WORLD RUGBY

Johnny Sexton’s outburst at Jaco Peyper has cost him a three-game ban - but does that stack up?

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.

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.

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.

Thanks to their second half display, the British and Irish Lions got the test series in their tour of South Africa off to the perfect start as they beat the Springboks 22-17. But what must they do going into the next game to secure an historic series win?

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.

The hype of the NFL draft captures the attention of America’s sporting media every year - so could a similar concept be used to give rugby some more pazazz?

The 2021 British and Irish Lions tour against South Africa is here. With the squad announced this week, here are five selection issues head coach Warren Gatland must mull over as he names his team to play the Springboks.

Finishers 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.

Twelve clubs, including the traditional “Top 6” in England plus Real Madrid, Barcelona, Athletico Madrid, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Juventus have stated their intention to be “founder members” of a European Super League. Rugby and the Premiership must not go the same way.

From O’Driscoll to Barrett and Wilkinson to Japan, rugby has as it has evolved seen numerous moments where the torch carried by one generation has been handed down to another to bear.

Le Petit General Dimitri Yachvili was a rugby 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.

We still don’t have a winner of the 2021 Six Nations. France produced the most brilliant of finishes to break Welsh hearts in Paris while Scotland demolished Italy in Edinburgh to leave the Azzurri without a win in the tournament in six years. Electric Ireland put England to the sword in Dublin to leave them a dreadful fifth in the table. Here are our key talking points from the action.

Wales’ Six Nations Grand Slam dream was ended in dramatic fashion as an overtime try from Brice Dulin secured a breathtaking 32-30 win for France. Read The Flanker’s player ratings after a fantastic 80 minutes in Paris.

The Flanker rates the players on both sides after Ireland’s 32-18 victory over England in Dublin to close out both their 2021 Six Nations campaigns.

The Flanker rates the players from Scotland’s comprehensive win over Italy by a score of 52-10 on the last weekend of the 2021 Six Nations.