Owain Jones Editor, RugbyPass+ Owain has been writing and editing about rugby since 2004. He has edited matchday programmes for the WRU, publications for the British & Irish Lions and written for the Guinness Pro14. A regular voice on BBC Radio Wales, from 2011 to 2018, he was the editor of Rugby World Magazine. He has been writing for RugbyPass since 2019.

Aaron Wainwright: 'It might sound weird, but I’m glad I was dropped. It ignited a fire in my belly'

The rejuvenated Wales backrow relives his journey from outcast to standout, and the World Cup hurt that still lingers

Dewi Lake: 'One thing will make the Welsh public feel more positive about the game: winning'

The Ospreys and Wales hooker talks about close friend Jac Morgan, the art of leadership and why some players don't get the praise …

The 2023 Rugby World Cup team of the tournament

There were outstanding individual performances over seven weeks and 48 matches but some players put in Herculean shifts

Wales leave World Cup with regrets but with their 'heads held high'

Warren Gatland has made huge strides with his Welsh side but a semi-final berth was beyond them as Argentina emerged victorious

Wales fly into the quarters and deserve credit

Warren Gatland's men are short on admirers but they have already surpassed expectations in reaching the knock-out stages

Warren Gatland turns Wales into unlikely World Cup contenders

The celebrated coach has used all his years of experience to resurrect Wales and turn them into a side capable of an upset

Wales score the perfect ten but problems persist

Warren Gatland's second team did little to push forward their merits for inclusion against the Wallabies with an error-strewn perf…

Emerging nations primed to smash the glass ceiling in France

The challenges of the Pacific Islands nations, as well as Chile, Georgia, Uruguay, Namibia and Romania are acute but help is at ha…

Warren Gatland's expected 33-man squad for the World Cup

After a dispiriting loss to South Africa, Wales need to find a squad capable of exceeding expectations in France

Cadan Murley: 'Scoring tries is about confidence'

In the mix for an England squad spot, the in-form Harlequins wing is desperate to propel the squad to World Cup glory

London Irish's expected collapse leaves Premiership Rugby reeling

The dismantling of a third storied club in eight months paints a sorry tale of a domestic league that has spiralled out of control

Saracens back on their perch to continue the dynasty

Despite spirited resistance from Sale Sharks, few members of the Twickenham crowd doubted Mark McCall's men would wrestle back the…

Akker van der Merwe: 'Yes, I stutter, but it’s not who I am. It doesn’t define me. It doesn’t own me.'

Akker van der Merwe has overcome mental and physical obstacles to stand on the cusp of a 'career high' with Sale Sharks

La Rochelle complete the modern-day miracle

It's been a challenging season in rugby but the Heineken Cup final showed the game can reach parts few other sports can on a breat…

Sale Sharks show true Northern pride

George Ford inspires Sale to reach their first Premiership final in 17 years and despite facing Saracens, they will have nothing t…

Angus Gardner: 'No more rugby. No more contact sports. You may as well take up fishing.'

The Australian referee will be one of 12 referees at the World Cup and his journey has been far from conventional

Josh MacLeod: 'We may come from a small town but we have big aspirations and dreams'

The Scarlets skipper has been a shining light in a Cup run that leaves Dwayne Peel's men one game away from a final in Dublin

Saracens' road to redemption gathers pace

The late Premiership Final loss to Leicester Tigers will have hurt Mark McCall's men and they will be fired to reclaim their title

Online criticism of referees is getting out of control

Players should be able to air their views but there is a very fine line when it comes to criticism of match officials doing the im…

All hail Chris Ashton, the Premiership's first try-centurion

The much-travelled England wing has spent a career scoring tries and he crossed an impressive milestone against Exeter Chiefs

Josh Adams: 'The fire has always been in me.'

The Cardiff and Wales wing is a fiery character and he will need all his competitive instincts to down Benetton in the Challenge C…

Heineken Cup nears the business end as the elite show their class

Domestic rugby's premier competition has been whittled down to the final eight and there are some tantalising fixtures in store

Irish march towards Premiership play-offs

Declan Kidney has inspired an epic turnaround with a roster full of gifted youngsters and they have silverware in their sights

Tom Pearson: 'I'd love to play in a World Cup'

The buccaneering young London Irish backrow has been getting rave reviews all season and is on England's radar

Ireland are masters of all they survey, now for the World Cup

The feats of Andy Farrell's squad will be lauded in the years to come but they must now rid themselves of the World Cup hex

Battered Ireland close in on a Grand Slam

Andy Farrell's men have shown throughout the tournament that they can adapt and thrive and that bodes well for a World Cup tilt

Gatland's return in danger of getting the thumbs down

The most successful Welsh coach of all time is weighed down with domestic strife but must lead his squad to sunnier climes

Bristol Bears bare their teeth as renaissance gathers momentum

Pat Lam's side have been in the doldrums but a sense of rejuvenation is in the air at Ashton Gate

Progress of Ollie Lawrence sees England's overreliance on Manu Tuilagi dwindle

The Six Nations gives players a platform to rewrite their stories and the Bath centre is proving he can thrive in adversity

Sam Whitelock: 'I've never been shy about voicing my opinion'

The legendary second-row maybe entering his final season as an All Black but the Crusader is only looking forward

Mike Brown proves the doubters wrong

Left on the professional scrapheap at 37, Mike Brown never gave up hope and he had his day in the sun with Leicester Tigers

The Irish eyes are smiling

Ireland showed they can walk the walk without a gamut of frontline stars in a battle for the ages against an obdurate, gifted Fren…

Van der Merwe's heroics silence the Twickenham masses

A try for the ages lights up a thrilling opening weekend of Six Nations rugby as Scotland, Ireland and France register away wins

The Borthwick era begins and a nation expects

A new era beckons at Twickenham and there is expectation in the air that Steve Borthwick can kickstart an England renaissance agai…

RFU tackle-law debacle highlights rugby's existential crisis

The challenge for rugby to become a safer sport but still retain the elements that have made it a cherished sport to so many has b…

Is Welsh belief growing with the return of Warren Gatland?

The influence of the legendary Welsh coach has been seen after an upturn in fortunes for the beleaguered Welsh regions

Will Eddie have the last laugh?

The sacked England coach has gone home where he hopes to leave a legacy with the Wallabies, starting with a World Cup run in Franc…

Danny Grewcock: 'I had a fear about most people I played against. It spurred me on.'

An enforcer for Bath, England and the British and Irish Lions, the big lock is inspiring the next generation

Farrell divides opinion like no other

The high-profile Saracen is in hot-water after a dubious tackle but his enduring qualities endear him to team-mates

Siya Kolisi: 'In rugby, if you show your individual side or express yourself, it's immediately frowned upon'

The Springbok captain will head to Paris after the World Cup and he is on a mission to take rugby to new frontiers

Borthwick eyes English revival

The England fightback has started with the appointment of well-regarded Cumbrian and his assistant Kevin Sinfield

Watson magic gives rugby fans some festive cheer

While rugby fans froze at games, or kept themselves toasty by the fireside, they could all rejoice seeing Anthony Watson back in f…

Steven Kitshoff: 'I never felt like the best player on the pitch. I had to prove myself in other ways'

Rated as one of the best scrummaging looseheads in the world, the flame-haired Springbok has big plans for 2023

Eddie Jones awaits his fate

The England head coach role could soon be vacant as the pressure mounts a year out from the World Cup in France

England feel the hurt and Eddie Jones feels the heat

The RFU is none too pleased with England's performances this Autumn, while in Wales, the crisis button is close to being pushed

Gareth Thomas: 'This game means everything. We have to leave it all out there.'

The Ospreys and Wales loosehead expects a big reaction against Australia after the chastening loss to Georgia

England's stirring comeback fires up Twickenham faithful

England were on the canvas with nine minutes left to go before staging a famous 19-point recovery job to stun the All Blacks

Steward takes charge as England momentum is restored

After their shock loss to Argentina, England steady the ship to down Japan as the All Blacks juggernaut rolls into town

How Nic Gill conditions one of the world's most successful sporting teams

The All Blacks head of strength and conditioning on life on the road, the 'freaks' he works with and why he no longer chases the n…

England left with more questions than answers

England were yet again left to search for positives after a narrow loss to Argentina, ramping up the pressure on Eddie Jones

Luck of the Irish runs out at Quins

Harlequins into raptures as contentious stoppage time try breaks the hearts of London Irish fans as chaos reigns at The Stoop

Marcus Smith rekindles the magic as Autumn Tests loom

The Harlequins playmaker shows his superstar worth as the Sale Sharks machine finally grinds to a halt with their first Premiershi…

Mired in crisis, yet Premiership Rugby provides a joyous spectacle

The financial crisis around English rugby is dominating headlines off the pitch, which is at odds with the glittering rugby on it

The fight for Worcester Warriors not to be forgotten

With the Warriors sunk and doubts still surrounding Wasps' short-term future as a Premiership Rugby club, rugby's financial climat…

Saracens lay down a marker as McFarland takes flight

Mark McCall's men exacted the perfect revenge mission on Leicester Tigers as the reigning champs were eviscerated

Rugby must not forget about Worcester Warriors

Worcester Warriors are a club that needs the support of the game in financially troubling times, and the hope is that rugby at Six…

Martin Anayi: 'As a rugby fan, I would like it all to be in one place. I can't be the only one.'

The URC has added the South African provinces and sought investment as far afield as India and Qatar, its CEO Martin Anayi says ru…

Who are the Premiership stars backing to shine?

The Premiership season is about to get underway, so who are the club legends backing to turn in a big season for the fans?

Summer Tests: Who would be picked in a World XV right now?

Rugby has been fortunate enough to feast on three weekends of sumptuous top-class Test action, where a select band of players have…

Ireland on top of the world as they humble All Blacks

The rugby world was turned on its head as Ireland defeated the All Blacks in the Series decider, leaving England to follow suit, w…

Can the Northern Hemisphere strike back?

It was advantage to the Southern Hemisphere after a 4-0 whitewash in week one of the summer Tests and the pressure is on the North…

Uncertain England left looking for answers

The Southern Hemisphere are victorious as England yet again flatter to deceive, Ireland are blown away and Scotland are downed by …

Tom Wood: 'It seems to be frowned on to say, 'I just out and out like whacking people'

After an illustrious 17-year career, England and Saints legend Tom Wood took his final bow in rugby with the Barbarians

'I went in early one morning, packed up all my stuff and left'

By early evening, after a few sangrias, and with the sun setting, Devin Toner may gift himself a few precious moments to reflect. …

'My 13-year-old daughter asked to leave because she was terrified'

Iryna Arkhytska, the secretary general of URU, despite impeccable English, is struggling to find the right words to the fact her b…

The Barbarians put on a show to embarrass England

Eddie Jones is humiliated as the BaaBaas cut loose, leaving England to head to Australia with renewed pressure to deliver results

The rugby world mourns the loss of Phil Bennett

The world of rugby mourns the loss of the iconic Phil Bennett, Saracens and Leicester Tigers book a heavyweight clash at Twickenha…

Jack Clifford: 'I would have given up an England cap for the chance to win the Premiership with Quins'

Nearly two years on from hanging up his boots, the former Harlequins and England backrow is helping players with career-ending inj…

Alex Mitchell: 'We've got it in us to win the Premiership for the first time since 2014'

The Northampton Saints scrum-half has had an outstanding season and he's hoping to inspire his side to give Chris Boyd the perfect…

Premiership play-off draw adds spice to the sparkle

Saracens will face Harlequins in the first of two tasty Premiership play-off games, while Leicester Tigers host a rejuvenated Nort…

La Rochelle's fairy-tale story strikes a blow for the underdog

La Rochelle wrote themselves into the history books with a seismic Champion Cup win to further enhance the reputation of Ronan O'G…

Smokin' Joe lands knockout punch for Quins

Will Collier: 'The front row at scrum time is the best place in the world'

A select member of the Quins front row forwards to have passed 200 appearances, Will Collier is playing the best rugby of his care…

The inexorable rise of the golden oldies

By common convention, a rugby player was in decline once he hit 30, but a new wave of players are playing at the top level until t…

Is Johnny Sexton set to become Ireland's greatest player?

Johnny Sexton inches up towards the top of Irish greats, Leo Cullen every inch the equal of Stuart Lancaster and Gabin Villiere ma…

Henry Arundell announces himself on the world stage

The London Irish wunderkind has caught the attention of Eddie Jones, while Leicester Tigers reach their ceiling against Leinster a…

Saracens getting in the groove for trophy hunt

The five-time Premiership Champions served notice against Exeter Chiefs that they won't rest until they get their crown back

Leicester Tigers setting the pace

Freddie Steward leads the English charge as the giants of the game assemble for a no-holds barred battle to be crowned kings of Eu…

Rivals to tread Care-fully around the dangerous Quins

Ashton takes flight to write himself into the record books

The former England wing has finally drawn level with Tom Varndell as the Premiership top scorer in a weekend Leicester booked thei…

The cap Fitz emerging Bear Harding

The young Bristol Bear has had a breakthrough season and he hopes his side can upset the odds with a win against Saracens

Six Nations: The Italian job awaits for prop idol Dillon Lewis

The Wales tighthead packs down against Italy knowing competition is stronger than ever but that bodes well as Wayne Pivac builds d…

Six Nations: Charlie Ewels pays the ultimate price to set-up classic encounter

England fade late in a compelling Six Nations clash, Wales give France a mighty fright and Saracens learn to win without their sup…

Saracens peg back Tigers in the race for the Premiership

Saracens beat the league leaders Leicester, Duhan van der Merwe's red card kicks off social media frenzy and the Welsh regions are…

England stutter to victory but are still in the Six Nations running

England get the job done after narrowly beating an improving Wales side, while Scotland lick their wounds after a French mauling a…

Six Nations: Tuilagi storms back into the Six Nations reckoning

The return of Manu Tuilagi has lifted the spirits of England fans while rugby mourns the passing of Steve Black and fans rage abou…

Seb Davies: 'England will be a great challenge but we're relishing it'

The multi-skilled Cardiff second-row has been in fine form this season and is forcing his way into the Wales squad at the right ti…

Six Nations: Marcus Smith sparkles but sterner tests await

The Six Nations delivers on thrills and spills as England and Wales rebound, while only France can win the elusive Grand Slam...

Wayne Pivac: 'We owe it to ourselves and our public to put on a better display.'

Wales were humbled out in Dublin admidst disquiet at home, and Wayne Pivac has said his squad owe the Welsh fans a performance aga…

Six Nations: Scotland dare to dream

Rugby shows vision to widen its congregation

Rugby returned to terrestrial TV in a boon to domestic rugby and with the Six Nations just days away, rugby is set to return to ce…

Depleted Wales left searching for positives

Wayne Pivac has a fully-loaded side and lifted the Six Nations title 12 months ago but his injury-stricken squad make a repeat unl…

Is George Ford primed as a starter or support act?

The 77-cap England fly-half is to be parachuted back into the England squad in the wake of Owen Farrell's injury with a point to p…

Eddie Jones leading the way for a New England

Eddie Jones knows he will come under scrutiny but with a sky-high win record, he can take confidence he will be leading England to…

Opportunity knocks for England's shining stars

This week will be make or break for rugby stars up and down the country with squads being named for the Six Nations and a few play…

Protheroe given licence to thrill

The exciting Ospreys back three player has been excelling since returning to his home region after enduring family heartache

Wasp bite downs mighty Tigers

A resurgent Wasps upset the form-book and down unbeaten Tigers as the countdown for the Six Nations continues apace

Nick Tompkins: 'Leaving Saracens gave me a renewed love for a club where I feel trusted'

Nick Tompkins has emerged from the chaos of relegation with Saracens a better player and he wants to kick for club and country

Smith and Fish serve up a festive feast of rugby

Harlequins and Cardiff served up a festive delight while Leicester continued their unbeaten run as European rugby was ravaged by C…

Paul Hill: 'I'm not going to kick Eddie Jones' door down and demand I get picked because that's not going to help anyone.'

Northampton Saints tighthead prop Paul Hill struggled with the early promotion to the England squad but the No 3 is now older and …

Dupont is surging towards greatness

Antoine Dupont bewitches the rugby world, Munster marvel agains Wasps and Edinburgh down the mighty Saracens

Tigers continue to bare their teeth

Leicester Tigers continue to blaze a trail in the Premiership, while Munster and Cardiff scramble to prepare for Europe after Sout…

Premiership heavyweights go toe-to-toe

Saracens come out on top in slugfest over Sale, the Samoans put on a sad show at Twickenham and the URC flies in to Covid chaos

World XV of the Autumn Series

As a breathless 2021 draws to a close, RugbyPass selects its international team of the year.

England quicken the pulse but Eddie Jones will not rest on his laurels

The rugby world had its best day since crowds returned as France won hearts, England showed elan and Ireland finally kicked off th…

Rebuilding the fortress

England continue the Wallabies poor run at Twickenham, Courtney Lawes playing the best rugby of his life, Wales searching for big …

Scotland the braves

The first full round of inter-Hemisphere tests since the 2019 World Cup kicked off with a bang.

England v Tonga: Great expectations

Eddie Jones has rich words of praise for Tom Curry, Ellis Genge and Kyle Sinckler while the public clamour for Alex Dombrandt and …

Bath looking to arrest worrying downturn in form

Bath head to Leicester Tigers is a state of disarray, Worcester finally get an all important win and Will Jordan announces himself…

Depleted Wales feel the force of majestic All Blacks

The All Blacks ran in seven tries against a spirited, yet limited Wales side who were deprived of many of their star names, but th…

Leicester Tigers show their muscle

Leicester Tigers underlined their notable renaissance, Worcester Warriors wilted under a Saints bombardment and Wales' omitted sta…

Saracens stars show they aren't a spent force

The England squad has set tongues wagging, Saracens show they've lost nothing of their lustre and Leinster still rule all they sur…

Pivac looking to keep a lid on Wales' great expectations

Wayne Pivac has selected an injury-hit 38-man squad to face New Zealand, South Africa, Fiji and Australia but planning for the 202…

Harlequins prepare to build a thrilling dynasty

Harlequins are playing rugby on a higher level right now, while Saracens have lost none of their mettle in defeating the Falcons. …

Jack Kenningham: 'Obviously I have a dream of playing for England'

How boyhood Harlequins fan Jack Kenningham rose from obscurity to live his dream as a Premiership champion and England squad membe…

Filling the void

As a player, Calum Clark was uncompromising and made mistakes but in his new role he aims to be a force for good

A different ball game

Sportable plan to revolutionise data analysis of the game - and the sky’s the limit

The star-spangled Banners

Popular Bath, Gloucester and England wing leaves the game with no regrets

An Englishman abroad

When Geoff Parling left the UK for Japan in 2017, he had no idea he'd end up in Australia building a burgeoning reputation as a co…

Lions crushed by a sense of regret

The Lions lost the Test Series by the narrowest of margins leaving them proud of their efforts but left hollow from what could hav…

The final push for the Lions

Warren Gatland's belief must not waver as they seek to rock the Springboks and win the first Series since 1997 on South African so…

Now or never for the Lions

Alun Wyn Jones will have to rally a bedraggled Lions squad for one final push after they were taught a lesson in Cape Town

The race for Lions selection

Warren Gatland has never been afraid to take the tough calls in the pursuit of victory

Why Gatland has rolled the dice

Eyebrows were raised when the Lions unveiled their squad for the first Test but every eventuality has been covered

Don't give up the fight

At 33, Josh Turnbull had a Wales call-up after three years in the wilderness. It is just reward for hard graft

Gatland's Lions attempt to climb their Everest

The Lions tour starts in Edinburgh today but their toughest opponent will surely be a pandemic that has brought the world to its k…

Bear necessities

In the past Bristol were rudderless and lacking in confidence but with the right backing, brighter times lie ahead

The unsung hero

Uncompromising on the field and a gentleman off it, Jake Ball leaves Wales having gained the respect of a nation

On an upward curve

Ben Loader is one of a clutch of London Irish players tearing up the Premiership this season

Crouching Tiger, hidden Lion?

Ellis Genge will be hoping for a late call to the Lions as several top-class stars play for a last-minute reprieve

Taking the next step

Alex Dombrandt has hit every marker required to showcase his sumptuous talents at the highest level

Let's talk about it

Warren Gatland set tongues wagging with his Lions squad announcement but there is method to his madness

The problem position

Unlike previous tours, the No 9 spot is wide open so we spoke to Mike Phillips and Rory Lawson for their thoughts

The prodigal son

Simon Zebo may have a happy-go-lucky nature but the returning Munster star doesn't shy away from the sport's biggest issue.

The great entertainer

Tom O'Flaherty has been pulling up trees down in Devon and the wing is thriving in esteemed company

The hard yards

The community game has faced an unprecedented year of hardship but now there is finally a chink of light

Risky business

The announcement that the 2021 Lions tour will take place in South Africa has rugby fans hoping for the best

The comeback kids

Wales have an ageing, unfancied team but they may yet have the last laugh on a gifted French side

Life at the coalface

Andrew Sheridan was one of the game's strongest men and the giant England prop is still a mighty force

Rugby chaos reigns

The Wales vs England game served up controversy and rancour while Ireland executed the Italian job with ease

Under the radar

Wyn Jones has emerged from the shadows to be one of Wales' consistent performers in the Six Nations

Off the ropes

Wales were written-off before the Six Nations but two edgy wins have seen self-belief returning

The renaissance man

After a false start with England on their 2018 tour to South Africa, Jonny Hill is making up for lost time

Six Nations preview: France

France have gone from pretenders to contenders in 12 months but can they back up the expectation of a nation?

Six Nations preview: Wales

After a hugely successful period under Warren Gatland, Wales enter the 2021 Six Nations as underdogs

Six Nations preview: England

Eddie Jones has asked England to entertain a nation, but is winning a Grand Slam paramount?

Easing the burden

Tom Youngs has reached 200 appearances for Leicester and, at 34, feels as good as ever

The odd couple

Mark Durden-Smith and David Flatman make a classic TV double act but what do they make of each other?

Short circuit

Why Premiership Rugby's egregious circuit-break reeks of inflexibility, short-sightedness and politicking.

Teenage kicks

Just 19, Ioan Lloyd has had a breakthrough year and 2021 promises to be even better

Brave new world

World Rugby's Mark Egan talks about a year of upheaval and the future of the game

Big Red

Wales prop Rhys Carré is set to continue his rugby education in the Autumn Nations Cup

As Goode as it gets

The England full-back opens up on the toughest month of his career and life in Japan

When forwards go rogue

It’s pretty easy...scrum, lineout, ruck. Yet some forwards have shown they can’t follow that simple brief

Mentality monster

Maligned for a perceived lack of flair, Dan Biggar is proud to be dependable

No Regrets

Mike Brown isn't everyone’s cup of tea, but the long-serving fullback makes no apologies