5 England Rugby Players Who Never Reached Their Potential

England rugby’s recent past is full of young bright lights expected to develop into star players but who never reached their potential. All five England players included in this list are backs who should have shone for the Red Rose in the late 2000s and this decade, but who, for a variety of reasons, became nearly-men of English rugby. In compiling this list Steffon Armitage has been excluded... 

Sean O’Brien Not Rory Best Should Captain Joe Schmidt’s Ireland

Rory Best was named as the new captain of Ireland by national team coach Joe Schmidt on Wednesday, ahead of Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip and Jonny Sexton. Rory Best is a “steady hand,” as the Irish Examiner called him, but because of his age, his competition for the No. 2 jersey and the demands of his position, Sean O’Brien not Rory Best should captain Joe Schmidt’s Ireland. So... 

5 Players in World Rugby Who Have Much to Prove in 2016

Players who are doubted always have something to prove. But there are others who manage to retain their starting places on the back of former glories or the unfulfilled promise of brilliance. Here, Bleacher Report analyses the mavericks, young hotshots and experienced players who have much to prove in 2016 if their rugby careers are to hit the high notes. Begin Slideshow  Read More →

5 Players Eddie Jones Was Wrong to Omit from His England Squad

Eddie Jones named his first England squad on Wednesday with some big omissions from his 33-man party. Jones was right to exclude Tom Wood from the Elite Player Squad for consistently average performances, and it was correct to leave out the one-dimensional Brad Barritt. Jones, moreover, mistakenly left out the form scrum-half in England, one of its finest props and three others who seemingly perfectly... 

5 International Rugby Players Set for Big Years in 2016

2016 will see the making of the careers of several international rugby players. In this article, Bleacher Report brings attention to five players most likely to make the grade over the coming year. As is perhaps to be expected, three of those who are tipped for success are getting their chance to shine following the retirement of titanic figures in their national teams. Interestingly, centres dominate... 

5 Rugby Players Who Should Become Starters for England in 2016

England rugby is in a strange place. 2015 came with hope and expectation, and despite a disastrous home Rugby World Cup, it feels as though continuity rather than sweeping changes will be the order of 2016. Eddie Jones’ appointment as England head coach is the big alteration, and under him here are five players who should become starters for England in 2016. Begin Slideshow  Read More →

A-Z of World Rugby in 2015

2015 was arguably the finest year of rugby in the professional era. Internationally, New Zealand were world champions, Australia won the Rugby Championship and Ireland retained the Six Nations. The Highlanders claimed the Super 15 title and Toulon secured a third-straight victory in the rebranded European Champions Cup. In this A-Z of the year, Bleacher Report remembers the key moments that made the... 

Sam Burgess: World Rugby’s Biggest Flop of 2015

Sam Burgess was, without doubt, the biggest flop in international rugby in 2015. To be a flop is to perform well below the expectations coaches, fans and the media set, and in the case of Burgess, because these hopes were set too high, he flopped. The hype around the world’s best rugby league player converting to rugby union in time for the Rugby World Cup in England was the biggest story in... 

Ranking the Top 5 Coaches in International Rugby in 2015

The top five coaches in international rugby in 2015 are all from the southern hemisphere, but one gets in to this list for his work with a European team. The sport’s governing body, World Rugby, named Michael Cheika the best coach this year, but did he deserve the accolade having not won the game’s most important prize? In this World Cup year, priority has been given to performances... 

Why Eddie Jones Would Be Wrong to Appoint Dylan Hartley as England Captain

Dylan Hartley appears set to be named England captain in a bold move by new head coach Eddie Jones, as reported by BBC Sport. However, while the Northampton hooker can be a fine player, he lacks the discipline and the ability to command respect that are needed to be an international captain. It looks as though Jones might be getting this important call wrong—very wrong. At 29 and with 66 caps,... 

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