WORLD CUP RUGBY STAR REVEALS AN UNEXPECTED WEAKNESS September 29, 2011 THERE HAS only been one occasion when Jason Leonard, the most-capped England rugby player of all time, has been intimidated on the pitch. That moment came when Leonard met Norman Hadley, a six foot nine Canadian rugby union player with a scar down his cheek that “didn’t come from rugby”. For reasons best known to [...]
Shaw: Rugby in danger if players not given privacy September 21, 2011 VETERAN England lock Simon Shaw fears rugby players will lose their unique and long-held rapport with supporters if their social lives are subjected to increasing media scrutiny. The England World Cup camp, in particular newly-wed Mike Tindall, was engulfed in controversy last week after members of the public passed accounts and CCTV footage of the [...]
Rugby and wine: NZ’s state of play September 12, 2011 QUAFFER’S CORNER IT’S Rugby World Cup time so let’s cast an eye over the state of play in host country New Zealand – also my home nation. I’m confident in predicting that the winning country will be a wine producer but I won’t tempt fate by going any further. It’s been a tough couple of [...]
Rugby host is also property heaven September 8, 2011 WITH the seventh rugby world cup kicking off today (our time) in Auckland, millions of eyes are turned to Kiwi-land. Thousands of fans have physically landed in New Zealand, too, to soak up the experience first-hand, one that promises to be a jamboree of sun, sea and beer as the southern hemisphere’s spring rolls into [...]
Rugby World Cup: where in London you can watch it September 8, 2011 THE games may not be taking place at the easiest time of day for those of us unable to travel to New Zealand, but that’s not going to stop fans coming out in force to support the home teams. Luckily, there are plenty of pubs and bars in London offering breakfast, sandwiches and good cheer, [...]
Twelve axed as Johnson lays down the law July 2, 2008 Martin Johnson insists his England side must learn from their two-Test mauling by the All Blacks if they are to compete with the world’s elite. Johnson marked his first day as England team manager by demoting no fewer than 12 senior internationals from his first 32-man elite squad. And he vowed to crack down on [...]
All Blacks have a chance to erase black mark October 31, 2005 Never mind what may or may not have happened in the opening seconds of the first Test between the Lions and New Zealand in June — it is great to have the All Blacks over here. I am looking forward to watching their attempt to win a Grand Slam against the four home nations. The [...]