Cracking the Code

As I sit to write this, the 2015 Rugby World Cup countdown reads 315 days 22 hours and 33 minutes. This weekend, sees the return to our shores of the SANZAR superpowers on their end of year tours. Traditionally the Autumn Internationals provide an opportunity for the tourists to drip feed some new talent into the test environment whilst trying to exert dominance over their Northern Hemisphere opponents. For the hosts it is the start of the international season, a chance for the respective coaches to observe if their group can not only compete but defeat world class opposition. Given the proximity and location of next year's Rugby World Cup, does this year's series bare greater significance than previous? In June 1997 the English football team visited France to compete in Le Tournoi a four team round robin tournament featuring France, Italy and Brazil. The Tournament was played out as a prelude for France 98 the following year. England left as victors having defeated both F...

Whether it be Russell Crowe's account of him as one of League's "sparkly eyed men" or his mother recounting how aged 16 her boy became the primary carer for his father, a sufferer of Motor Neurone Disease, carrying him up the 21 stairs of the Burgess household each night aged 16 to put him to bed. "Slammin Sam" The recent Fox documentary on Sam Burgess leaves the viewer in no doubt that the 25 year old from Dewsbury is not only a once in a generation footballer but a special character in any walk of life. Today Burgess who debuted for Great Britain aged just 18 confirmed that as of October 2014 he will switch his attention to Rugby Union with the Bath club. The announcement followed weeks of speculation that Sam would leave Souths in the NRL to chase the opportunity of representing his country in the 2015 Rugby World Cup on English turf. The signing has immediately split the English rugby community whilst HQ is understandably excited about the impact an...

Even those who refer to our great sport as “Egg Chasing” will admit when pressed that they both respect and to a certain extent envy how Rugby Union’s values of the past have remained prominent despite the evolution of the professional game. This Saturday and last provide the perfect examples of these values and traditions. Let us rewind to Twickenham last Saturday, when with half time just a kick away Dylan Hartley took exception to Wayne Barnes’ decision to award a scrum penalty to the Tigers. Hartley renowned for his unforgiving competitive edge that has too often left him in more than spot of bother had once again crossed the line between tenacity and the unacceptable. In the heat of the Aviva Premiership’s showcase match Hartley lost control for a split second and in doing so not only cost his Saints team their shot at the title but also prematurely ended his season, when he would have had a 3 way battle royal for the Lions number 2 jersey firmly on his agenda. Any Match of t...

30 April 2013 - Just after 11 am BST today I put Sky Sports News on my phone at a volume barely above silent to watch Andy Irvine read out the names of the 37 men entrusted by Warren Gatland and his brains trust to create their own Lions history down under. Moments after the squad had been finalised the rugby community across social media platforms went into a frenzy, everyone desperate to give their opinion on those who had or in most cases hadn't made it. The consensus being that messrs Wilkinson, Robshaw and Best and been particularly unlucky to have not booked themselves Today's selection was the beautiful crescendo to months of deliberation, debate and discussion that dominated Saturday evening discussions in Rugby Club's throughout the Britain and Ireland. Nobody will argue that Gatland and his colleagues didn't do their research, he and his team have been everywhere over the past season studying potential Lions in their many different habitats. My comments and...

With the excitement of my World Cup adventure now but a memory and those 'what if' thoughts becoming increasingly irregular it is time to raise the curtain on the 2012 RBS Six Nations. Having dismissed other options including rail and sail, goat and boat and jog and log I will board  Ryan Air Flight FR 443 bound for Dublin at circa 6.10am tomorrow (subject to weather delays). Despite the promise shown by Wales out in New Zealand I travel with a feeling of uncertainty. Welsh rugby is by its very nature unpredictable and history would warn us against becoming over excited  and cocky on the basis of autumns endeavours. There are of course those that will gladly remind you that this weekends opponents were in fact Wales' only major scalp during their run to that World Cup Semi Final in Auckland. In order to prove both the doubters and historians wrong Wales must produce a performance and perhaps more importantly a result that demonstrates that Gatland an...

As I logged on to BBC Sport and read the headline ' Tomkins joins Saracens from Wigan ' I was shocked at what was potentially one of the biggest headlines of this rugby year. The story that I thought was going to ensue would have given English rugby one big positive at a time when it is swamped with negatives. However upon advancing  the headline was expanded to explain that it was Joel Tomkins and not his brother Sam that had made the move south. First things first I believe Joel Tomkins has all the potential to be a fine player in rugby union for both Sarries and perhaps even England.Saracens are certainly excited by Joel Tomkins' talent as they have parted with £250,000 (a weeks wages for Carlos  Tevez )  in order for Wigan to agree to the immediate release of one of their key assets. Tomkins is a fine athlete who possesses the strength, pace and ball skill s that are synonymous with the top league players. It was apparent at the world cup that England ar...

Despite losing against South Africa last weekend, New Zealand will enter this world cup as red hot favourites, just as they did four years ago and four years before and well you get the picture. On each occasion this tag has been justified by their superior level of performance in the lead up to the competition. However time after time the men in Black have skulked away from the world stage disappointed. Much has been made about their inability to handle the pressure and expectation that is part and parcel of the favourites tag. If the All Blacks are victorious this autumn they will finally exorcise the ' choker ' demon that has tarnished the black jersey for too long. Given the above evidence just how important is form and performance prior to the World Cup? Ultimately it is the team that  that can produce results not attractive performances that will reign supreme come October 23rd. What can deduced from the 'choker' example is that winning a world cup requires a ce...