Wales beyond embarrassment, they need to show Six Nations fight February 7, 2025 I couldn’t concur more with former Wales fly-half Dan Biggar when he said their Six Nations clash with Italy this weekend is the team’s biggest game in the last 20 years. On paper this match should be a walk in the park for Wales; the last time they lost to Italy on the continent was [...]
France will win the Six Nations but round 1 will be key January 31, 2025 It is here, the greatest annual international sports tournament in the world. The Six Nations has it all and I expect this year to be closer than ever. Ireland are on good form but below their recent best, Scotland continue to build but the championship remains elusive, Wales are desperate for a win, England are [...]
It’s a shame Premiership Rugby stars aren’t playing this weekend January 24, 2025 Off the back of two brilliant weeks of Champions Cup rugby and just a week away from the start of the Six Nations, it is a shame that this week’s Premiership fixtures will be devoid of all England players set to feature in the looming international championship. Having seen the league drop from 13 teams [...]
Investec Champions Cup: Saints and Munster to serve up classic January 17, 2025 Though there has been some debate surrounding the format of the Investec Champions Cup, few can deny that it has led to a final weekend of fixtures with (nearly) everything on the line. Bar the Bulls, who cannot reach the round of 16, there are 23 teams fighting for a spot in the knockouts or [...]
Leinster, Munster and Ulster need to end Irish Champions Cup drought January 10, 2025 Of Ireland’s four rugby provinces, the three in this year’s Investec Champions Cup share seven titles between them. Dubliners Leinster have won the competition four times and featured in eight finals, Munster have won two from four showpiece matches and Ulster are one win from two finals. But all is not well on the Emerald [...]
Lions will smash Aussies and England will win World Cup in 2025 January 3, 2025 Happy New Year one and all! The upcoming 12 months are going to be filled with brilliant rugby moments but the Lions and England Women top the billing for me. Because 2025 has a lot going on, but the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia in July and the Women’s Rugby World Cup headline [...]
Which stadium is the best in the Gallagher Premiership? December 26, 2024 There are 10 Gallagher Premiership teams fighting tooth and nail to lift the title this season. And a key part of reaching the semi-finals is home form and away form. But which stadium is the best in England and which comes up short? Well here is my ultimate ranking of the 10 Premiership grounds. 10 [...]
Ollie Phillips: Dupont leads my 2024 rugby union awards December 20, 2024 For my last rugby union column of 2024 in print it’s only right that we hand out a couple of awards covering the last 12 months. Rugby has seen an Olympic Games sit front and centre of the calendar while there have been some surprises in terms of domestic winners. It wasn’t easy but I’ve [...]
Leinster, Clermont, Tigers and Sharks to serve up Champions Cup delight December 13, 2024 Set an alarm for 5:30pm on Saturday, settle in, pour yourself a brew or glass of wine, put on the dual screens and enjoy what will be the standout matches of the second weekend of Investec Champions Cup action. Because Leicester – having been forced to rest a number of players for their huge clash [...]
Can English clubs mount an Investec Champions Cup charge? December 6, 2024 If you were to list the last five English appearances in an Investec Champions Cup final you’d find Exeter there once and Saracens the other four times. Before that it was Northampton Saints in 2011 and before that London Wasps and Leicester Tigers in 2007. But if you were to ask me to predict which [...]
