Gatland and Schmidt, two of rugby’s finest, seek perfect World Cup send-off Gatland and Schmidt seek perfect send-offs While it is normal to see coaching turnover at the end of a World Cup cycle, the aftermath of the 2019 tournament will be particularly poignant. Steve Hansen, current world champion, will leave his post as New Zealand head coach. However, it is two of his countrymen, Joe Schmidt and Warren Gatland, whose departures will [...]
Rugby World Cup to give Georgia the chance to earn their seat at rugby’s top table Rugby World Cup gives Georgia chance to prove themselves Georgia have spent the better part of a decade stuck in European Rugby’s no man’s land, wedged under the glass ceiling that separates them from the continent’s elite. Currently, their primary competition is the Rugby Europe Championship, the second tier beneath the far more prestigious Six Nations. Georgia have won nine of the last 11 [...]
As the World Cup looms, Japan and USA represent rugby’s biggest targets for growth Why Japan and USA are rugby's growth markets Four years ago, Karne Hesketh propelled himself into the corner of the Amex Stadium in Brighton. His 84th-minute try that gave Japan a World Cup victory over two-time winners South Africa, and the rugby world came to a standstill unlike ever before. The result is, and is likely to stay for some time, the biggest [...]
Frank Lampard and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first meeting could be the beginning of a lesson in the value of nostalgia August 8, 2019 When Chelsea visit Old Trafford on Sunday, a combination of nostalgia and muted expectations will be the makings of an unfamiliar atmosphere between the two giants. From Jose Mourinho’s arrival in summer 2004 until Sergio Aguero’s last-gasp winner at Loftus Road in 2012, Chelsea and Manchester United were the only two teams to taste Premier [...]
Richmond, Cornish Pirates and how the growing gap between Premiership and Championship rugby is threatening clubs’ finances and professional status August 7, 2019 Three years ago amateur rugby club Richmond sealed a surprise promotion to the Championship, the second tier of England’s two professional leagues. They were faced with a stick-or-twist decision: hire an entirely new squad of full-time players and try to compete, or reward their existing part-timers with the opportunity to compete against the pros. At [...]
QPR season preview: Youth is key as R’s rebuild from financial chaos July 30, 2019 Five years is a long time in football, particularly for Queens Park Rangers. And five years on from their last promotion to the Premier League, the club are still suffering from a failed shot at the big time during five manic seasons that saw them go up and down twice. QPR took the promotion gamble [...]
Shane Williams interview: ‘This is the strongest Wales squad I’ve ever seen. They need this World Cup.’ July 29, 2019 Shane Williams has seen plenty of great Wales teams. In recent history he has been a crucial part of most of them, winning two Grand Slams and a world player of the year award in a glittering career in a red shirt. But none of those sides, according to the former winger, are as good [...]
Laurent Koscielny: a pre-season protest that threatens to worsen the leadership void at Arsenal July 15, 2019 Arsenal captain Laurent Koscielny’s attempt to force a move away from the club by refusing to travel on their pre-season tour of the US has been greeted with shock and deja-vu in equal measure. Shock that such an unapologetic show of petulance would come from Koscielny, who, in his nine years at the club, has [...]
