Can Hugo Reus escape the curse of the 'Golden Boot'?
The World Rugby U20 Championship has a proven pedigree as a breeding ground for Test stars of the future, with close to 1,000 play…
Jon Newcombe
31 Jul 2024, 6:00
Contributors
Jon Newcombe
@rugbytimes
Once editor of Rugby Times (2002-11), the UK's first weekly newspaper devoted to Rugby Union, and now owner of Heads Up Sports Media; Not the former Aussie tennis player of the same name, nor the son of well-known former rugby writer Barry Newcombe!
Alan Dickens: accepting Newcastle offer was "a no-brainer"
Alan Dickens will resume his Premiership career at Newcastle, having been appointed as senior coach of the Falcons.
Jon Newcombe
26 Jul 2024, 8:58
Brother of England international Curtis Langdon signs on at Saints
Nathan Langdon has signed on with Northampton Saints ahead of the 2024/25 season, linking up with his brother Curtis, who has prov…
Jon Newcombe
25 Jul 2024, 9:33
Exclusive
Bristol Bears add another Connacht connection to coaching team
Pat Lam's coaching team for the 2024/25 season is set to be finalised with the arrival of Dave Ellis as skills coach.
Jon Newcombe
24 Jul 2024, 5:59
Bath handed early revenge mission in Gallagher Premiership fixtures
The 2024/25 Gallagher Premiership season begins with a rerun of last year's classic final as champions Northampton take on beaten …
Jon Newcombe
23 Jul 2024, 2:30
Championship release schedule but with a Cup caveat
The Championship Rugby fixtures for the 2024/25 season were unveiled today but with no clarity about the make-up of the Cup compet…
Jon Newcombe
22 Jul 2024, 7:06
Greig Laidlaw lands top job in Japan
Former Scotland international Greig Laidlaw has been appointed head coach of newly-promoted Japanese outfit Urayasu D-Rocks for th…
Jon Newcombe
22 Jul 2024, 4:08
Scotland win promotion back to World Rugby U20 Championship
Scotland have secured promotion back to the World Rugby U20 Championship in 2025 after winning the second-tier U20 Trophy with a 4…
Jon Newcombe
17 Jul 2024, 15:49
Rhys Patchell reunited with Wayne Pivac in latest overseas adventure
Japanese second Division outfit NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu have announced the signing of fly-half Rhys Patchell.
Jon Newcombe
17 Jul 2024, 2:58
How Wales could be humbled again without even playing
Wales are probably sick of the sight of Australia by now following their 2-0 series defeat at the hands of the Wallabies, but thin…
Jon Newcombe
16 Jul 2024, 7:12
Scotland and USA through to U20 Trophy final
Scotland will play USA in the World Rugby U20 final on Wednesday after both teams topped their respective pools with wins over Jap…
Jon Newcombe
12 Jul 2024, 15:58
Doncaster confirm signing of ex-England winger Semesa Rokoduguni
Six weeks after RugbyPass first broke the news of his impending arrival, ambitious Championship side Doncaster Knights have today …
Jon Newcombe
11 Jul 2024, 13:32
Exclusive
'Challenges are there, they always have been for me' - Simon Mannix
Simon Mannix’s career as an international head coach gets underway for real this Saturday when Portugal take on Namibia in Windh…
Jon Newcombe
11 Jul 2024, 10:09
Andy Farrell to reach major milestone in Springbok rematch
Ever since Murray Kidd was abruptly removed from office and replaced by Brian Ashton, who came and went just 13 months into his si…
Jon Newcombe
10 Jul 2024, 6:55
Analysis
Are the Springboks the new 'wide' boys of rugby?
One thing that is up for discussion in the next episode of Boks Office, available soon on RugbyPass TV, is how much width South Af…
Jon Newcombe
09 Jul 2024, 12:07
Rampant Scotland hit another century in World Rugby U20 Trophy
Scotland racked up another century of points at Hive Stadium in Edinburgh as they cruised to a second bonus-point win of the World…
Jon Newcombe
07 Jul 2024, 15:54
‘I haven’t been as excited for a Test since I played’ – CJ Stander
As an Afrikaner by birth and a former Ireland international, CJ Stander is one of the few people to have a foot in both camps when…
Jon Newcombe
05 Jul 2024, 9:45
Antoine Frisch among eight France debutants
Fabien Galthié has selected an inexperienced matchday 23 for Saturday's match against Argentina in Mendoza, his 50th Test in char…
Jon Newcombe
05 Jul 2024, 4:41
Son of former RWC player handed Fiji debut
Fiji’s Kitione Salawa joins new Italian call-up Matt Gallagher as the son of a famous rugby-playing father making their Test deb…
Jon Newcombe
04 Jul 2024, 7:23
A game-changer and all-time greats: Brodie Retallick's Top 5 All Blacks
Over 1,200 players have played for the All Blacks since the New Zealand men's national team made their debut in the early 20th cen…
Jon Newcombe
04 Jul 2024, 5:25
