It’s not all rugby, you know. I write with authority on football, cricket, golf, Formula 1, and tennis. Not to mention TV and entertainment, media, travel, parenting, and lifestyle.
I’ve even indulged in some copywriting and social media work. AND I can do proofreading, copy-editing, page layout and sub-editing, too…
Anyway, here are a few bits and pieces:
Sport writing
Arsene Wenger wants World Cup and Euros every two years – for The Irish Examiner A piece on the former Arsenal manager’s pet project – biennial World Cups
The future is now: Top 10 youngsters ready to dominate world football – for The Irish Examiner
A Friday-evening email from the sports editor at the Exa ended with this Top-10 piece based on a much longer run of articles from L’Equipe
How Sport Rescued My Relationship With My Son – for Kinbox
Quite a change from my usual stuff – and very carthartic… Also, it turns out the original link had disappeared. Vive Wayback Machine’s internet archive!
The Ryder Cup: Driving a new era of golf in France – for Canvas8
How the 2018 tournament changed views of golf in France.
Digital journalism
I do a few shifts with the good people at The Local – a news website for English-speakers in France
Writing and editing work for World Rugby, HSBC SVNS, Pacific Nations Cup Rugby, and Rugbypass.
Proofreading
Proofed RWC 2023-related books, in French, in lead-up to the tournament.
Proofed 48 matchday programmes, in English and French, for Rugby World Cup 2023.
Proofed Back to Back, a book celebrating South Africa’s RWC 2023 victory, published in August 2024.
Production journalism
Page design, sub-editing, layout stuff, web editing and writing for The Connexion
I’ve worked with these guys, on and off, for a while.
Feature writing
Coronavirus and the Ireland-France match: desperate for police to arrest ‘Crona Veeroos’ – for Irish Examiner
So, you wanted to know about life in France just before lockdown? Bit of a surprise commission, but fun. Commissioning ed liked it, too…
Renovating a chateau in Lautrec – for Living France magazine
Threatened to be the first paid freelance job I did. Turned into the second.
My wife and I are atheists, but our daughter wants to be baptised Catholic – for The Guardian
Another interesting personal piece to write. Hit some nerves, too.
Smartsubs: Why English is capturing hearts and tongues in France – for Canvas8
Clever tech in action
The Pont Vieux in Albi – for Equipment World’s Better Roads Magazine
A piece about a bridge. It was suggested to me that I write this. I pitched it, not expecting anything to follow – but I was wrong… Just goes to show.
Commercial writing
The Nissan UK website Three months working in Paris. What’s not to like?
Young’s Pubs: The 2020 Guinness Six Nations explained
The result of one of those emails that you can’t ignore when it drops into your inbox.
The Sportfolio Festival website – English language version
A cool fluke. A visit to Narbonne in 2012 led to this gig in 2013 and again 2015.
Narbonne Tourism Professional tour operators’ guide (PDF) – English language version
That same visit to Narbonne – and this was just one of the translation jobs that followed…
24 Fingers – Scheens and I regularly supply content for these guys. Blogs, SEO, social media posts … that sort of thing.
James Harrington: Rugby writer and freelance sports journalist 