Steve James

Why can’t England and Wales produce their own Ma’a Nonu at inside centre? Southern hemisphere-raised Bundee Aki and Sione Tuipulotu are streets ahead of other No12 candidates for this summer’s British & Irish Lions tour — so where are home nations stars?

The paywall is down this weekend so here's something I wrote earlier this week www.thetimes.com/article/512b...

Overpraised in defeat? Wales must prove performance was not a one-off Performance against Ireland was uplifting for fans that have become accustomed to failure, but Wales did not even manage a losing bonus point

Wales Scotland preview www.thetimes.com/article/bb75...

Ellis Mee: Welsh rugby’s big new hope with an Aussie leap The 6ft 4in, 21-year-old Scarlets player and Nottingham student with a Welsh mum and Australian upbringing made the best debut by a Wales wing since George North in 2010

Something on Ellis Mee www.thetimes.com/article/e357...

Sam Konstas takes risks out of desperation. He’s a limited batsman Showman or showboat? The 19-year-old treads a fine line between confidence and arrogance but technical weaknesses mean his batting is more precarious than Bazball

On Sam Konstas and intimidation www.thetimes.com/article/b4aa...

Year that Jamie Smith showed he can be England’s finest wicketkeeper In the latest interview with a sports star who defined 2024, the 24-year-old talks about missing New Zealand tour, advice from Foakes, and hitting the ball out of Lord’s

Had a chat with Jamie Smith about his extraordinary year www.thetimes.com/article/a0fb...

Restore Faletau and keep Anscombe – how Warren Gatland can save his job Warren Gatland will lead Wales in Six Nations despite 12 straight defeats – but he must restore the old guard and keep his squad fit if he is to stop the rot

Something on the task facing Warren Gatland now www.thetimes.com/article/82e3...

Ben Stokes should forget heroic bowling spells and fix batting woes Test captain’s form as a batsman has suffered as he stretches his body’s limits and takes up an ill-advised position at No7 – clarity is needed going into summer

Something on Ben Stokes
www.thetimes.com/article/d9bf...

Zak Crawley is England’s only weak link – should Jacob Bethell open? Jacob Bethell’s impressive start to Test cricket means Zak Crawley must now justify the faith of Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes at the top of England’s order

Something on Zak Crawley www.thetimes.com/article/954b...

Why some Test batsmen thrive abroad – and others prefer home comforts Harry Brook is among those making light of the cliché that cricketers are a product of their environment by scoring more runs on tour than in England

Something on batting at home and abroad www.thetimes.com/article/d344...

Scrambled minds, team divide and fading stars: are Australia cracking up? The Ashes may be a year away but the indications from their thumping in the first Test against India are that an ageing Australia team have mounting problems, especially among the batsmen

Something on Australia www.thetimes.com/article/4015...

Sacking Warren Gatland will not solve the crisis in Welsh rugby Responsibility for Wales’s winless year cannot fall solely on the coach when Welsh Rugby Union and the four regions have let supply of quality players slide

Something on Wales
www.thetimes.com/article/f522...

How Duncan Fletcher revolutionised English cricket Twenty five years on from his first Test in charge, Steve James looks at the ways in which former England head coach transformed the national side through central contracts and other innovations

25 years since the Silver Fox transformed English cricket www.thetimes.com/article/5198...

Why 2024 is year Test draw died (and it’s not just Bazball that killed it) Very few will advocate return to boring play but with only one draw in 40 Tests this year, five-day game is missing compelling drama of finishes like those that lit up Ashes series in 2005 and 2009

Something on the death of the draw www.thetimes.com/article/b333...