In what feels like a lifetime ago, LWOS began to feature Rugby Europe Qualification coverage. Team’s right across Europe had high hopes, and Spanish Rugby RWC hopes were high – that was until what can be described as self-immolation that has all but spoiled those ambitions. It cannot be overstated just how important qualifying for […]

After the official World Rugby declaration on May 10, an affirmed International Test match schedule is now settled after New Zealand’s fixture list was announced to widespread approval. With July set to be a bumper schedule for all Tier one nations, the recognition for Pacific Islands nations, Rugby Europe teams, and for the two major […]

Well time flies and we are already knocking on the door of May. We’re less than two months away from the restart of Rugby Europe 2021 and the critical Rugby World Cup Qualifiers. However, there’s plenty of domestic rugby left in Spain to be crammed in before that date, including the Copa Del Rey de […]

With both the Six Nations Championship wrapped up and the Rugby Europe Championship 2021 on pause until the summer, the status quo that is the 6 Nation’s closed shop is the question that won’t go away. There has been a repeated failure by one of the championship partners. With Italy continually living down to original […]

The Rugby Europe Championship 2021 is now on hold until this summer, with a Covid disrupted tournament still a year away from normality. Last weekend had a massive role to play in who would be putting themselves in pole position to head to France. A fresh Portugal took on a winless Spain, whilst Romania had […]

Rugby Europe Championship 2021: Vital Wins, shattering defeats Another week of Rugby Europe Championship 2021 action and we’re another step closer to knowing who will be going to France 2023. Georgia took on Russia in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. Meanwhile, the rivalry between Romania and Spain added another chapter to the ongoing feud with […]

Announced last week, the new Chief Executive Officer for World Rugby is Alan Gilpin. And while it is not groundbreaking in his placement, it furthers the continuity in leadership and strategy. By promoting from within, World Rugby have taken the safe route, and has every confidence in their man. Gilpin is highly regarded within the […]

After years of devotion to projecting the women’s game as being an area of growth, World Rugby has bravely chosen to announce the new WXV global strategy that will begin in 2023. In the unease of choosing to formally postpone the 2021 Rugby World Cup tournament until 2022, a fresh World Rugby women’s rugby fund […]

If there was a week to watch Rugby Europe, this was it. Whilst Wales were walking over Italy, Rugby Europe Week Two results burst into life, with both games going down to the final throw and kick of the ball. As well, with Rugby Union World Cup Qualification on the line, the tension was only […]

So, with Week One in the books, coming up it’s Week Two of the Rugby Europe Championship 2021 and Spain’s first game of the competition. ESP vs GEO You couldn’t ask for a harder game but perhaps it’s a blessing in disguise. No one is expecting a Spanish win in Spain vs Georgia and a […]

A Rugby Europe Championship like no other With last year’s competition wrapped up, it is time for the Rugby Europe Championship 2021. Not only it is the return to a normal(ish) international calendar for these tier 2 nations but it marks the start of Rugby Union World Cup qualification.  With the tournament about to get […]

Madrid 7’s 2021 Week 1 With the successful hosting of the first week of the Madrid 7’s 2021, plus a win for the Spanish Women’s team in their pursuit of Rugby Union World Cup Qualification, it has been a week of success for Spanish Rugby. On the field, the Argentinan 7’s Men’s team triumphed over […]

Here we are in February 2021, wrapping up the Rugby Europe Championship 2020. It’s surreal to think about what has happened in the world since the last round was played but let’s take a look at the final round of the often dubbed ‘Six Nations B’. Belgium vs Romania As mentioned last week, the game […]

This week in the División de Honor Rugby Week 10 round-up: Covid claims a game and Edward looks ahead to the final round of 2020 Rugby Europe Championship. División de Honor Rugby Week 10 This week, we had planned to talk about El Salvador vs Ordizia Rugby Elkartea. As explained last week, this game is […]

With the Champions Cup called off, you could be forgiven for thinking that the only top-flight Union of note on the continent was taking place in France. However, despite Covid and Filomena, a hardy bunch have kept this Spanish Rugby Union season on the road. División de Honor Rugby: race for the Spanish crown is […]

Our series celebrating the best foreign talent to have played in the English Premiership continues. Our attention has turned to nations not so regularly represented in the English game. James Barker has selected the backline of the Emerging Nations Premiership XV, here is the forward pack. Emerging Nations Premiership XV forwards 8. Samu Manoa – […]

Over two hemispheres, final round playoff hopes hang in the balance for leading Tier One nation leagues of Premiership Rugby and Super Rugby Pacific. With the leading sides all but set, it is now up to those in the fight to make the semi-finals of the 2021/22 Premiership, and complete the Top eight places in […]

This weekend sees the biggest game in the European club rugby calendar. The Champions Cup final is finally here. Last year’s beaten finalists, La Rochelle, are back for another shot at glory. Opponents Leinster are looking to add yet another star to their jersey. In a game of such magnitude every collision could prove crucial […]

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 […]

The Toronto Arrows ended the New England Free Jacks’ 10-game-winning streak after the latest round of the Major League Rugby season. It was only the Free Jacks’ second loss of the season. The win at York Lions Stadium also put Toronto back in the MLR playoff race with only two games to go. Toronto Arrows […]

The visual evidence is damming yet, the recent stalling tactics in the recent England v Argentina 7s match at the Toulouse leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series has tarnished each nation’s team’s strategic desires to ‘win at all costs’. Yet for all the social media beat-up, it clearly is an aberration in the […]

Indigo Group Premiership transfer season is now underway as club’s start announcing retained staff before moving on to those who they are bringing in. Robert Rees brings you the destination of either incoming or outgoing Prem players. Kieran Meek The 28-year-old Pontypool centre is on the move to Newport after a strong recruitment drive from […]

Australia has been awarded the 2027 men’s Rugby World Cup and the women’s tournament two years later. This has kickstarted talk about whether Rugby Australia will look to a few NRL converts to boost their chances? In the past, NRL converts have had mixed success. For every Sonny Bill Williams, there is a Sam Burgess. […]

Each new squad announced by a head coach brings joy to some corners of the country, and some misery for others. This squad is no different. The latest England men’s rugby squad is out, and supremo Eddie Jones has made some big decisions. There are recalls for discarded stars and first-time call-ups for young talent […]