Sports Then and Now

For rugby fans, the year drawing to a close signals that the next Six Nations Championship is not far away. The countdown to everyone’s favorite annual international rugby tournament has begun again. In 2019, the Rugby World Cup offered an added bonus, but now that the dust has settled on a cracking tournament in Japan, attention is being turned to the bread and butter of the Six Nations.

It seems an age since Wales won the Grand Slam at the 2019 Six Nations. As we gear up for another campaign, let’s take a look back at some of the highlights from the last edition of the tournament.

Grand Slam glory for Wales

The 2019 Six Nations was a golden one for Wales and their coach Warren Gatland. They sealed a third Grand Slam success under Gatland’s leadership with a 25-7 win over Ireland in Cardiff. It was a well-deserved triumph, as Wales blew away all opposition before them. 

It’s been a strange few years for Australian rugby. Since reaching the World Cup final in 2015, where they lost out to New Zealand, the Wallabies have experienced something of a decline. Where once Australia were one of the most feared sides in world rugby, results have become more hit-and-miss, with every step forward seemingly being tempered by two steps back.

A recent victory over New Zealand in the Rugby Championship will have given hope to Aussie rugby fans that brighter times may lie on the horizon, but there could be a ways to go before we can consider Australia on the same level as New Zealand, South Africa, and Wales.

The upcoming World Cup offers Australia the perfect chance to reaffirm their traditional place as one of the top three or four teams in the world. The latest world rugby rankings have Australia in sixth position, but a strong showing in Japan could see the Wallabies rise up the ladder towards the top once again, even if the latest Rugby Union odds from Betfair cast the Aussies as outsiders.

England

England may go into the tournament with low confidence if their recent run of defeats continues. Despite that, they have a very strong squad and their admirably reliable kicker Owen Farrell provides outstanding leadership from anywhere on the pitch, be it in the centre or at fly half. Farrell will look to push his side to victory next spring after a disappointing outing in this year’s tournament with England finishing fifth overall.

Exciting duo Elliot Daly and Jonny May bring a touch of flair to the side and their form in the tournament, along with the team fixing their recent defensive frailties, will have a big impact on England’s success this time out. England rugby could use a lift after some disappointing results and the Six Nations is the perfect opportunity to return to the top.

Ireland

Irish rugby is in a healthy state at the moment as evidenced by some impressive performances recently, most notably a victory against New Zealand in a friendly, only their second ever win against the All Blacks. A glorious grand slam win of this year’s Six Nations, in which they defeated all five opponents, has resulted in them being the huge favourites in the next tournament. The Irish are currently ranked number two in the rankings.

Hugely experienced full back Rob Kearney has been imperative to that recent success. The most decorated player in Ireland’s history, Kearney has over 80 caps for his country and provides the experienced knowhow crucial to being a successful number 15. Read the rest of this entry →

One of the 10 most popular sports globally, rugby is gaining in popularity in the United States.

Rugby is one of the world’s ten most popular sports but, until now, with a few exceptions, it has largely been dominated by countries from the Commonwealth.

That could be all set to change, though, as the US looks ready to embrace “the hooligan’s game played by gentlemen.”

Increasing popularity in the US

Rugby has long been established on this side of the Atlantic, with the men’s national team featuring in all but one of the Rugby World Cups held since the tournament’s establishment in 1987.

With record crowds attending international tournaments and a ten-fold increase in participation among college students over the past ten years, it’s clear that rugby has tapped into a new market in the US. But why is this, and can it break the “Big Four” monopoly over here?

The future of US rugby

American football, baseball and basketball are the traditional US sports that the majority of the country has an interest in, while ice hockey is popular in Canada and the northern states. Soccer, with the help of the 1994 World Cup, Major League Soccer, and the involvement of British stars such as David Beckham and Steven Gerrard, has joined them in recent years, and rugby could also be making a play to break into this top tier.

115,000 players are registered with US rugby – a significant player base to tap into considering the multitude of sports that are played. Compare that to Australia, traditionally one of the best sides in the world. Though the population is obviously much smaller, only 86,000 are registered Down Under. More and more clubs are being set up and, despite the demise of PRO Rugby (the first North American professional rugby league) in 2016, it’s surely only a matter of time until a successful domestic competition is established.

Last year, Soldier Field in Chicago played host to Ireland v New Zealand, a historic game that saw the Boys in Green defeat the All Blacks for the first time in their history. The attendance was over 60,000 – a sure sign that rugby now has a significant audience in the US. Read the rest of this entry →

Being a sports fan comes with passion, dedication, heartbreak, and ecstasy. It is a lifestyle littered with the unpredictable. But no matter who you support or what sport you play, there is one thing all sports fans can agree on; live events always offer up the best experiences you’ll ever be apart of. That’s why we have compiled a list of some absolutely must-have experiences every sports nut should soak up in person, with your own eyes; your heart beating so hard you can see it through your shirt.

The Kentucky Derby

Being in the infield at the Kentucky Derby is one of those rare experiences that you are likely to never forget, and yet may not remember either. The atmosphere, the booze, the suave suits and crazy hats and the big bucks get thrown down. It is electric. Yes, there is something nice and fancy about being in a suite, but nothing beats being in the middle of drunken horse-racing fans, cheering and jeering their horse with the dreams of leaving a little richer. Read the rest of this entry →

The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team that comprises players from any of the Home Nations, i.e. England, Ireland, Scotland or Wales. With their 2017 New Zealand tour coming up, we’ve decided to take a walk down memory lane and uncover some of the key moments in this Test side’s history.

1950 – The team became known as the British Lions rather than the British Isles. This was the first time in 14 years that the Lions had toured and lasted nearly 8 months.

1955 – During the 1955 season, the Lions went up against the South African Springboks in a rare shared series. This year, the Lions made history by featuring Irish winger Tony O’Reilly, the team’s youngest test player at the age of 19 years and 91 days.

1959 – The Australian tour as straightforward from the beginning, but since the League was a far bigger game than the Union games; the team lost the series to New Zealand.

1962 – During this tour the Lions visited Namibia, Zimbabwe and Kenya after losing to the South African Springboks.

1966 – This was the last year the Lions played against two nations on one trip, namely Australia and New Zealand.

1968 – This was a disappointing tour for the Lions. First, they lost to South Africa, and then many of its members left the team to play Rugby League professionally once they returned home.

1971 – This was a glorious year for the Lions as Coach Carwin James inspired the team to their only series win in New Zealand.

1974 – This was one of the most successful tours in Lions’ history, but a disallowed Fergus Slattery try in the final minute resulted in a loss for the side.

1977 – The team was plagued with injuries and homesickness during the 1977 tour. Things got so bad that the Lions even lost to Fiji on their way home. Read the rest of this entry →