By Charlie Elliott The last weekend before Christmas has some mouthwatering rugby action, and although many have already begun their festive celebrations, for the Premiership it is […]
Latest Posts
Grassroots revolt triggers vote over futures of RFU chief executive and chairman
Rugby Football Union chief executive Bill Sweeney and chairman Tom Ilube are facing motions calling for their removal after a grassroots revolt gathered enough support […]
Channelling Teams of the Past: Derby Day Delight and Cup Dreams for Heol-y-Cyw
By Peter Ryan – @PeterRyanSports “There is only one way to succeed at anything: to give everything.” This powerful statement from Heol-y-Cyw captain Jordan Hawkins […]
S4, E16: Rugby Paper Podcast 2024 Awards and Champions Cup debate
In our last episode of 2024, the gang is back together in full force. Host Ollie Little and columnists Nick Cain, Chris Hewett and Brendan […]
Bundee Aki and James Ryan commit to Ireland by signing new deals
Bundee Aki and James Ryan have signed contract extensions with Ireland. Aki has agreed a new one-year deal that will keep him at Connacht until […]
Start with Tom Roebuck, Ben Curry tells Steve Borthwick
By Ross Heppenstall Steve Borthwick has been urged to make in-form Sale star Tom Roebuck a starting winger in the Six Nations. Roebuck enjoyed an […]
Northampton Saints, Harlequins & Leicester Tigers lead way
By Ben Jaycock Northampton Saints won in South Africa for the first time in their history by beating the Bulls away in Pretoria 30-21 courtesy […]
Cornish Pirates remove break clauses
By Sam Jackson Cornish Pirates have lifted the break clauses in player contracts which had been inserted in the summer amid concern over the ongoing […]
Steve Borthwick leads tributes to Tom Voyce
English rugby is mourning the death of 43-year-old former winger Tom Voyce. He went missing last Saturday night during Storm Darragh while attempting to drive […]
Handre Pollard: My future still up in the air
By Paul Rees Handre Pollard is out of contract at the end of the season and Leicester hope a strong showing for the rest of […]
Scotland will benefit from winning habit – Blair Kinghorn
By Adam Hathaway Blair Kinghorn has been getting into the winning habit with Antoine Dupont and co at Toulouse and reckons that could spell bad […]
England-born Junior Kpoku rules out playing for France
By Sam Jackson Hard-hitting: Racing 92 lock Junior Kpoku Junior Kpoku, ineligible for Steve Borthwick’s England team while playing for Racing 92, says the prospect […]
Gareth Anscombe glad to be back to his best after a year out
By Paul Rees Gloucester believe Gareth Anscombe is back to his best after the Wales outside-half spent almost a year out with injury. Anscombe joined […]
My main priority is to help Bath win a trophy, says Miles Reid
By Jon Newcombe An in-house club quiz hit home to Bath’s players just how long it has been since the club were crowned champions of […]
New-boy Jordie Barrett quick to show his worth for Leinster
By Mark Stevens Leinster had a good inkling of what they were getting when they confirmed the signing of Jordie Barrett back in April. Now, […]
Promotion still needs too much hoop-jumping
SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: [email protected] I’m very pleased to see the possibility of […]
Ronan O’Gara keeps on driving La Rochelle
Mark Stevens talks to the former Ireland No.10 about his plans in France – and what could happen next In the heart of La Rochelle, […]
Hundreds of voices cannot be ignored
FOLLOWING Nick Cain’s TRP articles and others in the national press, and the calls from the three former RFU chairmen for a challenge to the […]
Penalise collapsing mauls in open play
THE officiating at the maul needs to be reviewed. When are referees going to penalise collapsing mauls in open play? Twice in the recent Scotland […]
It’s time for Bath to take control
By Jeremy Guscott – Outspoken and unmissable every week… Bath need to make a statement against Benetton at the Stadio Monigo today if they are […]
Craig Casey blow as Munster hit by injury problems
By Jim Short Castres…………… 16pts Tries: Papali’i 12, Walcker 29 Penalties: Fernandez 48, le Brun 72 Munster…………. 14pts Tries: Hodnett 37, 68 Conversions: Crowley 38, […]
Alex Mitchell is taking Northampton Saints to next level
By Brendan Gallagher Bulls……………………………..21pts Tries: Coetzee 34, Hanekom 61, 69 Conversions: Goosen 35, 62, 70 Northampton Saints…. 30pts Tries: Hendy 31, Augustus 40, Freeman 59, […]
Mark McCall: There is no margin for error in this format so we have to back up last week
By PAUL REES Match Preview Stade Francais v Saracens Today. Kick-off 1pm, Stadium Mark McCall has warned his Saracens players not to be fooled by […]
Phil Dowson relieved Northampton Saints are in the swing of things
Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson believes the win will provide huge relief for his squad following an underwhelming start to their Premiership season. He […]
We had to work hard for that – Jordie Barrett
By John Fallon Leinster………….. 15pts Tries: Ringrose 22, Barrett 26 Conversion: Prendergast 23 Penalty: Prendergast 49 Clermont………….. 7pts Try: Raka 4 Conversion: Jauneau 5 Jordie […]
Duncan Weir’s set for Toulon tester
By Ben Jaycock Match Preview Toulon vs Glasgow Today. 3.15pm Duncan Weir feels his Glasgow side must get to grips with Toulon’s boisterous atmosphere at […]
A bridge too far for us, says John Plumtree
Sharks boss John Plumtree claimed that the demands of the present schedule had created a ‘bridge too far’ for his squad. Plumtree said his Springbok […]
Powerful Leicester Tigers take Sharks apart with ease
By Rob Wildman Leicester Tigers…………. 56pts Tries: Montoya 10, 25; Hassell-Collins 28, Kata 36, Pollard 40, van Poortvliet 43, Clare 72, Ilione 80 Conversions: Pollard10, […]
Alex Dombrandt leads the fight for Harlequins
By Gary Fitzgerald Harlequins ……………… 53pts Tries: Murley 12, 64, 66; Care 29, Dombrandt 36, 52, 57; Riley 78 Conversions: Smith 30, 37, 53; J […]
Roebuck the star as Sale cruise in
By ROSS HEPPENSTALL Sale ……………………………………………………….. 29pts Tries: J-L du Preez 19, Roebuck 34, Carpenter 51, Curry 60 Conversions: R du Preez 35, 52, 61 Penalty: […]
Bordeaux score 26 unanswered points to shock Ulster
By Kevin Fallon Ulster …………….. 19pts Tries: Izuchukwu 7, Timoney 19, Kok 40 Conversions: Doak 8, 20 Bordeaux ……….40pts Tries: Tatafu 3, Penalty 28, Penaud […]
We’ve got our bite back – Alex Sanderson
Sale DoR Alex Sanderson said after the match: “We just wanted to be on it for longer defensively this week. “We are a little more […]
French flair is too much for Bristol Bears
By Mark Stevens La Rochelle …………….. 35pts Tries: Nowell 17, Latu 28, Botia 51, Seuteni 66, Berjon 79 Conversions: West 18, 29, 52, 67, 80 […]
Rob Baxter staying positive ahead of daunting test against Toulouse
Henry Slade returns to steer Exeter from fly-half as one of five changes after being rested for their opening Pool 1 defeat by the Sharks […]
Slade: We have to be all in this together
By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW… Exeter Chiefs v Toulouse Today. Kick-off 5.30pm, Sandy Park THE importance of playing what’s in front of you rather than on […]
Ring fence has made English rugby go soft
By Nick Cain – Read his expert opinion every week The most positive aspect to come out of the opening round of the European Cup […]
Calls for change gather support
THE process of convening an SGM of the RFU is a convoluted procedural affair, and this could be a useful ally for the likes of […]
Battling Bath looking to revive cup campaign
By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW… Benetton v Bath Today. Kick-off 1pm, Stadio di Monigo Ready for action: Vilikesa Sela and, right, Tommaso Menoncello PICTURES: Getty Images […]
The global travellers who light up game
By Chris Hewett – Thinking Allowed There is nothing especially funny about short-term memory loss, but it may just have an upside when it comes […]
Leinster have got the best in Barrett
FOR reasons best known to themselves, the Irish rugby cognoscenti are still arguing the toss over the whys and wherefores of Jordie Barrett’s move to […]
Taulupe Faletau sets the standard
By Roger Panting Cardiff……………………… 26pts Tries: Adams 17, 56, Bowen 47, Penalty 68 Conversions: Sheedy 47, 56 Cheetahs………………….. 10pts Try: de Haas 33 Conversion: Wentzel […]
Lions outlast Pau in 80-point thriller
The Lions got off the mark in the Challenge Cup with a win against Section Paloise in a 10-try thriller that was twice delayed due […]
Lyon edge past Zebre to continue perfect start
Beka Saginadze scored a late try to continue Lyon’s dominant start to their campaign with back-to-back wins. Scrum-half Esteban Gonzalez went over for Lyon before […]
Cian Prendergast takes reins
By Ben Jaycock PREVIEW… Perpignan v Connacht Today. Kick-off 1pm, Stade Aimé Giral Connacht captain Cian Prendergast returns to lead his side for the first […]
Off-target Gloucester get lesson in finishing
By Luke Jarmyn Vannes………………………….. 43pts Tries: Benmegal 2, 46; Ruru 4, 10; Chateau 65, Blanchard 70 Conversions: Lafage 3, 5, 47, 66, 71 Penalty: Lafage […]
We were a bit Keystone Kops against Pau – Diamond
By PAUL REES PREVIEW… Newcastle v Dragons Today. Kick-off 3.15pm, Kingston Park NEWCASTLE are aiming for their fifth straight home victory when they welcome the […]
Darcy Graham sparks Edinburgh into life
By Luke Jarmyn Edinburgh ……..58 Bayonne ……….. 12 Darcy Graham showed what Edinburgh missed in their defeat to Gloucester as the winger heralded his return […]
Ospreys crash to earth
■ By SIMON THOMAS Montpellier ……………. 59pts Tries: Martins 11, DuGuid 15, Uelese 29, Coly 37, Akrab 43, Moustin 52, Cadot 54, Forletta 62, Tambwe […]
Wales duo out for revenge
■ By BEN JAYCOCK PREVIEW… Scarlets v Black Lion Today. Kick-off 1pm, Parc y Scarlets WALES internationals Sam Costelow and Gareth Davies resume their half-back […]
We’re happy to be the hunted, says Sarah Beckett
By Ben Jaycock Sarah Beckett admits Gloucester-Hartpury have made an underwhelming start to their title defence but believes that’s partly due to competition across the […]
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Recent Posts
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