Premiership

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

Care set to stay at Quins

7 April 2024 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE Veteran scrum-half Danny Care is set to snub lucrative offers from France and sign a contract extension at Harlequins. Care has received […]

Second fine for Tigers is case for concern

7 April 2024 0 comments

The recent announcement of a second salary cap infringement by Leicester indicates that the Premiership’s policing of its own financial regulations remains desperately inadequate – […]

Gloucester will battle to the end

7 April 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Gloucester may be out of the running for a play-off place, but they will not be coasting in the final four rounds […]

Hill looking forward to Edinburgh challenge

7 April 2024 0 comments

England prop Paul Hill will leave Northampton in the summer to join Edinburgh. The tighthead has made 187 appearances for Saints, having joined in 2015 […]

It’s all a difficult question of trust

7 April 2024 0 comments

Leicester’s latest fine for salary cap irregularities – their second in as many years – throws up an interesting question or two about the structure […]

JVP ready to prove he’s back to his best

7 April 2024 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN England and Leicester dynamo Jack van Poortvliet has highlighted in both his actions and words that he’s back to his very best […]

Underhill agrees new contract with Bath

7 April 2024 0 comments

ENGLAND flanker Sam Underhill has signed a contract extension to stay with Bath until the end of the 2025-2026 season. The 27-year-old made his Bath […]

It’s still all to play for in race to the finishing line

7 April 2024 0 comments

Paul Rees predicts a nerve-racking end to the Premiership season where bonus points will prove crucial THE two-month Premiership break has made the jostling for […]

Cruse, 35, announces retirement

7 April 2024 0 comments

Grateful: Northampton’s Tom Cruse NORTHAMPTON hooker Tom Cruse will retire from professional rugby at the end of the season. The 35-year-old has spent nine years […]

Tell players to stay focused – or face axe

7 April 2024 0 comments

There are some interesting excuses from coaches as to why there are such variations in results in the Premiership week by week. It would appear […]

Bath fume at Irne’s short time in the bin

31 March 2024 0 comments

By ADAM HATHAWAY Harlequins ………………….. 40pts Tries: Estherhuizen 2, 48; Smith 14, Lynagh 23, Dombrandt 29, Evans 38 Conversions: Smith 3, 14, 25, 40, 49 […]

Lam: I understand Sinckler decision

31 March 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Pat Lam understands Kyle Sinckler’s decision to turn his back on England and join the exodus to France next season. The 68-cap […]

I’ve loved my time at Bath – Gallagher

31 March 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Matt Gallagher admits it will be a wrench to leave Bath at the end of the season and is doing so to […]

Exeter flyer on the fast track to top

31 March 2024 0 comments

By MARK STEVENS Rob Baxter has warned opposition defences that England sensation Immanuel Feyi-Waboso will only get better with time after impressing for both club […]

Llewellyn keen to put himself in the frame for Wales

31 March 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Max Llewellyn’s form for Gloucester this year will have put the centre in the frame for Wales’s summer tour to Australia. That […]

Slade: I’m happy to stay a Chief

31 March 2024 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE By MARK STEVENS Henry Slade is set to reject the advances of clubs on the other side of the English Channel and […]

Bath will have to go full metal jacket all the way

31 March 2024 0 comments

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK BATH have got a very good shout of winning the Premiership for the first time in almost 30 […]

Millard sings praises of returning stars Marcus and Danny

31 March 2024 0 comments

Harlequins director of rugby Billy Millard hailed the way Marcus Smith and Danny Care got back into the old routine after the Six Nations. But […]

Bears battle back to subdue Gloucester

31 March 2024 0 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Gloucester ………………….. 24pts Tries: Hathaway 10, Carreras 18, McBurney 21 Conversions: Carreras 11, 19, 22 Penalty: Carreras 33 Bristol ………………………….. 33pts Tries; […]

Lam: We want another four wins

31 March 2024 0 comments

Bristol boss Pat Lam says his side are targeting four more wins to finish the season after victory at Gloucester. “It was a huge effort […]

McCall: We didn’t work hard enough

31 March 2024 0 comments

Saracens boss Mark McCall questioned the work-rate of some of his players after their fitful display at Northampton, admitting it was not something he often […]

Sharp Smith gives Saints extra edge

31 March 2024 0 comments

■By ROB WILDMAN Northampton Saints……41pts Tries: Coles 5, Ramm 12, 46, Freeman 61, Sleightholme 68 Conversions: Smith 5, 12, 46, 62, 69 Penalties: Smith 17, […]

Leicester survive a Newcastle fright night

31 March 2024 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Newcastle……………………. 13pts Tries: Redshaw 17 Conversions: Connon 18 Penalties: Connon 2, 63 Leicester ……………………… 19pts Tries: van Poortvliet 4, Montoya 32, Hassell-Collins […]

‘We don’t want to be plucky losers’

31 March 2024 0 comments

Newcastle boss Steve Diamond was frustrated his side failed to capitalise on Tigers’ ill-discipline to end their losing run. Diamond said: “We don’t want to […]

O’Flaherty: We need to learn from our inquest

31 March 2024 0 comments

■By JON NEWCOMBE Sale Sharks vExeter Chiefs PREVIEW… Today. Kick-off 3pm, Salford Community Stadium SALE’S players had good old northern, say it how it is, […]

We’ve got to make sure we play the game our way – Baxter

31 March 2024 0 comments

EXETER boss Rob Baxter has made seven changes to the starting XV following last weekend’s bonus point win over Newcastle. International quartet Henry Slade, Immanuel […]

Time for club owners to come clean on plans

31 March 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN – READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK SEETHING financial undercurrents are undermining the main pillars of the game in England, with the professional […]

This was a cracker but still too many blowouts

31 March 2024 0 comments

The Premiership run-in produced a highly competitive cracker of a match at Franklin’s Gardens on Friday, with Northampton securing a 41-30 victory over Saracens to […]

Schreuder happy to be Spencer’s back-up

31 March 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Louis Schreuder wasn’t the only South African scrum-half smiling when it was announced at the end of February that he would be […]

Don’t get trapped in bowels of a big club

24 March 2024 0 comments

Diamond’s warning to his young guns By PAUL REES Steve Diamond has warned his young charges at Newcastle to beware of offers from other Premiership […]

‘Incredible’ Farrell has Saracens motoring

24 March 2024 0 comments

Champions Saracens smashed Harlequins 52-7 in front of 61,000 fans at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to move second in the table and stretch their winning run […]

Bears can still finish in the top four – Dun

24 March 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES James Dun knew exactly what Bristol’s supporters were going through earlier this season when the Bears became stuck in a losing run. […]

I’m fresh and ready for action, says Muir

24 March 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Will Muir broke into the England squad this year and although he did not feature in the Six Nations, Bath’s coaches noted […]

Quins hoping to tempt Care, 37, with new deal

24 March 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Harlequins are trying to persuade Danny Care to sign a new contract and finish his career at The Stoop, 18 years after […]

Baxter: Clubs will take Cup more seriously

24 March 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES The Premiership will shut down next season during the two international windows, meaning more clubs are likely to take the Premiership Cup […]

Saracens juggernaut steams over Quins

24 March 2024 0 comments

By ADAM HATHAWAY Saracens …………………….. 52pts Tries: Lewington 2, Dan 13, 43; Maitland 17, 26; Cinti 61, Gonzalez 67, Goode 71 Conversions: Farrell 3, 15, […]

Farrell’s in form of his life – McCall

24 March 2024 0 comments

Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall claimed Owen Farrell was in the form of his life after his break and received a special visitor after […]

Chiefs do enough to get past Newcastle

24 March 2024 0 comments

By MARK STEVENS Exeter ………………………….. 25pts Tries: Fisilau 12, Wimbush 24, Sio 32, Tuima 39 Conversion: Hodge 39 Penalty: Hodge 73 Newcastle …………………….16pts Tries: Stevenson […]

Diamond: I saw a lot of positives

24 March 2024 0 comments

STEVE Diamond saw seeds of encouragement despite Falcons slipping to a 13th league defeat. “It could have been closer,” said Diamond. “Our first-half discipline wasn’t […]

Bristol put leaders Saints to the sword

24 March 2024 0 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Bristol………………………….. 52pts Tries: Batley 5, Randall 18, Sinckler 50, Dun 56, Malins 62, Davies 71, Ibotoye 79 Conversions: MacGinty 6, 19, 52, […]

Lam confident Bears can push on for a place in play-offs

24 March 2024 0 comments

BRISTOL boss Pat Lam is confident his side can make a push for the play-offs if they continue in this vein. “That is what we’ve […]

Dismay for Leicester as Varney snatches it

24 March 2024 0 comments

By ROB WILDMAN Leicester …………………….. 25pts Tries: Reffell 40, Kata 42, Wiese 54, Shillcock 72 Conversions: Shillcock 72 Penalty goals: Shillcock 22 Gloucester ………………….. 27pts […]

On-form Mercer: I can’t believe it

24 March 2024 0 comments

ZACH Mercer summed up the Gloucester elation after this narrow win by saying: “I can’t quite believe what’s happened. Everyone wrote us off before we […]

Sale keen to send Tuilagi off in style

24 March 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES PREVIEW… Bath v Sale Today. Kick-off 3pm, Recreation Ground ALEX Sanderson will use the impending loss of Manu Tuilagi as fuel to […]

Van Graan backing Lawrence to put Bath in overdrive

24 March 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES On fire: Ollie Lawrence JOHANN van Graan is expecting Ollie Lawrence to play a big part in Bath’s push for the Premiership […]

Baxter backing Jenkins to bounce back at Chiefs

24 March 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Rob Baxter has backed Dafydd Jenkins to bounce back from the disappointment of leading Wales to a first Six Nations wooden spoon […]

TNT Sports to show every top flight match from next year

21 March 2024 0 comments

TNT Sports will show every game of the Premiership from the 2024/25 season onwards following a new agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery. The channel’s previous […]

Exeter secure Feyi-Waboso on long-term contract

20 March 2024 0 comments

Exeter Chiefs have signed 21-year-old England winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso on a “long-term” contract. Feyi-Waboso joined the Devonians midway through last season following the liquidation of […]

Tuilagi to leave Sale for Bayonne

19 March 2024 0 comments

England’s Manu Tuilagi will leave Sale Sharks, and likely bring an end to his more than a dozen-year international career, to join French club Bayonne […]