Rugby World

April 2023

Rugby World is the voice of global rugby and the biggest-selling rugby magazine anywhere. Through its team of respected and professional writers, it offers unrivalled access to the players and coaches behind the thrilling clashes that define the sport of international rugby union. The magazine has four editions, one for each of the UK national teams, and delivers a comprehensive monthly package of rugby action, with hundreds of images that capture the excitement and passion that define this high-impact sport..

£4

in this issue

FRONT ROW

“Welsh rugby must rise from the ashes – again”

TRYING TO get a handle on elite Welsh rugby today is akin to nailing jelly to the wall. Even in summing up recent crises, you end up stacking lines on top of each other. We were already dealing with the accusations of misogyny and horrific language towards female colleagues, and then watching the CEO step down as the head of such a troubled organisation. But falling in to offer us up more shock is the state of the men’s pro game, where a potential strike was only just averted. The bold action was mooted in protest at contract issues and financial uncertainty – it has been estimated that around 90 regional players would be off contract at the end of the season. There are other issues players fought for: they…

2 min

FRONT ROW

“Welsh rugby must rise from the ashes – again”

2 min

FRONT ROW

YOUR RUGBY CALENDAR

2nd James Stafford’s An Illustrated History of English Rugby, offering facts and stories from more than 150 years of the men’s international game, hits the shelves. The paperback has illustrations from Raluca Moldovan and is available at all good bookstores. 17th World Cup-winning prop Phil Vickery (left) welcomes horse racing fans to his newly expanded No 3 restaurant in Cheltenham for Festival week. The 73-cap England icon won Celebrity Masterchef in 2011 and will also be a special guest at the London Gold Cup Lunch with Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler at the Kia Oval. 12th Gloucester will wear a special-edition match shirt designed by Ed Slater’s three children, Edie (8), Flo (7) and Frank (4) against Leicester Tigers in the second Slater Cup match. The second-row was diagnosed with MND last July. £10 from each…

1 min

FRONT ROW

YOUR RUGBY CALENDAR

1 min

IN THIS ISSUE

The familiar magic is still there for all to see

YOU DON’T have to hunt for long if you’re looking for stories to hammer rugby with right now. So as a bit of a palate cleanser, I asked my cousin’s son, Murray, eight, what he’d made of the Six Nations. At me came a charming stream of how he and his dad had spent match days at Murrayfield lately. Pizzas, churros, cheering the team bus… And that’s not to mention him being around at a great time for young Scottish fans (I wouldn’t dare bring him down with tales of the wilderness years). But what stood out was his enjoyment of interacting with those around him, equally buzzing. We’ve seen some exceptional stuff so far this tournament, and not just in Edinburgh. The conclusion will be dramatic and arresting. And then we…

1 min

FRONT ROW

“I’d like to become a referee after I finish playing”

WHO GIVES the most backchat on the pitch? I don’t want to admit it but it would have to be me. I’m very passionate and if I don’t agree with a decision, I’ll question it in the heat of the moment. Do you have any phobias? I’ve got a really strange phobia of electric shocks. In shopping centres, you can catch an escalator or metal handle and get an electric shock – that’s a big fear of mine. Sometimes I can’t touch a door and have to get someone else to open it. What really annoys you? It annoys me when people are messy in everyday situations. I hate it if they don’t tidy up after themselves in the club room after having a sandwich or drink. If your house was on fire,…

4 min