Ollie Phillips: Champions Cup, LRZ and women’s Lions tour January 19, 2024 Amid talk of Louis Rees-Zammit’s move to NFL, the upcoming release of the Netflix documentary and the various Six Nations squad announcements, we must not forget the allure that this weekend’s Investec Champions Cup has. I wasn’t too certain about the change in pool structure but it must be said that nearly every game has [...]
Tom Pearson interview: England call-up, Saints and Munster Champions Cup tie January 17, 2024 Northampton Saints star Tom Pearson insists he will put his best foot forward over the next fortnight to earn a spot in England’s opening Six Nations matchday 23 after being named in Steve Borthwick’s training squad. The powerful back-row, who has one cap to his name, was included in a 36-strong England squad with a [...]
Premiership gets shot in arm as four sides through to Champions Cup knockouts January 14, 2024 Four English Premiership clubs have qualified for the Investec Champions Cup round of 16 with a game to spare. The weekend’s round three results have restored faith in what was feared to be a league drained of resources to fight in club rugby’s most prestigious competition. Saints march on Northampton Saints, Harlequins, Bath and Exeter [...]
Bordeaux humiliate Saracens to lay down Champions Cup marker January 14, 2024 Bordeaux Begles scored nine tries against a lacklustre Saracens in a thumping 55-15 Investec Champions Cup victory on Sunday evening to leave the Londoners humiliated and on the brink of exiting the continental competition. Owen Farrell – reportedly eyeing up a move to Parisian side Racing 92 – put the three-time winners ahead in the [...]
Barbeary could miss Six Nations after red in epic Bath victory over Racing 92 January 14, 2024 Alfie Barbeary is at risk of missing England’s Six Nations campaign after the No8 received a red card in Bath’s impressive 29-25 Investec Champions Cup victory over Racing 92. The back-row, who is yet to play for the national team, was fortunate to only see referee Andrea Piardi show him a yellow card six minutes [...]
Time for the Top 14 sides to make their mark in the Champions Cup January 12, 2024 If you’d have told me that the Investec Champions Cup holders La Rochelle would be without a win after two of their pool games I’d have probably laughed at you. Leinster and Stormers are difficult opponents but they’re the calibre of side Ronan O’Gara’s French men have toppled on many occasions over the last two [...]
Black Lion Challenge Cup inclusion opens door to Champions Cup dreams January 11, 2024 Stepping out of the concourse and into the bowl of the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium in Tbilisi, Georgia felt like a big moment. The fatigue from travelling more than 2,000 miles for 80 minutes of rugby, equating to over seven hours on two overnight flights, instantly vanished. There, on the pitch, were historic English club Gloucester [...]
Vunipola’s England chances suffer blow after four-week ban for dangerous tackle January 3, 2024 Mako Vunipola’s hopes of being included in Steve Borthwick’s England squad have suffered a blow after the prop was banned for four weeks following a dangerous tackle. The Saracens loosehead received a red card in his side’s victory over Newcastle Falcons last week and has been slapped with a four-week ban by the disciplinary committee. [...]
The top sports events to watch in London in 2024 January 3, 2024 The coming 12 months will see London at the heart of a number of iconic sports events. From sport which returns annually to European finals that the city has bid for, here are 15 of the top events to put in your calendar for 2024. Men’s and Women’s Guinness Six Nations 10 February, 9, March, [...]
2023 rugby review: Jones, Sexton, England, London Irish and Hunter December 22, 2023 It’s been quite the 2023 in rugby. This year South Africa won the Rugby World Cup, La Rochelle lifted the Champions Cup after Leinster No10 Johnny Sexton abused the referee, the women’s game has grown further and Australia had 12 months of Eddie Jones. Well, almost. It has had it all. English rugby lost two [...]