Premiership

This is where you will find all of The Rugby Paper’s Premiership news, interviews, reports, opinion and other content.

Leicester chief slams new Premiership deal as ‘flawed’

2 August 2016 0 comments

Leicester Tigers chief executive Simon Cohen believes Premiership Rugby‘s policy of linking the salary cap to central funding is wrong and could have wider implications […]

Q&A with Harlequins head coach Mark Mapletoft

31 July 2016 0 comments

Understand you recently went on a globe-trotting expedition? Correct. I went to Sydney and Auckland and spent time with a number of different teams down […]

I’ll have to earn my place, says Matt Symons

30 July 2016 0 comments

Wasps lock Matt Symons is relieved to have been given a second Premiership chance after the nightmare of relegation at London Irish. Combative second rower […]

Tom Youngs in pledge to bring back glory days at Leicester

29 July 2016 0 comments

New Leicester captain Tom Youngs reckons the pain of three successive Premiership semi-final defeats will drive his side towards next season’s title. Tigers have reached […]

Clubs face meltdown in spite of cash boom

26 July 2016 0 comments

Gloucester chief executive Stephen Vaughan fears Premiership clubs face financial meltdown unless steps are taken to curb rampant wage inflation. Vaughan’s stark warning comes as […]

Barritt: Schalk can lead us to treble

13 July 2016 0 comments

Saracens skipper Brad Barritt reckons the arrival of South African back-rower Schalk Burger will take his side to the next level as the Men in […]

Charlie Hodgson: It’s all so fierce now but guys like Owen Farrell can keep us on top

8 July 2016 0 comments

How did it feel to finish your playing career as a Premiership and Champions Cup ‘double’ winner? It’s what dreams are made of. With the […]

Bath boss Bruce Craig NOT selling up at the Rec

5 July 2016 0 comments

Bruce Craig has categorically denied he is selling Bath after rumours emerged he was on the verge of offloading his controlling interest to billionaire business […]

Super heroes who can be marvels with Lions

30 June 2016 0 comments

Saracens coach Alex Sanderson expects his real life ‘Fantastic Five’ of George Kruis, Maro Itoje, Owen Farrell and brothers Mako and Billy Vunipola to defy […]

Players heading for another post-Lions burnout say RPA

29 June 2016 0 comments

Damian Hopley believes England‘s top stars are facing inevitable burnout unless steps are taken to limit the number of appearances they make. The Rugby Paper […]

I was a fat-arse at Bath admits Stephen Donald

24 June 2016 0 comments

Stephen Donald outdid Warren Gatland in the home hero stakes in Hamilton, leaving the field to a standing ovation after guiding the Chiefs to an […]

Shane Monahan gets cagey in search for new career

22 June 2016 0 comments

Former Gloucester and Rotherham winger Shane Monahan is to swap the rugby field for the octagon after embarking on a career in Mixed Martial Arts. […]

Donncha O’Callaghan battles to give war-torn kids better life

16 June 2016 0 comments

Warrior Donncha O’Callaghan brought down the curtain on a gruelling first season at Worcester and then set off on a more challenging assignment. He is […]

Will Fraser: We can double up just like Leicester

9 June 2016 0 comments

Will Fraser says Saracens are determined to make their critics eat humble pie by becoming first side since Leicester in 2002 to clinch back-to-back ‘doubles.’ […]

We’re backing England insist Wasps, despite foreign legion

8 June 2016 0 comments

Wasps insist they remain committed to developing England-qualified players despite falling well short of RFU targets for season 2015-16. The Coventry-based outfit reached semi-finals in […]

Playoff pain will work in our favour long term says Dai Young

3 June 2016 0 comments

Dai Young believes Wasps‘ double dose of semi-final heartache will strengthen their bid to recapture the cub’s glory days. Defeat in last week’s Premiership semi-final […]

Signs pointing up for Sale after tough ten years

2 June 2016 0 comments

Sale legend Dean Schofield believes his former club are on course to challenge for domestic silverware again ten years after they became champions of England. […]

Dean Ryan looking to flick the power switch at Worcester

1 June 2016 0 comments

Worcester boss Dean Ryan has called on his home-grown stars to step up physically and match the power game of their Premiership rivals. Warriors finished […]

New boys backed to spark Freddie Burns’ Test bid

31 May 2016 0 comments

Freddie Burns still has an England future according to Leicester head coach Aaron Mauger, who reckons the summer arrivals of Test stars Matt Toomua and […]

Aaron Mauger: Reduce fixtures or risk injury increase

27 May 2016 0 comments

Leicester head coach Aaron Mauger has demanded a reduction in the number of games in order to reduce the risk of player burnout. With the […]

Dave Ewers stepping up his challenge to Chris Robshaw

25 May 2016 0 comments

Dave Ewers will challenge Chris Robshaw for his England place according to Exeter Chiefs teammate Don Armand, who describes Stuart Lancaster‘s decision not to include […]

Steffon Armitage? We’d take him, says Dallaglio

18 May 2016 0 comments

A move by Wasps to sign Steffon Armitage would make sense to everyone involved according to club legend.

Luke Narraway upbeat despite London Irish relegation

14 May 2016 0 comments

Luke Narraway is convinced relegated London Irish can follow the examples of Harlequins and Northampton by bouncing back to the top-flight stronger – if they […]

Brexit may threaten overseas signings

10 May 2016 0 comments

Britain’s potential exit from the European Union could have “big implications” for overseas rugby players plying their trade here, according to Newcastle managing director Mick […]

Billy Vunipola will rise to challenge of Nathan Hughes

6 May 2016 0 comments

Billy Vunipola will see off the challenge of Nathan Hughes and prove he’s the best No.8 in world rugby, according to Saracens teammate Kelly Brown. […]

Leicester Tigers have given me back my roar – Telusa Veainu

5 May 2016 0 comments

Leicester‘s try-wizard Telusa Veainu reckons he owes the Welford Road outfit a huge debt of gratitude for handing him a post-World Cup lifeline. Tongan star […]

High-octane Teimana Harrison backed for Test berth

28 April 2016 0 comments

Teimana Harrison deserves a shot in Red Rose colours according to North-ampton coach Alex King, who reckons the youngster’s mongrel spirit bears comparison with his […]

Premiership’s policy to attack is welcome surprise for Tom Marshall

22 April 2016 0 comments

Gloucester‘s Kiwi full-back Tom Marshall admits he has been pleasantly surprised by the attacking intent he has witnessed in Premiership rugby since his high profile […]

Steenson: Europe exit can ignite our Premiership bid

21 April 2016 0 comments

Fly-half Gareth Steenson reckons Exeter‘s agonising Champions Cup exit at the hands of Wasps will galvanise the Devon side’s Premiership title charge. Having made history […]

Newcastle sign England Sevens’ Sam Egerton

20 April 2016 0 comments

England Sevens scrum-half Sam Egerton will be joining Newcastle Falcons next season. The 24-year-old made his Sevens World Series debut for England last weekend in […]

Ashley Beck pens new Ospreys contract

20 April 2016 0 comments

Ospreys announced that centre Ashley Beck has signed a new two-year contract with the region. A product of the region’s player development pathway, Beck progressed […]

EXCLUSIVE: RFU agree £220m deal for their Premiership clubs

20 April 2016 0 comments

Premiership Rugby are set to agree a stunning £220 million deal with the Rugby Football Union which will see England’s top clubs double their money […]

Northampton Saints props ready for England scrap

15 April 2016 0 comments

Northampton tighthead Paul Hill is destined to be one of England‘s top stars, according to prop partner Alex Waller. Hill, 21, has achieved a smooth […]

Dean Ryan targets top seven finish as Worcester look to finish in style

14 April 2016 0 comments

Dean Ryan has cast admiring eyes at the Exeter Chiefs blueprint as his Worcester side look to kick on after securing Premiership survival in the […]

Wallaby ace George Smith leads race for top gong – Rob Miller

13 April 2016 0 comments

Australian superstar George Smith is a prime contender to be crowned Aviva Premiership player of the year, according to Wasps team-mate Rob Miller. Back rower […]

Referee abuse is on rise and ‘must be curbed’

12 April 2016 0 comments

A leading English match official claims referee abuse is rising sharply and has urged the RFU and Premiership Rugby to act before someone is hurt. […]

Wigan ace Josh Charnley will add swagger to Sale Sharks

6 April 2016 0 comments

Martin Offiah says Sale have swapped one box-office “maverick” for another after signing Wigan RL ace Josh Charnley for next season. Charnley will arrive at […]

I can keep London Irish up says Greig Tonks

1 April 2016 0 comments

London Irish fly-half Greig Tonks insists he has no regrets over swapping his Edinburgh comfort zone for a mud and bullets relegation battle with the […]

Can rugby hope to take a bite of the Big Apple?

24 March 2016 0 comments

Matthew Emery reports on the experiment of taking a Premiership match to the American market. George Best and Pele tried to crack the American sports market with […]

Charles Piutau has no regrets at losing World Cup chance

23 March 2016 0 comments

His move to Europe cost him a World Cup winners medal but Charles Piutau reckons he is a better player for it. Back in April, […]

Keep working and you’ll earn England call, Matt

17 March 2016 0 comments

Matt Kvesic must bury his England frustration and keep working on his game, according to Gloucester forwards coach Trevor Woodman. Kvesic, a genuine openside groundhog, […]

Dusty Hare calls for Eddie Jones to help kids get game time

8 March 2016 0 comments

Dusty Hare has urged England boss Eddie Jones to lend his support for a radical overhaul of the playing programme for Premiership youngsters after branding […]

Elliott Stooke determined to prove his worth at London Irish

5 March 2016 0 comments

Elliott Stooke says he had to leave Gloucester for bitter West Country rivals Bath in order to reignite his faltering career. A World Cup winner […]

Resurgent Dan Robson won’t be giving up his place without a fight

4 March 2016 0 comments

It has been 18 months in the making but Dan Robson is finally enjoying a good run of games and is determined to prove he […]

Freddie Burns: I know what departing Danny Cipriani is going through

3 March 2016 0 comments

Leicester‘s Freddie Burns has backed fellow England fly-half Danny Cipriani to come through his contract sideshow unscathed. Burns knows how damaging protracted contract speculation can […]

Francois Hougaard could return to Worcester after Rio

2 March 2016 0 comments

Worcester’s loan signing Francois Hougaard says he is open to extending his stay at Sixways after making an immediate impact with the west Midlands outfit. […]

Ed Slater: We need proof plastic pitches are safe

25 February 2016 0 comments

Leicester lock Ed Slater believes more research into artificial grass pitches is needed in order to convince players the controversial surfaces are safe. Slater, who […]

Signing Cipriani will help Wasps conquer Europe

24 February 2016 0 comments

Fly-half’s long-awaited homecoming can help Wasps cement place among European rugby’s elite – Ashley Johnson.

Rejuvenated Christian Wade looking to make up for lost time

17 February 2016 0 comments

Flying wing says his mind is as fresh as his body after returning from a three-month lay-off last week.

Intense competition at Bath will make Taulupe Faletau even better – Luke Charteris

11 February 2016 0 comments

Luke Charteris reckons Bath can bring the best out of Taulupe Faletau. The Wales pair and former Newport Gwent Dragons team-mates will be reunited at […]

Premiership

Recent Posts

Search