Tigers roar on as Harlequins come unstuck in Champions Cup April 11, 2022 It was always going to be the biggest test of Steve Borthwick’s 20-month tenure as Leicester Tigers director of rugby to date, and his side performed. In Leicester’s 10-29 first leg win over Clermont in the Champions Cup round of 16, Borthwick’s side combined brilliant back play with the brute force of a dominant forward [...]
Ollie Phillips: Four English sides should make it to top European quarters April 8, 2022 As the first leg of the European Champions Cup round of 16 begins this evening, I am confident that all but one of the English sides will progress through to the quarter-finals. While some of the ties look mighty close, there’s enough grit and flair in the Premiership to make the difference. It also helps [...]
Brian O’Driscoll: Leinster European favourites but French could spoil party April 6, 2022 Three-time Champions Cup winner Brian O’Driscoll has backed his former club Leinster to go all the way in this year’s showpiece European competition. Leinster are favourites for this year’s Champions Cup title, as 16 teams embark on two-legged knock-out ties for the first time, ahead of French duo Racing 92 and Toulouse. The Irish province [...]
Premiership talking points: Stealthy Saints, flying Falcons and Euro race April 4, 2022 Harlequins earned London bragging rights while Newcastle managed to get their first win on the board since September. As the league heads into a two week hiatus while the next European fixtures are played, here are the talking points from round 22 of the Premiership. Premiership champs gonna champ Yesterday’s showpiece match saw third-placed Harlequins [...]
Ollie Phillips: Sale Sharks top the league for 2022/23 signings so far April 1, 2022 This season of Premiership rugby is so exciting and engaging to watch, but some of the planned transfers mean I already cannot wait for next year. After Sale Sharks confirmed the signing of Tom O’Flaherty from Exeter Chiefs, it made me think just what the north west club could achieve in 2022-23. The signature of [...]
Topsy Ojo: Premiership run-in is so tight but relegation needs to return April 1, 2022 London Irish legend Topsy Ojo has called for the return of relegation to further improve an exciting period of rugby in the Premiership. For the second season in a row no teams will drop into the Championship but the former winger, who twice went down with the Exiles, insists something has been lost. “It would [...]
Premiership talking points: Top four, cancellations and London’s showpiece March 27, 2022 Round 21 of England’s premiership rugby competition saw the battle for the semi-finals intensify as Leicester secured the first of the four spots, while we saw yet another draw – this time not involving London Irish. Here are the talking points as internationals returned to their clubs from Six Nations duty. One down The league [...]
Ollie Phillips: England rugby chiefs stuck between rock and hard place over Eddie Jones March 25, 2022 It has been a challenging week for the Rugby Football Union (RFU) following the conclusion of another disappointing Six Nations for England and Eddie Jones. The expectation, which the RFU have helped to foster, is that England should be the best team in the world. But the reality, as winning just two games at the [...]
Women’s Six Nations: New dates, new sponsor, same old winners? March 24, 2022 Change is in the air at this year’s Women’s Six Nations, which now has its own slot in the calendar and a first title sponsor in TikTok – but that looks unlikely to extend to the outcome. Champions England start as hot favourites this weekend – no surprise given their 18-game winning run, which includes [...]
London Irish: Exiles desperate to seal return to play-offs, says captain Matt Rogerson March 22, 2022 “As a group we want to leave a mark on the club,” says London Irish captain Matt Rogerson as his side look to clinch a Premiership play-off place for the first time since 2009. “We don’t want to leave here – whether through retirement or whatever – having said we could have done more. “We [...]