Martin Castrogiovanni Banned After Partying with Zlatan Ibrahimovic in Las Vegas

Racing 92 have suspended their prop forward Martin Castrogiovanni after pictures emerged of the rugby player partying in Las Vegas with Paris Saint-Germain footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic. According to the Daily Telegraph, Castrogiovanni told the club he could not feature in the team’s Champions Cup showdown with Leicester Tigers at the weekend due to the fact he had family matters to attend to in Argentina.  But photos emerged on social media of him accompanied by Ibrahimovic and other PSG stars Marco Verratti, Javier Pastore and Salvatore Sirigu, who had been given some time off by manager... 

Why England Would Be Right to Recall Chris Ashton for Australia Tour

England coach Eddie Jones will take 32 players on the summer tour to Australia, and Chris Ashton should be one of them. The question over whether to recall Ashton or pick Wasps flyer Christian Wade is agonisingly difficult, but here I make a pragmatic case for the controversial Saracen. I expect Jones to take five back-three players down under, and with Anthony Watson, Jack Nowell, Mike Brown and Alex Goode inked-in, there is only space for one specialist winger—a shootout between Ashton and Christian Wade.   The case for Wade Christian Wade, should anyone need reminding, is simply... 

Best XV in World Rugby for Weekend of April 22-24

With Super Rugby in full flow and European semi-finals to decide, it was an action-packed weekend that did not lack for quality performances from players on both sides of the planet. We saw a young man take a giant stride towards All Black status, while another pair of youngsters already with international honours for England did their reputations no harm at all. Thanks to wins for Saracens and Racing 92, we now know there will be a new name on the Champions Cup here in Europe, and both sides see a few names make into this week’s team. Here is your best XV from the weekend’s fixtures. Begin... 

Biggest Winners and Losers in World Rugby for Weekend of April 22 to 24

The European rugby calendar is drawing to an intense finish, and the Champions Cup final was cemented this weekend as Saracens and Racing 92 bounded past Wasps and Leicester Tigers, respectively. Dan Carter kicked the last remaining French outfit for a 19-16 win over Leicester on Sunday, while Sarries will fly the flag for England in Lyon, France, next month after beating Wasps 24-17 on Saturday. Lyon will have another final to host in May, though, after Harlequins and Montpellier bulldozed their way past respective semi-final foes Grenoble and Newport Gwent Dragons to book spots in the Challenge... 

Ranking World Rugby’s Elite Sides on Their Pack Strength

Last year’s Rugby World Cup gave us a firm understanding of who currently rules the roost among the sport’s elite, with New Zealand crowned victors for boasting the best squad overall, and deservedly so. However, there are other powers among the cream of rugby’s crop that could lay claim to boasting the finest pack on the planet, especially after veterans such as Richie McCaw, Keven Mealamu and Tony Woodcock were waved through the retirement doors. In this discussion, we’re ranking rugby’s true elite, meaning that while Georgia’s forward-oriented team may carry... 

5 Bold Predictions for Rugby Champions Cup Semi-Finals

Four teams remain in the hunt for this season’s European Rugby Champions Cup, and this weekend’s semi-final slate sees Saracens take on Wasps, while Leicester Tigers look to oust Racing 92 from the competition. The giants of England and France have dominated the knockout stages of the tournament, and we’re guaranteed to have at least one side from the Aviva Premiership lining up in Lyon next month. A collection of titanic European powers have fallen by the wayside in sensational fashion already, and the surprises could keep coming this weekend as the continental spotlight turns... 

Ranking the Top 5 New Zealand Rugby Players in Europe

New Zealand rugby players have gradually begun coming to Europe, and some of the biggest names in the sport joined northern hemisphere clubs after the 2015 World Cup in England. Bleacher Report has ranked the top five New Zealand rugby players currently playing in Europe. The list has been determined on the basis of the impact they are having or will have this season for their clubs. Four of them are in France, with one in England. Players who didn’t make the final cut include newcomers Ben Franks, Jeremy Thrush and Colin Slade, as well as long-time Harlequin Nick Evans. Begin Slideshow  Read More →

Ranking the Rugby European Champions Cup Semi-Finalists

Rugby’s European Champions Cup reaches its penultimate chapter in England this weekend with two semi-finals that are very difficult to predict. On Saturday, Saracens and Wasps do battle in Reading, and Sunday sees Racing 92 take on Leicester Tigers in Nottingham. All four sides won their respective pools, and so despite the high-profile absences of Clermont Auvergne and Toulon, these semi-finalists have proved themselves to be the best four teams in European club rugby this season. Ranking them is a very tough task, but in this article, each team’s areas of strength and potential weakness... 

Why Christian Wade Shouldn’t Waste His Time Playing Sevens

Christian Wade hit the headlines last weekend with a six-try performance against Worcester that rocketed the Wasps man to second in this season’s leading try-scorer table in the Aviva Premiership. The 24-year-old is enjoying life as part of a resurgent Wasps, who have reached the last four of Europe’s premier club competition for the first time since 2007, and they are second in their domestic competition and on course for a play-off berth. It usually follows that players in a successful side start to pique the interest of the national selectors, and Wasps have plenty of Englishmen... 

Biggest Winners and Losers in World Rugby for Weekend of April 15-17

New Zealand’s highest powers continue to soar in Super Rugby this season as the Crusaders, Blues and 2015 finalists the Hurricanes each took one step closer to a post-season campaign in Round 8 of the 2016 season. The Cheetahs flew a strong flag for South Africa, however, and bulldozed their way to a record-equalling 92-17 thrashing of the Sunwolves. There was drama in Singapore, too, as Kenya clinched their first World Rugby Sevens Series victory by beating Fiji 30-7 in the final, triumphing in just their third appearance in a tournament decider. We also have a roundup of the Premiership’s... 

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