Premiership

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

stdClass Object ( [id] => 1 [league_name] => Premiership [league_logo_id] => 0 [league_logo_url] => [parent_league_id] => 0 [wp_league_id] => 77 )

Bath

Bristol

Exeter

Gloucester

Harlequins

Leicester

London Irish

Newcastle

Northampton

Sale

Saracens

Wasps

Worcester

Farrell and Saracens give Harlequins first taste of defeat

30 September 2012 2 comments

Champions Harlequins suffered their first defeat of the season to the hands of Saracens in a 18-16 thriller at The Stoop. After two games where […]

Dean Mumm, an Aussie ‘old-timer’ who became a young Chief

29 September 2012 1 comment

Dean Mumm, at 28, should be reaching his peak as a second row, but in Australian terms he has already been thrown onto the international […]

Saints’ scrum put Wasps to the sword

28 September 2012 0 comments

Northampton remains unbeaten and go top of the table with a convincing 24-6 win over London Wasps at Franklin’s Gardens. The Saints’ pack put on […]

“I’ll have to bring my A-game to beat Sarries,” says Harlequins Mike Brown

28 September 2012 1 comment

Harlequins full-back Mike Brown is adamant he will have to be a the top of his game to deal with Saracens areal attack if the […]

Premiership round 5: preview and predictions

28 September 2012 0 comments

Bath v Sale Olly Barkley, who is moving to Racing Metro on Monday, will start his final game for Bath Rugby at fly-half as the […]

Leicester Manu Tuilagi is the best says Saracens Joel Tomkins

28 September 2012 2 comments

Joel Tomkins admits that Manu Tuilagi has set the benchmark for English centres but the Saracens cross-coder maintains it will not be long until he […]

How Jonny Wilkinson helped Joe Gray see the light

26 September 2012 0 comments

Harlequins hooker Joe Gray has revealed how Jonny Wilkinson’s dedication to training inspired him to become one of the finest lineout throwers in the game. […]

Vision of TV cash helps London Welsh chase targets

25 September 2012 0 comments

Lyn Jones has been the green light to make further signings to bolster London Welsh‘s survival bid after details of the proposed £152m windfall from […]

Premiership round 4 review

24 September 2012 0 comments

Bath (Lost 22-29 to London Irish) The West country boys couldn’t get into the game for most of the match against a much improved Exiles’ […]

Naqelevuki helps Exeter to gritty win over Saracens in woeful conditions

23 September 2012 0 comments

A crucial second half from Sireli Naqelevuki helped Exeter claim a spirited 14-12 win over Saracens in horrendous weather conditions at Sandy Park. Naqelevuki’s try […]

We’re on the cuff of doing something special – Worcester Richard Hill

21 September 2012 2 comments

Worcester head-coach confessed it was hard to pick up the players’ spirit on Monday morning but he is adamant the Warriors are on the verge […]

Premiership round 4: preview and predictions

21 September 2012 1 comment

Exeter v Saracens Injuries to Craig Mitchell and Tom Johnson mean Carl Rimmer and James Phillips come into the pack while Haydn Thomas is given […]

“Be ready put your body on the line,” Conor O’Shea tells his players

21 September 2012 0 comments

Harlequins director of rugby Conor O’Shea is looking forward to the challenge Leicester will set but pleads his player to be ready put their body […]

Tom Youngs: “My debt to selfless George Chuter”

21 September 2012 1 comment

Leicester‘s Tom Youngs admits he is still a work in progress as a hooker and has no qualms in tapping up Tigers rival George Chuter […]

Why joining Northampton Saints was no-brainer for Luther Burrell

20 September 2012 0 comments

Powerhouse centre Luther Burrell says his desire to learn from Northampton‘s impressive array of England stars drove him to leave Sale Sharks. The ambitious 24-year-old […]

“I just had to cherry-pick Gloucester,” says All Black Jimmy Cowan

19 September 2012 0 comments

All Black scrum-half Jimmy Cowan revealed he has joined Gloucester because of the club’s ‘parochialism’ and argued that he heads to Kingsholm to reignite, rather […]

Premiership round 3 review

17 September 2012 0 comments

Bath (lost 14-18 to Northampton) A great start and even put the Saints on the back foot but they kept kicking the ball away as […]

Myler’s kicking boots earn Saints a gritty win at the Rec

14 September 2012 0 comments

Stephen Myler put on a impressive kicking display to help Northampton claim a 18-14 win at the Rec against Bath and climb to the top […]

“Time to get the season going,” London Irish Brian Smith tells his players

14 September 2012 1 comment

Head coach Brian Smith reckons it’s time for London Irish to get their season going but warns his players they will have to be at […]

Premiership round 3: preview and predictions

14 September 2012 0 comments

Bath v Saints Bath made two changes to the side that beat London Wasps last Saturday as they look to continue their winning start to […]

“I’ve got to oust Nick Easter to achieve my dream,” says Tom Guest

14 September 2012 1 comment

Harlequins No.8 Tom Guest admits his international aspirations will remain on hold unless he can elbow aside Nick Easter and nail down a starting spot. […]

Saracens Mako Vunipola is in shape to make up for lost time

13 September 2012 0 comments

On the face of it Mako Vunipola‘s life at Saracens could not have begun any better – two starts, two man-of-the-match awards – however, the […]

Premiership Round 2 review

10 September 2012 0 comments

Bath (beat Wasps 30-23) They arrived at the Rec on the back of an unconvincing win at Worcester facing the flying Wasps but they rolled […]

Inspirational Dylan Hartley lead Northampton to bonus-point win over Exeter

9 September 2012 0 comments

Dylan Hartley put down an early marker for a Lions selection with a superb performance to help Northampton claim a 24-21 bonus-point win over Exeter […]

London Wasps will have to meet fire with fire at Bath says Dai Young

7 September 2012 1 comment

London Wasps head coach Dai Young reckons his side will have to meet fire with fire if they want to comeback from the Rec with […]

Premiership Round 2: preview and predictions

7 September 2012 1 comment

Bath v London Wasps Lee Mears will make his 250th appearance tomorrow in a Bath side with two changes from the team that claimed their […]

Chance to have controlling interest lured Shane Geraghty back to Irish

7 September 2012 0 comments

Fly-half Shane Geraghty has relished the link-up with Brian Smith and says the opportunity to be the fulcrum in London Irish‘s new-look backline was enough […]

So far so good for London Irish’s new ‘offloading machine’ Seitaimata Sa

5 September 2012 2 comments

Plenty of Rugby League converts take months if not years to adapt to the intricacies of Union, but London Irish-bound Setaimata Sa says his Kiwi […]

Top clubs may fight salary cap in court

4 September 2012 0 comments

The legality of Premiership Rugby‘s salary cap is set to be challenged under European Union competition law, according to a leading club insider. Emboldened by […]

Saint-Andre’s regime is to blame for Sale’s slump, says Pete Anglesea

3 September 2012 2 comments

Former director of rugby Philippe Saint-Andre must shoulder the blame for Sale’s slump in fortunes, according to forwards coach Pete Anglesea. But Anglesea insists the […]

Premiership preview (1 day to go): Harlequins, Leicester, Saracens

31 August 2012 0 comments

With the Aviva Premiership starting tomorrow, we take a look at what lays ahead for the last three of the 12 teams. Today, Harlequins, Leicester […]

Aviva Premiership Round 1: Team News and Predictions

31 August 2012 0 comments

Exeter v Sale Tom Johnson returns to the Exeter team after making his England debut on their summer tour to South Africa while new signing […]

Conor O’Shea challenges Harlequins to become a great team

31 August 2012 2 comments

Good teams win titles, but great teams back it up time and again. That is the view of Harlequins‘ head honcho Conor O’Shea as his […]

Premiership preview (2 days to go): Northampton, Exeter, Sale

30 August 2012 0 comments

With the start of the Aviva Premiership only two days away, we take a look at what lies ahead for the 12 teams. Today, Northampton, […]

Dylan Hartley says Northampton don’t need Chris Ashton

30 August 2012 1 comment

Northampton captain Dylan Hartley says winger Chris Ashton is gone and forgotten after turning his back on the club to join Saracens. Ashton, 25, racked […]

Fijian Josh Matavesi can lead the Worcester Warriors great offensive

30 August 2012 0 comments

Worcester boss Richard Hill reckons Josh Matavesi could provide the X-Factor to spark the Warriors’ backline into life. Hill’s men struggled to cross the whitewash […]

Premiership preview (3 days to go): London Irish, Bath, Gloucester

29 August 2012 0 comments

With the start of the Aviva Premiership only three days away, we take a look at what lays ahead for the 12 teams. Today, London Irish, […]

Loyal Matt Smith content to be an unsung hero at Leicester Tigers

29 August 2012 0 comments

No player better embodies the qualities of the archetypal Leicester player than Matt Smith – Tigers through and through, massively appreciated inside the confines of […]

Alex Gray hopes fast start can earn green light at London Irish

29 August 2012 1 comment

London Irish No.8 Alex Gray is hoping for ‘second season syndrome’ in reverse as he looks to put a disappointing first year at the Exiles […]

Premiership preview (4 days to go): Worcester, London Wasps, London Welsh

28 August 2012 0 comments

With the start of the Aviva Premiership only four days away, we take a look at what lays ahead for the 12 teams. Today, Worcester, […]

“I’m more than just a fast mover,” says Wasps winger Christian Wade

28 August 2012 1 comment

Wasps winger Christian Wade is sick of being labelled simply a speed merchant and is determined to prove he has more than one trick up […]

Saracens Andy Saull working to build same power as Jacques Burger

24 August 2012 3 comments

English rugby has been crying out for a classic openside who can link play in the loose, turn over the ball in the tight and […]

New Exeter signing Ian Whitten is out to prove he’s not just a stop-gap

24 August 2012 1 comment

Ian Whitten spent last season stepping in whenever needed at Ulster – now at Exeter he intends to make himself part of the furniture. There […]

Prop stars give Worcester’s Matt Mullan best of both worlds

22 August 2012 1 comment

Mentored by Phil Vickery at Worcester and Graham Rowntree with England – Matt Mullan doesn’t have to look too far for scrummaging advice. It’s been […]

“I’ve come South to toughen myself up,” says Scotland giant Richie Gray

22 August 2012 2 comments

Richie Gray wants to emulate boyhood hero Martin Johnson and become a master of the dark arts of forward play following his move to the […]

‘Battered’ Sale Shark flanker Hendre Fourie in battle to play again

20 August 2012 0 comments

England flanker Hendre Fourie has suffered another setback in his comeback from a debilitating shoulder injury. The 32-year-old admits that the no-holds-barred approach which has […]

Cipriani and Gray to make Sale debuts

17 August 2012 0 comments

Danny Cipriani and Richie Gray are set to make their Sale debuts after being selected among the replacements for tomorrow’s friendly game against Glasgow Warriors. […]

Waldouck handed first Saints start against Leinster

17 August 2012 0 comments

New Northampton Saints signing Dominic Waldouck has been selected to make his home debut for his new club in tomorrow’s pre-season friendly against Heineken Cup […]

Gary Gold and Bath look at tie-up with Super Rugby side

15 August 2012 2 comments

Bath are considering forming an alliance with a Super Rugby side in a groundbreaking move which could involve trans-hemisphere player swaps. Former Springbok assistant coach […]

Reformed Shark Andy Powell is the new ‘Sebastien Chabal’

15 August 2012 1 comment

Sale Sharks are to extend Andy Powell’s contract in recognition of the Welshman’s emergence as ‘the new Sebastian Chabal.’ The Premiership‘s sole surviving northern club […]