai Chavhanga returns for the Dragons as they face Bayonne following their defeat at Wasps last week. The...
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European Challenge Cup
/ 13 years ago“We can’t afford to go backwards now, “ – Sailosi Tagicakibau
London Irish will look to build on their bonus point win over Bordeaux-Begles last week when they take on Mont de...
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Nick Cain
/ 13 years agoNick Cain: Jonny for the Lions? His form says Yes
Jonny Wilkinson’s statement this week that there’s no way he could say no to an invitation to be part of the...
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English Gallagher Premiership
/ 13 years agoGeordan Murphy is still the role model for Leicester’s Niall Morris
Niall Morris has no doubt about his place in the full-back pecking order at Leicester: ‘Geordan Murphy is still Number One.’...
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European Challenge Cup
/ 13 years agoGloucester get the five points but worry over injuries
Four first half tries handed Gloucester a 25-13 bonus-point win over Bordeaux-Begles at Kingsholm tonight. However, the game may be costly...
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Peter Jackson
/ 13 years agoPeter Jackson: Be positive Danny, and learn from Mad Dog
Danny Lydiate may have spent most of the week in hospital but he is still a long way from matching the...
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European Challenge Cup
/ 13 years ago“Let’s keep the momentum before the Premiership resumes,” – Jim Hamilton
Gloucester host Bordeaux-Begles tonight in a bid to keep the pressure on London Irish at the top of their Amlin Cup...
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English Gallagher Premiership
/ 13 years agoMissile Joe Launchbury is for lift-off, says Wasps head coach Dai Young
Joe Launchbury is not one for the future, according to Wasps chief Dai Young, because the flanker-cum-lock has arrived already! Young,...
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Jeff Probyn
/ 13 years agoJeff Probyn: Team GB face so many problems on road to Rio
When I first read Clive Woodward’s call for the 2016 Team GB Sevens squad to be playing together for two years...
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English Gallagher Premiership
/ 13 years agoRob Cook makes up for lost time with Mike Tindall help at Gloucester
Gloucester full-back Rob Cook has waited a lifetime to get his chance at the top level of elite sport and now...
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Autumn Internationals
/ 13 years agoBaa-Baas welcome Dean Richards back as coach
Dean Richards has been short-listed for a return to the big stage as coach of the Barbarians. The renowned touring club...
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British and Irish Lions Tour
/ 13 years agoLions greatest XV: Fergus Slattery (1974) – openside
There is a body of opinion that the role of the openside flanker has changed significantly in the 41 years since...
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Nick Cain
/ 13 years agoNick Cain looks at the lack of back-up for Stuart Lancaster’s penalty takers
When there is enough footage of goal-kickers winning big matches to pave the M4 corridor between Twickenham and the Millennium Stadium,...
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Jeremy Guscott
/ 13 years agoJeremy Guscott: Sharples injury jinx may give Wade his chance
With Ben Foden’s injury more serious than first thought, Stuart Lancaster has said he will be seeking a back three replacement...
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Champions Cup
/ 13 years agoUlster leave it late but Ruan Pienaar secures the five points
Ulster had to wait until the third minute of stoppage time and a try from Springbok Ruan Pienaar to secure a...
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British and Irish Lions Tour
/ 13 years ago“Warren Gatland must hold his nerve over Lions team,” says Ian McGeechan
In an era when even the finest rugby coaches have a drastically short shelf-life, Sir Ian McGeechan’s longevity of service with...
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Champions Cup
/ 13 years agoHeineken Cup round 1: preview and predictions
Pool 1 Edinburgh v Saracens Edinburgh make six changes to their starting line-up to take on Saracens at Murrayfield. Internationals Tom...
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European Challenge Cup
/ 13 years agoAmlin Challenge Cup round 1: preview and predictions
Bordeaux-Begles v London Irish Guy Armitage and Chris Hala’ufia will both start their first matches’ of the season as London Irish...
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European Challenge Cup
/ 13 years ago“Last week was a major boost but let’s be consistent now,” says Topsy Ojo
On paper, London Irish are one of the most threatening team in the Premiership. On the pitch however, the Exiles have...
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Nick Cain
/ 13 years agoNick Cain: This waste of George Ford’s talent is so senseless
There are imperfections in most rugby structures, but, when it comes to getting the right outcome for the national team, England‘s...
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English Gallagher Premiership
/ 13 years agoAndy’s new attitude means he’s coming Goode for the Worcester Warriors
In recent times rugby’s version of the Goode life has all been about Alex, not Andy. While Saracens star Alex is...
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European Challenge Cup
/ 13 years agoGloucester do the job in France but Andy Hazell faces lengthy ban
Fourteen-men Gloucester earned an ugly 11-6 win at Mont-de-Marsan in the opening game of the Amlin Challenge Cup. Ian Clark’s first...
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British and Irish Lions Tour
/ 13 years agoBrilliant Brian O’Driscoll is early charger for Lions place
Selecting a Lions team from the ranks of the Aviva Premiership and the RaboDirect Pro12 is a fraught business at this...
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Peter Jackson
/ 13 years agoPeter Jackson: Survivor Tony back on case for Dragons
Tony Brown has been through a lot since he rescued Newport from oblivion and spent millions on a galaxy of Southern...
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English Gallagher Premiership
/ 13 years ago“It’s a privilege to play with Owen Farrell,” says Saracens Steve Borthwick
Saracens captain Steve Borthwick has backed Owen Farrell to hit top form ahead of England‘s autumn international campaign. The 21-year-old fly-half...
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Jeff Probyn
/ 13 years agoJeff Probyn: It will be tougher now Welsh have shown their abilities
London Welsh got their first away win of the Premiership last week seven days after winning their first ever Premiership game...
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Autumn Internationals
/ 13 years ago“We need Olympic formula” – Jonny Wilkinson
Jonny Wilkinson says it is time for England to put wins on the board during their forthcoming autumn internationals against Australia,...
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English Gallagher Premiership
/ 13 years agoPremiership round 6 review
Bath (Lost 10-16 to Gloucester) With Olly Barkley gone, you’d think Bath struggle and, despite his status, Stephen Donald hadn’t made...
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Peter Jackson
/ 13 years agoPeter Jackson: Such a loss as Nevin joins pantheon of lives cut short
The Spence family farm catastrophe brought a small Ulster town to a standstill on Wednesday, a triple tragedy marked with bare-headed...
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British and Irish Lions Tour
/ 13 years agoLions greatest XV: Roger Utley (1974) – blindside
When the going gets tough, blindside flankers get going – and in Peter Dixon and Derek Quinnell (1971), Roger Uttley (1974),...
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Nick Cain
/ 13 years agoNick Cain talks to the multi-talented Alex Goode about his ability to play full-back and fly-half
Alex Goode has shown that he can carve out time and space in the crash-bang mayhem of international rugby, and that...
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Jeremy Guscott
/ 13 years agoJeremy Guscott: Barkley proved his worth in that pivotal role of No.10
Olly Barkley’s move to Racing Metro is a bolt from the blue for Bath supporters, and the real issue is that...
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English Gallagher Premiership
/ 13 years agoGeorge Ford’s boots earn Leicester Tigers a win over sorry Sale Sharks
George Ford kicked 15 points from the tee to help Leicester claim a convincing 20-8 win over Sale in Salford. It...
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English Gallagher Premiership
/ 13 years ago“We’re not used to it but we deserve it,” says Worcester Richard Hill
After the first five rounds, a clear transformation can be seen in how the Worcester Warriors play the game and for...
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Nick Cain
/ 13 years agoNick Cain: Not pausing for a second, the scrum is still a mess
The scrum is under sustained attack in the modern game with barely a match at elite level where the referee does...
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English Gallagher Premiership
/ 13 years agoPremiership round 6: preview and predictions
Exeter v Harlequins Wallaby lock Dean Mumm will make his Chiefs debut tomorrow as Exeter seek to return to winning ways...
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Featured
/ 13 years agoTop14 round 8: preview and predictions
Jonny Wilkinson return at fly-half for Toulon as the French giants try to get back to winning ways when they travel...
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Autumn Internationals
/ 13 years agoStuart Lancaster’s likely to turn to youngsters to fill Ben Foden’s gap
England head coach Stuart Lancaster is likely to put youth ahead of experience as he sifts through wing replacement options for...
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Peter Jackson
/ 13 years agoPeter Jackson: Jones heads lost legion of forgotten Welsh stars
There is a whole team of them to be found out there – the Welsh internationals whose meteoric streak in some...
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English Gallagher Premiership
/ 13 years ago“Leicester Tigers exit paying off for me,” says Billy Twelvetrees
Leaving Leicester can be considered to be either brave or stupid but, after starting Gloucester‘s first four games this season, Billy...
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Featured
/ 13 years agoRugby Championship round 6: preview and predictions
Argentina v Australia Santiago Phelan has once again named the same starting XV as the Pumas seek their first ever win...
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Jeff Probyn
/ 13 years agoJeff Probyn: Let Premiership go it alone and free up RFU cash for all
I can’t help thinking that there is something strange in the way that the Premiership chose to announce their potential new...
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English Gallagher Premiership
/ 13 years agoWatch out, Saints Courtney Lawes is back and bigger than ever
It was Andy Goode’s misfortune to be in the wrong place at the wrong time last Saturday afternoon. With 60 minutes...
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English Gallagher Premiership
/ 13 years agoGeorge Ford may be forced to quit Leicester Tigers says Austin Healey
Austin Healey says Welford Road is not big enough to accommodate both Toby Flood and George Ford. Tigers director of rugby...
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English Gallagher Premiership
/ 13 years agoPremiership round 5 review
Bath (beat Sale 31-10) The West Country side were bidding farewell to Olly Barkley who is off to Racing Metro today...












