Eddie Jones set the bar high in his first calendar year in charge with a first Grand Slam in 13 years, a whitewash against the Wallabies down under and 13…
Countries
Racing 92 are only halfway through a long and troubled season
“A Season in Hell” was Midi Olympique’s headline at the start of this month, and few at Racing 92 would contradict that curt assessment. And that was written before the…
Six Nations: The England team Eddie Jones should pick to face France
Eddie Jones names his squad for the Six Nations on 20 January and he must be wondering which black cat he ran over as the injuries pile up. Jones won…
Who will reach the Champions Cup knock-out rounds?
Before the 2017 Six Nations swings into full focus and dominates the rugby calendar for the months of February and March, there is the small matter of the final two…
With falling attendances, the Top 14 is starting to lose its lustre
Last week two sets of figures were published. On Wednesday the Aviva Premiership disclosed that attendances are up 10.1% this season with the average gate an impressive 13,833. Two days later…
Who’s next in the Leicester Tigers hotseat?
It did not take long for the curse of Rugby World to strike, no sooner had we given Richard Cockerill a mention in the awards for 2016 than he was…
Whatever happened to Mourad Bodjellal’s first Toulon side?
Mourad Boudjellal is not leaving Toulon. After months of speculation that he was going to sell the club, the president announced a week before Christmas that he will remain at…
Opinion: Is rugby heading towards a hire and fire culture?
It is human nature that the flaws we see most commonly in others are simply reflections of our own failings. In no regard is this more relevant than in how…
The Rugby World Quiz of the Year: The answers
FOR ALL those who tackled the Quiz of the Year in the January 2017 edition of Rugby World – or who have tested their knowledge online – here are all…
Talking points: Five things we learned in December
Goosen – Top 14 reaping what it’s sown December saw Johann Goosen retire from rugby in what some see as a Machiavellian attempt to ditch his current contract, exploit French…