Have you always been a loosehead? No, I started at No 8. It was a tough move to make but now I’m better for it. You’re in the Leinster academy,…
Rugby World
Hotshots: Gloucester’s towering lock, Elliott Stooke
When did you start playing? My old man took me to his club, Evesham, when I was about ten. I hated it until we started playing games and rolling round…
Hotshots: Meet Perpignan’s Tommy Allan
How do you qualify for Italy after playing for Scotland’s age groups? I was born there! My dad is Scottish but my mother is from Italy, and played scrum-half for…
Saints and Sinners: the weekend’s talking points
The Saints Tricky business Hats off to Barbarians coach John Kirwan and his team for pulling a few tricks out of the bag during their 36-40 loss to Australia at…
Autumn international player analysis: Sonny Bill Williams, New Zealand
You do not saunter back into a world champion team on the back of 70 minutes’ worth of on-field action in two years without being a very special player. To…
Brian O’Driscoll: The Test – book review
In The Test, Brian O’Driscoll takes the reader behind the scenes of his life from his childhood to his retirement from playing this year, dealing honestly with the most traumatic of…
Scene setter for the Autumn Internationals
With the Autumn Internationals nearly upon us, and the 2015 Rugby World Cup less than a year away, Dove Men+Care have teamed up with the home nations to offer rugby…
John Kirwan on upholding the tradition of the Baa-Baas
John Kirwan: “Coaching the Barbarians again is an honour and I see it as my responsibility to uphold our prestigious name and make sure it continues to be a viable…
Sam Burgess arrives at Bath
Sam Burgess‘s high-profile switch from league to union has been one of the season’s biggest talking points, and his arrival at The Rec sparked excitement amongst Bath and England fans,…
Should Stuart Lancaster pick Steffon Armitage?
Roger Uttley believes Stuart Lancaster is gambling by not selecting Steffon Armitage and will have to think again should England come a cropper in the QBE autumn series. “Is Stuart…