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 this list, providing three of the five candidates predicted to produce imposing 12 months in world rugby. Begin Slideshow  Read More →

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 →

David Pocock: World Rugby’s Player of 2015

Dan Carter scooped the official World Rugby Player of the Year title for 2015, and no one would begrudge the New Zealander the plaudits that have come his way. The fly-half, now at Racing 92, has battled injuries during the second half of his glittering career and was on a mission to appear in the 2015 Rugby World Cup final after injury robbed him of his place in the 2011 World Cup-winning New Zealand team. He did so in style, kicking 16 points in the final to finish the tournament—and his international career—with that coveted World Cup medal around his neck. But this column will... 

Ranking Europe’s Top 15 Club Teams After Weekend of January 1-3

There seems to be no way around, over, under or through Saracens. If Eddie Jones’ first England squad doesn’t have a thick black-and-red streak running through it, we will eat Maro Itoje’s head guard. The young back-rower must be on the verge of a Six Nations debut. The Fez Boys continued their winning streak at the weekend to maintain their iron grip on the lead of the Premiership and, by extension, this power ranking. Like a stubborn fairy atop a Christmas tree that has outstayed its welcome, they show no signs of coming down any time soon. Behind them, the best French sides... 

Ranking the Biggest Hits in World Rugby for Weekend of January 1-3

This week’s roundup includes a dubious challenge that went unpunished, a prime example of how much it can hurt to tackle a prop at full tilt and a cruncher from a centre on a hooker that proves size isn’t everything.  The mud is starting to slow players down as they charge toward their opponent, which is making clean, big hits harder to pull off, unless you are Steven Setephano, who timed this week’s winner to perfection. Begin Slideshow  Read More →

James O’Connor: World Rugby’s Clown of 2015

The new year presents a fresh start and new beginnings for those who decide they need it, a time when many attempt to make up for past wrongdoings and make for a better future.  Try as he might, Australia’s James O’Connor might look back on the past 12 months as a period he’d rather forget, And after compatriot Kurtley Beale claimed the 2014 award, the 25-year-old now gets the nod as world rugby’s clown of 2015. It could have been all so different for O’Connor, who returned to the Queensland Reds at the beginning of a Rugby World Cup year and, in theory, should... 

Best XV in World Rugby for Weekend of January 1-3

Some of England’s major powers suffered significant setbacks as the 2016 calendar got underway this weekend, with Bath and Wasps suffering notable losses to Newcastle Falcons and Sale Sharks, respectively. There were no such hiccups from Premiership leaders Saracens, though, as Mark McCall’s men defeated Leicester Tigers 26-6 to extend their lead at the top of the standings. Elsewhere, reigning Top 14 champions Stade Francais injected some life into their struggling campaign with an 18-17 win over Toulouse, but Racing 92 and Clermont Auvergne remain the teams to beat in France. The... 

5 Bold Predictions for World Rugby in 2016

The year of 2016 will see rugby sevens make its bow as an Olympic sport and also heralds a new era for many of the world’s top sides. Gone from the international stage are giants of the game such as Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Thierry Dusautoir, Ma’a Nonu and others. England and France are under new coaching regimes and must start to turn their fortunes around. In Super Rugby, Japan and Argentina throw teams into the ring as the global game continues to expand. Let’s make some outlandish predictions for what the next 12 months might bring. 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 past 12 months so memorable. Included are triumphs, disappointments and quirky stories you might have forgotten. Begin Slideshow  Read More →

5 Players Who May Retire from International Rugby in 2016

Rugby was saddened to see a long line of international veterans leave the sport in 2015, and 2016 presents another host of potential retirees nearing the end of their playing days. The passing of the 2015 Rugby World Cup will be a significant factor in which players call time on their Test careers, with the 2019 edition likely seen as too far away in the eyes of many seasoned stars. Taking into account the age, club contract commitments and future prospects of certain players, we’ve complied a list of figures who could choose to end their international careers in 2016. Begin Slideshow  Read More →

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