Courtney Lawes (right) will need to make a monumental change for Northampton Saints’ upset against Leinster – PA/Adam Davy Common wisdom suggests that knockout games are cagey, claustrophobic affairs. If ever there was a quartet of semi-finalists who could blow this truth away, this season’s Champions Cup has found them. Leinster, Northampton Saints, Toulouse and … Read more
Can Marcus Smith (centre) drag Harlequins into the play-offs? -Getty Images/David Rogers ‘The lead-up’ is how Premier League marketers have branded the denouement of this disjointed but compelling campaign. In reality, that feels like too staid an image. With three regular rounds to go, we face a crazy battle for the play-offs. Mathematically, eight out … Read more
Josh Hodge has shown his potential to become a future England star, showcasing his skills at Exeter Chiefs – Getty Images/Harry Trump For the Premiership’s ultimate polymath, look no further than Josh Hodge. If rugby as a concept had never existed, there’s a good chance the Exeter full-back would still be on our television screens … Read more
The Red Roses aim to repeat their 2023 Six Nations Grand Slam triumph – Getty Images/Glyn Kirk England head coach John Mitchell has named three uncapped players in his Red Roses squad for the Women’s Six Nations, including the surprise choice of flanker Maddie Fe’aunati. Fe’aunati arrived in Premiership Women’s Rugby from New Zealand’s top … Read more
Henry Slade is expected to be effective on both sides of the ball at Murrayfield – Getty Images/Dan Mullan After two appearances alongside Fraser Dingwall to start this Six Nations campaign, Henry Slade has now joined twelve different centers for England. That is just one short of Michael Atherton’s number of opening partners during an … Read more
Owen Farrell’s form has been mixed and he looks like he would benefit from a change of scenery and a new challenge – ROMAIN PERROCHEAU/AFP via Getty Images Even the many who hate the Saracens, and will surrender to some schadenfreude at this point i wouldn’t imagine in their wildest dreams they would ship 50 … Read more
Three of our four experts would hand Exeter’s Immanuel Feyi-Waboso his Test debut in the Six Nations – Getty Images/Bob Bradford Steve Borthwick will name his Six Nations squad on Wednesday as England begin a new World Cup cycle. The England head coach must decide how many new players to include in the group and … Read more
Henry Slade was left out of England’s World Cup squad but is having a good season for Exeter Chiefs – Getty Images/Harry Trump Exeter Chiefs 19 Glasgow Warriors 17 Another game, another Exeter Chiefs comeback, sealed by Henry Slade. The center screenwriter is on a Champions Cup campaign and this victory over Glasgow Warriors – … Read more
Ethan Roots retired from rugby and turned to MMA and combat sports, but returned to the sport after a late growth spurt and is now on the verge of an England call-up – Bob Bradford/CameraSport via Getty Images Few could have predicted that a New Zealand-born former cage fighter and jiu-jitsu champion would be in … Read more
Will Joseph, formerly of London Irish, now impresses with Harlequins on the European stage – Getty Images/Patrick Khachfe Picking out the positives from the 2022/23 Premiership campaign is a bit like searching a particularly filthy drain for lost keys. Losing three clubs, albeit under different circumstances, was an indelible and shameful blight on the sport … Read more