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What’s inside issue 34…
Issue 34 of Rugby Journal opens with images rather than words, unveiling our Rugby Photographer of the Year shortlist, selected from thousands of entries and showcasing the very best of the global game through the lens. From there, we sit down with Gavin Hastings as Scotland’s greatest reflects on the passing of his brother and his place within a golden generation. We also hear from RFU president and women’s rugby trailblazer Deborah Griffin, one of the organisers of the first ever women’s World Cup.
Elsewhere, there are in-depth interviews with Australia’s Tom Hooper, Saracens’ new arrival Alfie Barbeary, and rising Red Roses and Loughborough Lightning talent Haineala Lutui, each offering a different perspective on life at the top of the game.
Our journey across rugby’s wider landscape takes in some less familiar territories, exploring the sport’s growth in Czechia and tracing its story in Ukraine through the experiences of Dmytro Tukalo and his son, Iwan. Closer to home, we head to the south coast to discover whether Portsmouth v Southampton burns as fiercely in the Hampshire RFU leagues as it does on the football pitch, alongside a deep dive into the history of Merit Table rugby and its enduring place at the heart of the grassroots game.
Finally, we turn our attention to the Women’s Championship, shining a light on one of the country’s most underrated competitions, before rounding things off with the latest from the Inter Service Championships, where the Navy men continue their pursuit of a historic double.
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What is the Rugby Journal?
The Rugby Journal is the home of big rugby reads. A print quarterly that not only should take pride of place on any bookshelf, but one that digs deep into rugby unlike any other publication. Within the refined pages of the Rugby Journal, the greats (from Campese and Carling to Edwards and Isherwood) share their life stories, and a truly global game is explored, be it in Chile or China, Spain or Shetland, India or the Isle of Man.
Rugby clubs aren’t just covered, they’re uncovered, revealing their past, present, and future through the many voices that make them what they are. And we’re not just talking about the Cardiffs, Castres, Bristols, and Bordeauxs of this world. It’s also about the Brixhams, Merthyrs, Clontarfs, and Stirlings. Every level of the game has incredible stories to tell, and the Rugby Journal is where you find them, beautifully told by the best storytellers.