Farrell or Ford? Who will play No8? Should Chris Ashton start? As the autumn internationals draw closer, Eddie Jones still has some key questions to answer October 28, 2018 The autumn internationals will be one of Eddie Jones’s final opportunities to test his England players against the best in the business ahead of next year’s World Cup. England face three of the favourites to win the tournament as they play New Zealand, South Africa and Australia, as well as next year’s hosts, Japan. Things [...]
Ollie Phillips: Pressure mounting on Eddie Jones ahead of autumn internationals as RFU publicly pursue his successor October 25, 2018 The Rugby Football Union are already preparing for life after Eddie Jones, it emerged this week. That in itself isn’t controversial. One day he will have to step aside – it just depends whether that will be at the end of his contract in 2021 or following the 2019 World Cup. Jones is well aware [...]
Ollie Phillips: England have a squad of in-form players for the autumn internationals, although it’s by accident not design October 18, 2018 Eddie Jones arrives at the autumn internationals under pressure after six defeats from his last seven games and the England head coach’s life hasn’t been made any easier by a raft of key players being unavailable for next month’s matches. Losing Mako and Billy Vunipola to injury is massive and the absence of Chris Robshaw [...]
Champions Cup: Have reports of English clubs’ struggles in Europe been greatly exaggerated? October 15, 2018 Last season was not England’s best in European rugby. After Saracens’ dominant successive Champions Cup wins, the Premiership endured something of a coming back to earth moment in 2017-18. While Saracens reached the quarter-finals for the sixth consecutive campaign, they were not joined by any of their domestic rivals. Exeter Chiefs – 2016-17 Premiership champions [...]
Ollie Phillips: Hard to look past pedigree of Leinster and Saracens for Champions Cup glory October 11, 2018 Exeter have been consistently challenging Saracens for top honours in the Premiership over the last few years, but they have yet to really translate their domestic form into European competition. The Chiefs’ game-plan has been undermined in the Champions Cup and coach Rob Baxter will need to add new strings to their bow this season. [...]
Ollie Phillips: Alex Goode’s omission from England’s squad proves Eddie Jones is contradicting his own statements October 4, 2018 I find some of the messages coming from England coach Eddie Jones confusing. He says he picks players on form and his side will be comprised of the best performing players from the Premiership. But if you look at the squad that simply isn’t the case. Alex Goode has been brilliant for Saracens over a [...]
Rob Horne: Former Northampton Saints centre on life after his career-ending injury and “bittersweet” testimonial against Leicester Tigers October 3, 2018 Five and a half months ago Rob Horne was leading his side, Northampton Saints, out to face rivals Leicester Tigers at Welford Road. With three games left of a poor season for Saints, Horne had been newly-elected captain. The trip to Leicester, it was hoped, would mark a fresh start. The side, in Horne’s words, [...]
Ollie Phillips: Joe Marler’s international retirement is a huge loss and raises questions about the England set-up September 27, 2018 Nobody should discredit Joe Marler for his decision to retire from international rugby at a relatively young age so that he can spend more time with his family. Marler doesn’t want to be a dad who never sees his children and you have to respect that. Joe’s upfront and will say if he doesn’t [...]
Ollie Phillips: Will Spencer red card highlights complicated nature of rugby’s high tackle laws September 20, 2018 Will Spencer’s red card and subsequent four-week ban for a high tackle during Leicester’s 41-35 defeat by Wasps last weekend has sparked a perennial debate in rugby. High tackles are a complicated subject. The focus of rugby’s administrators is to reduce concussions and they’re understandably hot on the issue at the moment. The law change [...]
Ollie Phillips: Will Spencer red card highlights complicated nature of rugby’s high tackle laws September 20, 2018 Will Spencer’s red card and subsequent four-week ban for a high tackle during Leicester’s 41-35 defeat by Wasps last weekend has sparked a perennial debate in rugby. High tackles are a complicated subject. The focus of rugby’s administrators is to reduce concussions and they’re understandably hot on the issue at the moment. The law change [...]