Leicester Tigers agree mid-season release for Thom Smith

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Ed the Duck 1 hour ago

No chance of prom/rel from REC, none whatsoever. The financial jeopardy is too great, existential for Irish, Scots and welsh unions. The rewards from REC promotion are negligible for current 6N unions and the team closest in competitive terms has serious political instability from Putin threat. SA want the rewards now that are available via 7N and so do the current 6N unions, only a matter of time with the success of the URC. You can see the ground being prepared with the move away from RC years for SA already. NZ future is Pacific 6N with Japan and they should crack on to make it happen before they fall any further behind.

Andy Farrell confirms Lions coaching team

Teddy 1 hour ago

‘Rassie-dazzie’ and Gatland conspired to kill it back in 2021. It was a joyless experience to watch.

The technical tweaks that could send Wales back to rugby's top table

Teddy 1 hour ago

I think they need a coach first. Then work on clearing their unions £20 million debt. Then somehow build for the future without player academies and within tight salary caps.

Good luck to them.

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Brett McKay 1 hour ago

Drought-busting win over Brumbies gives Waratahs platform to build on

You made me want to take a look JD, and it’s well… a bit grim 😞

11 Go to comments

MS 1 hour ago

The technical tweaks that could send Wales back to rugby's top table

Has anyone else read this and feel able to summarise what the advertised ‘technical tweaks’ actually are?

Short of ‘get Pacific Islanders to play for Wales’, it would appear there’s virtually nothing here. Pointless ‘article’ - and certainly no analysis either.

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LE 2 hours ago

How John Mitchell is giving Red Roses a purpose in 2025

Sing is a great player with far more than place kicking to her game. She is strong aerially, has good field positioning, good tackler, powerful ball carrier and a good ball passer. She would walk into the first XV of almost any other nation.

For me Ellie is still first choice due to the way she reads the games and sees space. As well as being a dynamic attacker Ellie’s defence has improved a lot and she is good at securing the ball when the backs get isolated from the forwards in the wide channels.

All I can say is it is great to blessed with such strong competiton for places and it will push the players to perform their best week on week

Six Nations column: Maud's Tours, family reunion, and a solid start

LE 2 hours ago

I thought you were very unlucky not to get player of the match against Italy it was an excellent performance where you were involved in all the good things England were doing. Didn’t realise you had taken on the lineout calls but that only adds to my opinion that you should have been PotM.

Keep up the good work Rosie

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J Marc 2 hours ago

Andy Farrell answers burning Owen Farrell Lions question

Average is a kind understatement….

But if Farrell father is seeking for a player who will not be tired in july, it's the good choice…

Andy Farrell answers burning Owen Farrell Lions question

J Marc 2 hours ago

Courtney Lawes is doing a good job for Brive, but yes it's ProD2.

How centurion Sara Barattin helped propel Italy to new heights

BC 2 hours ago

It’s fascinating how all 6N teams think they are really improving. It is making for some great matches. Barattin has been a great servant and role model through thick and thin during her career.

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BC 2 hours ago

How John Mitchell is giving Red Roses a purpose in 2025

Yes, I’ve read those plaudits too and along with many others who have also commented on various sites cannot understand it. She played ok but seems to have become the darling of the media perhaps because she is a good player who would be picked in most teams but is down the pecking order for the Red Roses. Sing would be much easier to shut down than EK due to her lesser speed. My understudy for EK is Helena Rowland, very talented and as quick as Dow, and after that Dow herself. Perhaps though Rowland will have nailed down another starting position by RWC. She can play 12, 13 and 15 with equal aplomb and would do so at 10 given a run of matches. I cannot see the logic for breaking up the best back 3 in the world to accommodate a good kicker but lesser all round player. I can understand having to make a tough choice between MacDonald and Breach but EK’s potency would be much reduced if put out on the wing. Still we are all entitled to our opinion and we can agree to differ. I just want the very best as I see it for the Red Roses and although Sing wouldn’t let them down there are better options. I have faith in Mitchell now (after being a sceptic) to make the right calls.

Andy Farrell answers burning Owen Farrell Lions question

MS 2 hours ago

I can understand negotiations for Kinghorn, White, and Ribbans. All three are playing very, very well at the current time. Kinghorn has been a leading contended for some time now; Ribbans looks as powerful as he’s ever been; while on the evidence of the most recent Six Nations, White benches behind JGP at Scrumhalf.

However, noone in their right mind should be considering Kyle Sinckler, Courtney Lawes, nor Owen Farrell. Sinckler looks unfit and can barely move around the field with any great urgency. He would be a liability on tour to Australia. Lawes is clearly ‘enjoying life’ in ProD2, and his rugby looks every bit second tier level now.

As for Farrell, not only has he been plagued by poor form and injury since moving to Racing, even the much vaunted ‘kicking record’ has long since been debunked as a USP with a percentage that simply does not stand up to scrutiny. That leaves only the intangible (desperate…) claim he would add ‘leadership’, which in a Lions squad resplendent with talent and international caps is I’m afraid, much like Farrell, a complete non-starter.

Willis is the elephant in the room…a leader and standout option for one of the best club teams in the World. Yet still a relative unknown at Test Match level. I could well see him being included on the tour - and it would prove quite the headache for the RFU if he delivers. But Back Row is so competitive across all three positions, and with genuine World Class talent there too. I’m just not sure the Lions need him.

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

CV 2 hours ago

Football always had ‘detached’ leagues. So do most other sports. Unions or federations never dictated who plays and how often like in NZ. Would be unheard of. You need independent clubs that really compete with each other in NZ but that would never happen because NZR would have to relinquish control over players. Rugby’s model is an exception in professional sport, not the rule.

SA in the 6N? Never. Most want promotion/relegation to the REC and many want to keep it as it is. Much better for the game here when countries can finally get into the 6N. It will lead to more investment in REC nations because they can finally get ahead. Tier 1 nations do very little to grow the game outside their countries.

SA should grow the game in Africa. Plenty of potential there.

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Ed the Duck 4 hours ago

Touring NZ is a golden opportunity for every one of the French players that take the field to nail themselves into the squad. What better opportunity is there than to stand out for all the right reasons than a Test match in NZ? Any that manage to achieve that will only enhance the pool of talent available for ‘27.

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Ed the Duck 4 hours ago

NZR knew exactly when the Top14 final was when they signed the tour contract.

How centurion Sara Barattin helped propel Italy to new heights

CN 4 hours ago

Lovely, lovely player. At her peak she was dynamic and difficult and always played with a smile. You got the feeling that as well as her teammates the opposition also respected her.

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Ed the Duck 4 hours ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Partially correct. NZ needs to get on with being the lead in developing the Pacific 6N and monetising Japan - and developing their competitiveness. That will enable all the financial support you mention.

As for France, it’s not about “caring”, it’s about money and the club owners provide their money to drive their club agenda. Period. French rugby is a beast and your JIFF point is well made but SA is a beast also that’s now awake and England is a sleeping beast that is financially stricken. SA will make up a 7N and that will drive all 3 to new levels. The Irish, Scottish and welsh clubs are all union owned and will continue to struggle keeping up but the 7N revenue boost will help, as the SA involvement in the URC is doing currently.

EPL is entirely different, football has followed its own path in allowing the league to detach and is an extreme example of what happens when the clubs are allowed to call the shots across the board. Not a path that rugby will follow fortunately.

How John Mitchell is giving Red Roses a purpose in 2025

CN 4 hours ago

I’m not sure many agree with you on this one, Rugby Pass made her their player of the match last week and the comments on the BBC website, although mixed, were lauding her attributes. Her running lines are really good and incisive, very good passing range and her defence is better than ok. I do like her as an option and she would probably go to the RWC as a specialist FB and understudy. EK struggled against Canada at WXV because they doubled up on her every time and took away her space, why not give teams something different to defend?

Andy Farrell answers burning Owen Farrell Lions question

DH 4 hours ago

Kinghorn and Willis should join after the Top14 final. O Farrell has been average all year and RC92 wants rid of him, he has no pace and is too dominant a character (like Ford) without the skills to back it up. Take the two Finns and Blair Kinghorn and all will be good.