Vile abuse that drove Farrell away from Test rugby a sad reflection of society December 1, 2023 Rugby columnist Ollie Phillips writes this week on the news that England Test captain Owen Farrell is walking away from international rugby for the Six Nations to manage his and his family’s well-being. How serious does abuse to our sporting stars need to get before real, severe and meaningful action is taken against mostly anonymous [...]
England captain Owen Farrell out of 2024 Six Nations as he takes break November 29, 2023 England rugby captain Owen Farrell is to take a break from international rugby to focus on his and his family’s mental well-being. Farrell has 112 England caps and has amassed 1,237 points in an international career that dates back to 2012. The 32-year-old also has six British and Irish Lions appearances to his name. A [...]
VAR causes ‘mayhem’ with football, says rugby boss November 29, 2023 The boss of Premiership rugby club Exeter Chiefs Rob Baxter has said football employing sin bins is like letting the “genie out of the bottle” and says VAR causes “mayhem”. The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has this week backed the introduction of the sending offs as a way of stamping out abhorrent behaviour towards [...]
Gaucho’s Martin Williams interviews England rugby star Simon Shaw November 27, 2023 Martin Williams, founder of M Restaurant and owner of Gaucho, invites former England rugby player Simon Shaw for lunch at his newly refurbished Gaucho City
Premiership pressure on Gloucester in battle for bottom with Newcastle November 26, 2023 Pressure mounted on Gloucester Rugby head coach George Skivington this weekend as his side’s 38-20 loss at home to Leicester Tigers continued a losing run in the Premiership this season. The Cherry and Whites have now lost five in a row and have won just three matches in the league across this calendar year. It [...]
Rugby must capitalise on Dupont playing sevens at the Olympic Games November 24, 2023 Antoine Dupont playing rugby sevens – it sounds beautiful, doesn’t it? News this week of the France scrum-half, one of the sport’s few global stars, turning his attention to sevens in order to play at the Paris 2024 Olympics is superb for rugby. And it is now on the sport to make sure that they [...]
British & Irish Lions turned down Las Vegas match for 2025 November 23, 2023 The British & Irish Lions reportedly turned down a match in Las Vegas in what has been described as the “most expensive deal the Lions will ever get”. The plan, discussed on The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast, would have seen the touring team play either a USA Barbarians or the United States [...]
Challenge Cup in ‘advanced’ talks over sponsor, but not for this season November 22, 2023 This year’s European Challenge Cup will mark a decade of the competition without a sponsor despite rugby chiefs insisting they are in advanced talks with potential suitors. Europe’s second tier club competition has been without a sponsor since insurer Amlin had the title partnership in the 2013-14 season. Some have said a title sponsor would [...]
Farrell insists rugby is “booming” despite issues in Premiership November 22, 2023 England and Saracens captain Owen Farrell has insisted that rugby is “booming” across Europe despite the catalogue of issues the game faces at home. Three Premiership clubs – Worcester Warriors, Wasps and London Irish – went bust last season and Exeter Chiefs were forced to deny financial issues this week after a payroll error. The [...]
Two lasting legacies from England’s 2003 Rugby World Cup triumph? Marginal gains and brain injuries November 22, 2023 At around 10:30 am UK time, 20 years ago today in 2003, England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson caught a pass from his No9 Matt Dawson, dropped it on his foot and dissected the uprights of Stadium Australia in Sydney to win his side the Rugby World Cup. It was the first, and remains the only, victory [...]