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Are NZ rotating or spinning?What a curious team Father Ted, aka Graham Henry, has picked for the opening match against Tonga. It all makes some sort of sense until you get to the name at number ten. Daniel Carter is a car crash waiting to happen. The Tongans will come after him in a way that no other team in New Zealand’s pool is capable of matching.
Springboks - Welcome to WellingtonA couple of snippets from the official welcome and capping of one of the serious contenders of The Rugby World Cup. After watching their first open training session they looked composed and settled. A team that know that winning the World Cup is about a beautiful result and not necessarily about a beautiful game.
DefenceAn insight into different defensive patterns – what works for the All Blacks may not be the answer for junior clubs.
JG's Round-UpOur undercover man’s weekly round up of news from around the rugby world, this week featuring: Growing back row injuries, Manu’s scintillating try in Dublin, the Wallabies “One Team” slogan, Tri Nations questions, Maka’s and Samo’s bouffant hairstyles, Eddie’s Eagles and Rugby World Cup arrivals…
The HakaIn a week or so I am to be instructed in the ways of the haka. In the event that this proves to be an Orwellian experience, in case I am rendered a Terpsichorean fool slathering and slobbering over the beauty of Maori dance culture, let me state now that I believe the haka to be a daft way to preview a sporting contest.
Wayne Smith: Decision Making on Attack TrailerA sneak peak of Wayne Smith’s latest video to be released on Friday. Wayne demonstrates a simple model to assist in guiding your players to attack the space provided by the opposition defence.
Reason's Round-UpOur resident journo’s weekly round up of news from around the rugby world, this week featuring: A very odd week indeed; de Vlliers sounding almost sane, strange happenings on planet Wallaby, Lievremont’s mad decision, match officials making up new laws and Flutey’s omission.
FitnessIt took me a couple of days to recover after our win over Australia at Eden Park. It was a hard physical test match – what you would literally call a bruising encounter – and without a high fitness level it would have taken me much longer to recover from the knocks…
JG's Round-UpOur undercover man’s weekly round up of news from around the rugby world, this week featuring: Springboks Captain Fantastic, England’s set piece dominance, Japans progress, a lack of yellow cards, the growing Rugby World Cup injury count and the launch of Matt Hampson’s book…
Reason's Round-UpOur resident journo’s weekly round up of news from around the rugby world, this week featuring: Johnson’s decisions, Welsh fitness levels, Scotland’s lead-up, Dwyer on the Wallabies performance and the All Blacks jersey debate…
Pitch Size MattersCan someone please tell me why there is a maximum pitch size but no minimum size. In recent years both the Osprey and Wasps have played blitz defences on small pitches and reduced rugby to a hit-athon…
Reason’s Round-UpOur resident journo’s weekly round up of news from around the rugby world, this week featuring: Shane William’s believes, England’s midfield tactics, injury fears in lead up to World Cup and how many players can a coach rest before it becomes a scandal?…
