Ollie Phillips: England rugby chiefs stuck between rock and hard place over Eddie Jones March 25, 2022 It has been a challenging week for the Rugby Football Union (RFU) following the conclusion of another disappointing Six Nations for England and Eddie Jones. The expectation, which the RFU have helped to foster, is that England should be the best team in the world. But the reality, as winning just two games at the [...]
Ollie Phillips: England need to target French emotion in Six Nations March 18, 2022 France face the ultimate challenge tomorrow. Winning a Six Nations Championship is hard enough, but to win one when there’s just the English between you and a Grand Slam is even harder. Super Saturday is one of the great days of international rugby outside of the World Cup. Three games, five of the six highest [...]
Ollie Phillips: I would have Ireland down as favourites March 11, 2022 When you look at the England and Ireland squads on paper ahead of tomorrow’s Six Nations match in London, I do think that the away side might nick it. It’s all about what is going on up front and I think that’s where Ireland have the edge. They’ll no doubt be targeting England’s line-out, which [...]
Ollie Phillips: Corker of a weekend ahead of us in the Premiership March 4, 2022 While an absence of promotion and relegation in Premiership Rugby may be the talking point within the sport, it’s hard to deny that the lack of jeopardy has produced some cracking rugby this season. With Saracens in second on 54 points and Northampton in ninth on 42, it’s incredibly tight for the three play-off places [...]
Ollie Phillips: Key returnees could spice up England v Wales clash February 24, 2022 It’s not one of the hardest predictions I have had to make during this year’s Six Nations but I just don’t see any result other than a comfortable England win when they play Wales on Saturday. A large part of that, I think, comes down to Eddie Jones now picking a team around his No10 [...]
Ollie Phillips: Super Six Nations could be bettered by Boks February 18, 2022 This really is a belting Six Nations Championship. We may only be two weeks in but what a set of performances we have seen across the opening six games. France are just massive. They’re a group of juggernauts ripping balls, rucking hard, carrying everywhere. They’re just so good to watch. They might just be one [...]
Ollie Phillips: France vs Ireland is the Grand Slam decider February 11, 2022 It’s hard to look at this weekend’s Six Nations match between France and Ireland and not see it as a Grand Slam decider. We may only be in the second round of the championship but if there turns out to be an unbeaten side this year it’ll be the winner of this match. I don’t [...]
Ollie Phillips: ‘England’s squad is uninspiring but it’s dangerous’ February 4, 2022 Tomorrow’s Calcutta Cup will no doubt be explosive. There’s a real clash of styles in the Six Nations match between Scotland and England in Edinburgh – but that’s just going to make the game even more exciting. I really like the England squad, and bar Elliot Daly at No13 it is a 23 in form, [...]
Ollie Phillips: Absent internationals will help and hinder Premiership clubs January 28, 2022 I’m in Seville for the World Sevens Series, whetting my appetite for the festival of international rugby that is the Six Nations. It’s the best championship on the planet, and what will be interesting this year is how the Premiership clubs cope with losing internationals. Only Worcester failed to get a player in the England [...]
Ollie Phillips: Habits die hard as the Premiership reaches half way January 7, 2022 After this week’s Premiership action, each of the 13 teams will be halfway through their seasons. Some have outperformed my expectations, like Gloucester, and others have – thankfully – lived up to my predictions, like Leicester. The Premiership, though, despite its lack of relegation and jeopardy, has proven that habits are hard to break in [...]
