This year’s Summer Tours look set to come to an unprecedented conclusion as across the board Game 3 is a series decider for all!!!

In 50 years of watching rugby, I have to be honest I can’t remember the last time the annual summer tours by the Northern Hemisphere have ended with all series needing to be decided in game 3. As a result we are in for a truly spectacular Saturday this weekend, akin to Super Saturday inContinue reading “This year’s Summer Tours look set to come to an unprecedented conclusion as across the board Game 3 is a series decider for all!!!”

November Internationals – North vs South and what we’ve learned – Part 2

After a month of truly vintage North vs South International Test Rugby, we take a look at what the respective Coaches of the big Ten learnt about their charges. We also pick our player of the month from each of the teams as well as a starting XV for each of them and which weContinue reading “November Internationals – North vs South and what we’ve learned – Part 2”

It’s almost a new look England against an Australian side that has definitely advanced beyond the prototype stage!

As mentioned over on the TV page, I’m slightly slammed with work at the moment, but there are three genuinely tasty fixtures in this weekend’s second Round of the November Internationals that simply have to be acknowledged. So here are the things that struck me from each of the three, and in this final instalmentContinue reading “It’s almost a new look England against an Australian side that has definitely advanced beyond the prototype stage!”

A Whirlwind Tour of this weekend’s Autumn International action – Part 3

As mentioned over on the TV page, work is dominating my life at the moment, so there is very little time to watch all the great rugby coming our way over the next three weeks, let alone write about it. However, with so much to talk about, felt I had to get something down onContinue reading “A Whirlwind Tour of this weekend’s Autumn International action – Part 3”

As a foretaste to the Rugby Championship, the first Bledisloe Cup match is always one of the most anticipated fixtures of the year

As we move away from the controversy ridden Lions tour to South Africa, it’s hopefully time to get back to the good old fashioned basics of International Test Rugby. The first game of the annual Bledisloe Cup three match series between Australia and New Zealand is one that their supporters and neutrals alike eagerly lookContinue reading “As a foretaste to the Rugby Championship, the first Bledisloe Cup match is always one of the most anticipated fixtures of the year”

So what did the recently concluded Rugby Championship (aka Tri Nations this year) tell us about its competitors after one of the strangest years in terms of Test Rugby?

Let’s be honest in general 2020 is a year that most of us can’t wait to assign to the scrap heap of history. Our beloved sport was put on hold for several months and when it did return it was forced to play out in empty stadiums in the Northern Hemisphere. On that note ourContinue reading “So what did the recently concluded Rugby Championship (aka Tri Nations this year) tell us about its competitors after one of the strangest years in terms of Test Rugby?”

Amidst controversy and pain the Tri-Nations comes to an unfortunate end with both Argentina and Australia needing to make a statement both on and off the pitch!

Argentina’s spectacular entry into the tournament this year, with that famous victory over the All Blacks has sadly been overshadowed by the yawning pitfalls of social media traps as well as having that said high point being put into context by a 38-0 thrashing at the hands of New Zealand two weeks later. This isContinue reading “Amidst controversy and pain the Tri-Nations comes to an unfortunate end with both Argentina and Australia needing to make a statement both on and off the pitch!”

Argentina make the Tri Nations suddenly much more interesting while Australia hope it won’t be at their expense!

What a phenomenal performance that was last weekend as Argentina made history by getting their first ever win over the All Blacks. It was a powerhouse effort, and the Pumas weren’t just good – they were magnificent! They brought their world renown physicality to the match, but with it focus, discipline, execution and in theContinue reading “Argentina make the Tri Nations suddenly much more interesting while Australia hope it won’t be at their expense!”

Simply put – what a weekend lies in store as the World Cup gets to the business end in Japan!

When we first looked at the pools draw for this World Cup, we felt that possibly the pool stages may have ended up being rather one-sided. In many ways they were, certainly in the case of Pool B. However, as always some of the Tier 2 nations packed some genuine punch. Uruguay were well worthContinue reading “Simply put – what a weekend lies in store as the World Cup gets to the business end in Japan!”

A quick look ahead to an intriguing weekend of Pool matches as Round 2 of the World Cup picks up pace in Japan

With all the rugby going on at the moment, we have to confess to finding it hard to keep a handle on all of it and a balance with work and family. As a result it’s a slightly abbreviated look at some of this weekend’s action. After a bumper crop of top notch matches inContinue reading “A quick look ahead to an intriguing weekend of Pool matches as Round 2 of the World Cup picks up pace in Japan”