Player welfare versus flow of the game, Ireland’s own Beauden Barrett and England kicking on with an All Blacks tacticEarly this season officials were hard on players whose acts risked causing a head injury. It led to a flurry of cards and bans but then came a World Rugby directive that the TMO should be used sparingly so games did not become addled by hold-ups. As a result, when Stuart Hogg was taken out by Peter O’Mahony and Rory Best, no penalty was awarded and there was no review; nor was there for any of the thumping challenges on Johnny Sexton. Hogg lasted 16 minutes and Sexton 23. Player welfare has been relegated below the flow of a game. Paul...
John Mitchell key for England; Wales’ Dan Biggar offers alternative denied to France; Scotland’s chance to show ambition; England women face formidable French packIreland have won every match in the final round of the Six Nations under Joe Schmidt, but they have won only one of their last four on the opening weekend – in France last year when Johnny Sexton’s late, late drop goal took them past France. They were seven points down against England before a number of spectators had found their seats and they didn’t even bear a passing resemblance to the side who had prevented the most free-flowing team in the world, New Zealand, from scoring a try a few months before. In contrast, England have...
With injuries inevitable, coaches need to know who their next cab off the rank is in each key position and Ireland have the system best placed to succeedWhen the Six Nations starts we’ll all enjoy picking and poking over team selection and tactics, how the benches have been used and how the coaches have drawn on all their nous to get the results they need. But one thing you won’t hear much about may end up being one of the most important factors of all in deciding the championship – the depth chart.Every nation will have a spreadsheet with each position on it and then the first choice, second choice, third choice and so on. Often it’s also colour-coded red,...
With three of the four top-ranked teams in action and Japan 2019 looming, focus and intrigue will be at fever pitchIn January spring still feels far away, never mind the summer beyond it. But the start of the Six Nations, like the first green shoots, is a sign they are on their way. The tournament starts with the first snowdrops and finishes with the first swallows. When this year’s edition is over, the World Cup will be only six months and six days away, and the six teams, their players and coaches, will have a handful of August warm-ups left to finish getting ready for the tournament they have been working towards these last four years and which, if they...
Now that the autumn internationals have been completed we take a look at the prospects for the opening stage in JapanIreland, Scotland, Japan, Russia, Samoa Related: Jacob Stockdale scores only try as Ireland earn historic win over All Blacks Related: England denied by All Blacks and late decision in Twickenham thriller Related: England overwhelm careless Australia with Kyle Sinckler power game Related: Liam Williams leads Wales to South Africa win and first clean sweep Continue reading...