Jeff Probyn

This is where you will find all of The Rugby Paper’s Jeff Probyn news, views, opinion and other content.

Jeff Probyn: Replace women’s contracts with individual match fees

4 August 2017 0 comments

As I prepare to write this article, I have a feeling of impending doom as the last time I broached this subject everything I said […]

Jeff Probyn: Baa-baas ‘Test’ would solve the Lions tour conundrum

27 July 2017 0 comments

Sometimes you have to ask why people ask questions when something has already been decided upon and accepted by all. I had a meeting earlier […]

Jeff Probyn: One match to go, and these Lions could end up legends

6 July 2017 0 comments

With the mid-week games over and just one game to go, I am already suffering from Lions fatigue and can’t wait for it all to […]

Jeff Probyn: My Lions dream knocked out by a real McCoy from Jimmy

2 June 2017 0 comments

Twenty-eight years ago I was playing in a Five Nations tournament that was, in effect, a selection trial for the 1989 Lions trip to Australia. […]

Jeff Probyn: Saracens are great but can they keep going?

26 May 2017 0 comments

Congratulations to Sarries on the totally expected win in last week’s Champions Cup final. They have made history and written the name of the club […]

Jeff Probyn: England will be firing the killer shots in pool of death

19 May 2017 0 comments

Like all rugby fans, I was looking forward to this week’s draw for the World Cup pools but what puzzles me is why it seems […]

Jeff Probyn: Young so lucky he has time to get Wasps buzzing again

12 May 2017 0 comments

Okay, I’ll admit it, even though I am a former Wasps player I don’t make the effort to travel to watch them play. But theirs […]

Jeff Probyn: Will double-chasing Sarries’ Test stars remain focused?

5 May 2017 0 comments

I love this time of the season, with all the phoney wars over and teams now settled on just one thing: Winning. Without the distractions […]

Jeff Probyn: New batch can be Eddie’s game changers for RWC

28 April 2017 0 comments

Well that’s it, speculation over finally and a squad picked that really didn’t surprise anybody other than the odd few omissions. For those not picked […]

Jeff Probyn: Stars past their sell-by dates weren’t going to save Bristol

21 April 2017 0 comments

With just three games left to play, the desperation of the clubs at the bottom of the Premiership can hardly be imagined. The odds are […]

Jeff Probyn: I doubt that Gatland will be giving out Lions wildcards

5 April 2017 0 comments

Optimism, hypocrisy and concern. Three words that can be used to describe the game of rugby over the last week. Optimism, because all the players […]

Jeff Probyn: Stop whinging Rob, you’re ignoring player welfare!

31 March 2017 0 comments

Rob Howley should remember that nobody likes a bad loser as he struggles to justify a poor Six Nations‘ performance by his Welsh side by […]

Jeff Probyn: Eddie’s lionhearts must now dispel the myth of supermen

24 March 2017 0 comments

As this year’s Six Nations finishes with more of a fizz than a bang, with everything decided last week, have we learned anything that we […]

Jeff Probyn: Too high a price for ‘fame’ but it’s not the game’s fault

4 March 2017 0 comments

Writing this article every week often makes me think and reflect over my time playing, coaching, administrating and also watching the game. Sometimes it’s fun […]

Nick Cain: Vickerman tragedy is a warning to all of rugby

3 March 2017 0 comments

Dan Vickerman’s death at the age of 37 is a reminder that being an admired and highly successful professional rugby player offers no protection from […]

Jeff Probyn: ‘Periodisation’ is a training concept from years back

24 February 2017 0 comments

With the first break in the Six Nations upon us, it gives the chance to look back at what is the most exciting contest we […]

Jeff Probyn: Let’s hope it’s not referees who decide this Six Nations

17 February 2017 0 comments

The one thing we didn’t need has already happened and we have only just started what should be a contest between teams. In two of […]

Jeff Probyn: Bonus points will hamper the development of Italy

10 February 2017 0 comments

Isn’t it strange how sometimes things happen that on the surface seem to be totally unrelated, but then have mind-blowing consequences? The initiative to make […]

Jeff Probyn: They’re all out to derail Eddie’s English chariot

3 February 2017 0 comments

In just a few more days, the waiting will be over and the greatest rugby tournament in the world will begin. The Six Nations is […]

Jeff Probyn: RFU mustn’t blame ‘incomers’ for increase in abuse of refs

27 January 2017 0 comments

With the excitement of the closely-fought battles for Champions Cup quarter-final places in this year’s competition, it would be easy to think that everything is […]

Jeff Probyn: Modern referees are paid professionals, so act like it

19 January 2017 0 comments

Sometimes you get things wrong and then, when you realise and try to even things up for those you feel you have wronged, it often […]

Jeff Probyn: New tackle laws could help bring attacking rugby back

13 January 2017 0 comments

The start of a new year always brings anticipation for what lies ahead but also the chance to take a look back. For me, with […]

Jeff Probyn: Offer proper protection for all… or the game could die

6 January 2017 0 comments

As the repercussions of George North‘s concussion story look set to rumble on through the New Year, now is surely the time to look at […]

Jeff Probyn: Jones wanted an abrasive leader, well he’s got one

23 December 2016 0 comments

Somehow the words leopards and spots have sprung to mind this week, having once again had to listen to all those trying to defend the […]

Jeff Probyn: Rather than bonus points, let’s regulate the kickers

16 December 2016 0 comments

Reading Nick Cain‘s article in last week’s paper, got me thinking about the Six Nations and why the committee think it is necessary to introduce […]

Jeff Probyn: Eddie’s mind games are aimed at referee Peyper

9 December 2016 0 comments

With the Autumn Internationals finally over, at long last we don’t have to listen to Eddie Jones‘ attempts at witty repartee. First we had fish […]

Jeff Probyn: Advantage Kruis now with Launchbury left in limbo

2 December 2016 0 comments

Opportunity: it’s something everybody needs and deserves, but not all can use it to achieve their full potential. Injury has been the main driver in […]

Jeff Probyn: Let’s not get carried away by win over these Boks

25 November 2016 0 comments

After a ten-year wait England have finally laid the Springbok ghost to bed with a resounding win by 37 points, including four tries, to 21 […]

Jeff Probyn: Eddie’s luck runs out but pool of talent will see him through

4 November 2016 0 comments

As Eddie Jones gets a taste of what it’s really like being head coach of England, he must have been thanking his lucky stars that […]

Jeff Probyn: Saracens prove benefits of having home-grown talent

28 October 2016 0 comments

What an unusual start to Europe, with most of the French teams not turning up mentally and suffering the embarrassing consequences with six losses out of […]

Jeff Probyn: Why the shock over players injured in England training?

20 October 2016 0 comments

There is something surreal about Premiership coaches complaining that the England coaching team have stretched the players too far with the intensity of their Brighton […]

Jeff Probyn: The day I put my stamp on Anglo-Argentine relations

14 October 2016 0 comments

Brendan Gallagher‘s article last week outlining some of the Argentinians’ previous encounters at Twickenham brought back some good, but painful, memories. Especially the game in […]

Jeff Probyn: No-brainer, Steve? Afraid not, more like brain dead

7 October 2016 0 comments

Talk about letting the inmates run the asylum! Sometimes you have to wonder if those working in the professional game have any idea of the […]

Jeff Probyn: Why we should’ve taken heed of those dinosaurs

30 September 2016 0 comments

Well, who would have believed it? It may have taken more than 25 years but the main protagonist for a move to professional rugby in […]

Jeff Probyn: I won the ball; took the punch … and Brian Moore got the credit!

23 September 2016 0 comments

Sometimes it’s difficult not to feel a slightly nostalgic tinge when you hear of the French having a mass brawl during a game. The Brive/Grenoble […]

Jeff Probyn column: Right or wrong, I’m pleased Luke Pearce took responsibility

16 September 2016 0 comments

The first games of the season are always a bit of a mess and last week was no exception as all the teams struggled to […]

Jeff Probyn column: Gracie Matthews deserves support from Injured Players fund

9 September 2016 0 comments

The second National Rugby Awards took place on Thursday and what a day it was, as professional clubs, grassroots clubs, schools and referees all came […]

Jeff Probyn column: Shadow of court cases hangs over new season

2 September 2016 0 comments

Usually when we get this close to the kick-off of a new season there is an air of anticipation of all the great games that […]

Jeff Probyn: What’s to stop Tier Two teams from taking the import route?

26 August 2016 0 comments

Money, money, money. Why are the clubs surprised that the highly publicised new deal between the RFU and PRL has seen players’ agents looking to […]

Jeff Probyn: Big yes to a Sevens World Cup in between Olympics

17 August 2016 0 comments

As the dust settles on Fiji‘s fantastic Olympic win and World Rugby looks forward to what it believes will be a game- changing future for […]

Jeff Probyn: Academy rejects must have a Championship bolthole

12 August 2016 0 comments

As usual, the letters to The Rugby Paper bring up some interesting points that would otherwise be missed and Jeff Gage has hit on one […]

Jeff Probyn column: Rugby as a whole won’t benefit from this new deal

4 August 2016 0 comments

With the RFU and the Premiership congratulating themselves on reaching an eye-watering £200 million plus funding agreement, there are some voices of doubt from within […]

Jeff Probyn column: Global season would be no aid to player welfare

29 July 2016 0 comments

Am I the only one who doesn’t understand the continual call for a global season and how moving a couple of competitions will reduce the […]

Jeff Probyn column: Spare a thought for those on the treadmill of normal life

8 July 2016 0 comments

As the players finally get to take a break, no matter how short, given the clubs have already started pre-season training, I am torn between […]

Jeff Probyn column: Eddie’s put basics in place, now let’s add killer instinct

1 July 2016 0 comments

Well that’s it, regular season and summer tour fun finally over with a first-ever series win – and whitewash to boot – in Australia to […]

Jeff Probyn column: Eddie Jones is making history with every passing week

24 June 2016 0 comments

As a sportsman, you get the chance to write history every time you take part, whether in the Olympics or your local park. Every game […]

Jeff Probyn column: England beat the Aussies – and the law changers

15 June 2016 0 comments

England’s sensational success in Brisbane yesterday was all the more laudable considering they were at a disadvantage because of the ridiculous way World Rugby introduce […]