Challenge Cup
There are a total of only two Northern Hemisphere rugby cities with a first-tier rugby league and union team in the northern hemisphere. One city, Salford, in the Greater Manchester area of the UK, has rugby league and union teams that date back to the 19th century. This is while Toronto, Canada, a city where rugby […]
Forced to do it, the executive for European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) has taken the drastic decision to not rescheduled postponed matches in European competition. “The decision was made by the EPCR executive,” said Darren Childs. Premiership Rugby’s chief executive added: “The reason we can’t reschedule those is that there are no available weekends. Our season […]
Cardiff Blues’ Director of Rugby, John Mulvihill, has left his role six months prior to its planned three-year expiry. The region shiftily cited “personal reasons”. Dai Young, original Blues coach, has returned as interim Director of Rugby. Blues are stalled in fourth place, having won five of eleven games in the Guinness Pro14 this season. […]
Wales‘ national team has had a torrid year and the regional teams haven’t fared much better, but the festive Welsh rugby derbies are here regardless. Can they add a little sparkle to an otherwise ugly year as they battle to be the best Welsh region? History has a little something to say about that. History […]
The 2019/20 Gallagher Premiership season is complete and Exeter Chiefs have been crowned champions. Looking back at the domestic and European campaigns of each of the 12 clubs, Robert Rees grades each sides performances. Grades are given based on a combined domestic/European contribution, but Champions Cup rates higher than Challenge Cup. Exeter Chiefs – A++ […]
With the final round of Gallagher Premiership fixtures complete, the confirmed line-ups of the Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup are finalised. Robert Rees brings you all you need to know about the one-off campaign ahead. Heineken Champions Cup sides confirmed There are going 24 teams that make up the top tier tournament for the […]
In a tumultuous season to date, Saracens are now set to compete in another Heineken Champions Cup semi-finals match-up versus Racing 92 on Saturday, September 26. They secured their place with victory over Guinness PRO14 champions Leinster. Winning 25-17, it makes the 2020 season much improved for Mark McCall, as he can feel satisfied that […]
There will be 24 teams in the newly announced 2020/21 Heineken Champions Cup (also called the European Rugby Champions Cup). This is an increase of 20 teams from the 2019/20 Champions Cup structure. These teams will include the top eight clubs from Premiership Rugby, Guinness PRO14, and French Top 14. This new format was created […]
Unlike the Gallagher Premiership and the Pro14, the French Top 14 has ended the 2019/20 domestic season. With no promotion or relegation, the existing teams are busy organising their squads ready for the restart in September. Here we have collated all the Top 14 transfers to have taken place. For obvious financial reasons, there won’t […]
Rugby returns to Ashton Gate with no fans this weekend and David Challis caught up with Pat Lam and Luke Morahan to get all the insight in the Bristol camp. Ahead of taking on already relegated Saracens both spoke of the need to make a fast start in order to press home their top-four ambitions. […]
Dragons back-row Ollie Griffiths believes the region has a huge future ahead of them as they look ahead to next season. Prior to lockdown the Dragons were already showing significant improvement, having matched their win total from a year prior in the Pro14 and returned to the knockout stages of the European Challenge Cup for […]
It has been reported by Standard Sport that upon its return, Premiership Rugby will face the prospect of midweek games. This is likely to cause controversy for fans and some players alike as many will cry player welfare. Whilst others will argue the product is being devalued. All are reasonable complaints to raise. However, given […]
The Northern Hemisphere has a few cities that have both rugby union and league. These cities have one rugby code in the first-tier and a second-tier in another code. Furthermore, all three of these cities could very easily have a tier-one team in both codes of rugby. Two of them had first-tier teams in both […]
Last month should’ve been a great one for all European rugby fans. The Champions Cup final should’ve been held at the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille. An event that – according to The Guardian rugby correspondent Robert Kitson – could’ve made the Monaco Grand Prix seem like a ‘garden fete’. Instead, rugby players and fans are […]
Bored of no rugby to watch? Here at Last Word on Rugby we’ve got you covered with our very own game of rugby union Top Trumps’. Just print this article out and cut the cards out to play with friends or family, especially your children! Below are 32 cards of current and legendary international rugby […]
Top14 rugby and French legs of the Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge quarter finals are in major doubts following the news that French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has banned all sporting events until September. There are also plans to keep crowds from events until January. Season unlikely to be finished It’s back to the drawing […]
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Ever found yourself in a chat with a rugby-mad buddy, only to be baffled by the lingo and the rules? Let’s start unscrambling that confusion by diving into the world of the National Rugby League (NRL) – the premier global competition in Rugby League.
Warren Gatland has had his say on the Rugby World Cup in France in his recent UK Daily Telegraph article. Wales failed to progress beyond the last eight not because they were outfought and outthought. Rather that there is something wrong with the rules of the game, and how it is played at the highest […]
In a look back, Last Word on Rugby views the Rugby Heroes and Villains for 2023. Not focused entirely on one or the other – balanced in as how the sport of rugby union is a team-based game; as much as for individuals who can shine or be villainised for their contributions. Over the last […]
The 2023 Rugby Canada women’s team might be seen as one of the best years in the national team’s history. There were many highlights for the national team, including playing the Pacific Four Series in the nation’s capital in the summer. 2023 Rugby Canada women’s team: Finished second in the WXV 1 competition Strengths Players […]
Rugby League players are a talented and fearless bunch, so it only stands to reason that amongst them are some unusual hobbies. If you’ve ever wondered what some of the most exciting rugby league players in the world get up to in their spare time, or get up to now that they’ve retired, then we’ve […]
The Champions Cup game of the Stade Français vs Leicester game will take place on Sunday at 12:30 PM ET. This will be the first group-stage game for Stade Français Paris after the Leicester Tigers won on December 10 against the Stormers. While Stade Français lost on the road against the Sale Sharks, it will […]
The two most impressive teams this past week in European Professional Rugby Club (EPRC) competition were perhaps the Harlequin F.C. and the Exeter Chiefs. And in those games, Marcus Smith and Will Joseph were superb in Harlequins’ scintillating win over Racing 92 in Paris. On Saturday afternoon, the Chiefs were equally impressive in downing mighty […]
If you love a stat or fact, then you’ve come to the right place! After the French Top14 Round Nine concludes, LWOS adds to your weekend’s enjoyment. 14 Fun Facts of Top14 Round Nine Larissa Falls continues her series breaking down the names and numbers from Round Nine of the French Top14. Après un énorme combat, […]
About Author
Raheem Bashir, Site Manager
Raheem Bashir started blogging on a Gmail site called Blogger and has covered sporting events in rugby union/league and soccer. Since then he has become the Last Word on Sports writer for rugby, soccer, and previously basketball. He is also a member of the North American Soccer Reporters and The Rugby Union Writers’ Club.
Raheem graduated from George Brown College with a Digital Media Marketing Post-Grad Certificate in 2019. From the same college, Raheem also did a post-grad certificate in Sport and Event Marketing in 2017. Lastly, he did an undergrad Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto in 2016.