Photo of Ben Coles
Ben Coles

Photo of Ben Coles

Ben Coles

  • Ben Coles
    Steve Borthwick’s bandwagon falls apart as Ireland crush England

    Coach faces serious questions over form and selection after losing 42-21 at Twickenham

    Sat, 21 Feb 2026

  • Ben Coles
    Pollock is the perfect blend of personality and performance

    Fri, 20 Feb 2026

  • Ben Coles
    Crowley v Prendergast battle has become Ireland’s toxic Six Nations debate

    Andy Farrell is still searching for long-term successor to Johnny Sexton as he changes fly-half for England clash

    Thu, 19 Feb 2026

  • Ben Coles
    Scots crush England but must front up again to save Townsend

    Doubts still over hover Scotland’s head coach despite his team stunning the Auld Enemy in 31-20 victory

    Sat, 14 Feb 2026

  • Ben Coles
    All eyes on Murrayfield for Scotland vs England

    England may be far more settled than Scotland, but they cannot afford to lose their momentum

    Thu, 12 Feb 2026

  • Ben Coles
    Wales arrived at the Allianz as lambs ready for the slaughter

    Young side suffered lack of physicality and, at times, belief in heavy defeat to England

    Sat, 7 Feb 2026

  • Ben Coles
    Aden Durde: The boy from Enfield who has cracked the NFL

    The North Londoner has become highly respected as the Seattle Seahawks’ defensive coach, and helped them to Super Bowl LX

    Sat, 7 Feb 2026

  • Ben Coles
    Dupont returns to greatness with a stronger France around him

    Antoine Dupont has reclaimed his throne and this time he’s finally part of a team strong enough to share the load, reports Ben Coles from the Stade de France

    Fri, 6 Feb 2026

  • Ben Coles
    The odds are at last in England’s favour

    Wild gambles and injury-hit lineups give the safest pack an eye on their first title since 2020

    Thu, 5 Feb 2026

  • Ben Coles
    ‘I can laugh about it now, but I had to make this move’

    Orlando Bailey played with risks by leaving Bath for Leicester but is now relishing the career challenges

    Thu, 5 Feb 2026

  • Ben Coles
    The essential Six Nations preview

    Rugby journalists from each of the competing nations share their previews and predictions for this year’s tournament, which begins on Thursday

    Sat, 31 Jan 2026

  • Ben Coles
    ‘My relationship with World Rugby couldn’t have been worse’

    From AI jokes to his relationship with referees, and a lifelong fear of fruit, the Springbok boss opens up on why he’s still here – and what drives South Africa’s golden era

    Fri, 30 Jan 2026

  • Ben Coles
    Denver Broncos’ playoffs fate in hands of backup quarterback

    Jarrett Stidham “ready to go, ready for the moment” according to coach Sean Payton as sidelined QB is thrown in for AFC Championship showdown. History shows he might just pull it off

    Fri, 23 Jan 2026

  • Ben Coles
    Mike Vrabel’s Patriots revival proving swift impact of first-year coaches

    There has been a welcome return of New England, Chicago and Jacksonville to the NFL play-offs

    Fri, 16 Jan 2026

  • Ben Coles
    Scott Robertson leaves New Zealand in state of limbo

    Unrest among All Black players has led to the head coach leaving his role

    Thu, 15 Jan 2026

  • Ben Coles
    In rugby’s chaotic finances, breaking even is harder than winning the title

    But at least Northampton are showing Prem’s big spenders how to be more saints than sinners

    Sat, 10 Jan 2026

  • Ben Coles
    Defiant Exeter are proving their revival is the real deal

    A last-gasp defeat by Bath won’t derail this Chiefs team as they bounce back from last season’s woes

    Sat, 3 Jan 2026

  • Ben Coles
    Rugby union in 2025 became a game of juggernauts

    The Red Roses and the Springboks set the standard on the field as rugby moved, unevenly, toward its next cycle

    Tue, 30 Dec 2025

  • Ben Coles
    Why does the £19bn-a-year NFL not employ full-time referees?

    It’s time highly paid stars of American football were joined by officials who are more than part-time

    Tue, 23 Dec 2025

  • Ben Coles
    Charlie Smyth: The boy from Mayobridge who’s kicking up a storm in the NFL

    The former Gaelic football goalkeeper’s impact on America could go beyond just winning games

    Sun, 21 Dec 2025

  • Follow

    The Observer
    The Observer Magazine
    The ObserverNew Review
    The Observer Food Monthly
    Copyright © 2025 Tortoise MediaPrivacy PolicyTerms & Conditions