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Exclusive: USA Rugby CEO Dan Payne talks growing the game Stateside

Writer Graham Jenkins talks exclusively with USA Rugby CEO Dan Payne about various issues he’s faced in his first year in charge and looks ahead at the key areas of growth, ahead of this week’s Premiership game in the States.

Aggressive ball-placement options at the Women’s World Cup final

The women’s game has the virtue of being different in character to the male version of rugby. Analyst Nick Bishop looks at why the women’s game is on the rise, especially after the outstanding World Cup final played last weekend between the New Zealand Black Ferns and the England Roses.

Do you love rugby more than you love your children?

As coaches and referees, it is incredibly important that we teach our youngsters the safest way to enjoy our game but it is also imperative that we educate ourselves about the player welfare issues and share that knowledge with players and parents. With the northern season nearly upon us, writer Graham Jenkins looks at what measures the RFU implementing to make the game safer for junior players.

How to use your eyes – the 10/15 hybrid and engaging the last defender on attack

The first Bledisloe match of 2017 between New Zealand and Australia was decided partly in advance, by selection before the game ever started. How did the All Blacks achieve this? Analyst Nick Bishop explains in his latest article.

Performance Success or Failure under Pressure

Why do people have a tendency to fail when it matters most? More commonly known as ‘choking’. It can happen in any situation both on the sports field and off it. This week Mental Skills coach Zane Winslade explains some of the science behind why this happens.

Why Warren Gatland will not be the next All Blacks coach

You could be forgiven for thinking there was no winner in the British & Irish Lions’ recent showdown with New Zealand given that the enthralling Test series was drawn. However surprisingly this was not the case as Graham Jenkins explains one person emerged with their reputation greatly enhanced.

What can Rugby Players learn from extreme sport?

Whilst being caught up in the rugby world it is easy to forget about what we can learn from other sports and how they push the boundaries of human potential. This week Mental skills coach Zane Winslade examines how much can be learned from other sports that can be applied from tactical and technical standpoint.

Why the Lions series confounded expectation

The recent series between the New Zealand All Blacks and the British & Irish Lions was one which confounded expectation. Received wisdom suggested that the Lions needed to dominate set-piece and gain ascendancy over the Kiwi tight forwards in order to succeed. Analyst Nick Bishop looks at what actually did happen during the series.

What is the currency of the British & Irish Lions after New Zealand 2017?

The simple answer to the question in the title of the article is $69 million NZ dollars. That is the monetary amount that educated estimates suggest will be generated by the Lions cycle (every four years) for the host union. Analyst Nick Bishop outlines who benefits most from the tours and ways it could be improved for all involved.

No winner but World Rugby still loses

The British & Irish Lions’ tour of New Zealand came to an enthralling and painfully frustrating conclusion at Eden Park on Saturday night. The occasion may have failed to provide a winner but there was certainly a loser. Leading writer Graham Jenkins explores the sport’s shortcomings that can no longer be ignored by World Rugby.

How the All Blacks sidestepped the Lions rush defence in the first Test

One of the great questions in the build-up to the Test series between New Zealand and the British & Irish Lions was: How will the All Blacks attack the Lions’ rush defence? – masterminded by Ireland defence coach Andy Farrell. In this week’s article, leading analyst Nick Bishop explains how it was achieved.

Building Confidence In Players

Mental skills coach Zane Winslade looks at what it means and how best to build players confidence.