Paul Rees

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

Last farewell for the Exe Men

7 May 2023 0 comments

Paul Rees talks to Rob Baxter about ‘Incredible times’ and new challenges to be faced next season in Devon Exeter’s players got together for the […]

Borthwick needs a clearer view at 9

30 April 2023 0 comments

Paul Rees wonders whether the time is right for Bath’s Ben Spencer to return ahead of the World Cup The top four countries in the […]

Mavericks who can light up the game

23 April 2023 0 comments

Paul Rees looks at the big-match characters who cause problems for coaches but who delight fans Chris Ashton was always going to go out with […]

Chiefs bridge the big budget gap

16 April 2023 0 comments

Paul Rees looks at how Exeter defied the odds to make it to the last four in the Heineken Champions Cup Exeter are the outliers […]

Countries now battling to find their place in a new world order

9 April 2023 0 comments

Paul Rees sees the Heineken Champions Cup growing in size but wonders whether that is making things better The Heineken Champions Cup has become bigger. […]

All eyes turn to the World Cup

26 March 2023 1 comment

Paul Rees sees the championship go to form with Ireland and France leading the way The Six Nations was for the second successive year decided […]

Better, yes, but there’s still a long way to go…

19 March 2023 0 comments

PAUL REES A red letter day for Ireland who achieved a first Grand Slam victory in Dublin after a red card for Freddie Steward at […]

England go from springboard to falling through a trap door

19 March 2023 1 comment

Paul Rees says the game in England is drifting and it’s time for the RFU to exert greater control Acute vision: Antoine Dupont is always […]

There’s no quick fix for England’s woes

12 March 2023 1 comment

PAUL REES England picked a team to pull France from one side of the field to the other and so tire them out so that, […]

From risk averse to a points fiesta

12 March 2023 1 comment

Paul Rees looks at how Premiership teams are opening up defences as players adapt to new tackle laws It has been an image-shattering season in […]

Murrayfield showdown holds key

5 March 2023 0 comments

Paul Rees says the clash between Scotland and Ireland will decide the destiny of this year’s Six Nations title Scotland against Ireland is one of […]

Plenty of effort but not much speed or sizzle

26 February 2023 1 comment

PAUL REES COMMENT A week that started with Wales’s players threatening to go on strike because of the way they were being treated by their […]

Grassroots rugby now in a fight for its future

26 February 2023 0 comments

Paul Rees says both the RFU and WRU are struggling to make the numbers add up and face some hard choices Two years ago, Old […]

Battle lines drawn up in sideshow showdown

19 February 2023 0 comments

Paul Rees sees two international coaches who are facing very different challenges in Cardiff Wales’s biennial Six Nations encounter with England in Cardiff is commercial […]

Plenty of effort but too much confusion

5 February 2023 0 comments

PAUL REES COMMENT The result may have been familiar, New England in another fall, but the approach hinted at sunnier days. There was an emphasis […]

Backlash grows over changes to tackle law

5 February 2023 1 comment

SPECIAL REPORT Paul Rees discovers a fair amount of concern over the RFU’s plans to alter rules over tackle height When the RFU last month […]

Eddie’s ghost won’t haunt Borthwick

22 January 2023 2 comments

Paul Rees says the time has come for England’s new coach, who now cuts a confident figure STEVE Borthwick’s first England squad announcement was hijacked […]

‘I’m blessed to have spent my career at Exeter’

15 January 2023 0 comments

Paul Rees talks to big Dave Ewers, a crowd favourite at Sandy Park, about leaving Zimbabwe and making a life for himself with the Chiefs […]

We want to hear that Twickenham roar

8 January 2023 1 comment

Paul Rees talks to England’s new defence coach Kevin Sinfield and finds out what drives him When Eddie Jones took over as England’s head coach […]

Why it’s time for a world in union

31 December 2022 0 comments

Paul Rees says this season’s Heineken Champions Cup highlights the need for a Global, joined up season Nothing highlights the need for a joined up, […]

Borthwick’s challenge is to lift England hearts again

23 December 2022 1 comment

Paul Rees looks back on a rugby year which was very good for some, but not so good for others… At the end of the […]

The gobby Australian who still had more to give

18 December 2022 0 comments

Paul Rees says the RFU should have stuck with Eddie Jones, just like the FA kept fait with Gareth Southgate England lose at home and […]

11 months out and Jones has it all to do

27 November 2022 0 comments

PAUL REES England finished their worst year since 2008 in terms of results by becoming the only Six Nations team not to defeat a Rugby […]

Top two in right place to rule at World Cup

27 November 2022 3 comments

Paul Rees sees Ireland and France consolidate their position as leaders of the North Ireland and France were the only two teams not to suffer […]

Young guns show the way ahead

20 November 2022 0 comments

PAUL REES LOOKS FORWARD TO THE WORLD RUGBY AWARDS WHICH ARE ANNOUNCED IN MONTE CARLO TONIGHT SELDOM has a missed conversion been greeted with unbridled […]

Prepare for a changing of the guard

30 October 2022 0 comments

The autumn international window is meant to cover three weekends but this year it is being played over five as countries look to claw back […]

Broken and broke: Why it’s time to change the way top club rugby is run

16 October 2022 1 comment

Thirteen has not been a lucky number for Premiership Rugby. Wasps are set to follow Worcester into administration and relegation after running out of money. […]

How the spirit of adventure is taking over

9 October 2022 3 comments

When England were eliminated from the 2011 World Cup at the quarterfinal stage, one voice in New Zealand said farewell by hoping the players enjoyed […]

Why a global season could help manage game’s woes

2 October 2022 0 comments

Paul Rees looks at England’s training camp squad and asks why the professional game is not working The Premiership has never been more richly entertaining […]

Raynal’s call correct …but was it fair?

25 September 2022 0 comments

Paul Rees finds out how the French referee’s last-minute decision has divided opinions Australia claim that World Rugby has backed their contention that the French […]

No certainties in the race for glory in Paris

11 September 2022 0 comments

If the attraction of a sport is measured in terms of unpredictability, international rugby has never been as compelling. Ever since the world rankings were […]

‘You need to work out who you are’

11 September 2022 0 comments

There is a moment in Brian O’Driscoll’s documentary on life after professional sport when Michael Cheika sums up what players and athletes lose when their […]

Salary cap is forcing clubs to invest in youth policy

4 September 2022 0 comments

PAUL REES Worcester’s plight at a time when the salary cap has been reduced by some 20 per cent to £5m a year has reinforced […]

To sign or not to sign… how 60-cap rule is splitting Wales

21 August 2022 1 comment

PAUL REES Tommy Reffell started last season looking to establish himself as a regular in title-winning Leicester’s back row and finished it as a Wales […]

Suck out the joy and people will turn away

7 August 2022 0 comments

Paul Rees talks to Richmond director of rugby Steve Hill about the game’s future Then it came, the question was why it had taken so […]

England have the talent but they lack direction

3 July 2022 1 comment

PAUL REES Right, Henry Arundell made the most metres of any Red Rose player despite only having two touches England packed their Six Nations failings […]

England are running out of time to find their identity

3 July 2022 0 comments

Paul Rees looks at what Eddie Jones needs to see from his players as they prepare for next year’s World Cup. When England played South […]

Bath bank on youth policy to bring back glory years

10 April 2022 1 comment

PAUL REES TALKS TO STUART HOOPER ABOUT BATH’S MOVE TO NURTURE HOME GROWN PLAYERS When Bruce Craig bought Bath in 2010, at the time the […]

Money alone can’t buy success

6 February 2022 1 comment

PAUL REES SPEAKS TO PREMIERSHIP DIRECTORS OF RUGBY ABOUT THE SALARY CAP CUTS As Pat Lam wrestles with the question whether the reduction in the […]

Quins defeat cost me my form admits Simmonds

16 January 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES A YEAR after captaining Exeter to the Premiership and Champions Cups double, Joe Simmonds found himself on the bench and reflecting on […]

Discipline is still a concern for me admits Borthwick

9 January 2022 1 comment

By PAUL REES Banned: Jasper Wiese LEICESTER’S rise to the top this season has coincided with a significant improvement in their discipline, but Steve Borthwick […]

Euro re-matches to be announced this week

9 January 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES THE Champions Cup organisers will decide by the end of the week whether to rearrange the five matches called off in Round […]

Charlie Ewels: Ingredients for success are here at Bath – we just need the recipe

9 January 2022 0 comments

PAUL REES TALKS TO BATH CAPTAIN CHARLIE EWELS ABOUT THE PROBLEMS AT THE REC As Mike Ford reflected on Bath’s 2015 Premiership final defeat to […]

I’m learning new things every day, I love it here

2 January 2022 0 comments

PAUL REES talks to Stuart Hogg about how life in Devon is growing his game Stuart Hogg was voted the best fullback in the world […]

A poker face, but Boyd can cut loose!

2 January 2022 1 comment

By PAUL REES AS Northampton blew an early 21-7 lead against Harlequins at Twickenham last week, returning home without even a losing bonus point, the […]

New women’s union will offer protection

19 December 2021 0 comments

By PAUL REES DANIELLE Waterman set up the Women’s Rugby Association, which launched last week, to ensure players do not lose out as the domestic […]

Saints aim to make a statement in Europe

5 December 2021 0 comments

By PAUL REES ALEX Waller is one of Northampton’s longest serving players, having made his debut 12 years ago, and hopes to see out his […]

Bordeaux can be Woki champs

5 December 2021 0 comments

PAUL REES CONSIDERS THE COVID IMPACT ON THIS SEASON’S EUROPEAN CUP Tigers roar in 2002: Leicester will be hoping to revive the old glory days […]

Sarries seek consistency to build on ‘okay’ start

28 November 2021 0 comments

By PAUL REES PREVIEW… Saracens v Sale Date. Kick-off 3pm, StoneX Stadium SARACENS went into the latest round of matches second in the table with […]

Chiefs believe they can work through issues at Sandy Park

28 November 2021 0 comments

EXETER are looking to rediscover home comforts to reboot their Premiership campaign and get them off to a winning start in the European Champions Cup. […]

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