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Tag: Brive

Time to create a new dynasty

14 April 2024 0 comments

Paul Rees looks at what Mark McCall needs to do at Saracens as several big names head for the exit door WHEN Saracens first won […]

Biarritz’s future is back in its hands

14 April 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN To the relief of fans, white smoke was finally seen over the stand tops of Biarritz’s Parc des Sports d’Aguilera recently, […]

Lam: I understand Sinckler decision

31 March 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Pat Lam understands Kyle Sinckler’s decision to turn his back on England and join the exodus to France next season. The 68-cap […]

Gatland’s left with mountain to climb

31 March 2024 0 comments

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW AN alternative Wales squad, one untainted by the Six Nations whitewash, is to be found scattered across […]

Oyonnax have to keep on believing

10 March 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Oyonnax manager Joe El-Abd promised last week that his side would ‘fight to the end’ following their so-near-so-far 35-39 home defeat […]

Every time my name is called out, I get excited

3 March 2024 0 comments

Jon Newcombe catches up with Northampton’s Sam Graham as the Saints look to keep hold of top spot in the Premiership FOR industrious back row […]

End of an era as Lawes commits to Brive

25 February 2024 0 comments

Courtney Lawes will leave Northampton this summer to join ProD2 side Brive after 17 seasons at Franklin’s Gardens. Lawes said Northampton did “everything they could” […]

England’s Plan A is to run at Portugal

25 February 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES PREVIEW…England A vs Portugal (Today. Kick-off 1pm, Welford Road) Steve Borthwick left Edinburgh after England’s clash against Scotland last night and set […]

Lawes can bring some order

25 February 2024 0 comments

Paul Rees says the former England captain who has signed for Brive will have much to offer when he retires Brive will be delighted that […]

Dowson hoping Lawes will stay

18 February 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson still harbours some hope that Courtney Lawes has a future at Franklin’s Gardens beyond the end […]

Brive line up move for Lawes

4 February 2024 0 comments

Courtney Lawes is set to leave Northampton this summer to join Brive. According to reports in France, the former England back row has agreed a […]

Clouds of confusion hang over Evans

28 January 2024 0 comments

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW At the end of a week when the clouds of confusion thickened over Wales, one victim of […]

It’s all to play for as class of ’24 get set

28 January 2024 0 comments

BY BEN JAYCOCK ENGLAND As the U20s Six Nations kicks off on Friday, England’s primary focus is to shore up their leaky defence. During last […]

Pay me what I’m worth – Lawes

14 January 2024 0 comments

Courtney Lawes has sent a warning to Northampton and told the club, “I’ve got to be paid what I’m worth,” after having talks with Racing […]

At last we are going in right direction

31 December 2023 0 comments

It is always easier to bury English rugby’s alleged leaders than to praise them, but it would run counter to the seasonal spirit not to […]

Dungeon of obscurity needs to be shut

17 December 2023 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT Barely able to buy a round of drinks, let alone a win – the good men and true of Kingsholm are up against […]

Toulouse’s victory over Quins is top of my list

17 December 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS THE greatest single performance in the Heineken Cup? That’s a tricky one, there have been so many, but when pressed I normally opt […]

Following in fathers’ footsteps

17 December 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS The tradition of “sons of” playing for France U20 is well and truly established now and seems to know no boundaries. Indeed, England […]

Olympics causing financial headache

17 December 2023 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN The new cycle of French senior men’s rugby starts here – a month-and-a-half after the 2023 Rugby World Cup ended, and […]

Cockerill goes out, Collazo comes in

26 November 2023 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN TIME was very firmly called on Richard Cockerill’s brief run as Montpellier manager six days ago, after just five months and […]

Vakatawa grateful to Lam for giving him a chance at Bears

19 November 2023 0 comments

By PAUL REES Virimi Vakatawa says he feels blessed to be playing rugby again after being told last year that a heart condition meant his […]

Lam moves quickly to sign up Vakatawa

1 October 2023 0 comments

By PAUL REES Pat Lam has re-established the French connection to the Premiership by signing powerful centre Virimi Vakatawa following a chance conversation in August. […]

Webb tests positive for growth hormone

26 August 2023 0 comments

By Ben Jaycock Former Wales international Rhys Webb has tested positive for a growth hormone following an unexpected check by the French Anti-Doping Agency carried […]

French centre Vakatawa returns for Barbarians

20 August 2023 0 comments

NEWS EXTRA VIRIMI Vakatawa’s premature retirement is over as the former France centre started for the Barbarians against Samoa last night in Brive. Vakatawa, who […]

At last! Spain show us what they can do

6 August 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER IT’S BEEN a bittersweet roller coaster five or six years for Spanish […]

Williams heading for Japan

25 June 2023 0 comments

WALES and Lions wing Liam Williams has left Cardiff midway through his contract to join Kubota Spears in Japan. The 32-year-old had a year to […]

Garbajosa joins list of axed coaches

18 June 2023 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN It has been a busy week in various corridors of power in French rugby – with, in chronological order, the removal […]

Paea is on his way to Zebre

9 May 2023 0 comments

Premiership clubs are poised to miss out on signing Tonga and Highlanders outside centre Fetuli Paea when his contract with the New Zealand Rugby Union […]

Watson goes on tour at Castres

9 April 2023 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER England winger Anthony Watson has moved a step closer to moving to France next season after being given a […]

Scarlets grit it out to set up clash with Clermont

2 April 2023 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Scarlets ……….. 19pts Tries: Fifita 50, Shingler 78 Penalties: Costelow 3, 15, 28 Brive……………….. 7pts Tries: Olding 47 Conversions: Olding 48 SCARLETS […]

Time is running out for Castres

19 February 2023 1 comment

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Pierre-Yves Revol, president of Top 14 strugglers Castres, was in no mood to mince his words this week as he laid […]

Six Nations squads in-depth: Italy

22 January 2023 0 comments

Michele Lamaro captains the Azzurri, with World Rugby’s breakthrough player of the year Ange Capuozzo spearheading the attack for Kieran Crowley’s side. Monty Ioane is […]

Connacht cruise into knockouts

15 January 2023 0 comments

By DARAGH SMALL Connacht …….. 61 Brive ………………. 5 ALEX Wootton scored a hat-trick as Connacht’s bonus point win secured their place in the knockout […]

Double injury blow spoils Connacht’s awayday win

18 December 2022 0 comments

By JOHN FALLON Brive …………….. 24pts Tries: Fabien 65, 75, Raffy 61 Conversions: Laranjeira 61, 66, 75 Penalties: Sanchez 9 Connacht ……… 31pts Tries: Hawkshaw […]

Cardiff cruise home as Williams hits 250 in style

11 December 2022 0 comments

By SIMON ROBERTS Cardiff…………… 41pts Tries: Dacey 4, 18; Adams 22, L Williams 48, T Williams 60, Grady 77, Cabango 80 Conversions: Evans 5, 19, […]

Coach O’Gara receives his fourth ban in a year

27 November 2022 0 comments

La Rochelle head coach Ronan O’Gara has been given a fourth suspension in a year after being banned for 10 weeks due to “harming the […]

Rugby was alien to me … but I soon fell in love

20 November 2022 0 comments

MY LIFEIN RUGBYVICTOR UBOGU THE FORMER ENGLAND, BATH, MOSELEY & OXFORD UNIVERSITY PROP GROWING up in Africa, football was my passion and Pele was my […]

Russell into Scot squad as Hastings drops out

7 November 2022 1 comment

Coach Gregor Townsend has called up Finn Russell into his Scotland squad as cover to replace the injured Adam Hastings. Calls for Russell to be […]

Gray has Brive in his sights

2 October 2022 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDEBY NEIL FISSLER VETERAN Scotland and Lions lock Richie Gray is preparing to move back to France at the end of the season […]

Toulouse will take title, say coaches

4 September 2022 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Toulouse will win the Top 14 title at the end of another tight season – according to a survey of the […]

Concern as refs switch to other side

28 August 2022 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Another of French rugby’s leading gamekeepers turned coach this week, as Top 14 referee Maxime Chalon put down his whistle and […]

Bears chief Lam looks to avoid another stuttering start

12 June 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES PAT LAM is making sure that Bristol hit the ground running next season by arranging three warm-up matches, admitting they went into […]

Genge fired up for next round of French hostilities

10 April 2022 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW…Clermont v LeicesterToday. Kick-off 3.15pm, Stade Marcel MichelinELLIS Genge can’t wait to sample the atmosphere inside the Stade Marcel Michelin as Leicester […]

Exiles sign Samoa back row So’otala

6 March 2022 0 comments

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER LONDON Irish have made a swoop to land Brive and Samoa U20 back row So’otala Fa’aso’o on a […]

Good on Diamond for telling it like it is

27 February 2022 1 comment

CHRIS HEWETT HATS off to the straight-talking Steve Diamond, “lead rugby consultant” – aka “new boss” – at Worcester. In this paper last weekend, Diamond […]

Beziers’ heroes get warm welcome in wee hours

16 January 2022 1 comment

Brendan Gallagher delves into some of rugby’s most enduring images, their story and why they are still so impactful Iconic Rugby Pictures: PART 93 Welcome […]

Van Zyl demands Irish show ruthless streak

26 December 2021 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD CORNIEL van Zyl has warned the London Irish players of the pitfalls of complacency as the Exiles reach the end of the […]

Superior fitness is bedrock of Irish bid for glory

19 December 2021 0 comments

By GARY- FITZGERALD JAMES Stokes claims London Irish’s bid for domestic and European glory is based on the Exiles being “super fit” and able to […]

Irish have the quality to go all the way in Europe – Mafi

5 December 2021 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD STEVE Mafi says London Irish have the mental aptitude to transfer their sparkling Premiership form onto the European stage. The flanker insists […]