Charlie Morgan

My mate Alex Goode is retiring and I might just be sadder than he is Saracens stalwart is calling time on record-breaking career almost two decades after graduating from our school team to professional game

Please forgive the self-indulgent bits, because it’s been awesome to follow this guy’s career. A retirement interview with Alex Goode:

www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/...

I joined England’s new coach Lee Blackett on his 4am commute Telegraph Sport accompanied one of the brightest minds in English rugby on his daily journey to Bath’s training ground from Leicestershire

Been fascinated by the long commutes of professional coaches for a while. Lee Blackett let me join his one on Monday morning, which got going at 3.53am. It was an absolute treat. www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/...

… those are just the ones that had bursaries? Stuart, Earl, F Smith, M Smith, Slade, Baxter, George, Daly all independent school as well - so that’s 12/23 from Saturday alone

Sweet, man.

Fair enough. The hope was to put across the genuine anxiety/uncertainty in that sector because of the policy. They’re talking the book of others as well, I’d argue, but appreciate your point of view

I can assure you that it’s written independently of those, although that pervading mood probably helped get this commissioned

Certainly don’t disagree

Absolutely not intended as a hit-job and I don’t think a hit-job would entertain a whole section with is essentially about good practice in the state sector

Ha fair enough. I hope it’s balanced

Please read the whole thing first 👍

Labour’s private schools plan is an ‘existential threat’ to English rugby Special report: Telegraph Sport spoke to those within rugby to find out how much damage the VAT law change could really inflict

A long-read on how VAT on independent school fees could alter the landscape of English rugby union.
😡 Anger about “envy tax”
🏰 Do “life-changing” bursaries go?
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 “Anomaly” state school with 3 Eng U18s
🏉 ACE programme key?
💭 Future solutions

www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/...

Bath and the salary cap: How they are pulling it off In this era of austerity, Telegraph Sport looks at how West Country club are embracing a more extravagant approach to recruitment

Response towards Bath's recruitment seems to be 'how are they doing that?'

Salary info in here (with @charliemorgan.bsky.social ) on Santi Carreras and Henry Arundell, along with how Bath are structuring their contracts. www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/...

Kepu Tuipulotu: Wales invited me to train, but I think England is best for me Teenager, who declined Warren Gatland’s advances 12 months ago, is keen to put a stamp on the hooker position at under-20 level

Interview with Kepu Tuipulotu. A very talented, very enthusiastic young man. And Wales tried to call him up for the 2024 Six Nations before he’d played a game of senior rugby union… www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/...

Think that’s definitely the shout in time and Carpenter is obviously rated if he’s started for England A. Distribution/organisation/ability to step up at first-receiver of Smith proved important though

England’s Marcus Smith full-back experiment is worth sticking with There were scruffy moments, but he stayed in the game and helped to justify Steve Borthwick’s tactical plan

A look at Marcus Smith’s performance. Scruffy bits and lucky escapes, but sparked England in distinctive ways and helped them win kicking battle.

Also highlighted naivety/stubbornness of France, who didn’t put a high ball on him til the 74th minute. www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/...

The Northampton move England used to bamboozle and beat France England’s winning try originated from a tactical template that Premiership side Saints use prolifically

Piece on that last England try and how it encapsulated England's selection/tactics/performance
- Faith in kick-pressure with it all on the line
- Bench vindicated because line-out became a weapon
- A strike move borrowed from Saints to clinch it www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/...

Strap yourselves in for the Fin Smith era, England fans England’s new fly-half has shown both an exceptional skill set and ability to thrive in adversity during his rapid ascent to the top

A longish read on Fin Smith, who will have a lot of proud well-wishers today. Self-aware, unselfish, tough.
📺 A rare teenager who watched full games
⚔️ Leadership amid Worcester collapse
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 How it could have been Scotland
😇 How he makes others look good

www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/...

Maro Itoje will be an upgrade as England captain, according to referees Despite a mild-mannered persona, the Saracens lock has a reputation for playing risk and reward with officials

Spoke to some referees about refereeing Maro Itoje and what sort of England captain he will be.

📊 Stats illustrating risk v reward
🥷 Properly sneaky stuff at the line-out
💬 How demeanour compares to predecessors
📏 Why new laws might temper penalties www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/...

The ‘impossible’ line-out move England can turn on against Ireland One suspects Steve Borthwick’s side will have to be squeaky clean with this intricate tactic during Six Nations

Ben Curry and Ben Earl have taken precisely zero line-outs between them this season for their clubs.

Here's a piece on insert lifting, a tactic that is often totally missed by television coverage and might well be key to England's strategy this weekend. www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/...

Steve Borthwick’s choice of blindside flanker could make or break the Six Nations for England A year since Courtney Lawes bowed out of Test matches, England are still striving to nail down a succession plan

It's a year, in terms of Test fixtures, since Courtney Lawes retired from internationals. England haven't settled on a succession plan, seemingly. That's not a massive surprise, because Lawes was/is a freak-show. But they do have options... www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/...

😅 picturesque paper round

We don’t do half marks because that’s a cop-out and I’m in a good mood ✌️. Champions Cup definitely bitty for clubs as a whole but players in that squad have largely been good, I’d argue

Who’s hot and who’s not: England player-by-player form guide ahead of Six Nations Several England regulars have suffered a dip in form while those on the outskirts are starting to shine

A look at the domestic and Champions Cup form of each player in the England squad. Some heading into the Six Nations hot, others in a tricky patch. Form never the only factor in Test selection, but still interesting. www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/...

Chiefs not in for H Byrne, I’m told…

England-qualified Kiwi Fergus Burke in mix for Scotland call-up Gregor Townsend likely to call up Saracens’ triply eligible fly-half as back-up to Finn Russell after Adam Hastings suffered jaw injury

Understand that Fergus Burke is “definitely in the mix” for a maiden Scotland call-up. Final decision at the beginning of next week. www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/...

Harry Byrne deal can save Bristol’s season – and be huge boost to Ireland Irish fly-half made immediate impression on debut as he looks to fill the big shoes of AJ MacGinty

Harry Byrne imitated AJ MacGinty in Leinster training the week before his team played Bristol. A fortnight later, when Bristol needed a fly-half on loan, he told Pat Lam that he’d carved up Leinster using Bristol’s plays. A piece on a fascinating signing: www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/...

Ben Earl has No 8 shirt, but Tom Willis is too good for England to ignore Earl has 16 consecutive starts for England, but his Saracens team-mate is making a strong case for Six Nations involvement

Closer look at Tom Willis’ monster performance against Bristol Bears, specifically how Saracens used him and Ben Earl together. Really interesting to see how England balance their back five. www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/...

‘Outstanding’ Tom Willis a must-pick for England after Saracens bounce back to beat Bristol Cold nights in early January call for steely resolve and Tom Willis inspired resurgent Saracens to a vital victory over Bristol Bears, powerfully reinforcing his international credentials in the proce...

Was at the StoneX yesterday for Saracens-Bristol and Tom Willis *surely* smashed down the England door. Report: www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/...

Introducing England’s next big things: 6ft 9in Saracens lock and explosive Bath hooker Two of English rugby’s brightest young talents look set to get their first chance to impress in the Premiership this weekend

Learned this week that Kepu Tuipulotu was invited into the England senior camp over the autumn for a “taster”. He’ll make his Premiership debut on Sunday off a seven-one Bath bench. All very exciting. www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/...

Alex Mitchell is back and proving why he is England’s most important player Saints scrum-half was missed over the autumn internationals and Steve Borthwick will be pleased to see his assured return to action

Seemingly fourth choice 18 months ago, Alex Mitchell is now arguably England’s MVP. Here’s a piece on that, with a focus on his performance in Pretoria. Shout-outs for loads of other Saints as well. www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/...