Cheer up England rugby fans, you could support Wales November 22, 2024 England may be on a bad run, but Wales are looking as if they’re looking into a deep abyss. Ollie Phillips writes that sacking Gatland, however, is not the answer. You’ve got to go back to 1973 to find an England rugby team who lost four home matches on the bounce. Steve Borthwick’s team have [...]
Itoje calls playing for England ‘Mecca’ amid LIV-style breakaway plans November 18, 2024 England international Maro Itoje has said that playing for his country is the “Mecca” amid reports that a LIV Golf-style breakaway league could draw players away from representing the Red Rose. The plan is said to be backed by US investors and could recruit 200 of rugby’s top players for a 2026 launch. The Rugby [...]
Time for England’s wilting roses to blossom against Boks November 15, 2024 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, [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
England rugby star who put fan in headlock banned for just six weeks November 5, 2024 England and Sale rugby player Jonny Hill has escaped with a six-week ban after pleading guilty to physically abusing a spectator. Hill was alleged to have put the fan in a headlock and broken his glasses following Sale’s Premiership semi-final defeat at Bath in June. The incident was investigated by police without the outcome being [...]
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? [...]
Marler retires from ‘dream bubble’ England career November 3, 2024 Loosehead prop Joe Marler has retired from international rugby with 95 England caps to his name. It comes a week after he left the England training squad for “personal reasons”. Last week he also caused a stir for stating the New Zealand cultural pre-match challenge, the Haka, was “ridiculous” and “needs binning”. “Playing for England [...]
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 [...]
No surprises England squad wastes precious opportunity October 18, 2024 It is very sensible, that England squad, isn’t it? There are no thrills or spills, no rogue actors or dazzling potential debutant. It is very Steve Borthwick. And that is no bad thing. This 36-man training squad will be tasked with taking on the southern hemisphere’s big three nations in New Zealand, Australia and South [...]