Rugby News, Analysis, History, Schedule, Rumours
On Monday evening, 27th of December 2021, Jean Castex announced that there would be an immediate reinstatement of the “gauges”. In other words restrictions to the number of people who can gather in a crowd for recreational purposes. This of course affects rugby and sport in general. Within that evening’s announcements was the bombshell vaccine […] READ MORE
Differing from their Autumn campaign, a strict ‘Covid-19 bubble’ will encompass the France Six Nations 2021 bid. In news from the French Rugby Federation, it has decreed that over the course of this season’s Guinness Six Nations, the external threat from Covid-19 will impose strict conditions. So unlike the rotation theory utilized in Autumn, this […] READ MORE
Following reports that Bath back row Zach Mercer will sacrifice his chances of England caps by joining Montpellier Hérault, it has been announced that Gabriel Ibitoye will join the club as a ‘medical joker’. Neither will be impressed by their new club’s current form, however. In Round 14 they lead 19-0 at half time away […] READ MORE
Not all rugby is boring. It’s northern hemisphere rugby, as exemplified by the inaugural Autumn Nations Cup, that has the issue. So what? Kiwis and Ozzies have been pointing that out for decades. But it’s objectively bad when English rugby royalty are complaining about the state of rugby after their team has just won both […] READ MORE
The Six Nations and the Tri Nations are being played simultaneously for the first time ever, due to the adaptation to scheduling which rugby has made for Covid-19. Less a coincidence than a rare event that is unlikely to reoccur. With the 2021 Six Nations scheduled for its more regular window of February and March […] READ MORE
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 […] READ MORE
“Why was Manu Tuilagi only sanctioned?” That is the reaction after World Rugby suspended the England Rugby player yet, excluded any reprimand for head coach Eddie Jones, who seemed to rebuke the match officials in last weekend’s Six Nations International. The England supremo had been explicit in his disdain for New Zealand referee Ben Skeen, […] READ MORE
With three wins from three played, many are wondering if the French are back to their best. Are we witnessing a French rugby renaissance? A strong start in 2020 saw four valuable points gained in their opening Six Nations match victory over England. Within sixty minutes of game two (against Italy) the try bonus point […] READ MORE
Introduced into the head coach position, Fabien Galthié is hopeful of bringing a fresh brand of French Rugby flair, with his youthful 2020 Six Nations squad. Evidence of this will only come during the Guinness Six Nations championship, which begins on Saturday, February 1. Yet the fresh new leadership is a clear pointer to the […] READ MORE
The Pacific Nations arguably produces some of the best players in world rugby but, their sides struggle to perform. A major talking point pre-World Cup was the number of players from the Pacific playing for the Tier One nations. However, Fiji showed glimpses of their world-class quality in the first half against Australia; as well […] READ MORE