Jones’s side look increasingly like their co-captain Farrell’s side as Saracens fly-half’s work-rate and fortitude prove keyThey have gussied up Twickenham, building a new swooping facade on the back of the old East Stand and a pair of wrought iron gates with the words to Jerusalem stencilled into them around the other side of the ground. It looks a little awkward, all these pretty little frills on those brutal old pressed concrete grandstands, with their exposed pipes and endless zigzag staircases; the stadium is an odd combination of ugly structures and fancy flourishes, as if it does not quite know what it is trying to be. At least it is finished, though, unlike the team who play there. Eddie Jones...
South Africa were their own worst enemy at Twickenham as they failed to make the most of their advantages in 12-11 defeatA good big ’un, they say, will always beat a good little ’un. South Africa brought a pack full of giants, but, against all odds, the people who ultimately dragged them to earth were also dressed in green. Had the Springboks taken even half their first-half chances they would have been way out of sight long before England’s improbable revival.It was like watching one of those James Bond films when 007 is strapped to a table with the cackling villain pondering how best to finish him off. A massive 78% territory advantage for the visitors in the first 40...
Eddie Jones may ration Dylan Hartley’s England appearances but when the hooker plays the key decisions will be hisWill co-captains lead to co-ckups? Eddie Jones was asked the question – though not in so many words – after announcing that Dylan Hartley and Owen Farrell will be England’s joint leaders until the end of the side’s involvement in the World Cup next year.Co-captains have become common in recent seasons: Jones put Chris Robshaw and George Ford in charge last year when England played the Barbarians at Twickenham but neither was considered a potential successor to Hartley, which made it easier for Jones to follow a path he has been reluctant to take. Related: New rugby union season makes Lions an...
Wasps’ elusive wing is heading for the US as rugby in England, for whom he won a single cap, gets ever more size-istPeople love rugby union for different reasons. Some relish the contact, the physical challenge, the survival-of-the-fittest mentality. Others cherish the ethos of unselfishness, the camaraderie and the dressing‑room humour. Spending an entire 80 minutes with one’s head, for example, wedged between two large pairs of buttocks encourages a perspective about fellowship and sacrifice that few other sports can match.What it has never been is a game for robots. Coaches like to talk about consistency and doing the basics but rugby’s real beauty ultimately lies in its quirks and uncertainties. The ball can bounce anywhere, it is not impossible...
The messaging app proves the ultimate team-bonding tool with efficient sharing of logistics, ‘bantz’ and devastating newsGood news for sportsmen this week: they can now forget the pre‑tournament boot camps, and the on-tour karaoke. Travel agents, too, can cancel those large group tours to Gallipoli. Because the Ryder Cup gave us conclusive proof that the ultimate team-bonding tool is already here, and its name is WhatsApp.The European team’s app-inspired love-in has removed all doubt. Even we on the outside could practically see the heart-eyed emojis fluttering between Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood. If Theresa May really wants to rally her cabinet behind her at the Tory conference, she should surely be changing her profile pic to Justin Thomas in a...