Book Review: Hard Men of Rugby by Luke Upton

I got given this book for Christmas, and have thoroughly enjoyed reading it since then. Luke Upton has chosen twenty of the tough sports' tough guys and they reflect the global nature of the game, and the changes it has undergone. There are old school hard men who played in amateur era, a wild west …

Book Review: Half Time by Nigel Owens

For those who don't know the name, Nigel Owens is a rugby referee who has gained quite a following due to him being quite funny both on and off the field. Refs in rugby wear microphones so television audiences have been treated to Nigel telling off hulking rugby players with some funny, jokey comments. Owens …

Six Nations 2017: No complaints

I worked the first week of the championship and so missed Wales get off to a winning start against Italy. And for our second game against England I was actually across the border and attending a marriage preparation day (more on that at a later date). So I missed the Irish thumping the Italians and …

Book Review: Playing the Enemy by John Carlin

In 1995 less than half a decade after it's first democratic election and the end of apartheid South Africa hosted the Rugby World Cup. The nation's triumph at the tournament was viewed as an optimistic sign for the country and helped to heal the wounds on the nation's people. This magnificent book details the story …

6 Nations 2016 Part 4: Too Little, Too Late

Today, with three matches remaining, the Six Nations Championship was pretty much resolved. The Scots upset the French, handing the title to England. It followed a tense game between Wales and England at Twickenham. In truth, England deserved the win having dominated for the majority of the game, but they still contrived to throw away …

6 Nations 2016 Part 3: A Quiet Friday Night In, Shouting at the TV

The Wales vs France match is traditionally the Friday night match and has thrown up some decent games over the years, but the 2016 installment will not go down as a classic. The first half was a tight, frustrating affair as Wales dominated but encountered strong French defence. Not helping was that Dan Biggar missed …

6 Nations 2016 Part 2: Power Prevails

I missed the France vs Ireland match but by all accounts I didn't miss much as France scored a late try to edge it 10-9. Wales faced Scotland in Cardiff and to the relief of a nation Dan Biggar had overcome injury to return. Wales got off to a great start as Gareth Davies ran …

6 Nations 2016 Part 1: Don’t you know who I am?

It's that time of year again! The Six Nations is far and away my favourite sports tournament and Wales got their campaign underway today in Dublin. It did not start well as the Irish built up an impressive 13-0 lead and things got worse when Dan Biggar had to retire from the field and Rhys …

RWC 2015: Heroes and Villains

The tournament is over, but it was a gripping one. So, looking back I've picked the best and worse of the tournament. Heroes- Japan The tournament's first major incident came in the Japanese's giant killing of South Africa. In a tough performance the underdogs snatched a late victory, and their joy was a feel good …

RWC 2015: And now the thrilling conclusion…

Often a final can be a disappointment, but thankfully after a cracking tournament, New Zealand and Australia delivered a satisfying final act for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. The first half saw the All Blacks on the attack, forcing some magnificent defending from the Australians. It was frustrating the New Zealanders and the question was …