Premiership

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

Aviva Premiership clubs could lose stars to Sevens call

8 July 2014 2 comments

Premiership Rugby’s battalion of overseas stars have been warned that accepting a call to represent their countries in next season’s IRB Sevens World Series could […]

Kyle Eastmond will show he’s the right fit for England

3 July 2014 3 comments

Bath head coach back rugby league convert and brands critics “uneducated”.

Bath ambition makes up for end to Luke Arscott’s Test dream

27 June 2014 0 comments

Full-back’s England dreams may remain unfulfilled but can replace those ambitions by bringing glory to The Rec

“I can break down coaching’s male only culture,” says Giselle Mather

25 June 2014 0 comments

London Irish academy manager has her sights on becoming the first female Premiership coach.

Sort out your attack, Neil Back tells Leicester Tigers, or win nothing

20 June 2014 0 comments

Tigers must improve “woeful” attacking game – or face more trophyless years.

“I’ll prove a point to Harlequins,” says Tom Guest

19 June 2014 0 comments

London Irish recruit Tom Guest admits he spent too long wasting his prime years stuck on the bench at Harlequins.

Northampton Saints fear exodus of stars unless salary cap is raised

11 June 2014 1 comment

President Keith Barwell fears Northampton may struggle to keep top stars in future unless salary cap restrictions are lifted.

New-look London Wasps give Elliot Daly licence to thrill fans

11 June 2014 1 comment

Elliot Daly looking to emulate his hero Brian O’Driscoll in a resurgent Wasps side next season.

Euro Cup place ‘will keep’ Joe Launchbury at London Wasps

6 June 2014 0 comments

Fears that England lock Joe Launchbury could be the next Wasps star pinched by Saracens have eased now that qualification for the Champions Cup has been achieved.

I’d no idea George North was this good, says Alex King

30 May 2014 1 comment

Northampton backs coach Alex King salutes the impact of George North.

It’ll be a whole new ball game if Bath’s supremo has his way

23 May 2014 0 comments

The battle over Europe has been won but Bath chairman Bruce Craig believes the war over global season structure and how international and club rugby in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres are aligned is only just getting started.

Worcester Warriors stuck by me so I’ll stay on, says Chris Pennell

21 May 2014 0 comments

The Premiership player of the year nominee has been a model of consistency in an otherwise disastrous Warriors campaign, the only man to have played every minute of all 22 regular season games.

Charlie Matthews making up ground on old pal Joe Launchbury

16 May 2014 1 comment

Harlequins second row Charlie Matthews believes he is finally coming of age after putting his injury hell behind him to start chasing down pal Joe Launchbury.

Relegation will hurt Worcester Warriors’ egos – Dean Ryan

6 May 2014 0 comments

Dean Ryan says relegated Worcester will continue to make the “drastic change” needed to turn them into a competitive top-flight side.

How Will Fraser has grown into the job at Saracens

1 May 2014 0 comments

Super-sized Will Fraser has revealed how piling on the pounds during his recent injury lay-off can help boost his England chances.

Steve Diamond leads Premiership’s Director of Rugby of the Season shortlist

28 April 2014 1 comment

Steve Diamond has been shortlisted to be named Director of Rugby of the Season on the back of a sensational season with the Sale Sharks.

Mike Brown has his heart on sleeve, just like Roy Keane

24 April 2014 0 comments

It is Tuesday afternoon at the Surrey Sports Park and Harlequins’ training finished 45 minutes ago. While the majority of players have showered and made […]

Courtney Lawes still dishes it out but is not so hit and miss

23 April 2014 0 comments

If anyone was in doubt that Courtney Lawes can still deliver big hits with the best of them, then look no further than Owen Farrell’s ribcage.

English kids can end Gavin Henson’s Wales dream

17 April 2014 0 comments

Gavin Henson hopes a fresh contract and new found stability at Bath can pave the way for a Wales recall before the 2015 World Cup.

“Year long slog left me in dip,” says Mako Vunipola

10 April 2014 1 comment

Mako Vunipola has revealed how post-Lions fatigue caused his form to dip dramatically.

Anthony Watson will be star for England says Nick Abendanon

9 April 2014 0 comments

Nick Abendanon admits that Anthony Watson’s emergence proved a decisive factor in taking the plunge with European giants Clermont.

Size no problem for elusive Kyle Eastmond

3 April 2014 1 comment

Kyle Eastmond is confident size will not count against him as he targets a place in England’s increasingly congested midfield.

Apprentice Maro Itoje ready to replace the grand master

28 March 2014 0 comments

Maro Itoje could barely pluck up the courage to speak to Steve Borthwick when the pair first met at Saracens four years ago.

Top ten hit Owen Farrell has climbed up to No.3

27 March 2014 2 comments

Owen Farrell can be bracketed among the world’s top three fly-halves alongside Dan Carter and Jonny Sexton, according to Wasps and former England star Andy Goode.

Exeter aim to be Euro champs in five years

26 March 2014 0 comments

Matt Jess insists there are “no limits” to what Exeter Chiefs can achieve.

Bath want Gavin Henson to fight for his place

19 March 2014 2 comments

Bath head coach Mike Ford has revealed his desire to keep Gavin Henson as he looks to build one of Premiership rugby’s most exhilarating midfields.

Jim Mallinder staying to finish his Leicester hunt

14 March 2014 0 comments

Jim Mallinder has revealed how the desire to break Leicester Tigers’ hegemony and establish Northampton as domestic rugby’s leading force persuaded him to snub the chance of coaching England two years ago.

Jacques Burger: Rugby’s brutal so don’t play if you can’t take the pain

13 March 2014 0 comments

Jacques Burger, arguably Premiership Rugby’s toughest tackler, admits to being concerned over the long-term effects of professional rugby’s relentless brutality.

RFU face legal action over league restructure

12 March 2014 0 comments

The Rugby Football Union faces court action by lower league clubs unless controversial plans to restructure the National Leagues are dropped.

Newcastle sign second row

12 March 2014 0 comments

Newcastle have bolstered their second-row options with the signing of former Saracens and Plymouth Albion man Harry Spencer until the end of the season. The […]

Worcester Warriors are right for me says Sam Smith

6 March 2014 0 comments

Sam Smith has denied he was forced out of Harlequins to make room for Marland Yarde, revealing he turned down a new deal in favour of joining Worcester next season.

Let’s copy the NFL to help black coaches up the ladder

27 February 2014 0 comments

Collin Osborne, as skills chief at Harlequins the only black coach operating at the top end of English rugby, believes more should be done to increase ethnic diversity within the game.

Axe cap or risk losing out on TV bonanza, says Nigel Wray

27 February 2014 1 comment

Saracens chairman Nigel Wray believes greater success in Europe is critical if Premiership clubs are to maximise future TV revenue.

Sam Burgess will shake up centre play, says Henry Paul

26 February 2014 1 comment

Henry Paul believes the signing of Rugby League star Sam Burgess will take centre play in England onto a new level – even if the cross-code convert fails to make the highest grade.

Stephen Jones helps Joe Simpson put family heartbreak behind him

21 February 2014 0 comments

Joe Simpson is ready to put personal tragedy behind him and fight for a place on England’s summer tour to New Zealand.

Who ate all the pies? Not new-look James Johnston!

19 February 2014 0 comments

James Johnston admits that adapting to life at Saracens has been anything but smooth.

Electric Kyle Eastmond can put the frighteners on

12 February 2014 0 comments

Former England Sevens captain Rob Vickerman believes Kyle Eastmond can follow in the footsteps of Jason Robinson and “revolutionise” back play in Rugby Union.

Alex Waller was spurred on by England omissions

6 February 2014 0 comments

Snubbed by England through the age-groups, Alex Waller’s chance to pull on the Red Rose jersey was a long time coming.

Sale Sharks still expect bite from lock of ages Nathan Hines

30 January 2014 1 comment

Nathan Hines will be 39 by the time his newly-signed Sale contract finishes, but retirement is still far from the mind of the evergreen lock.

Marlan Yarde would be top signing says Tom Williams

29 January 2014 1 comment

Tom Williams says speculation linking Marland Yarde with a move to Harlequins is a positive sign of ambition and would welcome his arrival.

Worcester snap-up Gloucester duo

28 January 2014 0 comments

As revealed in The Rugby Paper last Sunday, Worcester have signed Matt Cox and Ryan Mills from Gloucester.

Saracens bait Adam ‘Hair Bear’Jones with £300k

21 January 2014 0 comments

Saracens have entered the bidding war for Wales and Lions star Adam Jones offering him £300,000 a season

Owen Williams ready to fight for Toby Flood’s No.10 shirt

17 January 2014 0 comments

Freddie Burns’ expected arrival at Welford Road has Tigers fans purring but he should not expect to walk into the No.10 shirt – at least not if Owen Williams has anything to do with it.

No excuses for failure at Warriors blasts Richard Hill

14 January 2014 2 comments

Worcester should be achieving far better results than they have managed under Dean Ryan, says former Sixways boss Richard Hill.

Sorry, but I’m happy on the wing says George North

3 January 2014 0 comments

George North is not planning on making his switch to the centres permanent any time soon – even if life on the wing restricts him to a career of cameos.

Sporting all-rounder Hayden Smith back ‘home’ at Saracens

2 January 2014 0 comments

He grew up playing basketball in Australia and discovered rugby in the USA. And now Hayden Smith has returned from a stint in the NFL to his spiritual home at Saracens.

Freddie Burns will replace Toby Flood at Leicester Tigers next season

31 December 2013 2 comments

Freddie Burns will be playing for Leicester next season as the Tigers’ goal-kicking successor to Toby Flood.

Welsh will be safe from Aviva Premiership relegation

30 December 2013 2 comments

The Welsh regions have struck a deal guaranteeing three of their four teams immunity from relegation as a condition of joining the English Premiership.

Gamble on Leicester Tigers exit has paid off says George Ford

26 December 2013 3 comments

It is hard to avoid drawing comparisons between George Ford and Owen Farrell – two of the brightest young things in England at present.

‘Class act’ James O’Connor can inspire Irish return to top

25 December 2013 0 comments

Mick Crossan, leader of the consortium who own London Irish, wants Australian star James O’Connor to be the talisman for a return to the forefront of domestic and European rugby.

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