Return of King Jonny Fails to Turn Aussie Tide

For the first 10 minutes of yesterday’s match, it was as if we had been set into a time machine, back six years. Here was Jonny Wilkinson, dropping a goal, kicking a penalty, ticking the scoreboard over, giving England an early lead, a lead from which they would press on and suffocate the opposition. But [...]

Weekend Predictions, Challenge Guscott!

Some really hard games to call this weekend, complicated further by International call ups. How will the teams who lose their star Internationals fair? Will the other clubs benefit? I don’t have a clue. Will Dom add his predictions? Will our predictions be better than Jerry Guscott’s?

Sale v Gloucester
Gloucester look a team in bits. If [...]

Moody the Man Again?

One of the sub-plots of yesterday’s clash between London Irish and Leicester was the battle of the open sides. The old nutter Lewis Moody versus the young wrecking ball Steffon Armitage. One of them is almost certain to line up for England against Australia in two weeks time, so who is the best bet to [...]

Ah, Autumn Rugby is Back!

As the nights draw in and the condensation starts to form on car windows in the morning, thoughts start to turn to getting the overcoats out of the back of the wardrobe and putting the lawn mower away for the year. Yes, Autumn is upon us, November is nearly here, and November means only one [...]

Hey Ackford, use your own ideas!

Well, it has been months and months since I wrote anything on this site, real life work and a new baby has seen to that. Finally I have a spare moment and I must say how it is gratifying to see how esteemed journalists take the time to read and paraphrase this occasional blog. It [...]

Fill in the gaps – England squad short of men of form

Let’s reflect on the revised England squad:
Forwards: Tim Payne (Wasps), Andrew Sheridan (Sale), Matt Stevens (Bath), Phil Vickery (Wasps), George Chuter (Leicester), Dylan Hartley (Northampton), Lee Mears (Bath), Steve Borthwick (Saracens), Nick Kennedy (London Irish), Tom Palmer (Wasps), Simon Shaw (Wasps), Tom Croft (Leicester), James Haskell (Wasps), Lewis Moody (Leicester), Tom Rees (Wasps), Nick Easter [...]

Sack Andrew – Save Coventry RFU

It’s a sad endictment of the modern game.
While the RFU can spend 300k+ on Rob Andrew to do whatever it is he does including some highly dubious management on the tour to New Zealand, Coventry RFU are going to the wall.
Established in 1874, their heyday was in the 60s and 70s but in recent [...]

Institutional failings at the RFU

The history of incompetency and self-interest and the RFU is long. 
Regardless of your satisfaction, or lack thereof, at England’s recent Six Nations performance, the latest dealings at the RFU leave a bitter aftertaste.
The current review of the management structures, coming not four months after the last review, is the latest in a long line of serial failings – [...]