Ollie Phillips: Premiership turmoil, Bangkok and Russell finished? October 20, 2022 I have steered clear of talking about Premiership clubs Wasps and Worcester Warriors thus far given the uncertainty surrounding the futures of the players, but I feel like I should offer some thoughts. Look at the talent across the two clubs: Ollie Lawrence, Jack and Tom Willis, Alfie Barbeary and the rest. The players are [...]
Jamie George: Premiership turmoil ‘darkest week in rugby history’ October 18, 2022 England hooker Jamie George has described recent days in the Premiership as the “darkest week in rugby history” after Wasps joined Worcester Warriors in administration. The Saracens front rower is out of England’s Autumn Nations Series with metatarsal damage but says watching domestic rugby’s financial crisis worsen is concerning. Wasps plunged into administration on Monday [...]
Rugby league aim high with men’s, women’s and wheelchair World Cups October 12, 2022 This weekend sees the start of a trio of Rugby League World Cups that could propel the sport through a glass ceiling of publicity and awareness, as England becomes the first host nation of simultaneous men’s, women’s and wheelchair tournaments. Delayed a year from 2021 for pandemic-related reasons, the three World Cups will take place [...]
Kat Merchant on England crop, World Cup favourites and strong women October 4, 2022 On Saturday, England Women will begin their Rugby World Cup campaign against Fiji at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand. They are overwhelming favourites, and it’s a tag they haven’t been able to shake in recent years. Simon Middleton’s Red Roses head to the Land of the Long White Cloud on a 25-match winning run [...]
Ollie Phillips: England should embrace Premiership’s rugby style September 30, 2022 Last Sunday’s storming contest in which Exeter Chiefs edged Harlequins 43-42 was, in my opinion, a perfect example of where the tectonic plates of rugby are starting to move. Gone are the days of overly structured play and coming in are sturdy defences paired with incredible counter-attacking moves. I think that’s where we have seen [...]
Roc Nation Sport president: ‘Change in rugby needs to happen now’ September 29, 2022 Rugby is at a crossroads between growth and crisis point ahead of next year’s World Cup, according to Michael Yormark, president of Jay-Z’s agency Roc Nation Sports. Amid a series of financial woes threatening the sport – not least in England, where Premiership clubs are fighting for survival – there is a consensus among new [...]
Agustin Creevy: ‘I love London Irish. Why can’t we be champions?’ September 6, 2022 Veteran Argentina and London Irish hooker Agustin Creevy is heading into his third year with Premiership club London Irish and there’s little sign of the front rower wanting to turn his back on the Exiles just yet. Joining ahead of the 2020-21 season, Creevy arrived in time for the transition from Reading to Brentford and [...]
Rugby round-up: England win Down Under, history for Ireland and Chile on fire July 17, 2022 A Emiliano Boffelli crossed the whitewash in Santiago del Estero on Saturday night to earn his Argentina side a Test series victory against a sorry looking Scotland, it marked the end of the European rugby season; one that began in September. But in Ireland’s historic series in New Zealand, England’s continued success on the shores [...]
Ollie Phillips: Home nations within reach of rugby history July 15, 2022 Let’s be frank: the quality of rugby we have seen across this month of internationals hasn’t always been high – it’s been stop-start, mismatched and controversial at times – but it has been competitive. Heading into the final round of their Test series, Ireland are level with New Zealand, Scotland are equal with Argentina, England [...]
Competitive rugby and global calendar shouldn’t come at cost of player welfare July 12, 2022 If you were to assess the hopes of the Home Nations as they crossed the equator to play their annual summer rugby series, you’d have been forgiven for suggesting they weren’t too high. But two thirds of the way through each of the tours – Ireland in New Zealand, England in Australia, Wales in South [...]