Premiership

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

Signing Russell isn’t reckless, insist Bath

23 December 2022 2 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE BATH CEO Tarquin McDonald has defended Bath’s signing of Finn Russell as not only being good for the club but good for […]

Cueto sure Borthwick will do a brilliant job

23 December 2022 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD In charge: Steve Borthwick coaching Steve Borthwick used to spend his England training breaks sat in an office studying line-outs rather than […]

Baxter: We change the game at our peril

23 December 2022 2 comments

By PAUL REES Rob Baxter says Premiership Rugby needs to be careful as it plots a relaunch of the league from 2024-25 following the demise […]

Lewington’s loving the new style at Saracens

23 December 2022 2 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD Alex Lewington has come to terms with being one of Saracens’ elder statesmen these days and having to learn to look after […]

Bath in the mood to face Exeter challenge

23 December 2022 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW… Exeter v Bath Saturday December 24. Kick-off 3pm Vision: Bath coach Johann van Graan Johann Van Graan says he has massive […]

Baxter enjoying life to the full after swapping sides

23 December 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES PREVIEW… Harlequins v Bristol Tuesday December 27. Kick-off 3pm, The Stoop Happy: Fin Baxter FIN Baxter made his Harlequins debut as a […]

No Borthwick but Tigers will still be fierce – Skivington

23 December 2022 1 comment

By PAUL REES PREVIEW… Leicester v Gloucester Saturday December 24. Kick-off 3pm Learning fast: Skivington George Skivington does not expect the loss of head coach […]

Pearson’s eager to impress new boss

23 December 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES PREVIEW… London Irish v Saracens Friday December 23. Kick-off 7.45pm It may not have been a year to remember for the English […]

Messi has Falcons Pumas flying high

23 December 2022 1 comment

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW… Newcastle v Sale Friday Decemeber 23. Kick-off 8pm, Kingston Park Brett Connon is hoping for some Messi-like magic from Matias Orlando, […]

Lawes considers options and may head abroad

23 December 2022 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEILFISSLER Courtney Lawes is mulling over his future after revealing that he has got an escape clause written into his Northampton […]

Bath keep Stuart and Underhill

23 December 2022 3 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER New deal: Underhill Bath are set for another shot in the arm after agreeing to new deals with England […]

Loader close to Irish deal

23 December 2022 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER London Irish are close to agreeing to a new contract with Ben Loader as they look to stop a […]

Cole’s 15 years at the workface

23 December 2022 0 comments

By Peter Jackson Dan Cole’s 300 matches for Leicester took him a few weeks longer than 15 years to compile. Few during the professional era […]

Former Wasps Star Speaks Out About Alcohol Abuse

22 December 2022 2 comments

Over the last few years a number of stars have lifted the lid on their problems with alcohol abuse and in recent days Wallabies legend […]

Championship: Wasps are in, Worcester out

18 December 2022 2 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Wasps will be playing Championship rugby next season after exiting administration, but Worcester have been left in the wilderness as their application […]

Morahan to leave Bristol for Bayonne

18 December 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES Luke Morahan will make his final appearance for Bristol today when they face Zebre in the Challenge Cup having spent five years […]

I’ll fight to keep Forshaw, says Sanderson

18 December 2022 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Sale Sharks DoR Alex Sanderson fears he might have a fight on his hands to keep hold of defence coach Mike Forshaw. […]

Furbank ready for Munster challenge

18 December 2022 1 comment

By PAUL REES George Furbank does not yet know who he has to impress to make England’s Six Nations squad after the sacking of head […]

Skivington delight as McGuigan joins

18 December 2022 0 comments

George Skivington could not believe his luck when he learned that George McGuigan was available as he looked for a hooker to compensate for the […]

Cowan-Dickie puts Chiefs in command

18 December 2022 0 comments

By MIKE SINCLAIR Exeter…………………………… 44pts Tries: Ewers 11, Cowan-Dickie 16, 30, 46, Slade 36, Kata 56 Conversions: J Simmonds 11, 30, 36, 46 Penalties: J […]

“No rugby club is really profitable” – Lawrence on the demise of Worcester Warriors

16 December 2022 0 comments

Former Worcester Warriors‘ centre Ollie Lawrence believes that rugby club owners cannot reasonably seek to make a profit from their businesses. Lawrence, who has made […]

Wasps will return but Warriors in the Wilderness

16 December 2022 0 comments

Wasps have confirmed they will be able to play Championship rugby next season after exiting administration, while Worcester Warriors have been left in the wilderness […]

Quins’ “Big Game” delayed due to strikes

16 December 2022 0 comments

Harlequins‘ annual “Big Game” has been moved from its typical festive slot to early March due to industrial action planned for the 27 December. It […]

Kenningham on school days, the future of rugby and his international hopes

16 December 2022 0 comments

By Elise Hamersley Jack Kenningham was 17 when he was plucked off the rugby pitch and into the Harlequins Academy. Relatively late, some would say, […]

Teams know they are in for a fight against us – Ojomoh

11 December 2022 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Bath born and bred centre Max Ojomoh believes his side have the potential to make a playoff push this season. Ojomoh, 22, […]

Everything to play for as Pacific duo join 100 club

11 December 2022 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Bristol’s Pacific pair Steven Luatua and Chris Vui – the side’s newest centurions – will play a crucial role in turning around […]

Simpson, 34, calls it quits

11 December 2022 0 comments

Former England scrum-half Joe Simpson has retired from professional rugby, aged 34. Simpson, who played six games for Sale on a short-term deal this season, […]

Chiefs find their form to blast out a Euro warning

11 December 2022 0 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Castres………………………….. 12pts Penalties: Dumora 22, 30, 34, 40 Exeter…………………………… 27pts Tries: S Simmonds 19, Ewers 27, Maunder 44, Woodburn 60 Conversions: J […]

Chapman comes on to break the gloom

11 December 2022 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Gloucester…….22pts Tries: Varney 24, Tuisue 63, Socino 68, Chapman 76 Conversions: Carreras 76 Bordeaux………. 17pts Tries: Falatea 2, Willis 38 Conversions: Holmes […]

Springbok Louw to add his insights at Bath

11 December 2022 1 comment

By TOM BRADSHAW Springbok World Cup hero Francois Louw is making a return to Bath to advise the team on match days and inject some […]

Ringfenced Premiership has become boring at bottom of the table – Lane

6 December 2022 0 comments

Bristol full-back Rich Lane is keen to see relegation and promotion return to English rugby, but only if a fairer funding system is brought into […]

Exeter reach semis after high-scoring win

5 December 2022 0 comments

Exeter Chiefs………..50 Tries: Feyi-Woboso 4, Cordero 13, 17; Tuima 26, 43; Frost 62, 69 Conversions: Jenkins 4, 14, 27, 44, 63, 70 Penalties: Jenkins 24 […]

Not again! Chiefs lose star player to France

4 December 2022 1 comment

By NEIL FISSLER Exeter Chiefs are this week set to confirm the player drain away from Sandy Park will continue with England and Lions hooker […]

Lloyd’s the man for Wales at 10 – Madigan

4 December 2022 0 comments

By SIMON ROBERTS Bristol playmaker Ioan Lloyd has been tipped as a future successor to Dan Biggar as Welsh rugby’s main man at No.10. The […]

Simmons: Arundell will be brilliant for a long time

4 December 2022 1 comment

By GARY FITZGERALD Speed king: Henry Arundell playing for England Henry Arundell has the mental strength to battle through his lengthy injury despair and return […]

We need to improve discipline – Proctor

4 December 2022 3 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Matt Proctor is as frustrated as the next person at Northampton’s Jekyll & Hyde start to the season. Going into Round 12 […]

Carreras weaves his magic to stun Saints

4 December 2022 1 comment

By TOM BRADSHAW Gloucester…………………… 34pts Tries: Singleton 13, Harris 25, Carreras 36, Balmain 60 Conversions: Carreras 14, 26, 37, 61 Penalties: Carreras 70, 79 Northampton………………… […]

Dowson: We didn’t convert pressure

4 December 2022 0 comments

Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson was frustrated by his side’s wayward discipline and leaky defence. “We missed a lot of tackles and didn’t turn […]

Irish work hard to get back on track

4 December 2022 0 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER London Irish………………… 39pts Tries: Stokes 9, Jackson 54, Cinti 59, 75; Coleman 71 Conversions: Jackson 10, 55, 72, 76 Penalties: Jackson 20, […]

We need to build on this – Rogerson

4 December 2022 0 comments

London Irish captain Matt Rogerson, making his 100th League appearance, said: “The last few results have got away from us a little. We lost the […]

Quins hold on to make it four wins in a row

4 December 2022 1 comment

By BEN JAYCOCK Bath……………………………….. 13pts Tries: Butt 42 Conversions: Bailey 43 Harlequins……………………. 19pts Penalties: Bailey 11, Francis 56 Tries: Dombrandt 6, Beard 23, David 53 […]

We had the chance to take that one, says frustrated van Graan

4 December 2022 0 comments

Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan rued his side’s missed opportunities. He said: “It was frustrating. That last few minutes we were over the […]

MacGinty misses out as Tigers hold nerve

4 December 2022 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD Bristol ………………………….. 26pts Tries: Radradra 4, Piutau 24, Byrne 64, Ibitoye 75 Conversions: Sheedy 25, MacGinty 65, 76 Leicester …………………….. 26pts Tries: […]

Bristol close in on deal with Oghre

4 December 2022 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEILFISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler Wanted: Oghre Bristol Bears are set to agree to a deal with former England under-20 […]

Bath and Racing to battle over Russell

4 December 2022 1 comment

ON THE BLINDSIDE Racing 92 have stepped up their bid to keep Scotland ace Finn Russell in the French capital next season amid interest from […]

Rugby set to be caught up in another legal drama

4 December 2022 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE Rugby is set for another legal drama with a growing group of players preparing to launch a demand for compensation over the […]

Bath hooker Tom Dunn banned for four weeks

Dunn: It hurts me so much to lose

4 December 2022 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Bath warrior Tom Dunn concedes his chances of an England recall in time for the 2023 World Cup are slim despite his […]

Skosan: We need to get flying start

4 December 2022 1 comment

By GARY FITZGERALD Power runner: Courtnall Skosan playing for Northampton PICTURE: Getty Images Courtnall Skosan is banking on fortress Franklin’s to help Northampton Saints scratch […]

Hougaard joins Sarries as injury cover

1 December 2022 0 comments

Francois Hougaard has signed for Saracens on a short-term deal as injury cover on the wing, less than a week after The Rugby Paper reported […]

Cokanasiga back as Bath host Harlequins

1 December 2022 0 comments

Joe Cokanasiga is one of four changes as Bath look to keep their fine Premiership form going against third-placed Harlequins. Cokanasiga returns from England duty, […]

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