The Scottish cast-off coming up hard in New Zealand rugby
Hamilton Burr was sweeping up leaves on a stud farm in Waikato, carefully tip-toeing past mares he reckoned to be “worth more th…
Jamie Lyall
02 Aug 2020, 5:16
Contributors
Jamie Lyall
@jlyall93
After abandoning a career in veterinary medicine, Jamie turned to sports journalism six years ago, aiming to harness his passions for sport, writing, and complementary pre-match buffets. While his career has not grown as prolifically as his body fat percentage, he was fortunate enough to learn his trade with Planet Rugby and BBC Scotland before entering the freelance world. He has since been offered several brilliant opportunities to launch his commentary career, and when not writing for RugbyPass, can often be found bellowing names into a microphone for the BBC, BT Sport and others.
The extraordinary mental torment of Matt Smith: 'I'd always have thoughts of chucking myself... it got really bad at times'
Matt Smith endured harrowing thoughts of killing himself but the retired 23-year-old Glasgow forward is now at peace with a career…
Jamie Lyall
28 Jul 2020, 14:39
The first great casualty of rugby's new world order
Like prime Aston Martins flying out of the showroom, the finest Argentinean players have left Buenos Aires in waves these past few…
Jamie Lyall
26 Jul 2020, 13:57
'There was a stigma that if you weren't in a top Premiership club you weren't going to play for England'
Having made an England Test debut as a 19-year-old in 2018, the Ted Hill has now the youngest-ever captain at Worcester, his ambit…
Jamie Lyall
26 Jul 2020, 4:40
'It was a no-brainer': Ex-Bok Lionel Mapoe on startling shift from Top 14 to France's third tier Nicois
Capped by South Africa as lately as August 2018, Lionel Mapoe, the double Currie Cup champion and three-time Super Rugby finalist,…
Jamie Lyall
16 Jul 2020, 12:45
The ex-player injury study that has shocked ex-England back Jon Sleightholme into action 17 years after retirement
Jon Sleightholme was one of over 250 retired rugby union and league players who took part in an independent Durham University stud…
Jamie Lyall
16 Jul 2020, 12:31
'My mental health took a hit, I was so focused on filling the so-called boots of Cipriani'
Stung by the criticism he has faced in England, Lima Sopoaga opens up to RugbyPass about how he hated the game for a lot of his fi…
Jamie Lyall
12 Jul 2020, 3:54
Powered by family, freedom and square sausage, an injury-free Richie Gray is a tantalising Scotland prospect again
After eight seasons away - 7 in France, 1 in England - Richie Gray has settled back in life in Glasgow with renewed ambitions of r…
Jamie Lyall
11 Jul 2020, 3:48
'I guarantee there are two or three Darcy Grahams running about the streets of Hawick... the talent is still there'
Thirteen years after Border Reivers were disbanded, Rob Moffat has pitched up at Melrose determined to put the Borders area back o…
Jamie Lyall
09 Jul 2020, 12:30
There's a burgeoning hostility towards Warren Gatland in Scotland
There’s a popular theory in Scotland that Gatland has it in for their players, that he harbours a great bias against them and an…
Jamie Lyall
05 Jul 2020, 8:53
'Glasgow play a very fast, attacking brand of rugby. We want to keep that going'
New head coach Danny Wilson says he wants to bring a little more calmness to the Warriors as well as an improved defence.
Jamie Lyall
01 Jul 2020, 17:00
'I literally said to him, 'whatever money you have left in the budget, give me an offer''
When Matt Scott told his wife that Leicester Tigers had offered him a contract, bringing four months of gnawing uncertainty to an …
Jamie Lyall
28 Jun 2020, 3:10
'The first couple of weeks, he didn't really say much. Until he'd played a game'
Scott Murray: "Ma’a Nonu could make what he makes here in a month in France easily. The money isn’t brilliant."
Jamie Lyall
27 Jun 2020, 12:23
There is a danger Glasgow is seen as a retirement home for fondly remembered veterans, but Nakarawa remains a unique game-breaking weapon
The Fijian's contract extension doesn’t fix all of the problems at Glasgow, but another year of prime Leone Nakarawa is an exhil…
Jamie Lyall
24 Jun 2020, 13:41
'We can't spend £400,000 on a decent-level Super Rugby player. To me, that's crazy'
Jason O’Halloran’s departure will not be mourned in Glasgow as long and loud as those of Finn Russell, Stuart Hogg or Jonny Gr…
Jamie Lyall
21 Jun 2020, 4:10
Ex-All Black Tuitupou issues damning Pasifika assessment: 'Some Island teams go through coaches like rugby jerseys'
Having set up his own ProFifteen agency, Sam Tuitupou, the ex-All Blacks midfielder of Tongan descent, is demanding better Pasifik…
Jamie Lyall
26 May 2020, 14:10
'The worst thing you can do is become a victim because to be honest, no-one cares'
As a pupil back at Maritzburg College, Jesse Kriel would sneak into the gym at night, keeping the lights off to avoid alerting any…
Jamie Lyall
24 May 2020, 13:18
From starting against the All Blacks to rugby's scrap heap in just 24 months: the rise and fall of Darryl Marfo
In two years, Darryl Marfo went from starting for Scotland against the All Blacks to fourth-choice loosehead at Edinburgh and he…
Jamie Lyall
24 May 2020, 4:52
'I've never told this story before - I don't even think my Mrs knows'
As a little boy, Joseph Dweba would beg his parents for rugby boots, pleading for the most basic, mundane essentials that his frie…
Jamie Lyall
18 May 2020, 14:48
'Mum, I'm ok, but I've just been diagnosed with cancer - it's in my neck'
It wasn’t the hours of chemotherapy, the violent retching, the exhaustion, or the mental trauma of tackling Hodgkin’s Lymphoma…
Jamie Lyall
17 May 2020, 9:51
