Media tactics and strategic baiting: inside the mind of ex-All Blacks coach Steve Hansen
In this extract from a new biography, Gregor Paul tells how the legendary coach prepared for the 2015 World Cup final against the Wallabies
December 2019
Japan blossom and Baa-Baas take Brazil in decade of new horizons
The Guardian picture essay
Olympics, World Cups and more: Tom Jenkins' pictures of the decade
September 2019
Sportblog
Japan’s famous Rugby World Cup win is coming to a screen near you
Films about Japan’s famous win in Brighton and the story of Dan Carter plus a play about Bill McLaren make perfect curtain-raisers for the Rugby World Cup starting this month
November 2018
Sam Burgess: ‘Egos and selfish players’ behind England’s 2015 World Cup exit
Thirteen pounds to play rugby for your country? That’s £13 too much
Catherine Spencer
November 2016
Sam Burgess: ‘The bottom line is that my heart didn’t lie in union’
The England captain talks to Donald McRae about his greatest moment in rugby league and the way some of his union team-mates hid behind the media glare on him at the 2015 World Cup
October 2016
Rugby World Cup year yields record profits and revenues for RFU
Rugby World Cup year has yielded record profits and revenues for the RFU, which also posted a retained profit of £3.9m compared with the previous year’s loss of £6.7m
September 2016
Rugby World Cup legacy provides boost for future as 30,000 take up game
The 2015 tournament was a disaster for the hosts England, but the RFU’s farsighted legacy programme has boosted rugby’s health at home and abroad
April 2016
Guardian Africa network
Imposing racial quotas is a vital step forward for South African sport
Siya Mnyanda
With black athletes still sidelined, minister’s threat to sporting federations can help reverse apartheid legacy
Craig Joubert reveals why he fled pitch after controversial World Cup call
Craig Joubert says he ran off the pitch after awarding Australia a controversial penalty in their World Cup quarter-final against Scotland to avoid confrontation with the players
Stuart Lancaster: I got Sam Burgess selection wrong in hindsight
Stuart Lancaster said he would not have fast-tracked Sam Burgess into England’s World Cup squad if he had known the player would return to rugby league
March 2016
Chris Robshaw: ‘In sport you go through different times; it’s how you get back up’
Despite losing the England captaincy, Robshaw was part of the 2016 Six Nations triumph but he ‘will always have that scar of the World Cup exit no matter the success we have in the future’
January 2016
Mike Brown: ‘I didn’t want to sit around and watch the World Cup final’
The Harlequins full-back tells Donald McRae he sees some of his own traits in Eddie Jones and believes the head coach can lift England to a new level
December 2015
Sportblog
England face exciting future under Eddie Jones and his coaching team
Dean Ryan
Eddie Jones has made strong decisions in appointing his backroom staff and if Alex King joins them with Dylan Hartley as captain his foundations will be complete
Sportblog
2015 goes down as a stunning sporting year full of surprises and superlatives
Andrew Anthony
Tyson Fury, Leicester City and Japan’s rugby union side all produced astonishing successes while even England’s cricket team discovered how to entertain
Tonga’s Aleki Lutui takes different path to spend twilight at outpost Ampthill
No positive drug tests during 2015 Rugby World Cup, say organisers
Ian Ritchie ‘worth every penny’ of his £600,000 salary, says Richard Cockerill
November 2015
Rugby coach Eddie Jones appointed to Goldman Sachs board in Japan
Investment bank’s advisory board aims to tap new England rugby coach’s management skills after country’s historic defeat of South Africa
