Jamie George has the toughest job in world rugby – trying to eject England captain Dylan Hartley from a team he has led to 13 successive victories, including a Six Nations Grand Slam and historic series triumph in Australia. Rather than being cowed by the challenge, George, the burly Saracens hooker, has maintained the pressure Read More …
EDDIE JONES has given his unbeaten England players three challenges they must rise to if they are to defeat Argentina tomorrow, with the need for a suffocating defence the most serious concern for a team bidding to become No1 in the sport. That is the ranking Jones has told his players they can achieve but Read More …
Tana Umaga admits the Maori All Blacks will be very short of preparation time when they take on the British and Irish Lions on next summer’s tour. The Maori will be the fifth of the Lions ten matches in New Zealand, with the game taking place at Rotorua where a vociferous crowd will support a Read More …
England’s ten game unbeaten run and their credibility as potential World No1’s is on the line against South Africa at Twickenham tomorrow. Remarkably, England, the second best team in the world, haven’t beaten the Springboks since 2006 which involves 11 defeats and a draw and this obvious flaw in their rugby CV cannot be allowed Read More …
Mako Vunipola will face an intensely physical test of his improved scrum power against struggling South Africa at Twickenham on Saturday and believes New Zealand’s loss to Ireland proves that nothing can be taken for granted in international rugby. With the All Blacks world record 18 successive wins ending in Chicago, England run out against Read More …
Nathan Hughes is relishing the prospect of joining forces with Billy Vunipola as part of an England ball carrying double act to frighten any international defence. Having earned a first call-up to the England squad, Hughes, the Wasps No8, must now convince head coach Eddie Jones he deserves to join Vunipola on the test stage Read More …
Kelly Brown, the former Scotland captain, is juggling playing and also coaching the Saracens Academy this season for the Aviva Premiership and European Champions Cup double champions. It is the latest example of Sarries keeping things “in-house” and ensuring that vital rugby experience is not lost when key players finish their careers. Charlie Hodgson retired Read More …
Kurtley Beale insists there is a still a place for all shapes and sizes in the modern game and will mark his return from a serious knee injury in December by joining the “Light Brigade” at Wasps. While the majority of Premiership back lines feature players who would not look out of place in the Read More …
An English rugby writer has poured cold water on Steven Hansen’s proposal of an annual match between the Six Nations and Rugby Championship winners because he says World Rugby won’t agree to it. Officials have held talks about the scheduling of rugby after the next World Cup, with proposals to align the northern and southern Read More …
Chris Ashton could quit English rugby if he is given a lengthy ban tonight. The Saracens wing will appear before an RFU disciplinary panel in London for twice biting Northampton prop Alex Waller and if found guilty could be suspended for up to 48 weeks. Ashton was banned for 10 weeks last season for gouging Read More …
