Rugby News, Analysis, History, Schedule, Rumours
INTERVIEW – Hanging up your boots is a sad time for many rugby players. But how must it feel for professionals, who can no longer play their cherished sport for a living? We spoke with Theo Brophy-Clews, a former England U20 international who played over 60 games for London Irish. He was forced to retire […] READ MORE
At LWOS, we have previously covered which countries have the most registered players. This got us thinking about other aspects of rugby’s popularity. At the very least, it can indicate how and where rugby flourishes. Using social media statistics, this list ranks the world’s most popular rugby clubs.Of course, social media won’t tell the whole […] READ MORE
World Rugby gets plenty of stick yet deserves praise for its decisions over the last 12 months with the freshly appointed Rugby World Cup hosts being one of them. Other policies and decisions include; the change in eligibility laws will that allow Pacific Island teams to compete and encourage their qualified national representatives to continue […] READ MORE
“Controlling your monkey mind” may seem like a bizarre goal. No doubt, it would seem strange to burly rugby players, sitting on a couch next to a cuddly stuffed monkey named Mike. And yet – when considering rugby’s mental health crisis – this is exactly what has helped dozens of international rugby players and Formula […] READ MORE
PREVIEW – There’s not much in club rugby more exciting than the Heineken Cup play-offs. Well, maybe a play-off involving Marcus Smith and his razzle-dazzle Harlequins. It’s the club’s first knockout game in Europe’s top competition for nine years, facing a Montpellier side who are currently 1st in the Top 14. Despite this, Smith spoke […] READ MORE
Bristol stalwart Joe Joyce busts through the defence in the dying minutes of Saracens vs Bristol. He sees Jack Bates charging on, and pops the ball to him. Bates gallops towards the try-line, and the crowd erupts at Tottenham Hotspur’s immaculate stadium. Max Malins admits to thinking at the time: “That’s the end of it […] READ MORE
An entertaining 6 Nations has come to a close, and pundits have published their Team of the Tournament. But what about when opinion is replaced with objective figures? We compiled a team from Fantasy Rugby statistics alone. Only those who played in three games or more were considered, which is the only reason Italian superstar […] READ MORE
With Major League Rugby in full swing, we spoke to the captain of Rugby ATL, Matt Heaton. The franchise did exceptionally well to reach the final last year, eventually losing to an LA Giltinis side containing Matt Giteau, Adam Ashley-Cooper, and D.T.H van der Merwe. The ambition of Rugby ATL clearly hasn’t faded for 2022: […] READ MORE
INTERVIEW – Is Major League Rugby, America’s professional league, the sport’s most exciting prospect? USA Eagle Will Hooley believes so. MLR 2022 is in full swing, and you can watch all matches free of charge on The Rugby Network. LWOS spoke with Hooley about MLR’s potential, the USA National Team, and life after rugby. An […] READ MORE
With COVID cancellations and postponements across different leagues, it feels important to be optimistic. Rugby has plenty of exciting attractions in 2022, both at the elite level, and emerging competitions. We preview seven rugby highlights to look forward to this year: A final night decider in the 6 Nations? After memorable performances from England, France, […] READ MORE
Connor Dickins has been writing for LWOS Rugby since September 2021, covering a wide variety of topics. His main focus has been on English domestic rugby, as well as interviews with players from across the world. Connor has also written articles for the World Rugby Museum blog 'From the Vaults'. He graduated with a History BA from Essex University in 2016.