As the New Year dawns and the rugby season enters the latter stages, here are some of my predictions for which teams will be celebrating in 2009.

Denise Hodge has been in touch with us here at The Rugby Blog to tell us about their innovative approach to ladies rugby at grass-roots levels in the South West of England. An innovative new approach to the season structure has been designed and it is raising a few eyebrows and attracting other teams [...]

In a momentous occasion, flying in the face of the dreaded credit crunch, and proving that rugby in the capital is in rude health, Harlequins staged the inaugural “Big Match” in front of a restricted sell out crowd of 50,000 at Twickenham against Leicester Tigers.

A crucial period in the Guinness Premiership and some great contests in store to bring us some Christmas cheer.

The Guinness Premiership is a marathon, not a sprint. Trophies aren’t won in December. It’s all about peaking at the right time.

The Recreation Ground in Bath has long been the subject of debate - it’s one of the most picturesque rugby venues but the capacity and facilities are deemed insufficient for the ambitions of Bath Rugby.

From us all here at The Rugby Blog, we’d like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.