The 2025-26 rugby union season delivered unforgettable moments, from a record-breaking Six Nations clash to the Red Roses' World Cup triumph. Here are the standout games, players, and highlights.
Best Games Attended
1) 14 March, France 48-46 England. Thirteen tries, including four for Louis Bielle-Biarrey, and a last-gasp winning penalty from Thomas Ramos. Truly magnifique. 2) 12 June, Northampton 45-31 Leicester. A cracking Premiership semi-final atmosphere and a belting game. 3) 10 April, Bath 43-41 Northampton. Saints started brilliantly but still couldn't deny Bath a place in the Champions Cup semi-finals.
Teams of the Year
1) Bordeaux-Bègles (in the Champions Cup, not the Top 14!). They were unstoppable in Europe. 2) England's World Cup-winning Red Roses. 3) Northampton Saints.
Champagne Moments
1) Rhys Carré's solo try for Wales against Ireland. 2) Finn Russell's quick-thinking kick-off that led to a try for Darcy Graham and saved Scotland's bacon in Cardiff. 3) Christ Tshiunza's sidestepping try for Exeter Chiefs in their semi-final win against Bath. Wooaah!
Top Coaching Brains
1) Phil Dowson and Sam Vesty (Northampton). 2) Rob Baxter (Exeter Chiefs). 3=) John Mitchell (England women) and Noel McNamara (Bordeaux attack coach).
Men's Players of the Season
1) Louis Bielle-Biarrey. 2) Maxime Lucu. 3=) Tom and Jack Willis, Matthieu Jalibert.
Most Consistent Premiership Players
1) Tom Willis. 2) Henry Slade. 3=) Alex Coles and Tommy Freeman.
Women's Players of the Season
1) Meg Jones. 2) Ellie Kildunne. 3) Sophie de Goode.
Best Matchday Experience
1) France v England, Paris. The pre-match son et lumière was almost as good as the game. 2) Champions Cup semi-final – Bordeaux-Bègles v Bath. Bordeaux is increasingly a must-visit European club rugby destination. 3) Champions Cup final – Bordeaux-Bègles v Leinster, Bilbao. Head to the Basque Country for the rugby and stay for the cheesecake and tortillas. 4) Women's World Cup final, London. A high-water mark for women's rugby.
Best Media Operation and Interviewee
Best media operation: Northampton Saints. Best interviewee: Joe Heyes (Leicester and England). What a top guy.
Good to See and Could Do Better
Good to see: 1) The return of creative running fly-halves. For a while there we thought we'd lost them. 2) Smiling faces back at Exeter Chiefs, both on the field and on the stage. 3) More effort to promote England's second-tier Championship. There are some wonderful clubs and rugby people outside the Premiership. Could do better: 1) Sending love and hugs to all at the Stade de France but being denied entry to the ground on the opening night of the Six Nations wasn't ideal. 2) At some stage the Rugby Football Union needs to acknowledge that not picking a player or two based in France, especially in a World Cup year, is a massive own goal. 3) World Rugby is about to trial a remote 'TMO hub', based in Basingstoke, to 'improve' decision-making in this summer's second-tier Nations Cup and World U20 tournament. The 'robot ref' era draws ever closer.
Most Inspirational Rugby People and Gone but Not Forgotten
Most inspirational: 1=) Lewis Moody, Ed Slater, Matt Hampson. Gone but not forgotten: Warren Abrahams, Shane Christie, John Doubleday, Matt Gallagher, Scott Hastings, Fred Howard, Brian Jones, Arthur Lewis, Ian McCrae, Matt Salter, Fergus Slattery, M J K 'Mike' Smith, Roger Spurrell, Peter Squires, Mike 'Spike' Watkins, Alex Wyllie.
Most Looking Forward to in 2026-27?
1) Everyone in Welsh rugby finally agreeing on the best collective way forward. 2) Rugby's Greatest Rivalry, AKA the upcoming full tour of South Africa by New Zealand. 3) Northampton Saints drawing either Toulouse or Bordeaux at home in the Champions Cup pool stages. 4) Where Shaun Edwards – seven Six Nations titles and counting – goes next.
