Ranking Europe’s Top 15 Club Teams After Weekend of April 11-12

The temperature is rising in the play-off hunt across Europe as each of the top three domestic leagues nears its conclusion. In the Pro 12, there are still a clutch of pivotal clashes between the top four sides that will shape the complexion of the play-off places. One certainty is that champions Leinster are all but out of the picture after defeat to the Dragons. In England, Devon’s only top-flight club made it a miserable weekend for the East Midlands. Northampton’s lead was cut at the top as they went down against Exeter and Leicester lost their fourth spot to the Chiefs with defeat... 

Biggest Winners and Losers in World Rugby for Weekend of April 11-12

Exeter Chiefs claimed an important victory over Northampton Saints on Sunday to move into the top four of the Aviva Premiership and continue their bid to feature among England’s elite. The West Country side rank among world rugby’s biggest winners thanks to that result, but there were also big victories for Uruguay and Super Rugby’s Blues to speak of. Meanwhile, Sean Maitland came upon some disappointing news and France’s coaching setup is poised for an overhaul later this year. Read on for further discussion of rugby’s biggest winners and losers this past weekend. Begin... 

Dan Carter Could Struggle to Make All Blacks World Cup Team

There was a time when leaving Dan Carter out of an All Black team was unthinkable. The master fly-half was, alongside Richie McCaw, an automatic selection in any New Zealand XV, and his absence left a gaping hole that no one could replace. Times change, though. Four years after Carter’s Rugby World Cup injury being something of a national tragedy, he is now looking a long shot to even make the squad. In the intervening years, Aaron Cruden, Beauden Barrett and Colin Slade have all emerged as legitimate options to fill the No. 10 jersey. With all three having shown good form in the international... 

Best XV in World Rugby for Weekend of April 11-12

A bye for the Hurricanes in Round 9 of the Super Rugby campaign gave their peers a chance to close the gap at the table’s summit this weekend, and others were more than happy to dazzle in their stead. Among those impressing were the Highlanders, who capitalised on a superb display from Waisake Naholo (pictured) to overturn the Crusaders on their own turf to go fifth in the standings. Saracens kept up their pursuit of Northampton Saints in the Premiership, but there was a shock at the Marcel Michelin, where Clermont Auvergne slumped to a home defeat against Top 14 minnows Oyonnax. Stars from... 

New Zealand Teams Proving to Be the Ones to Beat in Super Rugby This Year

It is nothing new for New Zealand to have a handful of the top teams in Super Rugby. Even since the conference system came into play in 2011, multiple New Zealand teams have been at the top or in the vicinity come playoff time, despite having a tougher draw. This year’s crop is looking especially strong, with four teams emerging as genuine playoff contenders. Indeed, you could argue the Hurricanes, Highlanders, Chiefs and Crusaders are all capable of winning the whole thing. Only the lowly Blues are easy beats for those four teams. Given that you play every team in your conference twice,... 

5 Players Who Could Move to France If England Lift Their Overseas Ban

Stuart Lancaster faces the toughest decision of his coaching career as he ponders his England squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Chief among the issues to wrestle with is whether to scrap the Rugby Football Union’s rule prohibiting the selection of players based overseas. The debate has centred on Steffon Armitage since the Toulon back-rower was crowned 2014’s European Player of the Year. Yet that achievement was still not deemed worthy of Lancaster invoking the “exceptional circumstance” rule that would have allowed him to bring the former London Irish man in from the... 

Chiefs Prop Ben Afeaki Retires Due to Concussion Fears

Chiefs prop and one-time All Black Ben Afeaki has announced his retirement from rugby after suffering multiple concussions in recent years, as was reported by the New Zealand Herald. At just 27 years old, Afeaki‘s decision is not insignificant, as he had plenty of rugby left in him. It comes just weeks after NFL player Chris Borland retired for similar reasons after his rookie season. Afeaki played his last game of Super Rugby in February 2014, a game in which he left the field with concussion. After returning to practice he sustained another one and has not made his way back to the field. Today... 

5 Things Danny Cipriani Must Do to Earn an England World Cup Spot

From rags to riches and back again, Danny Cipriani has re-established his name in the international arena and is very much in the pool of England players being considered for a spot at this year’s Rugby World Cup. The Sale Sharks fly-half sat as George Ford’s understudy during the Six Nations after being called up as a surprise candidate, but there once again rings a sense of belief in his ability. Cipriani isn’t the only one vying to land a place in Stuart Lancaster’side, however, with the likes of Owen Farrell, Henry Slade and Stephen Myler also seeking to impress in the... 

Super Rugby: Crusaders Coming into Form After Slow Start

The Crusaders are well-known for their slow starts. Every year, they sputter along for the first month of Super Rugby, before igniting and embarking on a run that ends in making the playoffs. Yet it seems that every year, we all still question them after some ordinary performances in the first few weeks. Indeed, even with all the doubters out in full force, the Crusaders have a record of four wins and three losses. This week, they sneaked into the last wild-card playoff spot. It was on the back of a commanding display against the Sharks in Durban that the Crusaders announced to the competition... 

Why Leigh Halfpenny Will Be Key for Wales at the 2015 World Cup

Wales approach the 2015 World Cup with a squad full of experience and talent. In 2011 under a callow captain and with Warren Gatland only four years into his reign as head coach, they came agonisingly close to the final, losing to France with 14 men after Sam Warburton’s controversial red card. Four years on, the same coach has guided a Lions squad to victory with Warburton maturing as his skipper, and they have world-class talents such as Gethin Jenkins, Alun-Wyn Jones, Jamie Roberts and George North capable of featuring in any World XV. They have performed well in the Six Nations, with... 

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