Premiership

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

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Obano: The matchday buzz in Bath is amazing

3 December 2023 0 comments

By PAUL REES Beno Obano was first called into the England squad in 2017 but, despite regular call-ups since, the Bath prop has won only […]

Lawes delays decision on his future until Six Nations

3 December 2023 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Courtney Lawes will make a decision on his Northampton future during the Six Nations window in February. Lawes announced his retirement from […]

Farrell set to remain Sarries marquee man

3 December 2023 0 comments

Saracens are closing in on agreeing terms to a new contract with skipper Owen Farrell, below, who is out of contract at the end of […]

Bears step up hunt for new tighthead

3 December 2023 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Bristol Bears have stepped up their search for a tighthead as they face up to the prospect of losing […]

Barbeary double has Bath in joyful mood

3 December 2023 0 comments

BY MARK STEVENS Bath ……………………………….41pts Tries: Barbeary 7, 66; Redpath 21, Spencer 43, Cokanasiga 63, Butt 71 Conversions: Russell 22, 64, 67, 72 Penalty: Slade 31 […]

Exeter Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter

Baxter: We lose direction quickly

3 December 2023 0 comments

Rob Baxter insisted his young side will need to address on-field discipline if they are to keep pace with the frontrunners in the Premiership. Baxter […]

Battling Saints too strong for Saracens

3 December 2023 0 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Saracens ……………………… 12pts Tries: Parton 59, Lewington 72 Conversion: Vunipola 73 Northampton Saints…… 18pts Tries: Sleightholme 51, Mitchell 66 Conversions: Smith 52 […]

Dogged defence delights Dowson

3 December 2023 0 comments

Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson was proud of how his side managed to boss the breakdown while maintaining discipline. He said: “We talked a […]

Bears hit 50 to leave Gloucester in a heap

3 December 2023 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Bristol Bears ………………..51pts Tries: Malins 10, Genge 19, Randall 25, 41; Harding 30, Batley 48, Thacker 71 Conversions: Sheedy 19, 25, 30, […]

‘We have lost some of our ferocity’

3 December 2023 0 comments

Following this latest defeat, Gloucester coach George Skivington believes his side needed a reset. He said: “For most of last season our pack was dominant […]

We are getting better at the basics, says coach Millard

3 December 2023 0 comments

Harlequins boss Billy Millard explained that improved fundamentals were key to Quins finding their groove as they bounced back from consecutive defeats. “For us to […]

Smith calls shots as Quins put on a show

3 December 2023 0 comments

By NICK POWELL Harlequins ………………….. 36pts Tries: Green 9, Care 43, Riley 51, Joseph 59, 72 Conversions: Smith 11, 44, 61; Evans 73 Penalties: Smith […]

Falcons are trapped with nowhere to go

3 December 2023 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED IT WAS a clear-cut case of “capitalism gone mad” as the loadsamoney class snapped up English club rugby in the spending […]

Cross is determined to keep Reffell quiet

3 December 2023 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE In-form Newcastle flanker Sam Cross returns to the scene of his first professional game confident the Premiership’s bottom side can pull off […]

Winger who is learning new tricks with Tigers

3 December 2023 0 comments

By PAUL REES PREVIEW… Leicester Tigers v Newcastle Falcons Today. Kick-off 3pm, Welford Road Ollie Hassell-Collins appeared to be in for a rugby lifestyle change […]

Oghre enjoying life with Bristol

3 December 2023 0 comments

By PAUL REES Gabriel Oghre was one of a number of players who last season found themselves having to pick up the pieces after their […]

Iosefa-Scott happy he took chance with Chiefs

3 December 2023 0 comments

By PAUL REES Josh Iosefa-Scott was stunned when Exeter contacted his agent two years ago. The 22st England qualified prop was playing for Waikato and […]

Premiership Rugby weekly previews: Round Eight

1 December 2023 0 comments

The Premiership finishes the first part of its season with five exciting games this weekend; Tom Jeffreys takes you through each of the final matches […]

Ludlam closing in on move to Toulon

28 November 2023 0 comments

Northampton Saints back row Lewis Ludlam’s highly anticipated move to Toulon, first rumoured in The Rugby Paper’s Blindside Column in early October, is set to […]

Baron calls for block on £296m PGP plan

26 November 2023 0 comments

By NICK CAIN Francis Baron has called for the RFU Council to insist that the RFU Board puts a moratorium on the current PGP negotiations […]

Baxter: We need to power up the scrum

26 November 2023 0 comments

By PAUL REES Rob Baxter has called on the game’s lawmakers to forget about trying to make the game more entertaining by speeding it up […]

Dallaglio: We need clarity on Prem 2

26 November 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Lawrence Dallaglio is calling for clarity from the RFU and Premiership Rugby over plans for a Premiership 1/Premiership 2 which could see […]

Record turnover for Saints

26 November 2023 0 comments

Northampton have posted a record turnover of £21.96m in their annual report for the year ending June 2023. The club made an overall loss before […]

Evans on a mission to enjoy the highs

26 November 2023 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE As one of the Gallagher Premiership’s kings of the breakdown, Will Evans is determined to embrace every success that comes his way, […]

Lawrence is hungry for more, says JVG

26 November 2023 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Johann van Graan is excited to see how good a player Ollie Lawrence can become with the England international potentially still having […]

Luke: I’ve got a new lease of life

26 November 2023 0 comments

By MARK STEVENS Luke Cowan-Dickie insists his summer switch to Sale Sharks has given him a ‘new lease of life’ in terms of his rugby. […]

Saracens keen for Vunipola to stay

26 November 2023 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Saracens are believed to have offered Billy Vunipola a deal to remain in north London next season after French […]

Redpath lining up move to Scotland

26 November 2023 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Bath and Scotland centre Cam Redpath, below, could be heading across the border next summer after emerging as a […]

Fearing players going abroad is a false storm

26 November 2023 0 comments

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK WORLD Cups provide rugby union with an opportunity to reset, and the actions taken following the 2023 tournament, […]

Gloucester founder on Leicester rocks

26 November 2023 0 comments

By PAUL REES Gloucester ……………………20pts Tries: McGuigan 49, Ford-Robinson 65 Conversions: Barton 50, 66 Penalties: Barton 16, 2 Leicester …………………….. 38pts Tries: Hassell-Collins 39, 62; […]

McKellar: We will keep hold of Jasper

26 November 2023 0 comments

Dan McKellar is confident Leicester will hold on to their World Cup winning No.8 Jasper Wiese who has attracted the attention of French clubs. Wiese […]

Seven-try Saracens too good for Bears

26 November 2023 0 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Saracens …………………….. 39pts Tries: Farrell 7, Lewington 11, Vunipola 27, Lewington 44, George 53, 77; Willis 68 Conversions: Farrell 45, 54 Bristol […]

McCall backs misfiring Farrell

26 November 2023 0 comments

Saracens boss Mark McCall insists at no time did they consider changing their kicker as Owen Farrell landed just two of his eight shots at […]

Furbank in control as Saints hold on

26 November 2023 0 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Northampton………………. 36pts Tries: Sleightholme 8, 72; Ludlam 31, Mitchell 40+1, Coles 61 Conversions: Furbank 9, 32, 40+2, 62 Penalties: Furbank 42 Harlequins […]

Speedy Sleightholme earns the plaudits from Vesty

26 November 2023 0 comments

Saints head coach Sam Vesty singled out Ollie Sleightholme who was returning after a long lay off with hamstring issues and a series of heavy […]

Ford keeps his cool to seal it for Sharks

26 November 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Sale ………………………………. 11pts Tries: Hill 25 Penalties: Ford 49, 74 Bath ………………………………… 9pts Penalties: Russell 5, 22, 39 GEORGE Ford stepped up […]

Bath chief proud of battling display

26 November 2023 0 comments

Bath director of rugby Johann van Graan was disappointed at his side’s loss but was encouraged by their performance in a battling display. He said: […]

Stay patient and results will come – McDonald

26 November 2023 0 comments

By PAUL REES PREVIEW… Newcastle v Exeter Today. Kick-off 3pm, Kingston Park IT has been an eventful four months for Kiran McDonald. The second row […]

Baxter urges his young charges to win on the road

26 November 2023 0 comments

By PAUL REES Going well: Joe Hawkins ROB Baxter has called on his young Exeter side to lay down a marker at Kingston Park this […]

Young Guns: Harlequins back row Louis Schmid

26 November 2023 0 comments

BY BEN JAYCOCK Following in his father’s footsteps, Lucas Schmid took up rugby as early as three and after excelling at U18s level he has […]

Premiership Round Seven Preview

24 November 2023 0 comments

In the aftermath of an exhilarating round of derbies, where Bath narrowly triumphed over Bristol, Leicester Tigers revived their season by outplaying Northampton Saints, Saracens […]

“It opened my eyes” – Sean Long looks back on time in rugby union

23 November 2023 0 comments

Cross-code coaches are nothing new in rugby union. The likes of Kevin Sinfield, Shaun Edwards, Mike Ford and more recently Lee Radford have all made […]

Stooke heading back to Bath

23 November 2023 0 comments

Elliot Stooke’s return to Bath has been confirmed by the club a month after it was foreseen by The Rugby Paper’s Neil Fissler in his […]

Saracens confirm Earl will be available for Six Nations

21 November 2023 0 comments

Saracens have confirmed that Ben Earl will be available for the Six Nations despite suffering a knee injury in the build-up to their one-sided victory […]

Police investigating racial abuse of Monye

20 November 2023 0 comments

Police are investigating Ugo Monye’s accusation of racist abuse by a supporter following an appearance he made as a pundit at Exeter vs Gloucester on […]

Slade penalty gives Exeter thrilling late derby win

19 November 2023 0 comments

Exeter……………………………………..25 Tries: Tuima 9, Jenkins 33, Townsend 76 Conversions: Slade 10, 77 Penalties: Slade 61, 80+1 Gloucester……………………………..24 Tries: Clement 29, Thorley 56, Rees-Zammit 66, Atkinson […]

McKellar praise for humble Pollard

19 November 2023 0 comments

Leicester Tigers boss Dan McKellar hailed Handre Pollard after the coach’s first taste of a passionate East Midlands derby. The Australian praised both Pollard and […]