Fortress Twickenham breached: England in a dark, dark place Sport England’s 29-20 loss to South Africa was their fifth defeat on the bounce. Fortress Twickenham has been breached and Eddie Jones is up next for Steve Borthwick. If deep-pocketed disruptors really were to tempt more than 100 players away from their clubs to form a LIV Golf-style rugby competition as mooted last week, they’d be [...]
Time for England’s wilting roses to blossom against Boks Sport When penning this column the niggling thought in my mind is that there’s no possible way that England beat the Springboks. Steve Borthwick’s wilting roses are struggling across the board, and shipped a record points total against a southern hemisphere side at home under his tenure in last week’s loss to Australia. Meanwhile South Africa, [...]
Inside the Boks: Why South Africa send strongest message in sport Sport For world champions South Africa rugby means more than just 80 minutes once per week. So why are the Boks pushed by culture and a desire to guide a nation? When Vinicius Jr’s off-the-ball antics in this season’s Clasico caught the attention of fans, some suggested it contributed to his failed attempt to win a [...]
Pressure mounts on Gatland after 10th Wales loss in row November 10, 2024 A new wave of pressure is mounting against Warren Gatland after his Wales outfit extended their winless run to 10 games against Fiji on Sunday in the Autumn Nations Series. The Pacific Island nation toppled Wales 24-19 to win their first ever rugby match in Cardiff, and did so despite a red card for Semi [...]
Is Borthwick’s England tenure reaching a critical point? November 10, 2024 When Max Jorgensen crossed the tryline for Australia on Saturday, it condemned Steve Borthwick’s England to a defeat in which they shipped over 40 points at home. The 37-42 loss to the Wallabies is tied second for the most points the hosts have ever conceded at Allianz Stadium. While it fell short of the 53 [...]
Don’t listen to Andy Farrell. Ireland WILL want All Blacks revenge November 8, 2024 For 108 years there was only one winner when New Zealand and Ireland met on a rugby field. But results versus the All Blacks have shifted.
Jersey RFC: The club resetting how rugby can be done November 7, 2024 This Saturday, while England take on Australia in the Autumn Nations Series, Jersey RFC will be hosting London Welsh in a top-of-the-table clash in Regional 1 South Central, the fifth tier of English rugby. A decade or so ago this could have been a Premiership fixture, but rugby finances in south London and in the [...]
Cole didn’t expect Marler retirement ahead of Autumn Nations Series November 4, 2024 Tighthead prop Dan Cole admitted he was surprised by the timing of the international retirement of his fellow front rower Joe Marler. Marler decided to hang up his international boots just days after he caused a furore with his comments describing the New Zealand haka as “ridiculous”. “Did I think he would go last Sunday? [...]
Autumn Nations Series: How will England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales get on? November 1, 2024 The Autumn Nations Series can be a super tonic for the sport as titans clash from both hemispheres across Europe, writes Ollie Phillips. November internationals are always an odd time of year: you have neither the bitter rivalries the Six Nations and Rugby Championship generate over their own two hemispheres, nor is there the excitement [...]
Haka ‘ridiculous and needs binning’, England star taunts All Blacks October 30, 2024 England rugby star Joe Marler has inflamed tensions ahead of their clash with New Zealand on Saturday by branding the haka “ridiculous” and saying that the All Blacks’ traditional pre-match dance “needs binning”. Harlequins prop Marler, 34, made the comments on social media just days before the teams meet in Twickenham this weekend and deactivated [...]