The Lineout

Yes it's here folks, that wonderful time of the year - the start of the Six Nations. What a tournament it promises to be, especially with the World Cup just around the corner. We preview the start of the Six Nations this weekend, make some predictions and for what it's worth lay out our thoughts on how we think the teams will fare overall in the competition.

We focus on the bombshell of Eddie Jones being appointed Wallaby Coach after being sacked by England, the wrap up of the Pool Stages of the European Champions Cup and the worrying form of French clubs ahead of the Six Nations. We also have a quick cursory look at the initial squad announcements for the Six Nations.

We take a look ahead to Round 3 of the European Champions Cup action this weekend, by having a glance over the holiday action that took place and how the teams from France's Top 14, England's Premiership Rugby and the United Rugby Championship may fare as the tournament progresses in this vital midway marker for the Championship.

We kick 2023 off by looking at the 10 competitors in the Six Nations and Rugby Championship and take a stab at predicting how their World Cup Year will pan out.

We take a look at the first two Rounds of the European or (Heineken) Champions Cup, with the added excitement this year of the inclusion of three South African sides.

This week we look ahead to the start of the European Champions Cup, with South African sides participating for the first time this year. However, we mainly focus on the fallout and ramifications of this week's round of Musical Chairs taking place in the coaching boxes in England and Wales.

We do a quick round the houses of last weekend's Autumn Nations Series action, North America's premature exit from World Cup proceedings and generally kick around some thoughts on matters relating to the International Game.

We continue our whip round of the Autumn Nations series this weekend, and some notable arm wrestles in Marseille and Murrayfield.

We wrap up the Women's Rugby World Cup which is now sadly over - but what a glorious thrill ride it's been topped off by a final for the ages! We also look at Ireland's tussle with Fiji, and Italy's historic win over the Wallabies.

We take a whirlwind tour around the Men's game this past weekend and look at the first round of the Autumn Nations Series.

In the first of this week's episodes we wrap up Canada's valiant effort against England in the Women's Rugby World Cup, that saw them just miss out on a berth in the final, and New Zealand pip France in an absolute thriller.

We continue our look at the Women's World Cup and celebrate Canada's qualification for the semis, as well as some interesting action in the first two Internationals of the Autumn Series, even though they fell outside the official Test window.

We continue to focus on the Women's World Cup in New Zealand and a look ahead to the Quarter Finals. We break down some of the things we've learnt about the 8 teams that have made the knockout stages, with our own Canadian ladies managing to finish 2nd in the overall pool competition's seedings which secured them a quarter final spot against the Americans.

While our primary focus at the moment is on the Womens' World Cup in New Zealand we have a quick whip round of last weekend's club action in Europe.

We continue our look at this outstanding tournament which has had us spellbound since the opening game. Canada, New Zealand and England guaranteed themselves a quarter final spot this past weekend, while Japan and South Africa sadly will be purchasing plane tickets after the final Pool games this weekend. However, for everyone else the helter skelter pace of this thrilling tournament continues wit...

This week we highlight the start of the Women's World Cup in New Zealand, and which has totally caught our imagination. Canada got their campaign off to a great start but the tournament as a whole is a fantastic advertisement for the women's game with some outstanding rugby on display!

We look forward with eager anticipation to the Women's Rugby World Cup which kicks off this weekend in New Zealand and with Canada ranked 3rd in the world there's lots to be excited about. We also do a quick wrap round of the URC's first three rounds.

Now that the dust has settled on a highly entertaining and at times controversial Rugby Championship, we look back at who can feel pleased with their tournament, who has work to do and who did well statistically.

As this year's Rugby Championship wraps up, South Africa are very much in the hunt to lift the trophy, but even Argentina still have an outside chance to claim the spoils. Either way there is everything to play for, and Argentina in particular will be keen to achieve their best ever finish in the Championship irrespective of the silverware. South Africa in turn will hope that Australia can do them...

After perhaps one of the most controversial finishes to a Test match in recent memory, as New Zealand snatched the Bledisloe Cup from Australia at the death, we look back at a match filled with inconsistencies, but a thrilling contest nevertheless, and look ahead to the final match of this Rugby Championship for both the All Blacks and the Wallabies, still with everything to play for!

New Zealand put in a memorable performance in Hamilton in the rain that got them back on top of the Rugby Championship table, while Argentina seemed to resort to form after their memorable win last weekend, by suffering a blowout loss to the All Blacks a week later. Meanwhile, a Springbok side clearly nursing a grudge against the Wallabies and Nic White in particular put on an edgy and bruising di...

It's do or die stuff once more for the Springboks as they seek to break the curse of not having beaten the Wallabies in Australia since 2013. After a badly misfiring performance at times last weekend, South Africa know they simply have to win this Saturday. Meanwhile the Wallabies despite Nic White's extraordinary acting skills when he's not being one of the world's most effective scrum halves, kn...

New Zealand's backs are once again up against the wall as they attempt to get their focus back after losing to Argentina last weekend for the first time ever on home soil. Meanwhile the Pumas seek to make history by recording a second win and getting one hand firmly on this year's Rugby Championship silverware. A fascinating must win encounter lies ahead for both teams.

We take a look at some of the controversies surrounding the Rugby Championship's Round three action between South Africa and Australia after the Wallabies pull off a gutsy win, and that historic first ever win for the Pumas over the All Blacks on New Zealand soil.

New Zealand may have rediscovered their mojo once more, but Argentina are likely to be feeling more than just a little plucky after their convincing Round 2 win over the Wallabies and the fact that they currently sit atop the Rugby Championship table. However, beating the All Blacks in their own backyard, especially when the merciless New Zealand public will be demanding nothing less than two emph...