Ali Crossdale aiming to use French Olympic gold triumph to boost Top 14 challenge

Former Wasps flyer Ali Crossdale’s personal Top 14 highlights reel includes the moment he burnt French international wing Damian Penaud to score a great individual try in Perpignan’s win over Bordeaux last season and that pace has always marked him out as a special talent. The win offered Perpignan the chance to finish in the Read More …

Rising coaching star Nick Evans is a fan of LQB rather than KBA

Former Ireland outside half Ronan O’Gara is getting his La Rochelle team to embrace the concept of Keep Ball Alive (KBA) as they bid for European glory but All Black Nick Evans prefers LQB as he steers Harlequins towards a Gallagher Premiership title challenge. Former All Black Evans admires O’Gara’s KBA edict but sees the Read More …

Dr James Robson – one of the greatest Lions of them all

Dr James Robson is a veteran of more than 200 international matches and his skill and experience underpinned every British and Irish Lions tour from 1993 to 2013, putting him at the heart of some of the greatest highs and debilitating lows in the history of the most famous touring team in the world. Robson Read More …

Hastings wants sevens not hybrid version to kick start rugby

Former Scotland and Lions captain Gavin Hastings believes controversial World Rugby plans to scrap scrums, line outs and mauls to allow the game to return during the COVID-19 pandemic will turn the sport into touch rugby and that sevens should be the obvious route back. Hastings, whose son Adam is the current Scotland and Glasgow Read More …

Mako delivers some good news for England’s Rugby World Cup preparations

Mako Vunipola will join England’s World Cup training camp having discarded his crutches and will tell head coach Eddie Jones he is confident of appearing in at least two of the warm up internationals before the squad heads to Japan. Vunipola revealed to RugbyPass the severity of the injury he suffered helping Saracens beat Leinster Read More …

Gold standard set for USA at Rugby World Cup

A year ago Gary Gold guided the USA to an historic win over Scotland and now the Eagles head coach is planning to use the international success of the country’s sevens team to boost their confidence at this year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan. Mike Friday’s USA Eagles sevens held the No1 ranking until pipped Read More …

King predicts Saracens machine will nullify French World Cup threats

Alex King, the Montpellier backs coach, believes an England team based around the Saracens “machine” will nullify World Cup pool arch-rivals France despite the attacking firepower on show in Saturday’s Top 14 final between Toulouse and Clermont Auvergne in Paris. Both teams carry potent attacking options for French coach Jacques Brunel who has yet to Read More …

Martin Johnson verdict on Dylan Hartley’s place in England World Cup squad

World Cup winning captain Martin Johnson is backing Dylan Hartley to be included in Eddie Jones’s England squad for this year’s tournament in Japan despite the Northampton hooker having been side-lined since December by a knee injury. Johnson knows what it’s like to triumph at the World Cup and also the problems associated with a Read More …

Mike Brown should be part of England’s World Cup armoury says All Black Evans

All Black Nick Evans believes Mike Brown has turned himself into an attacking force Eddie Jones must include in England’s World Cup squad in Japan despite the Harlequins full back having missed out on Six Nations action. Brown is stuck on 72 caps having been dropped for England’s November tests with Elliot Daly at No15 Read More …