What areas can England exploit in their World Cup semi-final with New Zealand? October 23, 2019 It has been a while since England beat the All Blacks – seven years to be precise – but last year’s narrow 16-15 defeat at Twickenham was the first time they had played since 2014. In the 11 months since, both teams have come a long way. On Saturday, ranked as the No1 and No2 [...]
England’s win over Australia vindicates Eddie Jones as he gets big calls correct October 21, 2019 A number of questions hung over England and Eddie Jones ahead of their Rugby World Cup quarter-final against Australia on Saturday. Were they undercooked? Was dropping George Ford a mistake? Were Mako Vunipola and Henry Slade ready to start? Could Owen Farrell be a decisive leader during the heat of battle? All of those questions [...]
The outsider: England coach Eddie Jones ready for Rugby World Cup showdown with homeland that divorced him October 17, 2019 There can be few matches that stir as many emotions for Eddie Jones as tomorrow’s. On Saturday in Oita, Jones will lead his adopted nation of England into a Rugby World Cup quarter-final against his native Australia, a tie being staged in his mother’s homeland, Japan. But the match is more than just a collision [...]
England require maximum muscle to see off Australia as unlucky George Ford misses out October 17, 2019 For the first time in Rugby World Cup history it is genuinely feasible that any of this weekend’s eight quarter-finalists could reach the semi-finals. We are set for four epic showdowns on Saturday and Sunday, each with their own storyline. And it all starts with England against Australia tomorrow. The big talking point is George [...]
Innovative All Blacks are playing a new ball game with Barrett and Mo’unga on the field October 16, 2019 When Ireland beat New Zealand on a historic night in Dublin just short of a year ago, they looked like being the team to beat at this year’s Rugby World Cup. How quickly things change in sport. On Saturday the pair go head to head in the World Cup quarter-final and it is Ireland who [...]
‘I was suffering with OCD, which was horrific’: Former England scrum-half Kyran Bracken opens up over his mental health problems October 15, 2019 Kyran Bracken played professional rugby for 14 years. As a scrum-half he won 51 caps for England and was part of the famous World Cup-winning squad of 2003. That much is well documented. What wasn’t known, until now, was that he has struggled with mental health problems. But 13 years on from his retirement, Bracken [...]
England v Australia: Hooper and Pocock can benefit at breakdown with Jerome Garces as referee October 15, 2019 The sign of a good refereeing performance tends to be that they have gone unnoticed throughout the match. But so far at this Rugby World Cup, officials have been in the spotlight more often than organisers would have desired. Referee Jerome Garces and television match official (TMO) Ben Skeen are two figures to have been [...]
What football can learn about the implementation of VAR from the Rugby World Cup October 15, 2019 Since the video assistant referee’s introduction to the Premier League this season, the technology seems to have caused as much controversy as it was intended to resolve. The current Rugby World Cup, which has shown the benefits of a sport accustomed to an additional match official overseeing a feed of the action, has only thrown [...]
Japan 28-21 Scotland: Hosts produce scintillating rugby to reach World Cup quarter-finals October 13, 2019 The fact that Japan made history, beating Scotland 28-21 to reach the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in their history, was remarkable enough. But to do so on their own turf, in such style and in front of an adoring fan base just hours after the pain and destruction wreaked by Typhoon [...]
Ollie Phillips: World Cup fixture cancellation disadvantages Wales but France mutiny can go either way October 10, 2019 Typhoon Hagibis may not have directly affected Wales’s Rugby World Cup fixtures but the tropical cyclone has still managed to leave them at a considerable disadvantage. If, as expected, Wales win their final group match against Uruguay on Sunday they will finish top of Pool D and set up a quarter-final clash with the runner-up [...]