To coincide with the launch of the World Cup coverage, The Telegraph has this week begun publishing its rankings of the 100 greatest current rugby players, with the final top 20 revealed on September 13.
Two new columnists will be contributing to The Telegraph throughout the World Cup tournament – England international Danny Care and Welsh international Jamie Roberts. The pair will be joining The Telegraph’s team of rugby columnists which includes: Sir Ian McGeechan, Brian Moore, Maggie Alphonsi, Will Greenwood, Doddie Weir, Danny Cipriani and Austin Healey, who will be providing expert insight, analysis and views.
The Telegraph will be sending a team of eight reporters to Japan – Mick Cleary and Gavin Mairs with England, Tom Cary with Ireland, Ben Coles with Wales and Richard Bath, Scotland, plus Daniel Schofield, Kate Rowan and Charlie Morgan in roving roles – to cover the action on the ground. They will provide the definitive guide to all the action, on and off the field, says the Telegraph.
To mark the start of the tournament, The Telegraph is unveiling its expertly chosen roll call of the 100 greatest current players in the game. The list was voted for by The Telegraph’s rugby writers and subscribers alongside coaches and directors from the English Game.
Print coverage of the World Cup kicks off with a special preview supplement on September 19 ahead of the opening matches. Fans will also be able to keep track of the results and plot a path to the final with their own fill-in Rugby World Cup wallchart which is included with the supplement.
The Telegraph’s dedicated rugby print supplement Total Rugby, will be published every Saturday over the course of the World Cup and features games previews and reviews, analysis, breakdowns of tactics, and opinion from The Telegraph’s columnists.
On telegraph.co.uk, coverage includes a dedicated World Cup channel, with live blogs on most games through to the final on November 2. There will be in-depth long reads, including a look at the England squad under Eddie Jones and analysis on how to win a World Cup.
Readers also have the chance to forecast how the teams will fare in Japan with the Telegraph’s Rugby World Cup predictor, and act as referee in ‘You are the TMO’, an interactive television match official game.
Brian Moore’s Full Contact podcast will be available weekly throughout the tournament and features analysis of the games, teams and all the big talking points, with special guests.
Readers can have World Cup insight and updates delivered into their inboxes at different points in the week via The Telegraph’s three rugby newsletters. Rugby Insider brings subscribers exclusive insight into the England camp ahead of and during the World Cup. World Cup winner Will Greenwood, rugby news correspondent Gavin Mairs and analyst Charlie Morgan will keep readers updated with all that’s going on, from behind-the-scenes stories to tactical trends. In Geech on Friday, Sir Ian McGeechan gives his view on the big talking points and stories from the World Cup. Rugby Nerd, delivered every Monday into inboxes, digs into the talking points and details from the tournament.
Throughout the World Cup the Telegraph’s Rugby Whatsapp group will keep subscribers updated on the performances of teams, key analysis and talking points.
There is also £5,000 up for grabs in The Telegraph’s Fantasy Rugby game.
Adam Sills, Head of Sport at The Telegraph, said: “This is our most ambitious Rugby World Cup to date, with the largest deployment of reporters on the ground in Japan, and our brilliant squad of rugby columnists, providing a wealth of experience, insight and journalistic talent. There’s a real breath to our quality coverage, from long reads and analysis of tactics, to audio and video features and updates via our WhatsApp Rugby group and newsletters. The Telegraph’s coverage promises to be the authoritative guide for fans everywhere to the biggest event on the global rugby calendar.”
