The Future of the Barbarians

The Barbarians is a franchise which holds a special place in the rugby world. A favourite of fans across the globe they stand for something bigger than trophies. They embody the spirit of the game, and that connection to the enjoyment of the game is the reason thousands of fans will still turn up to "pointless" games that don't even count towards caps.

With all that being said the Barbarians are at a critical tipping point. With the rise of professionalism, and club owners demanding full use of their players, the historic franchise may need to rethink their place in the world. So what is the future of the black-and-white hoops, and how can they stay relevant?

The Barbarians went on an entertaining tour across three countries this autumn,
 but should they consider changing their attitude to accepting matches.

Offside Opinion: Residency Players

Pivac has wasted no time in making headlines with
his first training squad.

This week Wayne Pivac became the first new coach to announce a squad, post World Cup. In doing so he made a number of surprise selections, but he also made two that everyone expected. Bringing two former Kiwi's into the Welsh international set up, with Johnny McNicholl and Willis Halaholo having completed the mandatory minimum three-year residency to play for a national team.

Now, let's be clear, I do understand the decision to pick two of the most naturally gifted attackers available to him. Wales were consistently maligned under Gatland for being predictable in attack, and dropping in the dancing feet of Halaholo to midfield, and the free-running of McNicholl to the back field will certainly have an impact on that issue. But I have fundamental issues with their selection, which certainly leaves an ashen taste in my mouth.

Key Reasons for South Africa's Victory

The dust has settled from South Africa's victory in the World Cup final, in doing so becoming the first team to win the Rugby Championship (or previous incarnation the Tri-Nations) and the World Cup in the same year. The game has been analysed from every avenue by professional and amateur pundits alike. So there is probably nothing left to say about it really. Which means it's the perfect time for this blog to get its views on the result on the web. Keep reading to find the three takeaways from the final.

In a World Cup Final victory is decided by small margins, like opening strategies, physical size, or tiny halfbacks.