Best XV in World Rugby for Weekend of December 18-20

England’s giants are on the rise in this season’s European Rugby Champions Cup following a thrilling weekend of action leading into the Christmas break. Three of the five pools are now led by Aviva Premiership sides after victories for Saracens, Wasps and Leicester Tigers, while Northampton Saints and Exeter Chiefs are still contending in their respective groups. Wasps’ 36-10 victory at The Rec on Saturday was a particularly impressive result as Dai Young’s side earned revenge for the close loss they suffered at Bath’s hands in Coventry last week. Young’s men... 

Biggest Winners and Losers in World Rugby for Weekend of December 18-20

The European Rugby Champions Cup was once again at centre stage this weekend, which saw Wasps, Toulon and Ulster do their pool bids the world of good with some very valuable victories. This week’s biggest winners and losers focuses more on matters away from the pitch, however, as a certain Irish outcast looks to make his return to his native land and Eddie Jones’ England staff takes one step closer to completion. There’s also an intriguing plot developing between Glasgow Warriors’ latest sensation and the Australian outfit attempting to lure him back to Super Rugby. Read... 

Ranking the 5 Best Back Rows in World Rugby Right Now

The back row has become the most important unit on the field in modern rugby union. Defensively, they are the men who commonly end up on top of the tackle count and are the players responsible for winning back possession at the tackle area. Many of them play a pivotal role in their teams’ lineout operations and are additionally expected to be able to act as link men between forwards and backs, popping up out wide to support wings and centres. They must be the men who can do it all, and the very best of them can determine their side’s success or failure with their performances. These... 

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, Hartley is experienced enough to lead England, but that experience makes his indiscipline even less excusable. I shan’t list all Hartley’s misdemeanours here, but suffice to say that he... 

Why England Should Retain Chris Robshaw as Captain

Not even a month into his reign as England head coach, Eddie Jones is already making the tough decisions on how best to shake up the national team, and his first order of business may be electing a new captain. Incumbent Chris Robshaw has made no secret of his desire to keep the armband, but a report from BBC Sport suggests controversial Northampton Saints hooker Dylan Hartley will be re-elected as skipper. Many will feel that following such a nightmarish run at the World Cup, it’s only deserved for Robshaw; others will feel that team couldn’t have succeeded under former head... 

Ranking Europe’s Top 15 Club Teams After Weekend of December 11-13

Saracens and Toulon last met in the final of the 2013-2014 Heineken Cup, and the signs are they will be the teams to beat in pursuit of the European Rugby Champions Cup trophy this season. The second weekend of December saw both sides put in impressive displays in their pools while other big names, such as Munster, Clermont Auvergne and Toulouse, all got beaten. Rising fast, Exeter Chiefs and Ulster claimed scalps that signalled their quality and boosted their hopes of a route to the knockout stages. And they are also joined in that bracket by the Ospreys, for whom Dan Biggar continues to pull... 

Ranking the Biggest Hits in World Rugby for Weekend of December 11-13

The European Champions Cup pool stage reached its halfway point at the weekend and there was plenty of passion on display as sides continue to jockey for quarter-final spots. This week we have a quartet of hits from the action, combining foul play with powerful tackles that levelled their intended targets with resounding effectiveness. One game into his career as a Racing 92 player, we welcome Dan Carter to the biggest hits collection. Not for a tackle he made, mind you—the former New Zealand international has seldom been one for the bone-shaking reducer—but for a hit he received. The... 

Best XV in World Rugby for Weekend of December 11-13

A man-of-the-match performance from Exeter Chiefs No. 8 Thomas Waldrom drove his side to a momentous win over Clermont Auvergne on Saturday to highlight the Champions Cup’s comeback. The competition’s pool stage resumed this weekend, and stars of the Premiership, Top 14 and Pro12 dazzled from all angles in what was a very mixed round for the continental elite. French outfits Toulon and Racing 92 came out with their reputations intact, while Ospreys and Glasgow Warriors gave the Pro12 a glowing advertisement and Premiership leaders Saracens flew a strong flag for their division. Read... 

Biggest Winners and Losers in World Rugby for Weekend of December 11-13

The power balance in European rugby underwent significant change this weekend after the Champions Cup saw the continental big guns advance their bids for major silverware. Exeter Chiefs, Glasgow Warriors, Leicester Tigers and Racing 92 were among those to take impressive wins from their most recent outings, with Dan Carter making his debut for the Top 14 outfit. Elsewhere, Harlequins-bound centre Jamie Roberts turned out for Cambridge in their Varsity match defeat to Oxford, where he was unable to stop his university team extending their poor run of form in the annual fixture. We discuss... 

Ranking the 5 Best Props in World Rugby Right Now

They can push the most weight around in the gym, make the biggest dents in the tackle bags and are generally best avoided when it comes to drinking contests and practical jokes. The denizens of the front row put their heads in places no other player would dream of putting his feet, and they are the men who provide the platform for the rest of the team to perform. If the props fail in their basic jobs of scrummaging and lineout work, the team will struggle to function. And these days they are also required to make a sizeable contribution to the tackle count for their side. Perhaps, in these days... 

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