Articles

Paul Rees

About Paul Rees

Paul Rees was born in Cardiff and has been a full-time writer on rugby union since 1986, first for the South Wales Echo, then Wales and Sunday and, from 2001, the Guardian and the Observer, having contributed to the former on a freelance basis since 1988.

He has covered every World Cup since 1991 and five Lions tours. When time allows, he also write on cricket, mainly Glamorgan. And away from work, he a season-ticket holder at Arsenal, watching them home and away, including the European Champions League final against Barcelona in Paris in 2006.

Paul Rees's latest articles

English Rugby has more Important Questions to Answer

The media has become obsessed with the decision making (or lack of) of Chris Robshaw. Paul Rees suggests that English Rugby has more fundamental questions to answer

More Questions than Answers for England

England’s faltering performance against Australia looks set to prompt several changes. Paul Rees assesses where Stuart Lancaster might be looking to improve.

Emerging nations look to RWC 2015

This month has seen attention paid to the top four of the world rankings ahead of next month’s drawn for the 2015 World Cup pools, but as interesting is the battle to be in the top eight, three old school tie unions, Wales, Ireland and Scotland, vying for three places with Argentina and Samoa.

Gatland's thinking underminded by injuries

Warren Gatland said after he was named as the Lions coach for next year’s tour to Australia that he would judge players more by how they played in this month’s tangle of Tests in Europe than next year’s Six Nations.

Wales need to look forward for success

A big bash is being held in west Wales on Halloween night. Some 1,200 guests will pile into Parc-y-Scarlets for a dinner to mark the 40th anniversary of Llanelli’s victory over the All Blacks.

Lions Watch

The Lions’ selectors, all two of them at the moment with only Andy Irvine, the manager, and the head coach Warren Gatland having been appointed for next year’s tour to Australia, will be paying particular attention to the return of the Heineken Cup to Cardiff Arms Park on Sunday.

Gameplans will not win the Heineken Cup

The Heineken Cup resumes today and if it is as keenly fought on the field as it has been off it in recent months, it will be a tournament worth watching.

Off field antics dominate dull start to European rugby season

The first month of the season in Europe has been more notable for what has happened off the field that on it.

Rugby soon to end it's Olympic exile

Rugby union will not feature in the Olympic Games, but the sport will end its long exile in 2016 after a long battle by the International Rugby Board to gain admission, first by the late Vernon Pugh and then by one of his successors as chairman, Bernard Lapasset.

Financial dark cloud looms over Welsh rugby.

On the day that Gavin Henson signed for London Welsh, his fifth club in less than two years, the financial dark cloud looming over Welsh rugby grew darker.