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Munster V Saracens Champions Cup previewMurray Kinsella profiles Munster’s crucial Champions Cup clash with Saracens this Saturday. Some of Munster’s biggest wins this season have been built on gameplans that featured a very narrow attacking focus – think Leinster home and away, as well as Saracens at Thomond Park. But it goes without saying that Munster’s emotional intensity will need to be at memorable levels if they are to win in Allianz Park.
Lancaster’s Hartley headacheGraham Jenkins dissect’s the Dylan Hartley discipline conundrum facing Stuart Lancaster. England’s most capped current player also has the most compromised discipline record in the international game. Hartley’s a world class rake and critical to England’s rugby’s 2015. He also knows there’s only so much a coach with the value set of Lancaster can take.
Wayne Smith – Steve Hansen’s most visionary selectionRespected New Zealand based journalist Liam Napier gains unique access and explores the value of Wayne Smith’s reappointment to the All Blacks and their 2015 mission to be the first team to claim back to back Rugby World Cup titles. “Strategically I really like the role of plotting the defence and working out how we can get the ball back, whether that’s by forcing poor kicks or turning it over at the ruck,” Smith says. “Whatever it is, that ball creates a lot of tries.” Enjoy this Rugby Site exclusive.
The world's best coaches – 2014Graham Jenkins identifies the five coaches who made the biggest difference to the global game. The world’s best coaches of 2014.
We welcome your comment and feedback, who are your top five globally?
Scrums, Props and RefereesAs we look forward to the return fixtures in this weekends European Rugby Champions Cup, Murray Kinsella focusses his torch on the dark art of front row play.
Dissecting referee Wayne Barne’s interpretation last week of Munster tight head BJ Botha’s battle with Clermont loose head Thomas Domingo and profiling the challenge Nigel Owen will have this weekend to interpret and manage this most intense and influential aspect of play.
No pressure Nigel!
Match fixing and rugby – The fight to ensure the integrity of our gameAs the dust settles on another series of fiercely-fought inter-hemisphere clashes another intense battle continues, the one to preserve the integrity of the sport.
Match-fixing scandals have hit increasingly close to home in recent months with football, cricket and rugby league all tarnished by reports of alleged corruption. Until now, rugby union has escaped such ignominy but far from celebrating the fact, officials are stepping up their efforts to keep it that way.
A Rucking Revolution?FIJI SEVENS HEAD coach Ben Ryan published a number of intriguing tweets yesterday evening highlighting a technique which he believes has the game “in crisis”.
The former England Sevens boss has an issue with the rucking technique that, depending on where one is from, is referred to as a crocodile roll, tin opener, can opener, body roll, croc roll, alligator roll, gator roll, saddle roll or log roll.
England performance a timely mix of brute force and intellectGraham Jenkins dissects a very timely England performance against Australia. A victory not just built on brute force but their most intelligent performance of the autumn. Lancaster’s side saved the best until last with a dominant 26-17 victory over Australia.
Autumn Internationals, A Southern Hemisphere PerspectiveLiam Napier reviews the Autumn internationals and delivers a southern hemisphere perspective on the form contenders a year out from rugby’s biggest show.
The art of being smart - coaches everywhere under spotlight in RWC lead upSimon Halliday shares with us his thoughts around the Autumn Internationals to date and what they tell us about form and contenders for the 2015 RWC.
Murray Kinsella Ireland vs Australia OverviewMurray Kinsella dissects the Ireland vs Australia test match. Delivering a breakdown that has real relevance to coaches and players around the world. We know you are enjoying Murray’s perspective and game understanding. Enjoy.
Ford brings England's future into focusGraham Jenkins reviews England’s performance against Samoa over the weekend, identifying George Ford as the shining light the England team has been searching for.
Predictably fired up after a turbulent week off the pitch, Samoa went after the comparatively slight Ford, and some of his team-mates, but he reminded us he has the steel to complement the abundance of skill he can call on.
Dan Carter: coming back from adversity (part 2)One of the most gifted players of his or any generation, Carter insists hard graft has played a more significant part in his undoubted success. “Hard work is crucial,” he said. “You can have all the talent in the world but if you are not prepared to work at the highest level then that is a big part…"
Wayne Smith: Mindset of a champion Part 3 of 3The third and final part of this series, Wayne Smith shares his philosophy on the need for coaches and players to continue to innovate, and think outside the square, – coaching to continue to win. And what’s it’s like to coach the rugby team of a nation who finds it totally unacceptable to lose a game of rugby.
Maul resurgence as an attacking weaponTHE MAUL is enjoying a resurgence at the top levels of world rugby, to the point that it has become one of the key attacking weapons for teams who are increasingly focused on the maul as a means of amassing tries.
All Blacks' Scottish experiment almost backfiresThere is a fine line between arrogance and experimentation. The All Blacks almost crossed it in Edinburgh. They deserve credit for their composure and ability to grind out a win when not at their best, but for 75 minutes, the All Blacks were in serious strife.
Dan Carter: coming back from adversity (part 1)Mental resilience is often an overlooked factor in sport, but it’s an essential part of the makeup of all champion athletes. Dan Carter is a prime example of this trait.
Following his return to the All Blacks’ No.10 shirt for the first time since the victory over England almost a year ago, Carter reflects on the ‘dark days’ of the 2011 Rugby World Cup and his determination to return to his very best for New Zealand’s defence of the sport’s biggest prize next year.
England come up short against the SpringboksSouth Africa’s narrow 28-31 victory at Twickenham reinforced that England’s player’s decision making and mistakes are costing them against the world’s top teams.
Word from Rats: Look beyond the scoreline at Soldier FieldAs we approach another great weekend of Autumn International matches the dust has well and truly settled at Chicago’s Soldier Field after the sell out All Blacks Vs USA Eagles match.
Far too much of the post-match debate has focussed on the scoreline and not enough about the wider context of profile and exposure for the game in a nation that has an insatiable appetite for sport.
WSU starts off their season with a winWashington State University Rugby Club won’t play their first game of the season until this weekend, but they have already got a win on the board.
Simon Newkirk, a WSU rugby player and keen member of The Rugby Site completed our survey and was the lucky winner of 12 months’ access for all coaches at the club.
Analysis: Ireland's work at the breakdown vs the SpringboksJoe Schmidt’s coaching philosophy is strongly founded on winning the breakdown and ruck, so we’ve analysed his Ireland team’s winning performance against South Africa last weekend.
Our in-depth examination of every breakdown and ruck shows who is doing the hard work in this highly technical area.
England’s latest loss to the All Blacks was flatteringSpin it any which way you please, England’s latest loss to the All Blacks was flattering. Their fifth successive loss to the All Blacks told us they can’t yet stick with the world’s best for 80 minutes. Forty minutes yes. Eighty, no.
England come frustratingly close againDespite England rattling the All Blacks in the first half, England lost out 21-24 at Twickenham yesterday as Richie McCaw and his men saved their best till last.
Vermeulen set to be unleashed on the IrishIreland are taking on a world-class No. 8 in Duane Vermeulen on Saturday. Standing 6’ 4", weighing in at 118kg, Vermeulen is playing some of the best rugby of his life. Murray Kinsella goes in-depth to find out just why the Springbok back rower is one of the most destructive forwards on the planet.
Wayne Smith: Mindset of a champion Part 2 of 3In part 2 of this series, Wayne Smith recounts the experiences that gave him the all-round skills and vision to mould the world’s most successful rugby teams.
Taranaki show pride in the shirtLiam Napier on Taranaki’s ITM Cup Premiership final win, and how pride and passion for the team has contributed to their success against the traditionally strong teams this season.
Ending Canterbury’s six-year reign in this competition Taranaki and other ‘underdog’ team’s success has sparked an increased interest in the provincial competition this season. The buy in from all the team shows what can be done with the right mix of players and collective passion.
SBW stars as All Blacks carve up Soldier FieldChicago’s Soldier Field has played host to a wide variety of events in its 90-year history ranging from American football to opera and boxing to ski-jumping.
Sonny Bill Williams, perhaps a modern day match for legendary Chicago Bears running back Walter ‘Sweetness’ Payton, took centre stage as the All Blacks routed the hapless US Eagles 74-6.
Success for USA Rugby despite a big scorelineDespite a big scoreline against the USA Eagles Chicago, the Test match against the All Blacks is been hailed as a success for the sport in the US.
A helping hand to steal possessionMurray Kinsella analyses the importance of the second player to the breakdown in securing turnover possession in the ruck. We see examples where Saracens’ Kelly Brown Ulster’s Franco van der Merwe and Louis Ludik provide stability and strength to the player stealing possession in the ruck.
Wayne Smith: Mindset of a champion Part 1 of 3Wayne Smith “fell into” coaching while playing in Italy after the end of his first-class rugby career in New Zealand. Ten years later he steered the Crusaders to their first (of many) Super Rugby titles.
In the first of a series of three videos, Wayne lays down his recipe for coaching success. And it starts with learning and sharing.
