‘Premiership top six battle makes up for stragglers at foot of table’ January 5, 2024 At last there’s some good news in English rugby with record attendances and millions watching from home across two Premiership rounds over the holidays. Of course it must be taken with a pinch of salt, the figures always tend to be skewed slightly at Christmas, but it is at least a sign of retained interest [...]
‘2024 will be the year rugby finally finds stability… I hope’ December 27, 2023 When it comes to rugby it is difficult to know what exactly is in store for us across 2024. There’s no World Cup or Lions Tour to steal the headlines so the sport will need to work especially hard to remain relevant. But there are opportunities, and that’s something the sport must exploit. Here’s my [...]
2023 rugby review: Jones, Sexton, England, London Irish and Hunter December 22, 2023 It’s been quite the 2023 in rugby. This year South Africa won the Rugby World Cup, La Rochelle lifted the Champions Cup after Leinster No10 Johnny Sexton abused the referee, the women’s game has grown further and Australia had 12 months of Eddie Jones. Well, almost. It has had it all. English rugby lost two [...]
Ollie Phillips: Premiership sides are dishing up humble pie in Investec Champions Cup December 15, 2023 Premiership teams stunned columnist Ollie Phillips last week. Can they do it again?
Ollie Phillips: Can anyone topple the Top 14 sides in European club rugby? December 7, 2023 Our columnist previews the new European club rugby season.
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 [...]
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 [...]
‘Gloucester Rugby won’t be at panic stations yet, but Skivington on thin ice’ November 17, 2023 Derby day defeats are never savoury affairs but for Gloucester fans their 45-27 loss to Bath last Friday, having led 20-10 at half-time, will have sent waves of worry across the Cotswolds. I am never one to push the panic button early when it comes to sacking coaches or making changes at the top, and [...]
‘Premiership Rugby MUST make most of storylines to solidify league’ November 10, 2023 This weekend’s Premiership action sees the first of the major derbies in English rugby: Gloucester versus Bath. The Kingsholm terraces will be packed and jeering, and the opposition players taking abuse for 80 minutes. This is the kind of storyline and cauldron Premiership Rugby needs to build upon following the Rugby World Cup. The league [...]
Andy Farrell should lead the British and Irish Lions on a tour which could humiliate Australia November 3, 2023 The World Cup is over and South Africa are champions, but given the schedule over the next four years I am already looking at the 2025 Lions tour to Australia. Australia are in freefall. It is a cesspit of uselessness at the moment where no one quite knows where to go and what to do. [...]
