Biggest Hits in World Rugby for Week of August 25-31

Europe’s top divisions are making their way back into the global rugby picture frame by frame, but it’s still the in-swing Southern Hemisphere that stars highly in this week’s biggest hits. “Big” Ben Tameifuna gets no less than two mentions in our latest edition, one of which warranted a sin-binning—due to the fact that it wasn’t against an actual player. However, the Waikato and Chiefs prop set things right in the same fixture against North Harbour, lining his man up with precision timing and refusing to budge, just as he does best. Top spot this week... 

6 Biggest Storylines Entering the New Guinness PRO12 Season

The Pro12 has been a source of substantial controversy over the past 18 months or so, with broadcasting rights and European involvement ranking highly among the topics of discussion. Those concerns appear to have been satisfied for the foreseeable future, and Leinster head into the 2014-15 campaign with a view to defending their title in as comfortable a fashion as possible. The Celtic giants will, as always, be pushed hard for their honours, however, and a new era of rugby for the teams in Wales, Ireland, Scotland and Italy promises to make for a stellar campaign. With the kick-off of this new... 

Grading Every Club Entering Aviva Premiership Season

After a long summer of waiting, the 2014-15 Aviva Premiership campaign gets underway in little more than a week. As ever, we have a bounty of pre-season questions in need of answers. Northampton Saints enter this term as defending champions, but does that mean Jim Mallinder’s men come back to the fray as the strongest outright party? We give each of the 12 clubs competing a grade based on their squad strength, star assets, summer business and several other mitigating factors in an attempt to see which sides enter the season with the best hopes for success.   Bath Having come so desperately... 

5 Biggest Concerns for Argentina Coach Daniel Hourcade in Rugby Championship

Argentina find themselves in familiar territory after two games of the Rugby Championship: bottom of the table, played two, lost two. But that doesn’t tell half the story. The Pumas came agonisingly close in both Tests against South Africa to securing their first tournament victory. In particular, their performance in Salta last weekend deserved more than to have the win snatched away at the death. Now they have to go to New Zealand and Australia in the second stanza of the competition. Their quest for that elusive first win won’t get any easier. Here are the biggest hurdles for coach... 

5 Biggest Concerns for South Africa Coach Heyneke Meyer in Rugby Championship

South Africa escaped their doubleheader with two narrow margins of victory that has done little for the confidence of their fans back home as they embark on their visits to Australia and New Zealand. Despite boasting nine wins from their last 10 games, Heyneke Meyer’s men sit atop the Rugby Championship table with more questions than answers springing from the robbery they committed in Salta to sneak off with a 33-31 win. Here are Heyneke’s major headaches. Begin Slideshow  Read More →

5 Biggest Concerns for Australia Coach Ewen McKenzie in Rugby Championship

Ewen McKenzie has a lot to ponder in the wake of Australia’s 51-20 thrashing at the hands of New Zealand in the second week of this year’s Rugby Championship. Things started so brightly after the opening-round draw against the All Blacks in Sydney, but the upcoming break gives the head coach a chance to take a step back and reassess before heading into the fray once more. The 2014 Bledisloe Cup is lost and the Wallabies’ Rugby Championship lies in some disarray, but with the bigger picture in mind, we discuss the aspects McKenzie must address sooner rather than later. Begin Slideshow  Read More →

5 Biggest Concerns for New Zealand Coach Steve Hansen in Rugby Championship

Most coaches would kill for the kind of problems Steve Hansen has. The All Blacks purred into top gear against Australia on Saturday to hit 50 points, playing some thrilling rugby in the process. They entertain Argentina next as they look to take a third consecutive Rugby Championship title and it would seem little could stop them. There are, nevertheless, a few things to iron out for Hansen and his staff, which may come as some small comfort to the rest of the rugby world. Begin Slideshow  Read More →

Sonny Bill Williams’ Exemption Shows Hypocrisy of NZRU

Sonny Bill Williams has not even returned to New Zealand rugby yet, but the predictable controversy has begun earlier than expected. In a decision that seems to embody hypocrisy, the NZRU has granted him an exemption, as per the New Zealand Herald. The exemption will allow Williams to go on the All Blacks’ end of year tour without having first played in the ITM Cup at the conclusion of the NRL season, should his Roosters team advance to the Grand Final. It is a decision which contradicts the policy of only picking players who are playing within New Zealand, which the NZRU has adhered to so... 

Biggest Hits in World Rugby for Week of August 18-24

Both the Rugby Championship and ITM Cup competitions continued their rampages in front of the rugby spotlight this weekend as the sport’s attentions remain fixed on matters south of the equator. New Zealand did away with the demons of their 12-12 draw in Sydney a week ago to dish out a far more convincing 51-20 beating of Australia at Eden Park. However, it was South Africa’s slim 33-31 victory over Argentina that featured a greater number of crushing encounters; the Pumas made Heyneke Meyer’s men really work for their points reward. That being said, it’s the thrall of ITM... 

Best XV from Second Weekend of Rugby Championship

The second week of The Rugby Championship served up a pair of thrilling matches. In Auckland, the All Blacks decimated Australia with a devastating display of fast, flowing rugby. In Salta, South Africa snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against Argentina. There were plenty of stellar displays in both games from which to assemble the team of the week.  Begin Slideshow  Read More →

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