absolute best video games
1 Leinster 26 La Rochelle 27 Aviva Stadium. Hard to overcome for depth and high quality.
2 Ireland 32 France 19 Aviva Stadium. The largest Six Nations sport? The first 40 mins have been specifically epic.
3 Exeter 33 Montpellier 33 (aet), Sandy Park. Ridiculous, see-sawing drama.
Most relaxing matchday environment
1 England v France: Women’s Six Nations, Twickenham. An international-record attendance for a girls’s rugby fit – 58,498. Only 3,500 extra lovers attended the boys’s Premiership ultimate later the similar month.
2 Wales v England: Women’s Six Nations, Cardiff Arms Park. A sunny day filled with sure vibes in an in a different way grim season for Welsh rugby.
3 London Scottish v Richmond, The Athletic Ground. It isn’t essential to be in a ten,000-capacity rugby stadium to have a perfect time out.
Most persistently dependable avid gamers
1 Grégory Alldritt (La Rochelle and France)
2 Antoine Dupont (Toulouse and France)
3 Levani Botia (La Rochelle)
Most inspiring rugby other people
1= Ed Slater, Rob Burrow, Kevin Sinfield, Steve Thompson.
Premiership avid gamers to observe
Tom Pearson (London Irish), Ben Loader (London Irish), Chandler Cunningham-South (London Irish).
killer moments
1 Duhan van der Merwe’s two tries for Scotland v England at Twickenham.
2 Jack Crowley’s profitable drop function for Munster v Leinster within the URC semi-finals.
3 Christ Tshiunza’s last-ditch profitable check out for Exeter v Harlequins within the Premiership.
Coaches of the season
1 Ronan O’Gara (La Rochelle)
2 Andy Farrell (Ireland)
3= Graham Rowntree (Munster), Mark McCall (Saracens)
Rising referees
1 Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)
2 Luke Pearce (England)
3 Holly Davidson (Scotland)
Saddest stories of 2022-23
1 Worcester
2 Wasps
3 London Irish (most probably)
Summer rugby highlights
1 The ultimate levels of the ladies’s Allianz Premier XVs.
2 The French Top 14 finale. Can La Rochelle clinch the “double”?
3 The August World Cup warmup between New Zealand and South Africa at Twickenham. The phrase “friendly” by no means applies to this fixture.
It may not be the similar with out them at the box …
1 Alun Wyn Jones
2 Sarah Hunter
3= Stuart Hogg
leisure in peace David Duckham, Doddie Weir, Eddie Butler, Ken Scotland, Tom Kiernan, Ray McLoughlin, Bernard Lapasset, Ian McIntosh, Piet Visagie, Bruce Robertson, Tom Tierney, Ray Megson, Peter Thomas, Tony Brown.
Rugby podcast of the season
To set up The Rugby Pod.
Critical questions dealing with rugby over the following 365 days
1 Will the Rugby World Cup encourage the following technology of kids to absorb the game?
2 What extra may also be executed to make the sport more secure in any respect ranges with out diluting its rugged enchantment?
3 How quickly sooner than English membership rugby turns into financially sustainable?
Quotes of the season
“I don’t think history will remember this period of English rugby too kindly.” Sir Clive Woodward displays on Eddie Jones’s tenure answerable for the nationwide group.
“There needs to be chats about the way we structure the season and the way we grow the game as players – because for some, rugby really is on its last legs. If we carry on going the way we’re going, it doesn’t look good.” Northampton’s impressive captain, Lewis Ludlum,
“I have been around rugby for a long time and there are not too many people who want to put their hand in their pocket and buy rugby businesses.” Prophetic early-season phrases from Worcester’s former director of rugby Steve Diamond,
“You feel like you’re mourning someone. No one died and you have to remember that. But it did feel like that. Lee Blackettthe Wasps’ director of rugby, on the aftermath of the club’s financial collapse.
“We love a watershed in Wales, we have them every fortnight.” The Welsh Rugby Union chairman, Iean Evansbefore the WRU’s pivotal annual general meeting.
“I don’t watch it every day or every week, but it still gives us a little tingling in the back of the neck when you see it.” Sir Gareth Edwards at the fiftieth anniversary of “that” try for the Barbarians against New Zealand in 1973.
“Every club in the land was on sale. Do you know what? That’s how we like it. That is how we have always liked it. No one wants us to win and we don’t care. Saracens’ retiring back-row forward Jackson Wray after his side’s Premiership triumph.
“One of my largest strengths and weaknesses is that I will’t act.” Ronan O’GaraLa Rochelle’s relentlessly aggressive head trainer.
“We watched the Ireland v England match. He barely knew it was England. Andy Farrell, Owen Farrell, he didn’t have a clue. He knew Johnny Sexton is someone he should have known but he couldn’t remember the name. He kept saying, ‘There’s your man, there’s your man,’ but he couldn’t remember the name.” Margot Slatteryspouse of the nice Ireland and Lions flanker Fergus Slattery, chatting with the Sunday Times about her husband’s battle with dementia.
“Suddenly it is a 24-hour adventure when it will have to take about 10 hours. We’re giant other people and you’ll’t carry out at your absolute best when you find yourself sitting in an airport and consuming junk meals.” Bismarck du Plessis on the stopover implications for South Africa’s leading provincial sides competing in Europe.
“I don’t expect every rugby player will be painting their nails any time soon but it’s just me. Look good, feel good, play good. I’m a strong believer in it.” Ollie Hassell-Collins of London Irish and England with regards to performance-enhancing nail polish.