La Rochelle: Coastal Atlantic outpost to European Champions May 30, 2022 “Ici, ici, c’est Stade Rochelais.” “Here, here, it’s La Rochelle.” The chanted hymn of the French outpost on the Atlantic coast – now European champions. From their humble beginnings, La Rochelle have risen through the ranks and, after promotion to France’s Top14 in 2014, have never looked like a side likely to slip up. They [...]
Exclusive: London Irish’s Ollie Hoskins on ‘easy’ decision to re-sign with club May 27, 2022 Australia prop Ollie Hoskins has signed a new long-term contract with London Irish – and insists it was an easy decision to recommit to the Premiership rugby club. “I’ve got a strong connection to the club. This is where I wanted to play and continue to develop my game,” Hoskins told City PM “I can’t [...]
Ollie Phillips: Leinster should sneak tight Champions Cup final May 27, 2022 It’s going to be tight, Champions Cup finals usually are, but I think Leinster will win their fifth title tomorrow in Marseille. They have the physicality, they have the depth, and they’re stacked with match winners. They’re the favourites for sure. That said, it would be foolish to completely write off Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle [...]
New Zealand Rugby and SAP announce multi-year partnership May 26, 2022 New Zealand Rugby (NZR) and software company SAP have today announced a multi-year partnership that will see the German headquartered corporation partner the major Kiwi rugby teams. The deal, confirmed today, will “accelerate” the “digital transformation” of NZR and will see the two organisations look to innovate in areas such as crowd experience and sustainability. [...]
Dan Norton: London 7s, bursting onto the scene and longevity in sport May 26, 2022 The two-day fun-fueled party that is the rugby sevens returns to the capital this weekend as England, Fiji, New Zealand and others look to go head-to-head to win on the prestigious London leg of the circuit. Argentina top the table coming into the event – which will be held at England’s Twickenham Stadium – but [...]
Ollie Phillips: Quins’ attacking mentality is good for rugby May 20, 2022 Twickenham Stadium will host its second Harlequins home fixture of the season tomorrow and a win for Tabai Matson’s side would guarantee them a spot in the top four. I don’t see a situation where Quins don’t make it but, until it’s certain, there’s work to do. They’ll entertain Gloucester in front of around 50,000 [...]
England rugby coach Eddie Jones ‘happy’ to be shadowed by successor at 2023 World Cup May 18, 2022 England rugby coach Eddie Jones insists he has no problem showing his successor the ropes at the next World Cup. The Rugby Football Union is believed to want the next coach to shadow Jones for a handover period before his contract ends after next year’s tournament. Six Nations champions France implemented a similar process when [...]
England training squad offers glimpse into potential fresh look May 17, 2022 When England head coach Eddie Jones announced his 36-man squad yesterday for a three-day training cap next week, eyebrows were raised. This is not a binding squad for the imminent three-Test series against his native Australia, but it points to Jones’s thinking ahead of the last summer tour before his final World Cup. The squad [...]
London Irish look to win first top flight silverware in 20 years May 17, 2022 London Irish could lift their first piece of top-flight silverware since 2002 when they take on Worcester Warriors in the Premiership Rugby Cup tonight. Back then – against Northampton Saints in the Powergen Cup – it was the likes of Brendan Venter, Paul Sackey and Glenn Delaney. Now it’s centurion Wallaby Rob Simmons, Fijian powerhouse [...]
England’s lack of representation in rugby’s European finals is no quick fix May 15, 2022 Even before this weekend’s Champions Cup semi-finals, the English game knew it would have no representation in the final. And bar outliers Saracens – who picked up three titles in four years – and Exeter Chiefs’ triumph during the pandemic, there has been little for Premiership sides to boast about at the highest level of [...]
