Bringing you the best Rugby Union features and analysis from the past, present and future.
It's a debate heard in living rooms, pubs and grounds across the country - but who is the best foreign import for your club?
We picked one for each Premiership Rugby team, but it wasn't easy. Let us know your thoughts below...
🏉🖊
Greatest overseas signings for each Gallagher Premiership club
Who is missing the Rugby World Cup ? We definitely are.
As 2023 draws to a close, World Rugby recently named its dream men's XV for a great year of rugby.
Although it causes debate every 12 months, can you name the team in three minutes for our quiz?
Let us know your scores below!👇🏉
World Rugby's 2023 men's dream team of the year has been named, but can you guess which players made the XV in our quiz?
🏉🚨 QUIZ🚨🏉
The Rugby World Cup is well underway and England Rugby start their campaign against in Marseille.
To whet your appetite for this huge clash, try our Red Rose-themed quiz below👇
Let us know your scores!
The Rugby World Cup is back! To get you in the mood, try to name the England lineups for all their opening games in the tournament from 1987 right through to 2023.
Food for thought 🤨
Ireland flyhalf Johnny Sexton has copped a three-game suspension for his outburst at referee Jaco Peyper following Leinster's defeat to La Rochelle in the Champions Cup final in May. However, some have argued it does not quite tally with other suspensions handed out for abuse of match officials.
There are a lot of questions still to be answered.
The Nations Championship is the newest twist to the global rugby calendar, as an elite competition proposed to take the place of the current summer tours and autumn internationals from 2026. But is it actually a good idea?
Stuart Hogg said back in March he would retire at the end of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Way back in 2012, he made his debut against The Welsh Rugby Union in the Six Nations Rugby.
We looked at that starting XV and what they are up to now👇🏉
Stuart Hogg announced back in March he would retire at the end of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, but we took a look at the starting XV on his debut against Wales back in 2012.
Eddie Jones is taking his first Wallabies training camp this week after replacing Dave Rennie as head coach.
It comes after being dismissed by England Rugby - but can you name his first squad for the Guinness Six Nations opener against Scottish Rugby in 2016?
Eddie Jones has been sacked today (December 6) from his role as head coach of England. Although his reign ended poorly, it began brilliantly with 17 straight wins. Can you name the first 23-man squad he chose for his debut match during the 2016 Six Nations against Scotland?
Who is enjoying the Six Nations Rugby so far? Although the 2023 edition is compelling, we still can't get over last year's tournament.
So, we put together a quiz to see if you remember the top points scorers, top try scorers, and more 🏉👇
The 2022 Six Nations was a brilliant tournament with fantastic scores and matches across the board. Test your memory with our stats based quiz as France and Antoine DuPont lifted the title.
As the European Rugby Champions Cup pool stage draws to a close, we have been treated to some great rugby.
With a reliant goalkicker crucial in the modern game, we looked at the top points scorers in the history of the competition.
Tom Hitchenor ✍️
Top drawer goalkickers are crucial and can be the difference between winning and losing matches. Here are the top 12 points scorers in Heineken Cup/European Rugby Champions Cup history.
Former Leicester Tigers head coach Steve Borthwick has taken over from Eddie Jones as the England Rugby main man.
However, can you name the team from Borthwick’s debut against France Rugby in the 2001 Six Nations Rugby?
Let us know your scores!🏉
Former Leicester Tigers head coach Steve Borthwick has taken over from Eddie Jones as the England main man. However, can you name the team from Borthwick’s debut against France in the 2001 Six Nations?
Eddie Jones has been sacked as England Rugby head coach after a seven-year reign.
Despite a poor autumn, his tenure began with an emphatic 17 straight wins.
Can you name the first 23-man squad chosen by Jones for the Six Nations Rugby game against Scottish Rugby in 2016?🏉
Eddie Jones has been sacked today (December 6) from his role as head coach of England. Although his reign ended poorly, it began brilliantly with 17 straight wins. Can you name the first 23-man squad he chose for his debut match during the 2016 Six Nations against Scotland?
As the take on Wales at the FIFA World Cup, we remember when the Americans made an impression at the rugby equivalent.
Back in 2007, Takudzwa Ngwenya scored one of the best tries the Rugby World Cup has ever seen.
Tom Hitchenor analyses the famous score below🏉🖋️
The Rugby World Cup allows unknown players to make themselves known on the biggest stage of all. Takudzwa Ngwenya did just that in 2007 when he destroyed Bryan Habana on the way to a try that has gone down in rugby history.
After the sad decline of Worcester Warriors in recent months, we remember one of the best nights in their long rugby history.
The Warriors won an epic two-legged playoff in 2015 against Bristol Bears to be promoted and return to the Premiership.
Christy OBrien looks back at a glorious evening for Worcester ✏️🏉
Love it or hate it, the RFU Championship two-legged Playoff Final has thrown up some classic games over the years. Back in 2015, Bristol Bears and Worcester Warriors squared off for a barnstorming second leg that had tries, cards and a conversion in the last minute to win a place in the Premiership.
In December 2020, World Rugby picked a "Team of the Decade" and it caused major waves in the Rugby world.
At Flanker HQ, we went through the XV, raised our collective eyebrows and named who we would have chosen instead (where required)
Jack Colwill 🏉✏️
Last December, World Rugby announced their Team of the Decade and it is fair to say not every rugby fan agreed. The Flanker went through the XV and made our own changes where needed.
"The finishers and poachers come in all shapes and sizes, from the size and power of Jonah Lomu to the nimble and fleet-footed Shane Williams."
Some absolute Rugby World Cup legends on this list who knew their way to the whitewash👍🏉
🖊️Tom Hitchenor
Try scorers in rugby are worth their weight in gold and these guys certainly were assassins when it came to crossing the whitewash. Here are the top 11 try scorers in Rugby World Cup history.
Should English rugby have its own version of the Pro Bowl, State of Origin or the NBA All-Star Game?
Join us in the discussion as we mull over the pros and cons of such a match happening among the Premiership Rugby players.
Watch as the boys throw around the idea here🏉👇
Should English rugby have its own version of the Pro Bowl, State of Origin or the NBA All-Star Game? Join us in the discussion as we mull over the pros and c...
"Dominant scrums can provide points-scoring opportunities, grind down your opposition physically and give a massive mental boost to a forward pack."
Tom Hitchenor chooses nine of the top scrummagers in the modern era🏉✍️
Let us know your thoughts!
Dominant scrums can provide points-scoring opportunities, grind down your opposition physically and provide a massive mental boost to a forward pack in games of rugby. With that in mind, we picked nine of the best scrummagers of the modern era.
As France Rugby claimed a nervy 20-15 win over Japan today, we look back at a Les Bleus legend.
As Tom Hitchenor writes, "Dimitri Yachvili was a man filled with such genius"
Read our piece below on the ultimate number 9🏉✍️
Le Petit General Dimitri Yachvili was a playmaker like no other in a stellar career for France and Biarritz. A passing master whose box and goal kicking were unrivalled, he was rugby’s quarterback that had the oval ball on a string. Here is an ode to the legendary scrum-half.
Happy Birthday to former Argentina fullback Ignacio Corleto!
He was part of the famous Los Pumas team that shocked everyone when they beat France on opening night at the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
Read below as Tom Hitchenor remembers a classic game🏉✍️
Never has a Rugby World Cup begun with such a bang than it did in 2007 as Argentina defeated hosts and one of the favourites France in a “Latin mugging” by Agustin Pichot and his men.
As Christian Wade mulls over a Premiership Rugby return from the Buffalo Bills, many clubs are on alert.
But could English rugby benefit from an NFL style system in top-level professional rugby?
Jack Colwill examines the pros and cons🏉✍️
The NFL Draft is one of the great moments of the American sporting year as the future of the game is brought to life - but could the concept be used in rugby to give it more audience appeal? The Flanker explores the options for and against the idea.
"It was a dream many London Welsh fans would hardly have imagined when Weepu joined but quickly turned into a nightmare"
The famous old club lost every game in the 2014/15 Premiership Rugby season after Rugby World Cup winner Piri Weepu signed up.
Tom Hitchenor remembers his short stint in England✍️🏉
The Flanker remembers World Cup-winning All Blacks halfback Piri Weepu’s spell at London Welsh, which saw the famous old club relegated from the Premiership without winning a single game.
🏉🚨SIX NATIONS RUGBY QUIZ🚨🏉
The Guinness Six Nations 2022 was won in style by France Rugby and their flowing brand of rugby as they romped to the title along with the Grand Slam.
However, can you guess the player statistics for the championship? Top try and points scorers are a given, but some will really test your grey matter...
The 2022 Six Nations was a brilliant tournament with fantastic scores and matches across the board. Test your memory with our stats based quiz as France and Antoine DuPont lifted the title.
Would love to have you join us! Just drop us a message or email [email protected] if interested👍🏉
It's been a great weekend of Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup rugby with teams doing battle across Europe.
As always in tight knockout games, having a clutch goalkicker is key.
See below for the top point scorers in European Rugby Champions Cup history🏉👇
Tom Hitchenor 🖊
Top drawer goalkickers are crucial and can be the difference between winning and losing matches. Here are the top 12 points scorers in Heineken Cup/European Rugby Champions Cup history.
It's rugby signing season for Premiership Rugby clubs as they tinker with their squads for next year.
But what if there was an NFL style draft instead of a transfer market?
Jack Colwill looks at the pros and cons of a draft system in the Gallagher Premiership✒️🏉
The NFL Draft is one of the great moments of the American sporting year as the future of the game is brought to life - but could the concept be used in rugby to give it more audience appeal? The Flanker explores the options for and against the idea.
Tigers failed to disclose payments made to image rights companies of the players.
"Even after multiple head CT scans, neck X-Rays and countless times 'stressing out' loved ones, the desire to play is so strong"
As head injury issues continue to dominate top level rugby, it also has a huge effect on the amateur game.
Read below about one player's battle with concussion 🏉🖊️
Alastair McKee has played rugby for over 15 years but a series of concussions have forced him to stop playing. In this essay, he talks about the heartache associated with the decision and what the great game has given to him.
Eight years ago, Northampton Saints won their inaugural Premiership Rugby title in dramatic style.
A late Alex Waller try deep into extra time secured a 24-20 victory over Saracens.
Here is what the players in that team are up to today🏉
Tom Hitchenor 🖊
Northampton Saints won their first Premiership title in 2014 by defeating Saracens after extra time at Twickenham, with Alex Waller smashing over for a late try to win the game. Here is what the starting XV are doing nowadays.
🏉🚨 quiz time🚨🏉
Our favourite annual tournament kicks off tomorrow!
With the Guinness Six Nations returning, get excited by naming the top appearance makers in the history of the competition.
Be sure to post your scores below👍
There are 37 players to get, with every nation but France (rather surprisingly) featuring a player in the list. This is list is only for appearances post 2000 when Italy joined the old Five Nations Championship to round it up to six.
Happy Birthday, Brian O’Driscoll!
Back in 2001, the Official Lions Rugby, IrishRugby and Leinster Rugby legend scored one of the all-time great individual tries.
Read Tom Hitchenor's analysis of a modern rugby great's iconic score at the Gabba. 🏉🖊️
In 2001, Brian O’Driscoll announced himself on the world stage when he destroyed the Wallaby defence to score a brilliant individual try for the British and Irish Lions. The Flanker pays tribute to the dancing Ireland centre.
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