Two untaxing wins meant the corporate behemoth arrived quietly – but the smart money says it’s here to stayIf Amazon Prime Video was hopeful its maiden foray into rugby coverage would be the main talking point of the weekend’s international Test match action, its thunder was unceremoniously stolen mere hours before its first broadcast by Sky Sports. After Sky’s viewers were spoiled by the unprecedented sight of Argentina beating the All Blacks in the Tri-Nations, a laboured Scotland win over Italy and routine England rout of Georgia in our own comparatively mundane autumnal jamboree, the Nations Cup, could never hope to compete.“Amazon delivers the rugby,” it told us, the pre-match graphic featuring rampaging and hulking household names carrying brown parcels...
Don’t expect Barbarians rugby against Georgia – Eddie Jones wants more versatility in quest to make his players the bestWith 30-odd matches to go until Eddie Jones names his squad for the 2023 World Cup, Saturday marks the start of the next phase for this England team. There’s a degree of experimentation in terms of personnel – and if I were Ollie Thorley I’d be frustrated to miss out – but supporters should be keeping a closer eye on the collective. Related: Eddie Jones picks 'flipping tough' Jack Willis for England debut against Georgia Team to face Georgia at Twickenham, 14 November Related: State of the nations: how the Autumn Nations Cup contenders shape up | Robert Kitson Continue reading...
The scrum-half showed poise and purpose on his 100th cap to score two tries against Italy and bend the game to his will, and was rewarded with the Six Nations title for the fourth timeIt was a forgettable game, fitful and bloodless, but Ben Youngs will always remember it. It was his 100th Test, and one of his very best. He scored two tries, one at the start of the first half, the other at the start of the second, and won the fourth Six Nations title of his career. As Owen Farrell said afterwards, a hundred caps is a hell of an achievement for a man who’s still only 31-year-old. He’s only the second England player to do it,...
The sport needs every week to be a super Saturday, not a one-off extravaganza, if it is to broaden its appealIf Super Saturday truly lives up to its billing it will be bittersweet. On the one hand, we have three teams still in with a genuine chance of winning the title and the real possibility of a feast of attacking rugby in pursuit of bonus points. If it does turn out that way, though, it leaves me asking why it doesn’t happen every week.If England and Ireland – less so the current France team because they are more built that way anyway – can flick the switch and approach these matches with an attacking mindset we may just have a...
A year on from England’s World Cup win against New Zealand, the head coach has picked a squad for a sport that is changing rapidly Exactly a year ago this week Eddie Jones was basking in a World Cup semi-final victory against New Zealand in Yokohama, among the most triumphant moments of his coaching career. The final turned out less brilliantly for him but it was still easy to imagine England returning from Japan and enjoying themselves in the 2020 Six Nations championship.Sport, and life, is rarely so predictable. Even so, no one envisaged England would still be waiting in late October to conclude their Six Nations campaign in Rome, with nine of the 23-man squad who beat New Zealand...