Biggest Winners and Losers in World Rugby for Weekend of December 19-21

The pressure to succeed at the pinnacle of rugby’s food chain leads to a great deal of pressure on clubs, players and everyone in between; some cope with that burden well, others do not. This weekend, we saw a certain Scarlets back forced to backtrack after making a questionable decision in his choice of Christmas party attire, while Northampton Saints captain Dylan Hartley is back in the bad books. However, Toulon are back to making some superb choices in their pledge to build the most glittering of squads in Europe this week, with their fans receiving an early Christmas present in recent... 

England Should Drop Dylan Hartley After Latest Red Card Against Leicester Tigers

Dylan Hartley is an excellent hooker. I’ve highlighted how important he is to Northampton Saints and England before, but after being sent off again, this time for elbowing Leicester Tigers center Matt Smith, the England coaching staff have a big decision to make. Can they trust Hartley in key matches when the opposition will try to wind him up? Regardless of their decision, this is one indiscretion too many. Hartley’s red card does need to be seen within the context of a fiery midlands derby with a history of serious foul play, but it cannot be justified. To recap, last May, Hartley’s... 

6 Young Rugby Stars Set to Explode in 2015

The average rugby fan holds a natural interest in knowing the who’s who of which players sit highest among the sport’s elite but knowing the biggest talents of tomorrow is another point of intrigue. Year upon year, there sits an underlying race to find out which rising talents will dominate the scene next, with 2015 holding particular promise for several assets who possess the potential to become world beaters. Examining their challenges next year with special attention, we’ve picked out a selection of youngsters—all aged 21 or below—who are primed to take the sport... 

5 Rule Changes We’d Love to See for Rugby in 2015

Rugby’s lawmakers have been tinkering with the game for decades. From changing the points system to meddling with the scrum and offside line, regulations have been evolving almost seasonally. But there are some more radical changes that could really make a difference to the sport for the better. Some hark back to the good old days, others are a bit more extreme, but the five law changes we have come up with here would definitely shake things up in 2015. Begin Slideshow  Read More →

10 Things We Learned in International Rugby in 2014

It’s been a long and arduous year of international rugby for the Tier 1 nations, where a pressure to improve in build-up to the 2015 Rugby World Cup has placed a great burden on some of rugby’s titans. Between the annual tournaments, autumn tour and mid-year Tests, 2014 has shown us certain teams are faring better in that journey than others and showing a particular promise ahead of next year’s England spectacle. The World Cup is still some 10 months away, though, and for some outfits, short term steps are as essential as the long term, taking each day as it comes in the pursuit... 

Dylan Hartley Rejects Montpellier: New Deal at Northampton Saints Boosts England

Dylan Hartley, the 61-cap hooker, has given England and coach Stuart Lancaster a boost by deciding to sign a new deal at Northampton Saints rather than cross the channel in a big-money move to Montpellier. As reported by Mike Cleary for The Telegraph in late November, Northampton captain Hartley had been weighing up a lucrative move to Montpellier, which would begin after England host the 2015 Rugby World Cup next autumn. Fellow England forward Courtney Lawes and five other players also penned contracts at Northampton. According to Sky Sports, Hartley’s decision was based purely on repaying... 

Stock Up, Stock Down on the World’s Best Rugby Players in 2014

Just like Wall Street, the upper echelons of rugby is a most volatile stage upon which one’s fortunes can sink or soar in the blink of an eye. For teams, it’s a longer process which takes months to develop, but the players we monitor so closely are more readily accountable for their exploits, whether for good or bad. This past year has provided the global elite with another opportunity to showcase their talent, but as we’ll discuss, there are those who cope more comfortably with the pressure than others. Age, future prospects and the standards shown in 2014 to make them a contender... 

Power Ranking Europe’s Top 15 Club Teams After Weekend of December 12-14

There are just two rounds to go for the European Rugby Champions Cup pool stage, so just two more chances for teams to affect their ranking in this ladder before it all comes down to knockout rugby. As domestic warfare resumes over the festive period, we will have to wait until the end of January to find out the qualifiers for the last 16. But several pools are now down to a two-way fight for automatic progress to the second round, while in others, a number of sides are chasing bonus-point wins to position themselves as one of three best runners-up who will get through. It was a thoroughly pleasing... 

Biggest Winners and Losers in World Rugby for Weekend of December 12-14

Another edition of the biggest winners and losers in world rugby focuses almost entirely on the European ranks as the southern hemisphere enjoys a well-deserved hiatus. This weekend saw numerous sides soar and slump in the European Rugby Champions Cup, with certain results in particular having a grave bearing on how the rest of the competition will unfold. Read on for discussion of which teams and players came out of this weekend’s rugby schedule with improved prospects and who saw their reputations dive in the wake of recent actions. Begin Slideshow  Read More →

Best XV from European Rugby Champions Cup for Weekend of December 12-14

This week’s Best XV is dominated by players from French clubs as the men from across La Manche enjoyed a fruitful weekend in the Champions Cup. Toulon, Toulouse, Racing Metro and Clermont Auvergne all asserted their authority in their pools, with just woeful Castres failing at Wasps and Montpellier drowning in Bath. This team is picked by players who either stood out for try-scoring exploits or rave write–ups from the media in the wake of their performances. Here they are. Begin Slideshow  Read More →

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