Smart rugby ball all the range or unnecessary nuisance? May 20, 2023 Is there such a thing as too much technology in sport? Is there a desire to have every aspect of the game you love monitored by TV screens and officials anywhere but inside the stadium? Rugby was early to embrace of on-field technology, introducing a Television Match Official (TMO) at the highest level much earlier [...]
South African sides in Champions Cup proves rugby can be radical when it wants to be April 9, 2023 And there we have it, eight have become four. The Champions Cup has always been better in the knockout stages and that’s only been personified further by the woeful system in place for the pool stages. Two pools of 12 was always a stupid idea – fans get lost in the complexities of it all [...]
France suffer Six Nations title setback as third member of coaching staff tests positive for Covid-19 February 17, 2021 Six Nations favourites France’s Covid-19 crisis has deepened after a third member of the coaching staff tested positive. Assistant coach William Servat’s diagnosis followed that of head coach Fabien Galthie and another unnamed non-playing staff member on Tuesday. All three have been ordered to self-isolate for seven days, while Les Bleus’ playing squad have been [...]
La Rochelle need heroics to emulate Toulon three-peat in Champions Cup April 5, 2024 When La Rochelle reached last year’s Champions Cup final at the Aviva Stadium they became the third team – alongside fellow French Top 14 sides Toulouse and Toulon – to feature in three consecutive finals. Toulouse and La Rochelle managed to win two of their three appearances while Toulon’s Galacticos – featuring the likes of [...]
Red Roses’ standards are high, they can be disappointed with 50,000 crowd April 19, 2024 This weekend when 50,000 fans flood into Twickenham Stadium’s famous bowl to watch England’s Red Roses take on Ireland in the Women’s Six Nations it’ll be another achievement for the women’s game. Because gone are the days of celebrating filling a single stand for the women’s game in England, and gone are the days of [...]
Six Nations: Write off Wales at your peril… again February 2, 2024 Warren Gatland and the Wales national rugby team are basically a sporting version of conjoined twins. Since 2007 the New Zealand coach has had some form of affiliation with Wales – except from a two-year hiatus between 2020 and 2021 – but back in a role many thought he had given up for good little [...]
VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: Johnny Sexton’s second row with officials after cup final June 15, 2023 Further questions have been raised about Johnny Sexton’s conduct at the Champions Cup final after City A.M. obtained new footage showing a second instance of the Ireland No10 apparently having to be ushered away from confronting officials. The footage – available below – is at the heart of an investigation into Sexton by European Professional [...]
France are hosts with most, rugby needs them to succeed October 13, 2023 As it stands, prior to this year’s tournament, there’s a 33.33 per cent recurring chance of lifting the World Cup as competition hosts. New Zealand did it at Eden Park in 1987 as co-hosts, South Africa achieved the feat at Ellis Park in 1995 and the All Blacks ensured they’d never lost a home final [...]
Sir Craig Reedie interview: Inside London 2012 and why Olympics was value for money July 25, 2022 If you lived through the London 2012 Olympics then you will probably remember where you were for its most spectacular or poignant moments – Super Saturday, Danny Boyle’s vivid opening ceremony, Andy Murray winning tennis gold – and Sir Craig Reedie is no different. But while the former chairman of the British Olympic Association, one [...]
Lionesses’ win sees punters splurge £18.9m on drinks in the pub August 16, 2023 Footie fans flocking to the pub to support England’s win in the Women’s World Cup semi final against Australia were forecast to spend £18.9m on drinks in hospitality venues across the UK, a study has shown, in a welcomed boost to the sector. Total spending across the two stages of the semi-final rounds – including [...]