CATEGORIES

Much improved, but Italy can't stop Scots

THE Scotland bandwagon continued to gather pace with a fifth consecutive win but this will count as one of their harder fought triumphs over an Italian side who hinted at better times ahead.

Red Roses on top of the world after France win

THE RED Roses got their 2020 Autumn Internationals off to winning ways with a powerful showing against France in Grenoble.

Lewies will lean on Quins leaders to drive title bid

WITH few Test call-ups hampering preparations, new Harlequins captain Stephan Lewies believes a fast start will underpin a charge towards the top four.

Clermont shock call for Cov's No10 Rory

RORY Jennings admits he can’t believe his luck after signing for Clermont Auvergne, calling his surprise move to the two-time Top 14 champions “a great honour”.

This dash for cash could end in a crash

If you fancy undertaking a basic English language challenge this Sunday morning – it really shouldn’t take long, so you won’t miss church – rearrange the following words to make a well-known phrase or saying:

Big Billy was like a pig in muck again

I suspect most of us could have written the match report for England v Georgia on Friday morning over a cup of coffee. You didn’t need to be Mystic Meg.

Ask Lipman if red cards are necessary safeguards

Last weekend’s Bledisloe 4 match between the Wallabies and All Blacks was a cracker, and featured two red cards, one for each side.

That All Black axe is sharpening its blade

It seemed like a joke worth telling. “What’s the difference between the All Blacks and an arsonist?”, your columnist asked the presenter of a New Zealand radio sports show in the dying weeks of 1998. “Not a clue,” came the reply. “Well…no arsonist would ever lose his last five matches.”

Star-maker Ioan's time with Wales must come

There used to be a time when Wales led the world in pioneering coaches, when Carwyn James, Clive Rowlands and Ray Williams changed the mentality of Test rugby.

St Joseph's victory is Hampton reward

Brendan Gallagher continues his series looking at rugby’s great schools

Scots can upset French again – with quick ball

OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK

Heineken defeat by Brive was so weird

STEVE HACKNEY THE FORMER ENGLAND B, BARBARIANS, NOTTINGHAM, LEICESTER, MOSELEY & WATERLOO WING

Fearless Blues fancy chances of major upset

LEINSTER have a perfect record of six bonus-point wins this season and the perennial winners of the PRO14 have arguably been even more dominant than usual so far.

Eddie won't win RWC with this game plan

A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME

Conbeer targets next Irish scalp

ALL eyes will be on Kingspan Stadium for a variety of reasons today when Ulster host the Scarlets.

Alfred the great was cornerstone for France

Brendan Gallagher delves into some of rugby’s most enduring images, their story and why they are still so impactful

Sorry, World No Longer Revolves Around Lions

During the week we saw just how huge the gulf is between the traditions of rugby and the professional game.

Scarratt leads Slam mission

ENGLAND go into battle seeking a second successive Grand Slam without captain Sarah Hunter who has been ruled out with a hamstring injury.

Dennis off to chase new dream in America

EXETER’S Aussie star Dave Dennis is set for pastures new after revealing he has accepted the offer of a two-year deal to play in Major League Rugby.

World Cup horror show too gruesome to witness

Brendan Gallagher delves into some of rugby’s most enduring images, their story and why they are still so impactful

Irish prudence poses RFU more questions

RUGBY Union is fourth in the pecking order of popular team sports in Ireland, behind Gaelic football, hurling, and soccer – and yet it punches well above its weight, both on the playing field and in its administrative boardrooms.

Losing Italy would help welfare for top players

IN many ways I feel for Italian rugby. I understand the pain they must feel as a nation that loves Rugby Union, but does not truly understand or know it in the way that it is known in leading rugby nations around the world, such as England, Wales, France, New Zealand and South Africa, where it is part of sporting culture.

JJ snubbed a fortune for Wales

PETER JACKSON pays tribute to JJ Williams who died on Thursday at the age of 72. An all-time great, record-breaking try scorer during the only invincible Lions tour, double Grand Slammer, national sprint champion, millionaire businessman and outspoken pundit, he was also a fearless critic of The Blazer Brigade who ran the amateur game.

Evans revving up for return home

YOU have to go back to pre-lockdown for the last time Wales prop Rob Evans packed down in a competitive match at Parc y Scarlets, but he’ll be back today off the bench against Edinburgh.

Eddie's smile arrives but it takes a long time coming

ENGLAND eventually responded to the Eddie Jones mantra of putting a smile on the faces of their supporters thanks to a four-try second-half romp which secured this bonus point victory to put them within touching distance of the 2020 Six Nations title.

Ben Youngs' story has plenty more years to run

There have been some rum old sights and sounds during this Covid-infested rugby year but none stranger than the England team holding back to allow first Ben Youngs and then Jamie George to run out on their own at the start of the game in Rome last night to take the applause of the crowd at the Olympic Stadium.

Pivac may have to drop Biggar to get style he wants

THE big change for Wales is adjusting to Wayne Pivac and the new coaching set-up of Stephen Jones, Jonathan Humphreys, and Byron Hayward after 12 years of a very experienced, established set-up under Warren Gatland, Shaun Edwards and Robin McBryde.

Thompson: Take a punt on Trailfinders

EXPERIENCED back rower Guy Thompson believes Ealing are worthy of a shot at the top-flight.

Man up, or Wales will get a Dublin thrashing

Parc Y Scarlets last weekend I had a chat to John Barclay the former Scarlets and Scotland flanker.

Wallabies rally for Rennie's first win

AUSTRALIA bounced back from their record defeat to clinch a thriller in Brisbane.