A New Season and New Start At Sale
Remember a year ago? Sale were entering the season with more confidence than I can remember in a long time. A new stadium and Director of Rugby. The marquee signing of Richie Gray and the return to...
View ArticleWho’s Who At Wasps? – Part 2
Wasps backs division provided some of the most thrilling moments of last season’s Premiership, including some quite memorable scores from the joint leading try scorers, Tom Varndell and Christian Wade....
View ArticleA “Friendly” Occasion in Bath
Bath returned to competitive action at the weekend in what was loosely termed a “friendly” against their old rivals Bristol. Old coach Andy Robinson, now looking after Bristol, received a warm welcome...
View ArticleO Captain! My Captain! – The Importance of a Sale Skipper
When I was a kid I was the captain of my local football team. Was I the best player? No! Did I shout the loudest and organise the team? Apparently so! Different sports place different emphasises on...
View ArticleRugby Pornography?
Whatever your stance on the recent rugby we’ve been watching you have to agree that the short version of the game has got tradition. About 130 years of it, I reckon, so it’s no newcomer to the scene....
View ArticleThe Right Man to Lead the Saints?
Dylan Hartley has been confirmed as Northampton Saints Captain for the upcoming season despite rumours that Tom Wood would be announced as his replacement. This was all due to the controversy from last...
View ArticleThe TOP 5 Youngsters at Sale Sharks
Didn’t someone from the North West once say you can’t win anything with kids? One of the upsides to the terrible first half of last season was the exposure it gave some of our young players to first...
View Article6 Tigers and a Cockerill
A few number’s for you from last season with Leicester Tigers. 10-the number of times they have won the top division of English rugby. 3-the number of times they have been crowned champions in the last...
View ArticleThe New Centre of Attraction at Gloucester?
I have to confess that I’m secretly a bit pleased that we’re losing all our summer warm-up matches. After a 41-17 spanking by Toulon and a 28-17 tonking by Munster we’re probably not going to be...
View ArticleIs Hooper the Right Captain at Bath?
Bath Rugby announced last week that last year’s captain Stuart Hooper would continue in the role for the 2013/ 2014 season. Despite what must be seen as fierce competition for the position from...
View ArticleSale Sharks: Only Fools and Workhorses
In my opinion there are three types of players that make up a rugby team. Firstly, the young, hungry, up and coming young talent (which I looked at last week). These are the guys who play without fear,...
View ArticleGloucester Hit the Ground Running…Almost!
What a wonderful time of year. Keats had it spot on, of course, when he waxed lyrical about seasons of mists and mellow fruitfulness. I love it: the wind gets up a touch, the light gets all moody, the...
View ArticleA Lamb and a Frenchman: Tigers New Heroes?
Walking down the Aylestone Road in the sun last Saturday afternoon towards Welford Road full of anticipation and excitement for the season to come, all of the talk was around the signings that...
View ArticleA Leicester Tigers Q+A
With less than a week to go until the Premiership season begins, anticipation is building around the country and no less so in Leicester. Once again the Tigers will be favourites to make the final...
View ArticleRugby FanCast Chats to Patrick Phibbs
His presence during the second half of last season, as injury cover, helped to turn things around for London Irish. Going from relegation contenders to finishing ninth, Patrick Phibbs really is an...
View ArticleExclusive Interview: Setaimata Sa Chats to RugbyFanCast
He was the talk of the town last year, after numerous visa troubles. Everybody wanted to know when that all-important rubber stamp was going to be marked on the official documents, to allow Setaimata...
View ArticleExclusive Interview: Brian Smith talks to RugbyFanCast
Brian Smith’s thoughts on… Team molding… “It’s something we’ve worked very hard on, we had a lot of change last summer and we’ve had more change. We just felt that the time was right that it was...
View ArticleWasps, from a Sharks Perspective
Some background. I was born in London. I lived there till I was six then moved to Kent (just outside London). For all but three years of my life I have lived in the South East of England… Most of my...
View ArticlePanic Down Gloucester Way
Why I was in Dorset over the weekend when every other self-respecting Gloucester supporter was in the shire is a difficult one to answer. The story, I’m afraid, is a long and shameful one. My wife,...
View ArticleMarket Forces at Bath
New lawyers, a “wealth management” company, half time oranges and a new mascot. Marketing forces are truly beginning to come to the fore at Bath Rugby. With the advent of professional rugby, it was...
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