Smith proved himself as England get Six Nations campaign back on track February 14, 2022 It wasn’t brilliant and it wasn’t woeful, but the result stuck to type: another England win against Italy in the Six Nations and a yet another loss – their 99th in the competition – for the Azzurri. While England’s 33-0 victory was expected, however, there were moments of magic in Rome that signalled a brighter [...]
Ollie Phillips: France vs Ireland is the Grand Slam decider February 11, 2022 It’s hard to look at this weekend’s Six Nations match between France and Ireland and not see it as a Grand Slam decider. We may only be in the second round of the championship but if there turns out to be an unbeaten side this year it’ll be the winner of this match. I don’t [...]
Rugby’s domestic derbies should not be played in the international window February 8, 2022 The East Midlands derby between Leicester Tigers and Northampton Saints is one of the fixtures fans look for when the schedule is released. Saracens against Harlequins, Bath against Gloucester, Tigers against Saints – these are the staples of English domestic rugby, the bitter rivalries decades, if not centuries, in the making. So its beggars belief [...]
Six Nations: England cannot dip favourites tag two weeks running February 7, 2022 England’s first round Six Nations defeat at the hands of Scotland on Saturday was one which initially played into Eddie Jones’s well-worn line of the Calcutta Cup rivals being “red hot favourites”. But in a 20-17 loss which sent England back south of the border with their tails between their legs, Jones’s side looked a [...]
Six Nations: France start with win but there’s room for growth February 7, 2022 France’s opening round victory over Italy in the Six Nations on Sunday wasn’t dripping with a special je ne sais quoi, but it was a hard earned result to get their promising quest for a Grand Slam underway. Flying wing Gabin Villiere had three career tries prior to kick-off in Paris but doubled that tally [...]
Neil Hopkins: Why TikTok is big news for the Six Nations February 4, 2022 Kids, eh? On one hand, Alan Hansen reckoned you couldn’t win anything with them, on the other, The Who figured they’re alright. The dilemma facing almost every sport that isn’t football is how to attract younger audiences without alienating what the European Super League disparagingly labelled “legacy fans”. As the Six Nations looms, rugby union’s [...]
Ollie Phillips: ‘England’s squad is uninspiring but it’s dangerous’ February 4, 2022 Tomorrow’s Calcutta Cup will no doubt be explosive. There’s a real clash of styles in the Six Nations match between Scotland and England in Edinburgh – but that’s just going to make the game even more exciting. I really like the England squad, and bar Elliot Daly at No13 it is a 23 in form, [...]
Gavin Hastings: ‘Improving Scotland ready for next step’ February 3, 2022 There’s no doubt that in the last three or four years Scotland have been much more competitive and that’s what fans north of the border want to see. Whoever identifies the players potentially available for Scotland should be paid a healthy sum because they’ve unearthed some great characters, including prop Pierre Schoeman and wing Duhan [...]
Mako Vunipola interview: ‘England can win the Grand Slam’ February 3, 2022 He may currently not be part of Eddie Jones’s Six Nations squad, but Mako Vunipola still thinks England will go undefeated this year. The experienced loosehead prop concedes that France “look strong” but believes key absences will make it hard for Wales to defend their title. “England can get the Grand Slam, yes,” Vunipola told [...]
Six Nations 2021 recap: Covid-19, Grand Slam hopes and fierce rivalries February 3, 2022 The 2021 Six Nations was fought in front of empty seats and in silent stadiums. But it was still a tournament full of passion, intensity and edge-of-your-seat finishes – and we wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. So before we immerse ourselves in the historic rivalries once more, we’d be foolish not to look [...]