Stats and snapshots: episode two
Your attack gets you noticed but your defence gets you picked
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Case for the defence
Elliot Daly has vast sums of credit in the bank with England, but as Matt Perry warns, his starting berth now looks in jeopardy.
Dai against Goliath
It’s all to play for as Graham Simmons previews the weekend’s Six Nations clashes
Pack mentality
How Blues’ forwards went from easy beats to heavy hitters to challenge Crusaders’ supremacy.
The Crusaders’ cause
How will the Super Rugby standard setting Crusaders be preparing for a fifth consecutive year of glory?
Lost identity
The Highlanders have brought in Tony Brown to help them find who they really are.
High-speed half-life
The Hurricanes struggled to replace Beauden Barrett in 2020. How will they fair without TJ Perenara in 2021?
All or nothing
All Blacks great Dan Carter officially bows out at a time when his body was still willing – even at almost 39.
The enduring wait
A horror season in 2020 is something the Chiefs are desperate to forget all about in 2021.
Redemption time
David Havili will be eager to bounce back after illness and Covid de-railed his stunning start to 2020.
The Lord’s work
Politician, psephologist, Lord, referee, and chairman of the world’s first gay-inclusive rugby club – meet Robert Hayward.
Making a head start
Progressive Rugby want to help the sport deal with the head injury crisis but will anyone listen?
Missing ingredient
Scotland have the players to cause plenty of damage but their rigid game plan is hampering their attack.
Singing the Bleus
For all France’s development, they will not win the next World Cup without a top-class goal-kicker.
Building bridges
Boosting Australian club rugby is the key to preparing aspiring Super Rugby players.
Thrill seekers
Welsh enigma, Sinners become Saints, Ireland’s redemption man, Munster’s old dog for the hard road
Under the radar
Wyn Jones has emerged from the shadows to be one of Wales’ consistent performers in the Six Nations
Land of opportunity
Rugby will be missing a trick if the USA don’t get to host a World Cup in the near future
Lifting the weight
How do you keep elite athletes in prime shape when gyms are shut and plans decimated? Meet rugby’s S&C gurus.
Surviving Super Rugby Aotearoa
Another Covid curve ball could make for an even tougher competition for Aotearoa’s best players.
Change your tune
It’s time to ditch God Save the Queen but what should England rugby’s new anthem be?
Channel surfing
A buzz is in the air as Super Rugby Australia kicks off with a new host broadcaster this week.
Soft in the head
Fans debating red cards and the ‘hardness’ of players can’t see the bigger picture
Off the ropes
Wales were written-off before the Six Nations but two edgy wins have seen self-belief returning
Mending fences
Ex-pro Rob Vickerman picks out the positives of no relegation from the Premiership
Looking for inspiration
Ireland have been on a downward spiral since beating the All Blacks in 2018
Six Nations: Team of round 2
A capitulation at Twickenham, slugfest in Edinburgh and arm-wrestle in Dublin, who made our XV of Round 2?
The unwinnable war
World Rugby is killing the game with its futile attempt to eradicate rather than reduce contact to the head.
Reaching new heights
Test centurion Tamara Taylor talks about the highs and lows of her career
Taking the hot seat
Andy Marinos has jumped from Sanzaar to Rugby Australia with plans to rebuild the game and the Wallabies.
The renaissance man
After a false start with England on their 2018 tour to South Africa, Jonny Hill is making up for lost time
Stats and snapshots: episode one
How did Scotland’s matador, Finn Russell, toy with the English defence? What must Eddie Jones do next? Rob Vickerman reveals all.
Tables Turned
George Turner began the season as Scotland’s third-choice hooker. He started 2021 by conquering Twickenham. This is his story.
Under the spotlight
Under fire Eddie Jones has reverted to type for the Italy game among calls of conservatism
The next frontier
If rugby is serious about broadening its appeal then it needs to learn from NFL.
Red and black and black and blue
After a year blighted by injury, Quinten Strange is ready to reaffirm his place in the pecking order.
Lost for words
A painful inquest will be underway for a side who woefully underperformed against Scotland
Final push
Rugged All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick is eyeing the 2023 World Cup as his international swansong.
Tortured souls
Andy Farrell’s Ireland team seem to be trapped between heaven and hell
Six Nations: Team of round one
After a rout in Rome, a hoodoo shattered, and a needle-laden Cardiff tussle, The XV picks out the stars of the opening round of the Six Nations.
Redpath to success
Scotland’s seemingly hopeless search for a permanent midfield fixture may finally be over.
Right behind you
The absence of fans for this Six Nations will be keenly felt but better times lie ahead
Six Nations preview: France
France have gone from pretenders to contenders in 12 months but can they back up the expectation of a nation?
Six Nations preview: Italy
The Azzurri are going with youth as they seek their first Six Nations win since 2015
The cup of hope
Scottish rugby history is littered with false dawns. Is the perennial Six Nations optimism merited, or does yet more agony beckon?
Six Nations preview: Ireland
Ireland’s task for this Six Nations is to show they can live with the might of England and France
Finding paradise
Too much rugby is going to be a thing of the past for the best players in Australasia.
Six Nations preview: Wales
After a hugely successful period under Warren Gatland, Wales enter the 2021 Six Nations as underdogs
Back on their perch
The Bulls, sleeping giant of South African rugby has finally awoken
Six Nations preview: Scotland
Can Gregor Townsend make Scotland contenders on the road, to align with their home dominance?
Six Nations preview: England
Eddie Jones has asked England to entertain a nation, but is winning a Grand Slam paramount?
Living in exile
Eddie O’Sullivan is Ireland’s second-most successful coach yet has been ostracised since 2008.
Fire starter
Flame-haired Finlay Christie’s decision to remain at the Blues for another year may be bad news for Scotland.
Heaven and hell
Should Israel Folau be given a route back into professional rugby union? And how many others share his religious beliefs?
The waiting game
The fate of the 2021 Lions tour is giving every individual associated with it a mighty headache
Doing the right thing
Dan Mckellar was set to join the Wallabies last year, until he decided the Brumbies needed him more.
Special forces
What separates the great from the good, the legends from the journeymen?
The emotional bond
After four tours of giddy highs and sickening lows, Brian O’Driscoll still cares passionately about the Lions
Cracking the code
History shows Roger Tuivasa-Sheck’s high-profile move from league to union will not be an easy task.
Border crossing
The IRFU’s willingness to transfer players between provinces offers a lifeline to some but pain to others.
Code breakers
Wallabies legend LoteTuqiri believes Vunivalu can follow in his footsteps
Easing the burden
Tom Youngs has reached 200 appearances for Leicester and, at 34, feels as good as ever
Turbulent times
Alex ‘Grizz’ Wyllie was an enforcer for the All Blacks during some of New Zealand rugby’s most chaotic years.
Building the dynasty
Brendan Venter helped spawn the careers of some of English rugby’s sharpest coaches. This is his dynasty.
The Times They Are-a-Changin’
Some 150 years since the RFU’s inception, professional rugby finds itself amid a sea of icebergs, any one of which might bring it down.
The final journey
Why South Africa’s 2019 World Cup victory resonated more deeply than the 1995 and 2007 triumphs.
Unburdened and unbowed
Liam Squire sets the record straight on the media storm that was his 2019 season.
Fit to burst
Pre-season training can often be unpleasant, but it can also create lasting, and good, memories.
From lost boy to liberté
Kurtley Beale has charted a turbulent path from troubled wonderkid and rehab patient to joyous Racing 92 galactico.
Proving his worth
James Botham is stepping out of the shadows of his grandfather’s sporting legend
Culture clash
If the New Zealand Rugby strikes a private equity deal, it is going to force a radical culture shift in the All Blacks’ traditional values.
The odd couple
Mark Durden-Smith and David Flatman make a classic TV double act but what do they make of each other?
Mending a broken heart
No one in Australia rated Jake McIntyre in 2017. That might change in 2021 now he’s signed with the Western Force.
Trading places
Former prop John Andress is using the personal touch to guide players through tough times
Try your eyes
Bryan Habana’s incredible Test scoring record wasn’t just down to his speed
Loss leaders
Two major losses in the last 12 months could be the emotional fuel that rebuilds the All Blacks.
Dow stock on rise
England winger wants to engineer change in the women’s game
Breaking bad
Rugby Australia have navigated some tough seas in recent years – but it’s a period they may end up thankful for.
Taking the reins
In the wake of Danny Cipriani’s departure, Lloyd Evans has emerged from the shadows
Stand-off supreme
Ian Foster’s biggest challenge in 2021 may be getting the best out of Beauden Barrett and Richie Mo’unga.
Escaping the straitjacket
With his bright dreadlocks and custom boots, Paolo Odogwu is a splash of colour in an often-grey sport.
Feeding an army
How do you fuel a squad of ravenous rugby players? And what about the science behind the scoff?
Generation next
The progeny of a 1930 British and Irish Lion, Jesse Kriel longs to face the tourists in 2021.
Short circuit
Why Premiership Rugby’s egregious circuit-break reeks of inflexibility, short-sightedness and politicking.
Fullback gambit
The All Blacks’ dual-playmaker strategy requires a demanding skillset from NZ fullbacks.
French withdrawal
France is no longer a haven for foreign players. Its shifting tides that could redefine world rugby.
Catch me if you can
Randall admiration, Six Nations fears, Falcons march on, flying ref sees red, Ospreys renaissance, Irish elite
Split loyalties
Half-Irish, half-Welsh, Mike Ruddock is back ‘home’ after getting an SOS call from the Ospreys.
Charmed life
All Blacks captains have seemingly been subject to different rules because of their reputation.
Loyalty and legacy
England’s new tyro talks LeBron James, Eddie Jones and making an indelible footprint.
Better late than never
Touring is key to the Lions’ survival, so do fans want a waiting game or no game?
World Cup wild card
By 2023, Fiji could be a team with the potential to cause a major surprise at the World Cup.
The French evolution
After a decade of turmoil, things are finally looking up for Les Bleus.
Sizing up
Bigger is better for Test coaches, but it isn’t for player welfare
The hard line
Talent only takes you so far, you need selflessness and a team-ethic to become a true great
Annus mirabilis
He started the year a hopeful sevens player but Caleb Clarke ended 2020 as a global superstar.
On a cliff edge
South Africa’s future could depend on the British & Irish Lions tour getting the go-ahead.
Set for lift-off
The XV has enlisted experts all over the world to select players they expect to make a big impression in 2021
Tough at the top
The pressure and expectation that comes with the All Blacks captaincy has been too hard for some players to handle.