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Rugby

The joys of Sussex

The other day a colleague on the Rust wanted a head’s up on the Wiston Wine Estate. I had never visited it though Wiston is a highly-rated vineyard but the enquiry set me thinking how much Sussex has to offer. There are vineyards at Ridgeview, Rathfinny and Nye Timber and, although each [...]

September 26, 2023 // 0 Comments

Ireland 13 South Africa 8

This epic match more than matched the billing and hype and I share my colleague Derek Williams’ viewpoint that the Boks should be beaten. Their bomb squad of 7 forwards attracted a lot of attention though few pointed out that – in the absence of Malcolm Marx – they did not have a [...]

September 24, 2023 // 0 Comments

Gloucester Rugby 25 Harlequins 17

I was initially excited by last night’s visit to the atmospheric Kingsholm until I realised how many Quins players would be absent on World Cup duty: Joe Marler, Jack Walker, Joe Marchant, Marcus Smith, Danny Care, Andre Esterhuizen, Tommaso Allan and Gloucester could not call on wingers [...]

September 23, 2023 // 0 Comments

Wales 32 Fiji 26

Wales’s victory over Fiji was the best World Cup game so far. I had watched South Africa beat Scotland but I find the Boks to be a boring bunch of behemoths. Scotland play attractively but are over-reliant on the mercurial Finn Russell and frankly it was a pea-shooter against a Panzer tank. [...]

September 11, 2023 // 0 Comments

Thoughts on a great England victory

In the Great Debate of Farrell v Smith George Ford was marginalised. He was not yesterday: with some glorious kicking he personally amassed 27 points.  The drop kick is an effective but underused weapon. I was there in the Stade de France when the South African fly half Jamie de Beer  destroyed [...]

September 10, 2023 // 0 Comments

Rugby World Cup Preview

The first observation to make about the Rugby World Cup is that the four best Rugby nations (France, New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa) are all in the lower section. Whilst France v New Zealand is a tasty opener I’m looking forward more to the Pool B encounter between world number one Ireland [...]

September 8, 2023 // 0 Comments

South Africa 35 New Zealand 7

This match at Twickenham between the current World Champions and one of the forthcoming tournament’s favourites ended with a resounding victory for the Boks. They overpowered the All Blacks with the power of their pack and some highly effective players behind the scrum – notably full back [...]

August 26, 2023 // 0 Comments

England rugby union – a damning verdict

Recently those on the Rust editorial team concerned with sport – and especially men’s rugby union in the context its World Cup beginning next month – have been relatively unsparing in their criticism of the performance of the England national team and indeed the RFU generally. [...]

August 24, 2023 // 0 Comments

Rugby union: England go from bad to worse

As England’s women’s team prepares to play Spain in the Women’s Football World Cup Final in Sydney, Australia later this morning UK time, one is reminded of just how big a moment this is. England – no, let’s make that UK – sports teams don’t often make World Cup Finals (or indeed, any [...]

August 20, 2023 // 0 Comments

Rugby Union in disarray over Owen Farrell decision

Some developments in the world of sport seem to defy logic, morality, decency and belief. It is undeniable that –  down through sporting history in such as track & field, professional boxing, Tour de France cycling, football, rugby in both the union and league codes, karate and [...]

August 16, 2023 // 0 Comments

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