Articles
News & Opinions articles
Topical articles and commentary on rugby events around the world.
Battle of the CoachesIn the strange world of European rugby two Irish coaches try to outwit each other in the first Heineken Cup semi, whilst two New Zealanders butt heads in the second semi.
Ulster and Clermont to meet in the Heineken finalForget the occasion, forget the opposition, clear heads are needed in the semi-final of a major cup competition says Brian Ashton.
Jimmy Cowan cashes in at England’s expenseJimmy Cowan will be a folk hero down Gloucester way but just what sort of value will he bring to English rugby.
100 is special and 10 is better than 12Dan Carter talks about his 100th game as a Crusader, reflects on the pros and cons of playing number 12 and picks his best New Zealand Super Rugby team.
Shane Williams on The Rugby SiteShane Williams talks about why he got involved in The Rugby Site and what skills and tips he wants to pass onto players and coaches about how he plays the game. " The Rugby Site is a perfect opportunity for me to give back to the game and to share what I have learned over the years. Some of it is self taught and some of it is from coaches handed down over the years, it might not be handbook stuff but its what I believe in"
Ireland needs Schmidt to come along for the tripIrish rugby has been transformed in recent years and credit should go to the IRFU for the structures they have put in place which have made this possible. The top players have by and large been retained by the Irish provinces, and the successes of Munster and Leinster in winning four of the last six Heineken Cups reflects this. At national level Ireland has won Triple Crowns, a Grand Slam and provided the captain for the last two Lions tours. However, there is still a sense that this golden generation have underperformed on the international stage.
Ulster hold together as a team by not using their benchLast weekend Ulster proved that too many coaches send on replacements as an exercise in self-justification.
The RFU gets it wrong againStuart Lancaster’s appointment as England coach is a sad example of the mob ruling the head.
Heineken CupThe business end of the Heineken Cup is upon us and as ever there are some mouth-watering fixtures to look forward to. It seems a life time since the final pool games were staged – in fact it’s 10 weeks. While this is a long hiatus, it may in fact add to the anticipation ahead of the weekend.
