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Sam Larner Sam is an analyst and writer. He began is analysis career with Blackheath back in 2014 after a rugby injury. Despite occasional forays back into playing, he is much more at home behind a laptop or while coaching. He combines writing about rugby and working with players and teams to help them to find an advantage against opponents. His words have appeared on Planet Rugby, Rugby World, and the World Cup website.

ANALYSIS
Sam Larner

A bluffer's guide to French teams in the Champions Cup

Who is in form and who are the players to watch among the eight French teams in Europe's elite competition?

ANALYSIS
Sam Larner

Unsung, underpaid, overworked: Are analysts any closer to ‘solving’ rugby?

Analysis is now part of the game's fabric but how much does raw data move the game forward?

ANALYSIS
Sam Larner

The end of the defensive line

The evolution of the defence took another marked step at the Rugby World Cup and 2024 will only see is progress further

ANALYSIS
Sam Larner

How every nation ranks after the Rugby World Cup

Who is top of the class and who gets a big fat F? We assess each nation's campaign in France.

OPINION
Sam Larner

Why peaking for a World Cup could be pointless

Much is made of building one's form during the RWC cycle but the unpredictable nature of Test rugby can make coaches wonder if it …

OPINION
Sam Larner

In defence of Steve Borthwick

It hasn't been pretty, it hasn't won England a new army of fans and it won't win them plaudits from pundits but it could win a Wor…

OPINION
Sam Larner

Why rugby is better now than it's ever been

The strong wave of nostalgia tells many rugby fans that rugby was better back in the day, but the stats tell a different story

ANALYSIS
Sam Larner

Rugby World Cup: A fantasy XV would be a poor team in reality

Fantasy rugby has created a warped view of the actual value of players.

OPINION
Sam Larner

Why rugby is better for its reliance on analysis and data

Rugby analysis will not lift you emotionally during a game but it will help you understand the game's intricacies and foibles

ANALYSIS
Sam Larner

Has ball in play time reached its optimal level?

The 1995 Rugby World Cup averaged 26 minutes of ball-in-play time and that is expected to near 38 minutes for France

ANALYSIS
Sam Larner

Does luck balance out across the season?

Does defence win championships, and is there any such thing as a lucky team? It's time to crunch the data for answers

OPINION
Sam Larner

How every nation ranks ahead of the Rugby World Cup

The quadrennial tournament is set to kick-off in France in only five months and some nations have more catching up to do than othe…

ANALYSIS
Sam Larner

The analysts reveal the stats that matter for Super Saturday

What did the Six Nations teams do well and not so well? The data analysts unveils the killer stats

ANALYSIS
Sam Larner

Using data to debunk commonly held Six Nations myths

There are a plethora of myths that surround playing styles in the venerable tournament, but which are based on fact and which are …

ANALYSIS
Sam Larner

The insane skills that lit up the Six Nations

The first two rounds of the venerable tournament produced some jaw dropping pieces of skill from an array of Test talents

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