With Bakkies Botha and Danie Rossouw lurking menacingly on their front line, Toulon were never going to be scared of the wolf-pack. In the end though, the manner in which…
Rugby World
Sam Warburton: Rugby’s best opensides
Best for game intelligence – Martyn Williams (Wales) “Martyn was my hero growing up. He was the first person I met at the Blues on my first day in the…
Saints and Sinners: The weekend’s talking points
The Saints The legend How could Jonny Wilkinson not be the number one Saint this week? England’s ultimate hero – and world rugby’s most magnificent role model – played his…
Toulon’s steps to Heineken Cup success
Toulon retained the Heineken Cup with a 23-6 victory over Saracens in the final at the Millennium Stadium. So how did they do it?
Drew Mitchell on life with Toulon
There is a pause of almost five seconds before Drew Mitchell lets out a groan of frustration and throws in the towel. “No,” he admits after being asked if he…
The other Englishman leaving Toulon
There is another Englishman who’s time at Toulon is drawing to a close. Like Jonny Wilkinson, Steve Walsh arrived on the Cote d’Azur in 2009, and like the soon-to-be retired…
Championship blog: Semi-finals second leg wrap
That the two top teams after the regular season should battle it out in the final is a validation of the tournament’s structure. Less so, are rules that permit Bristol’s…
Saracens: trips, cricketers and Henry Fraser
“No one likes us. No one likes us. No one likes us. We don’t care.” So goes the famous chant of Millwall Football Club’s fans who are, to put it…
Jonny Wilkinson announces retirement
Jonny Wilkinson today, in typically understated fashion, officially notified the rugby world that he was to hang up the boots that struck 1246 glorious points on the international stage at…
Saints and Sinners: Rugby’s weekend talking points
The Saints Classic clash Some people are calling it the best Aviva Premiership game ever and the Northampton v Leicester semi-final certainly had drama, skill, physicality and passion by the…