CATEGORIES

Ruddock can revive the ailing Ospreys

IT’S great to see Mike Ruddock back in Welsh rugby but there’s a big task ahead of him. Personally, I hope Mike stays longer than the month he’s been signed up for as a consultant but I guess we will just have to wait and see how he goes. I think Mike is the right man to get the Ospreys back on the right path. He’s a very shrewd operator and he demands high standards so I’m sure he will have identified areas of their rugby operation that need improving. I think he will make an instant impact and he is exactly what they need to get them back on track.

It beggars belief that the Lions are treated so badly

THE Lions have announced the itinerary for their five-week 2021 tour of South Africa, and with it comes a huge sense of disappointment that the Premiership has not shifted their position.

Curry orders Sharks to put on a killer show

BEN Curry wants his side to put on a performance that will turn part-time fans into diehard regulars when Sale Sharks take on Exeter Chiefs in this weekend’s only all-English European tie.

Basham's Dismissal Has Ryan Baffled

DIRECTOR of rugby Dean Ryan was baffled by the decision to send off Taine Basham in Dragons’ defeat at Worcester Warriors.

PRL secrecy is an insult to all club rugby fans

IS Premiership Rugby fit for purpose? Is the governing body of the multi-million pound club game in England understaffed, overworked or just plain incompetent? I ask because on their website, in the salary cap section, PRL trumpets the success of the league in providing a level playing field by pointing to ‘five different Premiership rugby champions in the last six years’.

Ospreys pay for Evans early red

DAN Evans was red carded after just 37 seconds for kicking Teddy Thomas in the head as the Ospreys suffered a heavy Champions Cup defeat.

It's much ado about nothing at Thomond

IT’S not often that Munster and Saracens miss their cue and disappoint in Europe but, even given difficult second half conditions, this was a sterile affair lacking any real drama and failed to live up to its pre-match hype.

Piutau Makes His Bears Appealing On And Off Field

BRISTOL winger Charles Piutau says earning power was only part of the equation that persuaded to extend his contract at Ashton Gate.

England Fire Till Burns Right For Launchbury

JOE Launchbury has revealed that his burning desire to continue fighting for his country persuaded him to eschew exploring opportunities abroad in favour of a new contract at Wasps.

Cooney Gives Quins Late Kick In The Teeth

PAUL Gustard refused to give up the ghost on Quins’ European dreams despite an agonising and devastating late defeat at Kingspan Stadium.

Samson's Back With Help Of Dad's Kidney

NEALE HARVEY talks to Vili Ma’asi after his life-changing gift to son Samson.

Devastating As Saints March All Over Tigers

DYNAMIC Northampton maintained their strangle-hold over their arch-rivals in the most convincing manner possible.

Future's Bright For Ireland Insists Rory

RORY Best has hit back at Ireland’s critics and insists they will be a force to be reckoned with under Andy Farrell.

Bears Send Out Their Big Boys For Exiles Clash

BRISTOL roll out big guns Nathan Hughes, John Afoa and brothers Charles and Siale Piutau against an Irish side that features star Australian signing Adam Coleman on the bench.

How Much Longer Can Baa-Baas Last?

The Barbarians are one of the most iconic brands in rugby, but are they still relevant in today’s world?

Assault-Charge Jennings Gets A New Chance

FALLEN former Sale Sharks and England U20s midfield star Mark Jennings has spoken of how the combined assistance of the Rugby Players Association, Wilmslow Rugby Club and longtime friend Jonny Kennedy has provided him with salvation.

Savage Bears Serve Brive A Tasty Bagle

PAT Lam acclaimed his Bears romp in France as “a big statement” in their desire to become one of Europe’s leading clubs.

Nerveless Dan Gives Saints Late Salvation

DAN Biggar showed nerves of steel to keep Northampton unbeaten in Europe, but it was still not enough to make Chris Boyd happy after his Saints were given a real scare by Benetton.

Quins Win Ugly To Keep Their Euro Dream Alive

PAUL Gustard praised the effort and energy of his Quins as the London club breathed new life into their European crusade but left Bath facing a monumental challenge to progress any further in the competition.

Franco And Irish Defy Musclemen Of Bayonne

FRANCO van der Merwe produced a colossal captain’s display as Irish held off a monster Bayonne outfit to bag seven tries and a heartening Challenge Cup win.

Bustling Beno Ready To Muscle In On Prop Stars

INSPIRED by the World Cup exploits of cousin Maro Itoje, Bath’s bulldozing prop Beno Obano believes he is hitting top form in the race to further his own Test ambitions.

End This Secrecy Over Saracens

WHETHER you take the view that Saracens have nobbled themselves, or have been nobbled by others jealous of their success, Europe’s champion club have crashed to earth.

Bears Offer Rory Chance To Go Out At The Top

RORY Best is being asked to kick retirement into touch and take a fast track to the summit of the English Premiership.

Trim the bench, enforce rules...and improve game

THE 2019 World Cup was a great advert for the game, and even though I was a long way away from Japan, I loved it – and also believe that it can be a springboard for an even better version of rugby union.

The Beast has become a beauty for Springboks

FEW players get to announce their retirement off the back of possibly a career-best, World Cup-winning, performance but that is the happy place Tendai Mtawarira finds himself occupying this week as he enjoys the Springboks’ trophy tour of the Rainbow Nation.

Ospreys would be so magical with Liam

The Saracens salary cap scandal could have a positive outcome on the game in Wales with Liam Williams out of contract at the end of the season.

McNicholl will give North some competition

Five years ago Johnny McNicholl found himself surrounded by so many All Blacks that it must have seemed a mere matter of time before he became one himself.

Lions and Baa-baas lined up for Twickenham

THE Lions are planning to play the Barbarians at Twickenham for the first time since the Gareth Edwards-Phil Bennett era more than 40 years ago.

Assistant coaches could hold key to All Blacks job

As an All Black, Tony Brown played just 18 Tests and lived almost permanently in the shadow of one of the greatest New Zealand fly-halves of the modern era, Andrew Mehrtens.

Hardwick Shows Tigers Have Turned The Corner

It wasn't pretty but Leicester will not care how they achieved their first Premiership win of the season.