If you’re a Welsh rugby fan (and I am), or even if you’re a casual observer of all things Welsh rugby, you’ll know that, despite the national side being on a record-breaking run of wins and just two victories away from a Grand Slam, things are not well in the Welsh game. Specifically, things are…
Aside from the unexpected ease of victory for Wales against Scotland in the opening match (and the last-second nature of Ireland’s win in Paris), the first two rounds of this year’s Six Nations have largely occurred as expected. But one thing has caught the eye: England’s Eddie Jones seems far from happy. His side are…
Everyone likes a spoiler nowadays don’t they. It seems in our world of instant communication that the need to ‘skip to the end’ has become a perceived virtue. So it is with the Six Nations with broadcasters and fans alike looking five matchdays ahead to a perceived winner takes all game at Twickenham (on St…
Aviva / Comment / Internationals / Lions
So the Lions are back in New Zealand… …and tomorrow marks the opening match of the tour: the one time every four years I’m happy to get up early on a Saturday morning. But as Sam Warburton received the traditional Maori greeting at Auckland airport earlier this week, a thought occurred: how lucky we are…
This coming Wednesday (19th April) the 2017 British and Irish Lions Squad, as ultimately chosen by the man above, will finally be unveiled. After months of speculation, pub debate, and the frantic crossing out of names on the back of beer mats, we’ll finally know which men will be traveling to New Zealand for the…
New Year. New Six Nations. And ‘The Championship’ promises to be a little different in 2017 because of (if for no other reason) the introduction of bonus points. Whether the extra point for scoring four tries or losing by less than seven points will provide a remedy to last year’s bore of a tournament remains…
And so after a Six Nations that raised more questions than answers about European international rugby, England were crowned Grand Slam winners…and deservedly so. Andrew Mayes celebrates a long overdue first place for the Red Rose but questions whether this is the start of a successful ‘New England’. So it’s finally happened. After a litany…
Here’s a question: how’s the 2016 Six Nations been for you so far? A silly one to ask you may think. The obvious answer being, “Great if you’re English, good if you’re Welsh, OK if you’re French and pretty rubbish if you’re from the other three countries”. But that’s not necessarily so… The 2016 edition…
Do the men above look nervous to you? They should do. No matter how confident and moody this set of six look (in the now traditional coaches photo) they should be feeling worried. Why? Because to a greater or lesser degree the nations they head up have been found out. Rugby World Cup 2015 has…
Ah, the Six Nations: the history; the prestige; the stakes. You wouldn’t think that you would need anything else to crank up the banter between your best of rugby enemies over the next six weeks would you? Well turns out you do. Turns out you need fantasy rugby in your lives. Turns out you’ve…
Red Rugby 