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

Russell: I’ve come here to win titles

17 December 2023 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE While Henry Arundell has chosen to stay at Racing 92 and turn down a move to Bath, Finn Russell is in no […]

Freeman’s switch to 13 has sparked Borthwick’s interest

17 December 2023 0 comments

By PAUL REES Northampton’s decision to turn Tommy Freeman into a 13 this season has been far from unlucky for the 22-year old who had […]

Ewers happy to take on new challenge

17 December 2023 0 comments

By MARK STEVENS For years the imposing figure of Dave Ewers made a habit of steamrollering his way around Premiership pitches up and down the […]

Setting the agenda for rugby

17 December 2023 1 comment

Paul Rees looks ahead to the issues that will be addressed in this week’s meeting of the Premiership’s top men The 10 Premiership directors of […]

Gloucester want Wales’ Sheedy at ten

17 December 2023 0 comments

Gloucester are shopping for a new fly-half for next season and have cast their eye on Bristol Bears’ Wales No.10 Callum Sheedy. It could mean […]

Varndell pushes for better governance to support Falcons

15 December 2023 0 comments

Former Premiership top try scorer Tom Varndell has been “sad” to witness Newcastle‘s form at the start of the season and feels the league must […]

Bears set to splash cash for Lovejoy

10 December 2023 0 comments

By NEIL FISSLER Bristol have launched a massive recruitment drive for next season, with Harlequins tighthead Lovejoy Chawatama set to become their first recruit. The […]

Reed is making his mark at Sale

10 December 2023 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN A new tattoo and a special changing room rapport between Sale Sharks’ Arron Reed and director of rugby Alex Sanderson has been […]

Vermeulen confident Chiefs will return to top

10 December 2023 0 comments

By PAUL REES Jacques Vermeulen is one of the old hands at Exeter following his arrival from South Africa in 2019 and after a summer […]

Dynamic duo put life back into Bath

10 December 2023 0 comments

By PAUL REES Ben Spencer has partnered two of the leading outside halves of their generation, Owen Farrell and Finn Russell, and although they have […]

Bristol looking to kick on

10 December 2023 0 comments

By PAUL REES What a difference a win makes. Bristol’s frustrating run of five successive Premiership defeats, four by single figure margins, ended last weekend […]

George set to carry on at Saracens

10 December 2023 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER England and Lions hooker Jamie George is ready to turn don a lucrative move to French outfit Lyon and […]

Cokanasiga a target for Gloucester

10 December 2023 0 comments

Gloucester are understood to have put England winger Joe Cokanasiga on the list of potential replacements for Wales superstar Louis Rees-Zammit, who is out of […]

Baxter braced for more to leave

10 December 2023 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE Exeter Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter, above, is bracing himself for more departures from Sandy Park at the end of this […]

The Viking will put steel back into Bath

10 December 2023 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK THE Viking – a.k.a. RG Snyman – is expected to arrive in Bath this summer, and given […]

Rocketing ticket prices proving tough on fans

10 December 2023 0 comments

Assistant Editor Ben Jaycock surveys the top two divisions to find out which clubs charge the most – and where you could find a bargain […]

Race for the top is going to be close

10 December 2023 0 comments

The Premiership is taking a short rest after eight rounds and by Christmas will have reached the halfway stage. It is a consequence of a […]

Reffell hat-trick inspires big win for Tigers

3 December 2023 0 comments

BY TOM JEFFREYS Leicester Tigers………………..47 Tries: Reffell 15, 34, 53; Scott 30, Wiese 43, Hassell-Collins 65, Brown 80+1 Conversions: Pollard 16, 31, 44, 54; Shillock […]

Bath move for World Cup star Snyman

3 December 2023 0 comments

By NEIL FISSLER World Cup winner RG Snyman is set to reunite with Johann van Graan, with Bath on the verge of completing a deal […]

Murley is aiming for England comeback

3 December 2023 0 comments

By PAUL REES Cadan Murley made a late start to his Premiership campaign when he returned from a knee injury in the last round and […]

Schoeman keen to stay at Bath

3 December 2023 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Juan Schoeman admits he is fighting for his place in the Bath squad with his current contract running out at the end […]

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 […]

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 […]