From the experts
The low down from those in the know
It is the Western Force’s first ever change of guard, with the announcement that David Pocock will replace Nathan Sharpe as captain for 2012.
Coach Philippe Saint-Andre has announced four changes to his line-up for France’s Six Nations game against Ireland at the Stade de France on Saturday.
I met Stephen Hoiles in May 2011, when I was invited to spend a weekend with the Brumbies courtesy of one of their corporate partners Deloitte, who work with the Brumbies on innovation and business management.
Simply does it, says Gatland
By Pirate Irwin, 7 Feb 2012Wales must keep things simple if they are to progress to being an outstanding team, coach Warren Gatland said on Sunday.
Scotland out of rugby’s top ten
By AFP, 7 Feb 2012Scotland have fallen out of the world’s top ten rugby nations following last weekend’s Six Nations loss at home to England.
Rebels won’t panic despite trial thrashing
By Guy Hand, 7 Feb 2012Melbourne Rebels insist there’s no need to panic about the season ahead despite the Super Rugby trial schedule from hell burning them early.
Slipper hungry for more Reds success
By Jim Morton, 7 Feb 2012Wallabies prop James Slipper will attack the Super Rugby pre-season with extra hunger and confidence as the pain from missing Queensland’s grand final triumph still burns.
The first round of the 2012 Six Nations tournament has been completed, with Wales, France and England (particularly the first two rugby nations) claiming impressive victories.
The Roar of the crowd
Your sports opinion. Write your own articleWhat opening matches of Six Nations taught us
By SAMURAI, TodayWith the Australian rugby preparing for the grueling season of Super Rugby and the inaugural Rugby Championship, my appetite was satisfied by ESPN over the weekend with a three course Six Nations meal.
Will Super Rugby crowds continue their slide?
By nickoldschool, 7 Feb 2012Dwindling crowd attendances are never a good omen in any sport or competition. The bad news is that it’s what we are facing in Super Rugby, particularly in Australia and New Zealand.
173 Have your say
Clinical Chiefs cost rusty Rebels in Corio
By Stuart Fazakerley, 6 Feb 2012There are several things one should expect to encounter in trial matches before the season proper. Some things will change, some remain, and the legitimacy and relevance of the result will always be questioned.
Six Nations shows rugby is a parochial game at heart
By The Link, 6 Feb 2012As the European Six Nations of rugby union kicks off this weekend Simon Barnes, chief sports writer of The Times, reflected this weekend on what makes the tournament special.
Goose’s Super Rugby up-and-comer XV for 2012
By Goose Step, 5 Feb 2012Do you smell that? Freshly painted field lines, Dencorub burning flesh, and what can only be described as the scent of fear wafting from our southern hemisphere neighbours. It’s Super Rugby season.
What does the future hold for the Six Nations
By SAMURAI, 4 Feb 2012The 2012 Six Nations starts today with France taking on Italy at the iconic Stade de France in Paris to kick-off the annual rugby union championship involving six rugby powerhouses of Europe.
2012 preview: Super Rugby, average rugby, and all in between
By Elisha Pearce, 3 Feb 2012
Welcome to 2012! In case youve been living under a rock and missed all the New Years signs, the Australian Test team is dominating, just like recent years.
Rugby the safe alternative to NFL headbangers
By gatesy, 2 Feb 2012Imagine a kid playing contact sport, like high school rugby. He dies of major concussion, after a seemingly innocuous tackle. Is this the kind of thing people should be worried about?
Just in and roaring hot
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Roaring debate
Johnno says: Scotland have unearthed a quality no 8, a zimbabwean born no 8, like our dave pock form zimbabwe too....
mattamkII says: All jokes aside, what I took out of the opening rounds is that the two team that in my book have improved the most in the last 18 months - Scotland and Wales are doing so because they seem to have southern hemisphere style number 7's. I know that...
allblackfan says: crusaders are also keeping their ticket prices down as well despite their pressing need to make money. Is this why, for the second year in a row, the Super rugby season will kick off with Blues hosting the Crusaders? (What a game that will be!!)...
peterlala says: "Why change now?" Surely not to copy Ricky Ponting. David Pocock is a great player -- and a disciplined player. But other qualites are needed also.Being young is a strength in a young group of players. But it's also a weakness. To generalise, the...
Jaceman says: Try this AFL one - McGuire and Collingwood rushed out the change of coach to Buckley the night before the AFL announced the Hunt signing and the Nine AFL show that wek barely mentioned the Hunt story even though it was the big footy story of the year...
THE ROAR ON