News & Comment

David Flatman: Awash with fear while swimming with the sharks

Win the game, a bit of man-wrestling, a few beers and watch State of Origin – the touring life's for me

Inside News & Comment

Toby Flood: Time to prove we can swim with the really big fish

Saturday, 19 June 2010

Inside the Camp

David Flatman: Sorry I missed the hat-trick... I was busy chewing grass

Sunday, 13 June 2010

View from down under with the England prop

Toby Flood: There will be more to our game than slugging it out in a forward battle

Friday, 11 June 2010

Inside the Camp: I couldn't help but be impressed by James O'Connor - he has real nerve to play like that

David Flatman: 'Dirt trackers' we may be but we're ready to kick up a storm

Sunday, 6 June 2010

View from down under with the England prop: Tour so far has been all about Aussie Rules, Chris Ashton's 'jokes' and Davie Wilson's sunscreen – but the real stuff will start when I run out on Tuesday

Peter Bills: Clermont Auvergne exercise the demons

Tuesday, 1 June 2010

Talking Rugby... Exorcising a demon is always a pleasurable activity and few come bigger than French club Clermont Auvergne's achievement at the weekend of becoming French champions for the first time in their 99-year history.

David Flatman: Old-school tour but it'll be men at work in land Down Under

Sunday, 30 May 2010

View from the front row with Bath & England prop

Ruck and Maul: The banned played on – so is Worcester no longer part of the world?

Sunday, 30 May 2010

It has been a while since our last episode of CSI Rugby, and the latest case is: when is a ban not a ban? This is how the European Rugby Cup tournament rules, as laid out in their participation agreement, defined the three-year suspension given to former Harlequins director of rugby Dean Richards: "... to suspend the Person from participating in any aspect of rugby union (including coaching, officiating, selection, team management, administration or promotion of rugby union, playing and training as part of a team or squad) in relation to the Tournament and other current and/or future events organised by ERC (and, subject to the applicable regulations of other relevant rugby authorities, in relation to rugby activities outside ERC's events) for the period of suspension..." The International Rugby Board agreed that the suspension fell under their "universality principle" so that it applied worldwide. It might be thought that Richards' recent advisory role for Worcester Rugby Club would fall within the definition of "participating in any aspect of rugby union" but the RFU's disciplinary officer, Judge Jeff Blackett, in consultation with the IRB decided otherwise.