Ben Coles

observer.co.uk‘I’ll find out how to kill myself so you can use my brain...Phil Vickery lifted the Rugby World Cup in 2003 as part of England’s greatest men’s rugby team. Now he lives in fear and confusion for his future

1 Aug

Phil Vickery came into @observeruk.bsky.social recently to be part of an upcoming #SlowNewscast episode. It was extraordinarily moving. We discussed his fears for his future living with probable CTE, his great mate Steve Thompson, and why he would do it all again. observer.co.uk/news/sport/a...

Ben Coles reposted

theofffieldreview.substack.comYou can believe in Gloucester’s defence nowSources at the club discuss the impact Joel Tomkins has made on Gloucester’s defence

Gloucester have conceded 67 points through four PREM games. Pretty good! Spoke to a source about what's different under Joel Tomkins' defence. Read here: theofffieldreview.substack.com/p/you-can-be...

theofffieldreview.substack.comYou can believe in Gloucester’s defence nowSources at the club discuss the impact Joel Tomkins has made on Gloucester’s defence

observer.co.ukWhy can’t English teams defend? | The ObserverSmall playoffs, an outdated bonus-point system and no relegation in the Prem are all to blame, say foreign coaches

After a tough opening round in the Champions Cup for PREM defences, wanted to see what coaches in the URC and Top 14 make of the league. Feedback was that outside of the playoffs it’s just not competitive enough, which leads to bad defensive habits. observer.co.uk/news/sport/a...

Grim out there.

observer.co.ukLift-off for Spurs as Penders and Palmer lose their headsAn own goal and a red card make it easy for Tottenham to seal a 2-0 victory at the home of their London rivals at last

Spurs dominate and hold their nerve. observer.co.uk/news/sport/a...

Gloucester doing that without Lake, Seb Atkinson and Loader is properly encouraging.

podcasts.apple.comThe Rugby BunkerRugby Podcast · Updated weekly · The Rugby Bunker gives you the insight and tactical understanding you need, hosted by Ben Coles (The Observer) and featuring regular guests including Charlie Morgan (T...

Called that Newcastle win on this week’s pod: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t... Felt like Newcastle had this game circled and given their good last two league performances, it was coming.

theofffieldreview.substack.comOn Saracens, who are having a weird weekI attended a wine tasting in the club’s changing room about three hours after they hit out at another journalist

This week's Substack on Saracens, who are having a weird week. theofffieldreview.substack.com/p/on-saracen...

Ben Coles reposted

Tim Morton

@timmorton2.bsky.social

#Aberfan powerful piece by @bencoles.bsky.social in @theobserveruk.bsky.social observer.co.uk/news/sport/a...

observer.co.ukHow rugby rallied and remembered its heroes after horrifi...Dai Beynon, the former Merthyr RFC captain, died trying to protect five pupils as 144 lost lives 60 years ago

Ben Coles reposted

observer.co.ukHow rugby rallied and remembered its heroes after horrifi...Dai Beynon, the former Merthyr RFC captain, died trying to protect five pupils as 144 lost lives 60 years ago

Ahead of the 60th anniversary - Aberfan, Merthyr RFC, and the bravery of Dai Beynon. For @observeruk.bsky.social. observer.co.uk/news/sport/a...

Back in August I spoke to Josh Hodge, George McGuigan, Hoskins Sotutu and Christian Wade about a big summer of change at Newcastle Red Bulls. Full long-read in the latest edition of The Red Bulletin, which is out now.

observer.co.ukHow rugby rallied and remembered its heroes after horrifi...Dai Beynon, the former Merthyr RFC captain, died trying to protect five pupils as 144 lost lives 60 years ago

Ahead of the 60th anniversary - Aberfan, Merthyr RFC, and the bravery of Dai Beynon. For @observeruk.bsky.social. observer.co.uk/news/sport/a...

Yeah, doesn’t look fun.

This week's Substack looking at how much try-scoring is too much try-scoring. Plus notes on the All Blacks, Dalziel, and PREM crowd numbers. theofffieldreview.substack.com/p/tries-plea...

If you're Ollie Sleightholme here, where there's so much time and space, are you... thinking about dinner? Planning a holiday?

Ben Coles reposted

observer.co.ukStruggling Quins must brace for more pain after bad resultsThe Londoners sit bottom of the Prem table following coaching upheaval and several key injuries

Can I tempt you with another Harlequins long-read? Spent the week talking to sources inside and outside the club about the obvious problems, the solutions, and just how deep this rebuild is. observer.co.uk/news/sport/a...

observer.co.ukStruggling Quins must brace for more pain after bad resultsThe Londoners sit bottom of the Prem table following coaching upheaval and several key injuries

This Gloucester pack: enjoyable. George Skivington getting the dominant maul and physicality he wanted back on day one.

This week's Substack: Kane James was mentioned as a breakout player for Exeter during pre-season. Has started hot, and here's why. theofffieldreview.substack.com/p/kane-james... Plus notes on Gloucester, Sale, a missed chance for Newcastle, and Rees-Zammit being very much a wing.

New titles this week, obviously. Saracens discussion here: youtube.com/watch?v=ZB7G... Podcast: pod.link/1837150363/e...

That’s a huge win for Australia in Perth for multiple reasons (optics, momentum under Kiss, hype for 2027). But for the Springboks I’m not sure the actual result means anything, besides answering some depth questions and showing that rust is bad. theofffieldreview.substack.com/p/that-austr...

This is a shame, keep the line of yellow blocks going

Nice to see the Saffas (not all!) complaining about the officiating again.

Much-changed Boks turning in a rusty performance felt quite likely and, well, yeah.

youtube.comPredicting the 2026/27 PREM table | The Rugby BunkerYouTube video by The Rugby Bunker

Necks on the line with @charliemorgan.bsky.social predicting the PREM table ahead of the 2026/27 season starting tonight. We agreed on three. There will be regrets. www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNCV...

pod.linkThe Rugby BunkerListen to The Rugby Bunker wherever you get your podcasts!

Also wherever you get your podcasts. pod.link/1837150363

Not sure what that noise was

As expected, this was excellent. Lewis Moody vs MND premieres on Friday 25 September at 10pm on TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max.

observer.co.ukLewis Moody: Rugby isn’t the reason I have MNDThe former England rugby player opens up in a new documentary about his diagnosis with Motor Neurone Disease

We spoke to Moody ahead of this airing on Friday night. The documentary will hit hard but must be, as Moody described it, "a call to action" to help fund research. This year's bike ride raised £640,000. observer.co.uk/news/sport/a...

Ben Coles reposted

Spoke to agents and heads of recruitment to find out who they think are best signings ahead of the new PREM season. A few obvious names - Lawes, Marchant - did not come up. Some veterans and under-the-radar overseas players did. Read here: theofffieldreview.substack.com/p/the-best-p...

21 Sept

Yes, this is a real picture. Shaun Edwards has joined the Red Roses in a short-term coaching consultancy role.

19 Sept

Don't take the draw! Was prepping a glowing tribute to a length-of-the-field Canadian winner there.

16 Sept

This week's Substack column on New Zealand's approach to comments about referees outside of press conferences, which could quickly start to wear a bit thin. theofffieldreview.substack.com/p/all-blacks...

12 Sept

Live thought that was coming back, as it looked like most of the All Blacks did.

12 Sept

Dickson threatening to ping Libbok if he doesn't hurry up the restart, then Libbok putting that restart straight into touch, was quite funny.

12 Sept

31 phases of outstanding defence and then an amazing lock-pick move for Will Jordan to get over. That was magic.

rugbypass.comMeet the motivator, enforcer and observer who form the Red Roses leadership groupSitting around a table outside England’s hotel, the trio of captain Meg Jones and vice-captains Amy Cokayne and Alex Matthews are describing their individual leadership styles.

11 Sept

Spoke to Meg Jones (motivator), Amy Cokayne (enforcer) and Alex Matthews (observer) about leading the Red Roses, the people in and out of rugby who influenced them, and how you keep a team that has won 38 games on the spin laser-focused. For @rugbypass.bsky.social. www.rugbypass.com/news/meet-th...

Ben Coles reposted

observer.co.ukThe 9/11 hero who was a pioneer for gay rugby | The ObserverMark Bingham died at 31 after storming the cockpit of flight United 93 and preventing Al-Qaeda terrorists from crashing into the US Capitol Building

Piece ahead of the 25th anniversary of 9/11 on Mark Bingham, a pioneer for gay rugby and heck of a guy whose legacy continues to grow with the success and expansion of the Bingham Cup. For @theobserveruk.bsky.social. observer.co.uk/news/sport/a...

8 Sept

Fun to watch the Springbok scrum in full demolition mode, but, still think the big story this series is New Zealand looking impressive only six Tests into the Rennie era. (The real story of course is Ox Nche being elite, but come for the first bit) 📖: theofffieldreview.substack.com/p/springbok-...

Ben Coles reposted

observer.co.ukSouth Africa rule scrum after Rassie Erasmus rages at ‘ch...After Dave Rennie riles up his volatile opposite number with pre-match insinuations, world champions respond with brutal display to lead thrilling series

Seen suggestions that the off-field jousting between Dave Rennie and Rassie Erasmus has been an unwelcome sideshow or distraction. But... kind of loved it? They feel like two well-matched adversaries heading into 2027. For @theobserveruk.bsky.social. observer.co.uk/news/sport/a...

The weather’s always like this in Newcastle, right? Good number of fans in for the Red Bulls’ pre-season game against Glasgow.

@theobserveruk.bsky.social

With help from Matt Whiteley of Manchester Village Spartans RUFC, who has played in every Bingham Cup since 2002. Here he is with Bingham in May 2001.

Ben Coles reposted

The Observer

bit.lyThe 9/11 hero who was a pioneer for gay rugby | The ObserverMark Bingham died at 31 after storming the cockpit of flight United 93 and preventing Al-Qaeda terrorists from crashing into the US Capitol Building

The 9/11 hero who was a pioneer for gay rugby Mark Bingham died at 31 after storming the cockpit of flight United 93 and preventing Al-Qaeda terrorists from crashing into the US Capitol Building ✍️ @bencoles.bsky.social https://bit.ly/468yQ1y

youtu.beSpringboks or All Blacks - who goes 2-1 up at Soccer City? | The Rugby BunkerYouTube video by The Rugby Bunker

4 Sept

Great to have Liam Napier back on The Rugby Bunker to preview SA-NZ III. youtu.be/nwZ4UmM1sZw

31 Aug

This week's Substack, going through each scrum from SA-NZ II (for my sins). theofffieldreview.substack.com/p/springbok-... (Think winning well without 428 scrum pens is a good thing for the Springboks.) Also, need to highlight Gardner talking to Marx in the same tone I use with my toddler.

youtu.beAnalysing the Springboks and All Blacks scrums, late front row changes | The Rugby BunkerYouTube video by The Rugby Bunker

1 Sept

More on the scrums here. youtu.be/1z3BK5mMTts