By BEN JAYCOCK Despite their fierce London rivalry with Harlequins, Saracens backs coach Kevin Sorrell is pleased two Premiership sides reached the last four of […]
JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK JORDIE Barrett’s signing by Leinster on a six-month contract from December until the end of next season looks […]
Paul Rees looks ahead to the Champions Cup semi-finals where Quins and Saints are facing an uphill battle BEFORE this season’s Champions Cup started, there […]
Northampton pair Courtney Lawes and Fin Smith, and Harlequins fly-half Marcus Smith have been nominated for the Champions Cup player of the year award. Leinster […]
Leinster have confirmed the signing of experienced All Black utility back Jordie Barrett on a short-term deal from December to the end of next season. […]
JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK IMMANUEL Feyi-Waboso was a pretty unknown factor before the Six Nations, but the 21-year-old winger’s rise from Cardiff […]
Leinster’s victorious squad are looking forward to their ‘home” semi-final at the 82,000 capacity Croke Park, two miles across Dublin from the Aviva Stadium. Skipper […]
The Ministry of Silly Walks was a Monty Python sketch which lampooned bureaucratic inefficiency. Rugby Union requires something similar to shame the unaccountable administrators turning […]
In the course of wheeling their way into the Challenge Cup quarter-finals last weekend against the Cheetahs, the Michelin Men of Clermont brought a somewhat […]
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN LOUIS Carbonel’s immediate Top 14 future is in Montpellier. The question is: for how long? The Toulon-born fly-half has been the […]
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN TOULON coach Pierre Mignoni earned something of a reprieve this weekend, as his side’s 54-7 win over Montpellier at Stade Mayol […]
With the Premiership resuming next weekend, Paul Rees looks at how the runners and riders are gearing up The Premiership resumes this week after an […]
By MARK STEVENS Head coach Ryan Lamb believes the foundations are being laid for a bright future ahead at Plymouth Albion. The former Gloucester, London […]
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 […]
BANNING players seeking a secure financial future across the Channel is self-defeating. Argentina would not have a competitive team if they adopted this stance. Can […]
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN The afternoon after the Friday-night chastening Six Nations defeat in Marseille before, a subdued French rugby audience tuned in to the […]
By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW… Gloucester v Sale Today. Kick-off 3pm, Kingsholm WITH four straight defeats in all competitions and a season-ending injury to England lock […]
Six Nations team-by-team previews: France James Harrington anticipates an Era of Expectation from the side who stalled at the World Cup Fracncehead coach Fabien Galthie […]
JAMES HARRINGTON In a league featuring the likes of Racing 92 and Toulouse, Toulon and La Rochelle, Bordeaux and Stade Francais, there’s a ‘big match’ […]
La Rochelle captain Gregory Alldritt will lead France in the absence of Antoine Dupont, who will miss the Six Nations to join France’s Sevens programme […]
England won’t have Jack Willis available for selection for at least another two years after he activated a one-year option in contract to remain playing […]
NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK STEVE Borthwick talked of England “turning a corner” when he announced his preliminary England squad of 36 […]
CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED HERE’S a little brain-teaser, just to make sure you’ve been paying attention at the back of the class: since 2014, when […]
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN An email drop and social media flurry confirmed the line-up of France’s 34-player training squad for the Six Nations, which kicks […]
The 2023/24 Champions Cup resumes with an eagerly anticipated third round of pool-stage matches. English teams have performed exceptionally well up to this point, with […]
JONATHAN Danty and Romain Taofifenua will be available for France’s opening round of the Six Nations despite receiving red cards last week. La Rochelle centre […]
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Fabien Galthie will have a reduced training squad for the 2024 Six Nations after a player release agreement was reached between […]