Saracens trip to play Exeter Chiefs will be the toughest test yet in their 22 game unbeaten run December 20, 2018 Saracens face the biggest obstacle yet in their quest to go the season unbeaten when they visit Sandy Park to face Exeter Chiefs on Saturday. The Premiership's top two teams will go head-to-head for the first time this season in what is the most significant match of the campaign to date. Exeter and Saracens have [...]
Ollie Phillips: Elliot Daly’s proposed move to Saracens makes sense for the England man – but Wasps need to be weary of their brewing exodus December 13, 2018 The rumour mill has begun to turn and there are some big names considering moves in the Premiership right now. The most active club appear to be Wasps – but not in the way they’d like, with the makings of an exodus brewing in Coventry. A third of the squad's contracts expire at the end [...]
Can CVC Capital Partners’ £230m investment into Premiership Rugby save loss-making English clubs? December 12, 2018 It may not quite have got over the line at this week’s board meeting but CVC Capital Partners’ prospective acquisition of a minority stake in Premiership Rugby now seems to be a question of when, not if – and then, what will it mean for a domestic game ailing financially? The most significant immediate change [...]
Ollie Phillips: Leicester need to face harsh realities if they are to end losing streak in Champions Cup this weekend December 6, 2018 Leicester travel to Paris to play Racing 92 in the Champions Cup on Sunday on a losing run and in a difficult position. The Tigers are second in Pool 4, with one win and one defeat from their opening two matches, but are not playing well and haven’t won a match since 6 October. Coach [...]
Former Saracens back Ben Ransom is ready to hang up his boots and start a career in the City… but first up it’s the Varsity Match December 5, 2018 At just 26 years old, former Saracens and London Irish back Ben Ransom is ready to trade in a career on the field for one in the City. The former Premiership rugby player is studying for a master's in business administration at the University of Oxford and is preparing to move into investment banking, although [...]
Ollie Phillips: Autumn internationals showed that northern hemisphere sides are edging towards becoming World Cup favourites November 29, 2018 The autumn internationals came to their conclusion last weekend and what stood out for me was just how strong the northern hemisphere sides are at the moment. Ireland and Wales won all four of their matches, England claimed three out of four – losing the other by one point to New Zealand – while Scotland [...]
Ollie Phillips: England’s next two matches can make or break their Rugby World Cup hopes November 22, 2018 England’s autumn has gone well so far, with a lot of the negativity surrounding Eddie Jones and the team dissipating, yet they have been fortunate and cracks have, for now, just been papered over. They were very lucky to edge out a South Africa team who pummelled them in the first half; downpours played into [...]
Revealed: The huge challenge facing Christian Wade as he goes Stateside to join the NFL’s International Player Pathway Programme November 20, 2018 Christian Wade has established himself among the all-time greats in Premiership history when it comes to try-scoring, but he now faces the biggest challenge yet of his sporting career as he attempts to reinvent himself as an NFL star. The former Wasps wing this month embarked on the challenge of breaking into American football, starting [...]
Ollie Phillips: Experimental England need to use Japan match as opportunity to show their attacking credentials November 15, 2018 Eddie Jones has made 11 changes for England’s match against Japan on Saturday, which leaves him open to accusations of playing a second-string side. But looking at the XV it isn't quite that simple. Instead it highlights their strength and depth with exciting options all over the pitch. Japan are clearly the easiest of the [...]
Revealed: The vast number of England players capped by Eddie Jones as Joe Cokanasiga and Ted Hill prepare for debuts against Japan November 15, 2018 Joe Cokanasiga and Ted Hill are set to make their England debuts against Japan on Saturday, taking the number of players capped during Eddie Jones’s three-year tenure to 66. Bath wing Cokanasiga, 21, has been named in a starting XV that features 11 changes to the side that narrowly lost to New Zealand last week, [...]
