Australia Need An Overhaul

After another defeat this Australian squad is suffering a real lack of confidence. They have only beaten Argentina twice and the Lions in one test in the last ten games. Not the record of a strong Wallaby outfit. They are going through a period of transition with Ewan McKenzie taking up the reins after the longest managerial spell they have ever had, under Robbie Deans. However, two wins from seven is not good enough start for Ewan McKenzie who came in after the Lions series, with the quality that the Australians possess.

World's Best Derby Days

The first Welsh Premier League Derby was held this weekend with Cardiff taking the bragging rights, if you were anywhere near Wales this weekend you would think it was the only game on over the weekend. It was a huge affair in South Wales, and was built up all week as 'a tale of two cities', showing the differences between the two industrial cities of Cardiff and Swansea. Some people this week have even said that the Welsh derby is the best in the world, a difficult argument to win, because everyone believes that their teams derby is the best. So I'm going to have a look around world football and find this best derbies. This means the best football, the best atmosphere, stadium, everything that would make you want to go to that game as a neutral.

What Next for Spikey Mikey?

Welsh Rugby seems to come hand in hand with controversy sometimes; in recent years we've have Gavin Henson show us his immense talent just to go and waste it, Andy Powell and his golf cart, and the recurring incident, Mike Phillips. Two of the above are recurring cases. Henson was the most talented player Wales had seen in a long time, making everything he did look effortless, but he found stardom and rugby took second place. I do not for a second believe that this is why Mike Phillips has been involved so many times, I think he takes his rugby very seriously. However, there are comparisons to be made, but I'm not a psychologist and would rather talk about the on field implications of Phillips' latest stunt.

El Clasico on the Horizon

The first El Clasico of the 2013/14 season is on the horizon and it is one of the most anticipated for a long time. Both clubs have new star signings, both clubs have some of the best players in the world, but both have stuttered at the start of this season. Real Madrid have scraped wins against weaker opposition, lost to the city rivals Atletico Madrid, and drawn with Villarreal. Not the performances you expect from a team the size of Real Madrid. They lie in 3rd place in La Liga, with a chance to go level on points with Barcelona by winning at the Camp Nou. Although the Catalans occupy the top spot in the table, they haven't played brilliantly either. In their last two fixtures they have only managed draws against Osasuna and AC Milan. They seem to lost the cutting edge that has made them the dominant force in Europe over the last few years.

Le Tour de France Route Annonuced

Le Tour starts about as far as it ever has from France next year. It will start in Leeds on July 5, and the full route has been announced today. Few races in the world demand as much attention to an announcement as seemingly mundane as where the race will be going, but this is no ordinary race. Already from looking at the route, I can tell you that it is going to be very exciting, and at times very risky.

Wales Autumn International Squad Announced

A few shocks, a few injuries and some new caps. Does it tell us anything leading into the games next month, well Gatland is looking to blood fresh talent against international opposition. This fresh talent will most likely be the second string side which plays against Tonga in the Friday night game which is exactly a month away.

Is George North An International Player?

Don't be confused by the title of this post, I'm not questioning North's ability. However, I have seen many comments from rugby fans on different websites saying that North is just an international player. Is there anyway this could possibly be true, after all you get picked on performances at club level. However, at one time in his international career he had played more times for Wales than he had for the Scarlets, something that just feels wrong. He only ever scored fourteen tries for the Scarlets in his 45 appearances, not the scoring record of an international sensation. Yet, his scoring record for Wales is far better an closer to one in every two games. On arguably the highest international stage, the Lions tour, in the tests he has a scoring record of two from three games. Now at the Northampton Saints he has played seven and scored just one.