Anger and vitriol seem to be rising, not just in rugby, but perhaps there are ways to take the heat out of online debateSport and social media should, in theory, be a match made in heaven. After, or during, big game like Wales v England it is always interesting to see or hear what others are thinking. If the mood takes you, you can even lob in some observations of your own. Well done to Wales. Where did England go wrong? Who might be to blame for the outcome? A few choice words, a tap of the finger and the entire world can enjoy the benefit of your wisdom. Related: Ellis Genge receives death threats after not clapping Wales into...
Wayne Pivac’s side made the most of mistakes made by the French referee while England paid for their indisciplineWales’s head coach, Wayne Pivac, admitted his side had enjoyed moments of fortune in their opening three victories, but a year ago they were on the wrong side of the (English) referee when they lost at home against France, two decisions in particular costing them. A feature of their campaign is that they have been quick to react, coming from behind against Ireland and Scotland, admittedly with a man advantage, and responding after England closed a 10-point lead. When they won the grand slam in 2019, they looked to dominate opponents and wear them down but this year they have been more...
Players are partly to blame for a recent rash of red cards but laws need updating to minimise confusion and help refereesIt has been obvious for a while that rugby union has a problem with its law book. Which is to say people cherrypick the bits they like, gloss over some of the less convenient parts, flag up certain things only to lose interest by next week, and cling pedantically to woolly wording which should have been redrafted years ago. Referees, coaches, players, the media and supporters have all been guilty, depending upon which day of the week it is.The breadth of the problem has been underlined in the past 10 days. A rash of five red cards inside 24...
France are only ever an offload away from top gear, Wales’s work ethic has revived them, but England have improvements to make with two out of five Six Nations rounds completedSo far, so good. We know about their strength in depth and their skill levels but we’re seeing a team who look fit, hungry and who believe they can win wherever they are playing. That is an incredible asset. Against Ireland they showed a great maturity for a young team and were able to wrestle back momentum whenever it threatened to slip away. In attack, they can be clinical - even if they left a couple of chances out there against Ireland - and they have an ability to go...
Confident France, led by the ebullient Antoine Dupont, pose a daunting challenge for Andy Farrell’s injury-hit side Ireland have never started a Six Nations campaign with back-to-back defeats and if they could choose a side to play after last weekend’s reverse in Wales and the loss of a core of experienced players, a resurgent France would be last on the list.Les Bleus are the favourites for the title following England’s defeat to Scotland, but France are still on a voyage of discovery. “You have to be prepared for any challenge, anywhere and against anyone,” says Fabien Galthié, who spoke about Ireland’s settled style of play before noting that the presence of Billy Burns and Jamison Gibson-Park at half-back – the...