Asking England number 8 Ben Earl to play a more physical game doesn’t feel constructive – AP/Scott Heppell One of the moments that most shockingly indicated England’s inferiority at Murrayfield came in the 70th minute, when Scotland led 30-21. Ollie Lawrence had darted into midfield from a lineout and Maro Itoje strolled around the ensuing … Read more
Benetton’s growth is one of the reasons for optimism in Italian rugby – Getty Images/Alessandro Levati There was a time in the not-too-distant past when the two Italian franchises, Benetton and Zebre, were considered the whipping boys of what is now known as the United Rugby Championship. Since 2010, with the exception of the Covid-imposed … Read more
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Anna Gowthorpe/Shutterstock (14147642cg) Wigan Warriors Celebrate Full-Time Wigan Warriors v Catalan Dragons, Betfred Super League, Grand Final, Rugby League, Old Trafford, Manchester, UK – October 14, 2023″ src=”https:// s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/X84psazmWcTgUBWCx9qHvA–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTYxMg–/https://media.zenfs.com/en/theguardian_763/70d5ad818cdfd0a6eec5dc8c7a3b6 9b0″ class=”caas-img”/> Wigan Warriors v Catalan Dragons, Betfred Super League, Grand Final, Rugby League, Old Trafford, Manchester, UK – October 14, 2023Mandatory … Read more
Scotland aim for fourth Calcutta Cup success in a row – Getty Images/David Rogers The immortal rumble in the Murrayfield tunnel, when Ryan Wilson tried to rattle George Ford’s cage, is considered a turning point for good reason. Eleven months earlier, Scotland had been humiliated 61-21 at Twickenham. In the hours that followed the battle … Read more
Ben White has become a key part of Scotland’s XV over the past two years – Getty Images/Paul Ellis For a scrum-half with a typically prickly personality on the pitch, Ben White is exceptionally polite when it comes to disagreeing. At the age of 25, he has already overcome difficult obstacles. In 2021, after coming … Read more
Heidi Fuller-Love exchanged life in Great Britain for the French department of Charente – Alamy For me, being an expat has always been about finding a place to call home, that elusive thing I lost when my mother died. This was exacerbated when my father – who remarried a few months later – sold the … Read more
Fabien Galthie has problems to solve for France – Getty Images/Andy Buchanan Who are you and what have you done with the boys in Bleu? A rejuvenated France that banished the traditional Gallic clichés; the France that dazzled; the France where fans could dream of bold and daring people with ball in hand. After an … Read more