20 ways to improve your chances against the All Blacks
England and Ireland have the chance to take on the worlds best team this autumn. When I read articles and listen to podcasts about the games, there are a lot of clichés bandied around.
For example, pundits often say things...
World Cup Standings One Year Out
Less than a year to go to the Rugby World Cup in Japan!
At the end of September I took another look at the world cup standings one year out from Tokyo 2019. If you have not seen my first...
How to make the All Blacks perfect: Part 2: Rush 10 Triangle Defence
In the first part of this series, Brumby Mode was introduced and examples given of why the All Blacks need to wise up to this tactic.
Whilst Brumby Mode is effective, and ideal for wet weather conditions, teams can wise...
Japan Digest: Japan vs All Blacks
Japan has improved massively since their 145-17 humiliating defeat to the All Blacks during the 1995 Rugby World Cup. But as a Tier 2 side, they are still a long way away from being competitive against the All Blacks...
Jamie Joseph’s Depth Chart
I have recently written an article that analyses the players Jamie Joseph will be relying on for success during this year's November tests and next year's World Cup based on the number of caps players have.
Inspired by The 1014...
The All Blacks running ten
Barrett, McKenzie, and Larkham. The 1st thing we have to understand, when considering the All Blacks running ten is what all three of these men have in common.
Beauden Barrett, Damien McKenzie, and Stephen Larkham. Three of the most naturally...
Jamie Joseph’s Caps
The last Top League tournament before the 2019 Rugby World Cup has officially started.
At this stage of the World Cup cycle, Jamie Joseph will have more focus on putting his strongest match-day 23 together rather than bringing in new...
The Bledisloe Cup: Will it be Australia’s Time?
It was a significantly more successful Super Rugby season for Australia's teams.
Encapsulated by the sporadic Waratahs managing a quarter-final victory over the Highlanders before getting mauled by the Lions. So who will be the men to attempt what hasn't...
Tier 2 World Cup schedule winners and losers
The 19th team (Africa 1) to qualify for next year's World Cup will be decided next week on the 18th August.
Depth and fitness will be essential for teams' success at next year's World Cup. But by analysing the schedule,...
The 3-1-2 system
England have recently employed a 1-2-2-2 +1 system. This is only a little less complicated than it sounds.
A series of articles by Conor Wilson, here, explain the concept in much more detail than I will go into. Essentially the...
Tactics: South Africa v England 3rd Test
England finally broke their losing streak against South Africa at Newlands.
The first two matches of the series were fast paced games at altitude. This game was at sea level and played in wet weather. As a result, the...
Comparing the FIFA World Cup with Rugby
If we are to compare World Cups it will come as no surprise to anyone that FIFA World Cups have been far more competitive than rugby's down the ages.
Although the difference is perhaps not quite so glaring if we...
Rugby World Cup Standings
The June internationals are over and the Rugby World Cup is only 15 months away!
I thought I'd take a look at how the teams who have qualified for next year's World Cup in Japan are performing in their various...
Tactics: South Africa v England
South Africa v England, what a game! England opens with one of the best 20-minute spells you will ever see. South Africa pull off an astonishing comeback from 3-24 down to lead at halftime.
The Springboks take full control...
How to make the All Blacks perfect: Part 1: Brumby Mode
"You've got to take on their weaknesses, and they've got significant weaknesses. I'm not going to share them with you now; in 2018 I will" - Eddie Jones, 2016.
Eddie Jones stated in 2016, that the All Blacks have weaknesses....
Video: All Blacks v France. June Internationals
We've been getting a lot of questions on various platforms asking us exactly what we are up to for the June Internationals.
@The1014Rugby Boy's when you back? plenty of test matches soon and I need my fix! pic.twitter.com/DalyulsPDy— Tony Ward...
The Don Armand Question
Every time an England squad has been named over the last two years, the question is raised about Don Armand. Should he be in the squad?
Most people in the media say they would pick him, and he is often...
England’s Backline Carrier Problem
No power centre in South Africa
The recent withdrawal of Ben Te'o leaves England's squad for South Africa with a problem of balance in the centres. The players who might play there include Owen Farrell, Piers Francis, Elliot Daly, Alex...
Revision of June Internationals
As rugby fans, we get excited by international rugby. Whether it's the Six Nations or the Rugby Championship, we love international rugby.
But once our teams are winning, do we question the state of international rugby? Do we ask...
Media Ignores Global Rugby
Almost two centuries after emerging from the public schools of Britain, rugby has yet to shed its elitist mentality entirely, and nowhere is this more apparent than in media coverage of the sport.
On May 12th the game witnessed another...
Scotland’s Summer Tour squad announcement
Scotland’s Summer Tour squad announcement has been made. Players left at home, players rested, new players brought in. And a new captain.
What does this squad look like, particularly against the set of development aims outlined in my previous article...
England’s Touring Squad – Goals and Key Players
Eddie Jones has selected his touring party for South Africa. There were a number of players unavailable, captain Dylan Hartley, British & Irish Lions Jonathan Joseph, George Kruis, Courtney Lawes and Anthony Watson and several other senior squad members.
Jones...
The International Pro14
A look at the international aspect of the Pro14
With the League Stage of the Pro14 coming to an end I thought I'd take a look at the relative performances not of individual teams but of the nations involved.
To do...
Rugby in the Arabian Gulf
For the last 5 years, I have lived in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. During that time I have been a player and youth coach with Abu Dhabi Harlequins. I will be leaving the Gulf...
Video: USA Rugby Revolution
The 1014 Rugby predict a USA Rugby Revolution.
We examine the new structures put in place. How the Olympics changed rugby forever. And we look at the exciting MLR, Major League Rugby as it starts up.
A brief history
We touch on...
Scotland’s aims for 2018 Tour of Americas
The article will summarise the development aims for Scotland’s tour of the Americas this summer. Taking into consideration the time-line to the Rugby World Cup 2019 and their results since Gregor Townsend took charge.
Areas for improvement
To identify Scotland’s areas...
World Rugby’s Eligibility Laws and why they need to change
After the Rugby Europe Championship 2018 came to a conclusion, there has been a lot of discussions about eligibility laws as a few of the competing countries could have had non-qualified players playing for their teams.
What makes this a...
Video: Beneath The Six Nations 2018 – Tier 2
The 1014 Rugby chat with Gordon Hanlon, Director of Rugby for TSV Handschuhsheim in Germany.
Beneath the Six Nations explores the European structure outside Tier 1. Gordon offers a unique insight and sheds light on some controversial topics, including RWC...
Inside the Inside-Centre Issue
As Brad Shields gathered Jordi Barret’s under-the-legs pass and shifted it on to Ngani Laumape for another Hurricanes try, the commentator, in a moment of excitement, bellowed "England’s next number six".
This got me thinking how a fine player, long...
Discussing the possible All Blacks squad for France
As the French series draws closer there are several talking points surrounding the make-up of the first All Blacks squad of the year.
Kieran Read, Dane Coles, Owen Franks, Israel Dagg, Nehe Milner Skudder and Joe Moody have not...
Four upsets for 2019 Rugby World Cup (potentially)
Introduction
With 17 out of 20 teams for the Rugby World Cup 2019 confirmed, I thought I would write an article of matches at the World Cup where Tier 2 countries could put one over a Tier 1.
First of all,...
National Team’s Poor Results Hide Shoots of Growth in Italian Rugby
Another Six Nations campaign, another set of defeats for the Azzuri. Delve a little deeper however and there are signs of life in Italian rugby.
With Parisse’s star fading and 17 straight Six Nations defeats, there appear to be few...
Video: Six Nations 2018 Tournament Review
Six Nations 2018 Tournament Review from The 1014 Rugby
Six Nations 2018 has finished with Ireland taking out a Grand Slam and England finishing an almost unbelievable 5th after back-to-back titles. The Six Nations is a great tournament, but we...
Harsh Lessons for England in this Year’s Six Nations
“So, For Us, It's Been Enormously Beneficial”
Eddie Jones remarks in his post-match interview, after their third consecutive defeat, have drawn criticism from some quarters. However, I feel like there is virtue in what he says.
Eddie Jones established a strong...
The Dragon has returned
The perfect start
Before the Championship began I thought Scotland were going to get their first win in Cardiff since 2002. That's 16 years ago! Every Scottish supporter believed that the Scots could be victorious. Unfortunately for me and my...
Joe Schmidt’s Ireland: What makes a Champion Coach and Team?
Congratulations to Ireland. Ireland were in full control of that game. And in his selection, Eddie Jones showed a panic in changing his side that I would not have expected of such a seasoned coach.
He made selection changes that...
A Grand Anti-Climax? (A brief look in to the Irish psyche)
An Inconvenient Truth
Between March of 1948 and March of 2009, a lot of Irish Rugby supporters would have lived and died without ever seeing a Grand Slam. I am not being morbid, it is just an inconvenient truth, what...
South Africa: A dark horse for 2019
The odds of South Africa winning the 2019 Rugby World Cup are currently 14/1. Therefore the team is seen by some bookmakers as having half the chance England have of lifting the Webb Ellis Trophy next year.
Is this a...
The 7s World Cup: Hype!
Sevens is an amazing game and the World Cup is coming up soon and will show the best rugby has to offer.
The 7s World Cup starts this July. Based in San Francisco this tournament will see the top talent...
Is there more success left in this Irish side?
Now that Ireland have proven their worth by winning a Grand Slam, the question must be asked, can they go further?
Is there more success left in this Irish team? I for one believe there is still a lot left...
