New Zealand

Danny Cipriani has earned the right to be considered as a candidate for England's World Cup squad.

England scrum half Danny Care believes that Saracens flyer Chris Ashton has propelled himself back into England contention after plundering the tries that have placed the London side on the brink of a first Heineken Cup crown.

Danny Cipriani hopes that guiding Sale Sharks to a top-six Aviva Premiership finish will be enough to secure his first England call-up in six years.

England and Exeter wing Jack Nowell, who broke onto the international rugby stage this year, will undergo knee surgery on a persistent problem next month, which will rule him out of England’s pinnacle summer tour to New Zealand.

As we reach halfway in the southern hemisphere’s figurehead domestic competition, Talking Rugby Union’s southern hemisphere correspondent and resident Super Rugby expert Scotty Donaldson picks his form team of the tournament so far, with an eye towards the looming June Internationals and The Rugby Championship…

Former New Zealand captain Benji Marshall is clear to return to rugby league after being freed from his contract with the Auckland-based Blues.

Colin Slade kicked every single point for the Crusaders as they rallied from behind to beat the Chiefs 18-17 in Hamilton.

The Hurricanes scored four second-half tries to come from behind for a 39-17 victory over the Blues in Wellington.

The Southern Hemisphere rugby union press are full of this story and their old friend Quade Cooper has added his opinions. Whenever there is rugby news or debate in this part of the world, we turn to Scott Donaldson.

England legend and Rugby World Cup winner Kyran Bracken chats to Talking Rugby Union Editor Austin Halewood about his thoughts on the current England team, the battle for number 9, his own rugby memories and the modern day scrum-half.

New Zealand half-back Piri Weepu has been ruled out for around a month after it was determined he had recently suffered a minor stroke.

One of the stars of this year’s 6 Nations competition, scrum half Danny Care, believes that England are perfectly equipped to topple New Zealand on home turf in the summer test series and then win the 2015 World Cup on English soil next year.

In the second of three instalments, we would like to take you inside the New Zealand franchises. Can the Chiefs make it three in a row or will the valiant Crusaders rise again to the challenge? Two young sides in the Hurricanes and Highlanders will look to their experienced campaigners for guidance and Ma'a Nonu rejoins the Blues with League convert Benji Marshall, it's all here...

Throughout 2013 Scott has brought Talking Rugby Union readers news, commentary and insights about Southern Hemisphere rugby.

Sonny Bill Williams is to make a second switch to rugby union in 2015 after signing a two-year deal with the New Zealand Rugby Union and the Chiefs.

Hardly an unknown given he won his 50th England cap in November, but Dylan Hartley is a growing force in Test rugby.

With the calendar year drawing to a close we at Talking Rugby Union wanted to know who ‘your’ World XV of 2013 is.

With the Autumn Internationals now nothing more than a distant memory as the Aviva Premiership and Heineken Cup get underway again, we at Talking Rugby Union wanted to remind you all of what a brilliant test series it was.

All Black number eight and stand-out player of the international year, Kieran Read, has been named the world player of the year as New Zealand dominate the top spots in the International Rugby Board awards.

Jonah Lomu – the first true global rugby superstar – powered onto the international rugby stage in 1994 for his first cap in an All Black shirt against France.