A green and gold decade: Australia prepares for spell as host of sport’s biggest events August 15, 2022 The sun-kissed nation of Australia is about to embark on a decade-long installation as the centre for world sport. Although it was beaten by Qatar to the rights to stage the men’s football World Cup later this year, the country is set to co-host the women’s equivalent as well as Rugby World Cups, a second [...]
England rugby coach Eddie Jones ‘happy’ to be shadowed by successor at 2023 World Cup May 18, 2022 England rugby coach Eddie Jones insists he has no problem showing his successor the ropes at the next World Cup. The Rugby Football Union is believed to want the next coach to shadow Jones for a handover period before his contract ends after next year’s tournament. Six Nations champions France implemented a similar process when [...]
Premiership gets shot in arm as league attendances grow for most May 21, 2024 Premiership Rugby has received a welcome shot in the arm after the average match attendance across the league grew by almost 300. Excluding one-off matches at the likes of Twickenham and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the average attendance for regular home games – according to crowd data published by Premiership Rugby – rose from 12,569 in [...]
Borthwick must look overseas for next crop of England rugby players December 25, 2023 If you stood on an English beach in the south east and looked over the Channel, towards France, you may be able to see the faint outline of Jack Willis or Henry Arundell charging around a sports stadium. Because a huge number of England’s top rugby talent have migrated overseas and into the Top14, beyond [...]
Ollie Phillips: Farrell move tough for Premiership but he’s made the right call January 26, 2024 I can do nothing but commend Owen Farrell’s move from Saracens to Racing 92. He owes nobody anything and can really start to relax into the twilight of his career. I cannot say the news shocked me given the abuse so-called fans and others had heaped upon the England No10, but to see him leave [...]
Ed Warner: If Liverpool’s owners want to sell, expect more American buyers November 17, 2022 Ed Warner addresses why American investors are the most likely purchases of any Liverpool shares on the market, why England’s Rugby World Cup defeat was good for the women’s game, and cricket song choices with a sense of humour. Forty-three days without the Premier League. Three days in and already I’m suffering withdrawal symptoms. Yes, [...]
Jamie George: I turned down overseas offers to play for England January 29, 2024 Jamie George couldn’t quite believe it when England head coach Steve Borthwick told him he’d take over from Owen Farrell as captain of the national team. The 33-year-old Saracens hooker doesn’t strike you as a traditional captain – he’s warm, sociable, humble and has the ear of a number of other senior players – but [...]
‘Don’t laugh: England can win the Six Nations’ February 2, 2024 You’ll laugh at me when I say it – in fact you might disqualify me entirely from having opinions on rugby – but I genuinely believe that England have a viable path to this year’s Six Nations title. Hear me out: Steve Borthwick has a much-changed squad but he has, arguably, the most continuity out [...]
Tom Pearson interview: England call-up, Saints and Munster Champions Cup tie January 17, 2024 Northampton Saints star Tom Pearson insists he will put his best foot forward over the next fortnight to earn a spot in England’s opening Six Nations matchday 23 after being named in Steve Borthwick’s training squad. The powerful back-row, who has one cap to his name, was included in a 36-strong England squad with a [...]
‘Rugby can’t be seen as boring to new fans. It will drive them away’ February 12, 2024 Deputy Sport Editor Matt Hardy talks England’s Six Nations atmosphere, boring rugby and glorious Ireland in this week’s column. “There was a lot of stopping and starting, nothing seemed to happen and the people around me kept saying how boring it was.” That was the one sentence review from a colleague after their first ever [...]