Rugby World

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..

WHAT YOU SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT THIS MONTH…

Rugby needs strong schools system to survive

Just a game • Ben Earl and Caleb Clarke pause for breath during the England-New Zealand match at Twickenham. The All Blacks won 24-22 to extend England’s run of narrow defeats

THE DIRECTORY • A busy Christmas programme looms – here are the key fixture and TV details

AROUND THE WORLD IN TEN STORIES • A whistlestop tour of the planet

AUSTRALIA BLITZED THE HOME NATIONS • Forty years ago, the touring Wallabies made light work of British and Irish opposition

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? PAUL HODGSON

“I don’t believe in dinosaurs – the boys think it’s nuts!” • The Exeter Chiefs hooker talks Tarmac, time travel and Tyson Fury

BANBURY RFC • Giving grass-roots rugby the love that it deserves…

“Welsh rugby treats players like pieces of meat, not assets”

RISING STARS

Do 20-minute red cards enhance the game?

INSIDE THE MIND OF… LE ROUX ROETS • The 6ft 8in Sale lock on Bakkies Botha, ice cream and cult hero status

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO… GO ON TOUR W I T H EMERGING IRELAND • Munster’s Ben O’Connor tells RW about the eye-opening trip to South Africa

LEICESTER TIGERS 2001-2002 • A jersey from a time when the tiger ruled the jungle

MY RUGBY WORLD • The legendary chef and Harlequins fan on a different kind of crunch…

BEST & WORST CRUSADERS • Crusaders historian Matt McIlraith sorts the wheat from the chaff of the Canterbury boys

RUGBY RANT • Jessica Hayden, author of The Red Roses, says the women’s game can handle criticism

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ENGLAND’S ENFORCER • Leicester and England second-row GEORGE MARTIN is quickly bulldozing his way to the very top of the game

MY ENGLAND MEN’S MOUNT RUSHMORE

HAVE SOME OF STAT! • We asked Oval Insights to crunch the numbers on Martin’s impact for club and country

MARTIN ANALYSIS • George Martin has announced himself on the Test stage. Sam Larner pinpoints what he does best

BENHARD JANSE VAN RENSBURG • Bristol’s South African centre has one eye on an England call-up in 2026

TOP 12 SCHOOL TEAMS IN THE WORLD 2024 • The role of schools in producing the game’s best players is becoming increasingly recognised across the globe

“When you see a young man clearly playing with international potential, it’s a great sight” • Who are the next generation of stars coming to the fore? Stephen Jones breaks down the home Nations’ big hopes

RG SNYMAN • The giant Springbok is enjoying the best of both worlds since joining Leinster

LOSING THE COLLISION? • The schools game is pioneering ways to bring rugby union back to a game of evasion

The Making Of Robbie Henshaw • How this small-town boy went on to become a big-time player

SAM CANE • As the All Blacks centurion relishes a new chapter in Japan, he reflects with pride on a career of numerous highs – and one massive low

Standing in The Shed • RW visits Gloucester’s Kingsholm Stadium to sample arguably the most iconic stand in world rugby

How we did it… •  The cost of getting to The Shed on a match day

Away day tips • Follow this advice to ensure you nail your...