England need to replicate South Africa performance (but better) to beat Ireland in Six Nations March 8, 2024 This weekend against England at Twickenham, Ireland can move within one game of the Six Nations Grand Slam. If they achieve an unbeaten campaign in 2024 they’ll become the first team in the Six Nations era to win the Grand Slam in consecutive years. In their way is an England side who still claim to [...]
England showed promise against All Blacks ahead of Eden Park finale July 7, 2024 Weirdly for England, Saturday’s 16-15 loss to New Zealand in Dunedin was their first match in three against the All Blacks that ended in defeat. In their last trio of games against the three-time world champions – in Japan at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, at Twickenham in 2022 and down in New Zealand at [...]
US and Mexico launch bid for 2027 football Women’s World Cup April 20, 2023 The US are planning to bid for the Fifa Women’s World Cup hosting rights alongside neighbours Mexico. If the bid was to be successful they’d host the quadrennial tournament in 2027, a year after the US, Canada and Mexico are hosting the men’s version of the same tournament. Other bids for the tournament are set [...]
Ollie Phillips: England should let the shackles off at front row and midfield June 9, 2023 On Monday morning, England head coach Steve Borthwick will name his initial training squad for this year’s Rugby World Cup. Though players from the four sides who made the Premiership semi-finals will not be included in the first squad of the summer, it’s hard to get excited given some of England’s selection woes. Today I [...]
Six Nations: World Cup cycles don’t matter for Ireland, replacing Sexton does February 1, 2024 As the Cranberries classic Zombie rang around the Stade de France at multiple points during last year’s Rugby World Cup, it almost seemed destined that fly-half and Ireland great Johnny Sexton would cap his career standing by lifting the William Webb Ellis trophy. The four provinces were coached by Andy Farrell for the first time [...]
Ollie Phillips: My hopes for rugby over the next 12 months January 13, 2023 The next 12 months have the potential to be game-changing for rugby. It’s a World Cup year and domestic leagues are becoming ever more competitive, so here are my three hopes for the coming year. Nothing to lose My main hope for 2023 is to see England give the Six Nations and World Cup a [...]
Epic sporting weekend proves sport can be cog in any government agenda May 28, 2024 With a General Election in full swing across the nation sports fans were treated to an epic weekend of action. So with so many events pencilled in across the next five years and numerous more beyond that, our politicians should promote sport to a priority talking point. City A.M. Deputy Sports Editor Matt Hardy writes. [...]
The Notebook: Andy Silvester on why John Lewis’s next boss would do well to take a shift on the tills October 3, 2023 Where the City’s movers and shakers get a few things off their chest. Today, it’s our editor Andy Silvester with the pen Whoever replaces White would do well to take a shift on the tills Driving alongside Lake Bala, on the edges of Snowdonia, this intrepid Londoner got a shock at the weekend: an entrance [...]
Harlequins and England No10 Marcus Smith signs contract extension July 19, 2023 Blockbuster England fly-half Marcus Smith has penned a contract extension with Harlequins, the club confirmed this morning. The talismanic No10 – who in 2021 became a British and Irish Lion – will stay with the London club beyond next season. It was understood that French giants and a number of Japanese clubs were interested in [...]
Sexton outcome marks official death of farce that is rugby values July 17, 2023 When European rugby chiefs released the verdict from the Johnny Sexton’s disciplinary hearing at 9:30pm on Sunday night, it marked the long, slow and painful death of the farce that is rugby values. Rugby values can be defined as the ideals some in the past have placed on the game, whereby everything is about respect [...]