Best Of The Weekend: Sarries Ensure English Presence In Quarters

- January 22, 2018January 22, 2018

Saracens qualify, whilst other English teams fall agonisingly shortIt could have been worse for English clubs in Europe this season. There was a very real possibility that none would be in the knock-out stages, yet one remains. Reigning champions Saracens may have qualified as the third best runner-up, but they

Best Of The Weekend: Chiefs Haul Themselves Into Contention

- January 15, 2018January 15, 2018

Topsy turvy European weekendExeter were the big winners in Europe this weekend. They may not stand a chance of winning their group (Leinster made sure of that with a resounding 55-19 destruction of Glasgow), but their impeccable 41-10 victory over Montpellier has given them every chance of a best runner-up

Best Of The Weekend: Falcons Stun Chiefs, Sharks Leave It Late

- January 8, 2018January 8, 2018

De Klerk and a penalty try determine late winsHarlequins: masters of inconsistency. Just as it looked like they would back up their impressive win over Saints last week with an equally high quality one away at Sale, they threw the game away. The two sides had been blow for blow

Best Of The Weekend: Challenging Weekend For English Clubs In Europe

- December 11, 2017December 11, 2017

English clubs in deep water in Champions CupBarring Saracens’ postponed match against Clermont, it was a widely disappointing weekend for English clubs in Europe’s elite competition, with many either crashing out, or facing an uphill struggle to progress.In Pool 1, Wasps came unstuck in La Rochelle and the inconsistent Harlequins

Best Of The Weekend: Movers And Shakers In Premiership

- December 4, 2017December 4, 2017

Tight games see shake-up in PremiershipThe Midlands derby was played in frenetic fashion considering the conditions, with Wasps grabbing a last minute try to make a game, which was poised on a knife edge, theirs. Tigers started the better, with a purposeful sequence of attacks that resulted in a converted

Autumn Internationals 2017: England Player Ratings versus Samoa

- November 28, 2017November 28, 2017

Ellis Genge – His rampaging form for Leicester merited a call-up. Unfortunately, he was unable to make many telling contributions with ball in hand. He did hold his own at the set piece. 5/10Jamie George – Finally got his chance from the start. Accurate with his darts and present around

Best of the Weekend: Experimental England Fails To Excite

- November 27, 2017November 26, 2017

Samoa put up stern resistance against EnglandIn Eddie Jones' most left-field squad since taking the helm (Lions-influenced Argentina tour notwithstanding), Twickenham was left a little underwhelmed. It was a chance for fringe players to take their chance, the squad as a whole to expand elements of their game against an

Autumn Internationals 2017: England Player Ratings versus Argentina

- November 14, 2017November 13, 2017

Jonathan Joseph's expression sums it all upMako Vunipola - 7 Solid enough in the set piece, destructive in his numerous tackles and present in the loose. That the loosehead prop was awarded Man of the Match says plenty about the rest of the team.Dylan Hartley - 6 Hit a few hard lines

Best Of The Weekend: England Fails To Fire In Opening Autumn Win

- November 13, 2017November 13, 2017

England need late Rokoduguni try for breathing space against ArgentinaWhat better way to kick off a first England-focussed Best of the Weekend article than with the first England game of the autumn? Unfortunately, it was not a game to write home about.England had named a side with an experienced core,

Best Of The Weekend: Vital Wins For English Sides

- October 23, 2017October 23, 2017

Crucial away victories for Bath and ExeterA famous victory was secured for Exeter in Montpellier. They battled back from 17-10 down at half time, going on to win 27-24. The only regrets for them will have been conceding two bonus points to the French, which still gives them hope of