#Tighthead Prop

It used to be that what happened was of general import only when one pack destroyed the other giving a psychological and sometimes numerical advantage from penalties extracted from hapless opponents. The talk of a game within a game was apposite and sometimes front rows on the losing team really did come off the field inwardly satisfied that they…

All being well, Courtney Lawes will become a centurion this Saturday at Suncorp Stadium by winning a 95th England cap to go with his five Tests for the British and Irish Lions. His pedigree is unquestioned and there is more for him to achieve. But it is a curiosity of the 33-year-old's fantastic career that his best position has remained a matter…

Yellow cards: Adiana Talakai (Australia) 27min, 81min Red card: Ashley Marsters (Australia) 76min Australia have survived a big scare from Scotland, then two late red cards, to secure a crucial Rugby World Cup win in Whangārei on Saturday. Down 12-0 until they finally opened their account in the 59th minute, the Wallaroos fought back for a tense…

Moana Pasifika have added a Hurricanes halfback and two Hawke's Bay stars to their ranks ahead of their debut season in next year's inaugural edition of Super Rugby Pacific. In an announcement on Monday, the expansion franchise confirmed the arrival of Manu Samoa international Jonathan Taumateine from the Hurricanes. The 25-year-old joins Moana…

A campaign that began in the best possible fashion with their first Calcutta Cup win over England at Twickenham since 1983 has since given way to familiar disappointment, with successive narrow defeats against Wales and Ireland on home soil in Edinburgh leaving them fifth in the standings. Their trip to France was postponed last month due to a…

By Alex McLeod of RugbyPass.com Ian Foster's 35-man All Blacks squad will assemble for the first time today in Whakatane as preparations for the upcoming Bledisloe Cup series get underway. Plenty of anticipation has arisen since last week's confirmation that the All Blacks and Wallabies will do battle with each other for the first time in over a…

No self-respecting tour would be complete without some frivolous awards, so without further ado, here are RW's Alternative Lions awards... At the end of an emotional, roller-coaster of six weeks on tour, it's time for Rugby World to hand out a few tongue-in-cheek gongs to a few individuals, highlights and lowlights that caught our…

Bath Rugby tighthead prop Will Stuart will start his fourth consecutive Test for England as the club's only representative in the matchday 23 to face Australia in the series decider at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday. Bath's giant wing Joe Cokanasiga misses out on selection while Northampton captain Lewis Ludlam replaces the concussed Sam…

Steve Diamond and Worcester Warriors could be galvanised by their off-field issues Will Steve Diamond be able to work his magic at Worcester this season despite the problems surrounding the club? The 54-year-old starts his first full campaign in charge of the Warriors and will be looking to build on an encouraging end to last year, but with no…

Admittedly, the now 20-year-old Crusaders prop was "skinnier back then", but he'd always played centre and No 8 growing up in Perth, and No 8 when he returned to New Zealand and played for Kerikeri High School. But, having earned a scholarship at Auckland's St Kentigern College, he figured he'd best roll with coach Tai Lavea's instructions at the…

The one-test All Black (against Japan in 2018) and Super Rugby title winner (with the Highlanders in 2015) will gallop onto his home ground at McLean Park, Napier, to face the Western Force after playing 30 minutes off the bench in the 35-13 win over the Rebels. Evans' previous Hurricanes start was the Super Rugby Aotearoa opener against the Blues…

It's not one they can rebuff with their might on the park either. It's rather something head coach Scott Robertson, his fellow coaches, and leaders within the squad, will have to face off it. It is how they will remain hungry and not let complacency creep in. How they will put their enormous success behind them and remain motivated enough to roll…

Some of the biggest stars of world rugby continue to be liked with moves around, in and out of the Premiership as directors of rugby look to build their squads ahead of the 2023/24 season and plug holes in their teams as injuries bite. Here are all the latest transfer rumours, contract renewals and confirmed moves from around the Gallagher…

All Blacks Beauden Barrett and Aaron Smith weighed in ahead of their trip to South Africa.Video / Carson Bluck Caleb Clarke will return for the All Blacks this weekend, taking his place on the wing for the first test against the Springboks at Mbombela Stadium. For their first test in South Africa since 2018, the All Blacks have named a few…

Ulster Rugby have confirmed next season's Academy squad and it includes five new faces. Joe Hopes (club TBC), Lorcan McLoughlin (Queen's University / IQ Rugby), James McNabney (Ballymena RFC), Rory Telfer (club TBC) and Scott Wilson (Queen's University) have all been inducted as Year One players. Ulster Rugby Academy Manager, Gavin Hogg said:…

With each of the 15 players that make up a rugby team playing a vital part, we take a look at the roles they all play during a match ahead of Rugby's Greatest Championship getting underway. Loosehead prop Wears the No.1 jersey, stands to the left of the hooker at the scrum Plays a key role in helping a team get on top at scrum time Often involved…

It's a mouth-watering prospect, despite the very real chance that it may never see the light of day. The best of the Wallabies and All Blacks, playing in a combined ANZAC team, in a one-off match against the British & Irish Lions at the MCG? To borrow a line from recent KFC, "shut up and take my money!" It appears, however, that Rugby Australia…

Joe Heyes returns from England duty to start for Leicester Tigers against Bath on Saturday afternoon (3pm). The 22-year-old tighthead prop was released from Eddie Jones' squad having not featured in the first two rounds of the Six Nations, while Ollie Chessum, George Ford, Ellis Genge, Freddie Steward and Ben Youngs were retained. Heyes' cover…

Week two went next level in the drama and force of the north-south conflict. Despite the win-loss count, the south made some ground back. North No. 1 (Ireland) struggled to put an experimental version of South Africa (south No. 2) away, their attack stymied and depending on marginal passes, looking spent in the last ten minutes and like the final…

The Bank of Ireland Leinster Schools Junior Cup quarter-finals take place with two mouth-watering double-headers on offer at Energia Park. The first round produced six matches decided by one score, three of them by one point, and played to a high standard. St Gerard's School v St Fintan's High School - Thursday, 10 March (KO 1.30pm) By the time the…

New Zealand vs Australia: The All Blacks and Wallabies have the first move in the final play for the Rugby Championship. Australia appear to have been fired up by what went down last Thursday but can they pull one over on New Zealand. Injuries have forced changes to the All Blacks team that defeated Australia in Melbourne, with captain Sam Cane,…

Joseph Pearson is a sports reporter for Stuff OPINION: The Black Ferns host Japan in their final test before their Rugby World Cup campaign begins against Australia at Eden Park on October 8. The reigning world champions should win emphatically in their first meeting with the Japanese in test rugby. Coach Wayne Smith confirmed 10 changes to the…

New Zealand could not cope with the precision and accuracy of Ireland's phase-play Clearly, courage is a fairly valuable attribute in rugby union. But, to cite Commodus, the villain of Ridley Scott's epic film'Gladiator', played wonderfully by Joaquin Phoenix, there are many forms of courage. The C-word was obviously an in-house theme of Ireland's…

Harlequins and Marcus Smith will surely light up the Premiership again this term Will Harlequins be amongst the best in the league once again or will there be a dip? Quins have been one of the most exciting teams to watch over the past two seasons, but will they be able to keep up with the rest of the Premiership with only two senior…

Api Ratuniyarawa made over a century of appearances in six seasons for Northampton Saints before joining Irish Will this be the season London Irish realise their potential? The Exiles will dine with Europe's elite this term as their young squad look to make more strides up the Gallagher Premiership table. Under the leadership of Declan Kidney and…