Premiership

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

Kick-chase will destroy the game warns London Irish new boss Brian Smith

24 July 2012 0 comments

Brian Smith has blasted South African-style ‘kick-chase’ rugby, insisting it is killing the game and that English teams should instead look to New Zealand for […]

Northampton captain Dylan Hartley urges Saints to shake off that losers’ tag

24 July 2012 0 comments

Saints captain Dylan Hartley has demanded his side shake off their tag as the nearly men of English rugby. While Northampton have won plenty of […]

Exeter winger Matt Jess: “Team ethic is only concern for Chiefs”

24 July 2012 0 comments

When Bath chairman Bruce Craig told the club’s end-of-season dinner that there wasn’t a single player in his side whom he would swap for an […]

It’s time for Nathan Catt to sparkle says Bath new boss Gary Gold

24 July 2012 1 comment

This is the season that loosehead Nathan Catt will stop being talked of as a potential talent and start becoming a senior player at Bath, […]

Leicester Jordan Crane looking for Leicester Tigers and England place

24 July 2012 0 comments

Jordan Crane is itching to put a season-long absence behind him and challenge Thomas Waldrom for his place in the Leicester side. Crane, 26, has […]

Why those gentlemen of league are on the defensive

24 July 2012 0 comments

While rugby league’s national standing has waned as union’s has risen since the introduction of professionalism, its influence on the XV man code remains as […]

England Ben Morgan’s advance no shock to Brad Harrington

24 July 2012 0 comments

Brad Harrington has not been surprised by the impact Ben Morgan has had in an England shirt. Gloucester‘s new No.8 has established himself as a […]

I’m now tougher and smarter, says returning golden boy Danny Cipriani

20 July 2012 1 comment

Danny Cipriani says the defensive frailties which have blighted his career have been sorted out and that his critics will see a tougher, more mature […]

Ryan Walkinshaw: “I aim to make Gloucester a flagship club in Europe”

20 July 2012 0 comments

Ryan Walkinshaw is a remarkable young man. Thrust into the cut-throat world of global business at the age of 23 following the untimely death of […]

Promising London Wasps back row Sam Jones happy to learn from Haskell

20 July 2012 1 comment

Sam Jones was just a schoolboy apprentice the last time James Haskell was playing in a Wasps shirt – now the England international returns to […]

Bath winger Tom Biggs has still got that blond ambition

20 July 2012 0 comments

Winger Tom Biggs believes his England ambitions will remain on the backburner while Bath are languishing in the lower reaches of the Premiership table. The […]

Dominic Waldouck: I need a new challenge

10 July 2012 0 comments

Wasps centre Dom Waldouck is leaving to join Northampton Saints. Waldouck, who had a year to run on his contract at Wasps, handed in a […]

Charlie Sharples : “Ducking out on England was my best career move”

10 July 2012 0 comments

Charlie Sharples insists it was a simple decision to miss England‘s summer tour, even if he concedes he admits he has fallen further down the […]

It’s our fairytale and we aim to slay those giants says London Welsh

10 July 2012 0 comments

London Welsh face the toughest possible start to life in the Premiership with opening games against Leicester and champions Harlequins. But Kelvin Bryon, the club’s […]

Josh Matavesi magic means attack, attack for Worcester Warriors

10 July 2012 0 comments

After playing alongside Frans Steyn and Juan Martin Hernandez in the Racing Metro midfield, Worcester new boy Josh Matavesi is keen to sprinkle some of […]

Sarecens out to take the JP Morgan’s trophy back says Jackson Wray

10 July 2012 0 comments

One of the many consequences of London Welsh’s elevation into the top flight is that there will be a new champion in the J.P. Morgan […]

Promoted London Welsh will take look at Gavin Henson

3 July 2012 0 comments

London Welsh boss Lyn Jones has been armed with a war-chest to sign eight “headline players” who will underpin the club’s first ever Aviva Premiership […]

Toby Booth’s snub made Guy Armitage turn his back on London Irish

3 July 2012 0 comments

Guy Armitage has opened the door to one day playing for France after revealing that Toby Booth’s snub at London Irish forced him to quit […]

We’ll get Cipriani settled in – then it’s up to him

3 July 2012 0 comments

Steve Diamond is not a man for standing still. Since returning to Sale as executive director of sport in January 2011, life under the former […]

Look out, Leicester Tiger Tom Croft wants his England jersey back

3 July 2012 2 comments

Tom Croft’s mild manner on the pitch might fool some but several months on the sidelines have brought out the fierce competitor in the Leicester […]

New Gloucester coach Nigel Davies reckons Mike Tindall will help make Gloucester great

3 July 2012 2 comments

Nigel Davies, Gloucester‘s new director of rugby, is banking on the experience of Mike Tindall to help fire the club towards domestic and European glory. […]

Northampton Saints winger Vasily Artemyev can help take Russia towards the top of world game

3 July 2012 0 comments

Henry Paul has hailed Northampton wing Vasily Artemyev as an inspiration for aspiring Russian stars and reckons the country can become a major rugby power. […]

Give our tier-two English coaches a chance says coaching guru Kevin Bowring

3 July 2012 0 comments

The RFU’s Head of Elite Coach Development, Kevin Bowring, wants to see more English-qualified coaches follow Glenn Delaney’s example and make the step up from […]

London Irish new signing Shane Geraghty hoping to get back in England picture

26 June 2012 0 comments

Shane Geraghty declared he has “unfinished business” with club and country after revealing that Brian Smith’s plans for London Irish persuaded him to cut short […]

New Newcastle Director of Rugby Dean Richards is hunting for Heineken Cup Glory

26 June 2012 0 comments

The despair, the darkness, the doubts have been lifted from Dean Richards’ shoulders since his appointment as Newcastle director of rugby, replaced by a familiar […]

Sale Sharks’ pack has bulked up and ready to front up

26 June 2012 0 comments

Sale’s pack is ready to front up and make its mark in the Premiership next season, according to Henry ‘Meathead’ Thomas. The Sharks’ set-piece endured […]

Miles Benjamin aims to become a Test winger with Leicester Tigers move

26 June 2012 0 comments

Leicester Tigers new boy Miles Benjamin admitted it was a wrench to cross the Midlands from Worcester but is adamant he needed a new environment […]

Luther Burrell became a Saint for Premiership recognition

26 June 2012 2 comments

Luther Burrell reckons his move to Northampton will allow him to finally establish himself as a proven Premiership player. The imposing 6ft 3in centre has […]

New centre of excellence plans agreed for London Irish

26 June 2012 1 comment

London Irish chief executive Andy Martin has revealed that the successful planning application for a centre of excellence in Sunbury will go a long way […]

Alistair Hargreaves excited to join old friends at Saracens

22 June 2012 1 comment

South Africa second row Alistair Hargreaves has revealed that it is the link between Saracens and his native Sharks which convinced him to swap Durban […]

Newcastle head coach Peter Russell ready to get Falcons on the attack

22 June 2012 2 comments

Kiwi Russell, an electrical engineer by trade, had hoped to start work at the Falcons on Monday when the players reported back for pre-season training. […]

Danny Cipriani is ‘ready for an England comeback’

21 June 2012 0 comments

O’Connor played outside the former London Wasps talisman in Super Rugby and is a self-confessed admirer of the outside-half’s full range of skills. Cipriani is […]