The Rugby Blog

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Ireland have room to improve but the future is bright

The recent news of Rob Kearney’s injury and the devastating defeat in the Stade de France has taken the sheen off of what has been a fantastic 12 months for Irish Rugby. With naysayers predicting the fall of the ‘Golden Generation’, and forecasting a knock-on effect for the Rugby World Cup in 2011, what can we really conclude about the future of Irish rugby from the first two games of the Six Nations?

Rob KearneyKearney: Misses this weekend’s game with England
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England to host 2015 World Cup: Japan awarded 2019

England have been awarded the 2015 World Cup by the IRB. It will be England’s first time as sole hosts of the tournament, 24 years on from the last time the World Cup Final came to Twickenham in 1991, when the 4 Home Unions were co-hosts. Japan will host the 2019 World Cup, the first time the competition will have strayed outside the 8 traditional powers.
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England set to host Rugby World Cup in 2015

England is likely to be chosen to host the Rugby World Cup in 2015, giving them a great chance to successfully defend their title on home soil.
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Japan, England, South Africa and Italy in Rugby World Cup bid

The race for the 2015 and 2019 rugby world cups has begun now that the deadline for bids has past, and the hosts of both tournaments will be announced on the 28th of July.
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Why Ireland rugby will go from strength to strength

Ireland’s epic win at the weekend has lifted a nation, as a first Grand Slam in 61 years temprorarily relieved Irish minds concerned about the recession, unemployment and today’s turbulent economy.
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Brothers in Arms: Possibles vs Probables

This year’s Six Nations has witnessed two new pairings of brothers playing in the same Test team: Delon & Stefon Armitage (England), and Max & Thom Evans (Scotland).

This got me thinking about how many other brothers have donned the shirt and represented their country at international level. After a bit of research (and a morning well spent at work), it became clear that there was enough familial excellence to fill not one, but two complete teams. I have therefore selected the ‘Possibles’ vs the ‘Probables’.
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Rugby World Cup draw for 2011

England are thrown a World Cup lifeline having been drawn in the same group as Argentina, rather than New Zealand, Australia or South Africa, although no group looks easy at the moment.
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How should we solve England’s problems?

There’s always a debate about whether teams should focus on winning the next game with no eye on the future, or whether they should build a team to target the Rugby World Cup every four years.
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