IT'S FAIR to say Rob Howley has been subjected to a testing introduction to life as an international head coach but chatting to him at The Vale, ahead of tomorrow's…
Tournaments
RBS Six Nations: France search for the perfect combination
THIRD TIME lucky for France? Philippe Saint-Andre will be hoping so when his third half-back pairing of the Six Nations run out against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday evening. The…
Rugby World TV: Six Nations round 4 preview
THE TEAMS have changed and, if they’re not careful, some coaches could be for the chop if they don’t get a win in this weekend’s RBS 6 Nations! In this…
Six Nations: The Rugby World quiz answers
HERE ARE the answers to Rugby World’s Six Nations quiz. If you missed the questions, click here. 1. Paul O’Connell, Sergio Parisse, Sam Warburton, Chris Robshaw, Kelly Brown, Pascal Papé…
RBS 6 Nations: Inside the England Camp Part Four
MIKE BROWN and David Strettle give each other plenty of stick in our latest behind-the-scenes video from the England training base while Dan Cole and Billy Twelvetrees look at lessons…
RBS 6 Nations: Calling on the cavalry
The 1981 chart-topping song Stop the Cavalry may be a Christmas classic, but in truth it is a protest against war. Appropriate, then, that during the continent’s biggest celebration of…
RBS 6 Nations: Weir to starve Wales of rhythm
NO ONE in the Scotland camp would ever say it, but they fear Wales running. Picking Duncan Weir at fly-half for the game at Murrayfield on Saturday could be seen…
RBS 6 Nations: Omitting O’Gara from the discussion
THE FIRST, fast, now ethos of modern media means that you are furnished with soundbites and breaking news at breakneck speed. However, aside from endless repetition and retweets, we are…
The Championship blog – Week 17 round-up
NEWCASTLE HAVE qualified for the knock-out stages of the Championship; not that this was ever in much doubt. And, with five rounds remaining, even if they do not score another…
Smash! Wayne Barnes gets hit in the face
IT’S A tough life being a referee – hundreds of decisions to make, crowds jeering you, coaches blaming you. There was an even more painful moment for Wayne Barnes recently.…