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_id] => 1 [season_name] => Premiership Regular Season [season_slug] => premiership-regular-season [season_start] => 2022 [season_end] => 2023 [wp_league_id] => 77 [status] => 1 )

Versatile David takes his opportunity and makes the most of his switch to Harlequins

29 January 2023 0 comments

By PAUL REES PREVIEW… London Irish v Harlequins Today. Kick-off 3pm, Brentford Community Stadium Nick David had to be patient after joining Harlequins from Worcester […]

George looking good for England

29 January 2023 0 comments

Mark McCall revealed after Saracens win over Bristol that hooker Jamie George looks likely to be available for England selection in next Saturday’s Calcutta Cup […]

Advantage Chiefs but they need to improve

29 January 2023 0 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Exeter ………………………….. 24pts Tries: Gray 10, Kata 17, Woodburn 34 Conversions: Skinner 11, 18, 35 Penalties: Skinner 54 Gloucester …………………… 17pts Tries: […]

‘We need to put the hammer down’

29 January 2023 1 comment

Exeter coach Ali Hepher refuses to be gloomy about the stars leaving, instead focusing on their play-off push. “We have seven games left of our […]

Reed has final say as Sharks snatch it

29 January 2023 0 comments

By ROSS HEPPENSTALL Sale ……………………………….30pts Tries: Carpenter 2, Dugdale 17, Roebuck 25, Taylor 32, Reed 80+1 Conversions: Du Preez 18 Penalties: Du Preez 50 Bath […]

Sanderson: Final try shows how much it matters to players

29 January 2023 0 comments

ALEX SANDERSON hailed his Sale young guns after they combined to seal a dramatic victory which left Bath devastated. Sharks boss Sanderson said: “How good […]

In-form Raikes helps end Ponty’s drought

29 January 2023 0 comments

Premiership By IESTYN THOMAS Aberavon…………….. 10 Pontypridd…………..27 PONTYPRIDD picked up their first win in seven league games as they secured a notable bonus-point win over […]

Bridgend’s happy new year continues

29 January 2023 0 comments

Premiership By ETHAN GEORGE Bridgend………………27 Newport……………….24 A GOOD opening month to 2023 simply got better and better as Bridgend made it three league wins in […]

Fish chips in to get Cardiff back on track

29 January 2023 1 comment

Premiership By ROB COLE Cardiff…………………. 30 RGC……………………….. 20 CARDIFF got back to winning ways after their last-gasp single-point defeat at home to Newport as they […]

Quins triumph in basement battle

29 January 2023 0 comments

Premiership By HARRY CORISH Llanelli…………………28 Carmarthen…………38 MARC Jones’ Carmarthen Quins seem to have found the winning formula at last, and this win not only completed […]

Battle-hardened Ironmen are just too strong

29 January 2023 0 comments

Premiership By JACK LONGSTAFF Swansea………………. 6 Merthyr……………….. 31 A BATTLE-HARDENED Merthyr put Swansea to the sword with an emphatic bonus-point victory. The visitors got off […]

Chief Kirsten heading home to Bulls

29 January 2023 0 comments

Exeter Chiefs confirmed back row Jannes Kirsten’s departure to the Bulls at the end of the season. As revealed on Blindside, the 29-year-old South African […]

Seabrook signs on to be a Saint

29 January 2023 0 comments

Northampton have signed Gloucester winger Tom Seabrook for next season, as reported last week in Neil Fissler’s Blindside Column. Seabrook, 23, who scored the Premiership’s […]

Connon flying high with the Falcons

22 January 2023 1 comment

By PAUL REES The unpredictability of the Premiership was highlighted earlier this month when champions Leicester travelled to Newcastle, a team that has struggled in […]

I don’t expect to hear from Eddie, says Salakaia-Loto

22 January 2023 0 comments

Eagar: Salakaia-Loto in action for Northampton Lukhan Salakai-Loto admitted he was shocked when Australia announced Eddie Jones was returning as head coach little more than […]

Pearson is on Borthwick’s radar – Kidney

22 January 2023 1 comment

By PAUL REES Declan Kidney says London Irish flanker Tom Pearson is on England’s radar despite being left out of Steve Borthwick’s first squad. The […]

Ben plays through pain for his place

22 January 2023 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Focused: Ben Curry on the attack for Sale PICTURES: Getty images Alex Sanderson has revealed how Ben Curry has won his place […]

Skivington: Jonny will be back for England

22 January 2023 1 comment

By PAUL REES Fighting hard: Jonny May in action for Gloucester and, inset, head coach George Skivington PICTURES: Getty Images George Skivington is confident Jonny […]

Simmons grabbing his chance on the wing

22 January 2023 1 comment

By PAUL REES Harry Simmons had a long wait to get his break at Leicester and having made it into the first team he intends […]

Hogg ready for big clash

22 January 2023 0 comments

Scotland full-back Stuart Hogg should be fit for the Six Nations opener against England on February 4, says Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter. The […]

Quins back to their best to maul Sharks

22 January 2023 0 comments

By ADAM HATHAWAY Harlequins ………………….. 39pts Tries: Care 5, Dombrandt 8, Murley 17, Lewies 42, David 51 Conversions: Smith 6, 9, 18, 52 Penalties: Smith […]

Townsend in line to take over at Tigers

15 January 2023 1 comment

By NEIL FISSLER Leicester Tigers have held talks with Scotland boss Gregor Townsend about taking over at Welford Road next season. Townsend, 49, who won […]

Skivington quiet on Farrell’s high tackle

15 January 2023 1 comment

By PAUL REES George Skivington has put the controversy of the defeat to Saracens in the last Premiership round behind him, refusing to make an […]

Ramm enjoying the high life as a Saint

15 January 2023 1 comment

By JON NEWCOMBE Regular visits to Bondi Beach and back flips used to be the norm but now James Ramm is enjoying having his feet […]

Lam: 11-team Premiership works well

15 January 2023 2 comments

By PAUL REES Bristol boss: Pat Lam PAT Lam wants to see the Premiership remain an 11-club tournament amid calls for the number to be […]

Classy Leinster put Gloucester to sword

15 January 2023 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Gloucester ……………………14pts Tries: Penalty 25, 64 Leinster……………………….. 49pts Tries: Larmour 4, Ala’alatoa 11, Osborne 27, Doris 40, Keenan 46, van der Flier […]

A red for Slade but Chiefs in good shape

15 January 2023 0 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Blue Bulls ……………………. 39pts Tries: Louw 15, Kriel 24, Vermaak 36, Simelane 42 , 70; Grobbelaar 51 Conversions: Smith 15, 43, Goosen […]

Sale stretch gap in second with superb wet weather win

8 January 2023 0 comments

Harlequins…………….16 Tries: Marchant 42, David 74 Penalties: Allan 5, 31 Sale Sharks……………24 Tries: O’Flaherty 18, Du Preez 24, van der Merwe 53, Wiese 63 Conversions: […]

Chessum still keen to make England mark

8 January 2023 1 comment

By PAUL REES Ollie Chessum would love to continue working with Steve Borthwick in the England set up but says his immediate focus is on […]

McCall: No contact over Peel so far

8 January 2023 0 comments

Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall says there has been no contact from England with his scrum coach Ian Peel amid speculation that he is […]

Haywood out to end his days on a high at Saints

8 January 2023 0 comments

By PAUL REES Mike Haywood is one of Northampton’s longest serving players and hopes to finish his career at the club having graduated through its […]

Maunder: French leavers a big blow

8 January 2023 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Exeter scrum-half Sam Maunder admits the departure of their England stars at the end of the season will be a big loss […]

New Year honour for chairman Rowe

8 January 2023 1 comment

Exeter chairman and chief executive Tony Rowe has been awarded a CBE in the New Year’s Honours List for services to rugby and to the […]

Bath hope Russell can be catalyst for success

8 January 2023 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD Finn Russell has “bought into the Bath dream” according to the man hoping the mercurial Scotsman can help transform the struggling West […]

Ruthless Chiefs are too sharp for Saints

8 January 2023 2 comments

By PAUL REES Exeter ………………………….. 35pts Tries: S Simmonds 2, Woodburn 15, Cowan-Dickie 28, 44; Slade 56 Conversions: J Simmonds 3, 16, 29, 45, 57 […]

Hooker’s injury a scare for England

8 January 2023 2 comments

Luke Cowan-Dickie gave Steve Borthwick an early injury worry when he limped off in the second-half after rolling his ankle. “I felt something pop but […]

Carreras helps to demolish Leicester

8 January 2023 0 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Newcastle…………………… 45pts Tries: Carreras 13, 35, 37; Chick 27, Blamire 52, Moroni 74 Conversions: Connon 14, 36, 38, 28, 53, 75 Penalties: […]

Walder: We flew out of the blocks

8 January 2023 0 comments

Newcastle Falcons boss Dave Walder was understandably delighted with his team’s performance. “That’s three wins in our last three home league games, and against three […]

Borthwick sees the two sides of Farrell

8 January 2023 0 comments

By TOM BRADSHAW Gloucester …………………… 16pts Tries: Thorley 16 Conversions: Carreras 17 Penalties: Carreras 36, 45, 73 Saracens ……………………… 19pts Tries: Malins 7, Van Zyl […]

McCall: We competed and scrapped for everything all the way

8 January 2023 0 comments

Mark McCall, the Saracens director of rugby, hailed his side’s tenacity as they extended their lead at the summit of the Premiership. “We competed and […]

Flannery: We need to get back on right track

8 January 2023 1 comment

By BEN JAYCOCK PREVIEW… Harlequins v Sale Today. Kick-off 3pm, Twickenham Stoop Harlequins coach Jerry Flannery is looking for a reaction today following back-to-back Premiership […]

Sharks keen to build on record win over Leicester

8 January 2023 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Fit and firing: Manu Tuilagi caused Tigers problems LAST season’s thumping 36-14 win over Harlequins at the Twickenham Stoop – only their […]

Home comforts key to Irish challenge

8 January 2023 1 comment

By PAUL REES PREVIEW… London Irish v Bristol Today. Kick-off 3pm, Brentford Community Stadium Benhard Janse van Rensburg believes home comforts can get London Irish […]

Rejuvenated Bears believe they can still make playoffs

8 January 2023 0 comments

By PAUL REES Leading the way: Ellis Genge scores in the 40-36 win over Irish in September BRISTOL exorcised a ghost when they defeated Harlequins […]

Potent Du Preez fires Sharks past champions

8 January 2023 1 comment

Sale ………………..40pts Tries: O’Flaherty 34, McIntyre 52, Penalty try 66, Ashman 76, R du Preez 79, Conversions: R du Preez 35, 53 Penalties: R du […]

Double for Ramm as Saints hit feeble Quins for six

8 January 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Northampton ………………. 46pts Tries: Waller 3, Ramm 16, 40; Salakaia-Loto 53, Furbank 68, Hutchinson 74 Conversions: Smith 4, 17, Furbank 54, 69, […]

Super Spencer takes gritty Bath off the bottom

8 January 2023 0 comments

Bath ………………. 24pts Tries: Lawrence 12, Hill 47, Spencer 55 Conversions: Bailey 13, 48, 56 Penalties: Bailey 78 Newcastle…….. 16pts Tries: Blamire 26 Conversions: Connon […]

Carreras on target to cause more pain for Irish

8 January 2023 0 comments

Gloucester ……… 8pts Tries: Alemanno 10 Penalties: Carreras 80 London Irish …… 6pts Penalties: Jackson 27, 71 SANTIAGO Carreras built on his growing status as […]

Farrell back to his best as Sarries ease past Chiefs

8 January 2023 0 comments

Saracens ……….35pts Tries: Christie 9, Maitland 22, Riccioni 39, Lewington 71, Tompkins 80 Conversions: Farrell 10, 40 Penalties: Farrell 44, 49 Exeter ……………… 3pts Penalties: […]