Premiership

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

We got killed by the referee, claims frustrated coach Lam

6 November 2022 0 comments

Pat Lam was unhappy with the refereeing of Jack Makepeace as his Bears endured another difficult Premiership defeat and were unable to stop Saracens picking […]

Sharks ride storm to thwart Gloucester

6 November 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES Sale Sharks…………………. 27pts Tries: Carpenter 3, Taylor 9, Curry 19 Conversions: R du Preez 4,10, 20 Penalties: R du Preez 18, 70 […]

Sale Sharks director of rugby Alex Sanderson

Zealous defence pays off for Sale

6 November 2022 0 comments

Alex Sanderson marvelled at the willpower of his forwards who disarmed the most explosive rolling maul in the Premiership to end a run of two […]

Hill shows his worth as Falcons fall flat

6 November 2022 1 comment

By MIKE SINCLAIR Newcastle…………………….. 10pts Tries: Radwan 6 Conversions: Connon 6 Penalties: Connon 80 Bath……………………………….. 17pts Tries: Hill 34, Lawrence 59 Conversions: Worboys 34, Searle […]

‘Errors in the red zone cost us’

6 November 2022 0 comments

After defeat to Bath, Newcastle No.8 Callum Chick admitted: “I don’t think we did ourselves justice out there today. We just let ourselves down. “That […]

Freeman double as Saints grind out win

6 November 2022 1 comment

By BEN JAYCOCK Northampton……………….. 26pts Tries: Freeman 31, 71 Conversions: Smith 32, 73 Penalties: Smith 16, 46, 52, 67 Exeter……………………………. 19pts Tries: van Heerden 9, […]

Dowson proud of resilient last stand

6 November 2022 1 comment

NORTHAMPTON director of rugby Phil Dowson was pleased with his side’s resilience as they dealt with the wet conditions and found a way to win. […]

Pearson looking to make his mark at Exeter

6 November 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES Lewis Pearson is looking to make a splash with Exeter after injuries at Sandy Park cut short his loan stay at Cornish […]

Seventh heaven for Sarries as Goode stars on his big day

30 October 2022 0 comments

Saracens………………..33 Tries: Goode 4, McFarland 27, Earl 42, Tompkins 75 Conversions: Goode 28, 76 Penalties: Daly 25, 46; Goode 37 Sale Sharks……………22 Tries: Curry 4, […]

Lam: I’m keen on Jack but no room in the cap

30 October 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES Pat Lam is interested in signing England back rower Jack Willis, who was made redundant when Wasps went into administration this month, […]

I’m happy to play anywhere in the world, says Neild

30 October 2022 0 comments

By NEIL FISSLER Waiting: Cameron Neild Cam Neild is still waiting for his agent to phone with news of his next job. Neild, 28, unlike […]

Lewington: We need to address how sport is run

30 October 2022 1 comment

By GARY FITZGERALD Keen to attack: Saracens wing Alex Lewington Alex Lewington feels rugby bosses have been guilty of under selling the sport for too […]

Iyogun enjoying life in the tough lane

30 October 2022 1 comment

By PAUL REES Focused: Manny Iyogun is now putting pressure on Alex Waller for the starting jersey PICTURES: Getty Images Manny Iyogun’s tough start to […]

Benhard puts his body on the line for Irish

30 October 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES Benhard Janse van Rensburg is in his second season with London Irish and has yet to miss a Premiership match despite the […]

Irish left fuming as Harlequins snatch it

30 October 2022 1 comment

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Harlequins…………………… 26pts Tries: Allen 43, 59; Dombrandt 51, Head 80+3 Conversions: Allen 44, 60, 52 London Irish………………… 24pts Tries: Fa’aso’o 8, Donnell […]

Jeepers! Matson happy to hang on

30 October 2022 0 comments

Harlequins head coach Tabai Matson was happy with the final result. “We’ll take it,” he said. “We stayed in the fight and we talked about […]

Mitchell delivers as Saints walk tall

30 October 2022 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD Northampton……………….. 45pts Tries: Mitchell 14, 20; Sleightholme 29, Salakaia-Loto 31, Proctor 43, Grayson 70 Conversions: Smith 15, 21, 30, 32, 44; Grayson […]

Dowson: We’re waiting on Lawes

30 October 2022 0 comments

Courtney Lawes is still suffering symptoms of his head injury five weeks after the incident left the England captain struggling to be fit for the […]

Magical Louis has The Shed believing

30 October 2022 1 comment

By TOM BRADSHAW Gloucester…………………… 38pts Tries: Rees-Zammit 4, Carreras 27, Socino 34, Chapman 42, Ackermann 59, Ludlow 77 Conversions: Hastings 5, 35, 43, 78 Exeter…………………………… […]

We made too many sloppy errors, admits coach Hepher

30 October 2022 0 comments

Exeter head coach Ali Hepher was left to rue his side coughing up too much possession. He said: “We know the qualities Gloucester have got […]

Goode set to become Saracens record man

30 October 2022 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW… Saracens v Sale Sharks Today. Kick-off 3pm, Stone X Stadium Saracens director of rugby Mark Mc-Call admits he is “astounded” that […]

Captain Curry expects his Sharks to respond in style

30 October 2022 0 comments

SALE SHARKS captain Ben Curry says today’s top-of-the-table clash at Saracens represents a chance for his side to show their true colours after last weekend’s […]

Puma power is pushing Gloucester to new heights

30 October 2022 0 comments

By TOM BRADSHAW Buzzing: Gloucester hooker Santiago Socino Gloucester’s Puma-powered renaissance is gathering pace, with the hard-working attitude of the club’s Argentina stars predicted to […]

Premiership Friday and Saturday previews: Round 8

28 October 2022 0 comments

Round 8 once again sees only four fixtures, with games that Worcester and Wasps would otherwise have been playing cancelled, but there is still plenty […]

Diamond leading charge to buy Warriors

27 October 2022 0 comments

Steve Diamond is leading a consortium interested in taking Worcester Warriors out of administration and back into the Premiership within four years. The consortium, named […]

Centurion Smith sinks Sale

23 October 2022 2 comments

Sale Sharks……13 Tries: James 16 Conversions: Du Preez 16 Penalties: Du Preez 21, 47 Harlequins…..29 Tries: David 11, Smith 38 Conversions: Smith 12, 40 Penalties: […]

Cunningham-South adding to his reputation

23 October 2022 0 comments

London Irish’s conveyor belt of emerging talent continues to operate at full production with forward Chandler Cunningham-South the latest to roll off the assembly line. […]

Goode steps up to seal it for Saracens

23 October 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES Exeter…………………………….20pts Tries: Penalty 38, Vermeulen 71 Conversions: Slade 72 Penalties: Slade 22, 74 Saracens……………………… 22pts Tries: McFarland 24 Conversions: Farrell 25 Penalties: […]

Bath give faithful reason to celebrate

23 October 2022 0 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Bath………………………………. 27pts Tries: Reid 19, Dunn 36, Redpath 66 Conversions: Worboys 20, 37, 67 Penalties: Worboys 65, 73 Northampton…………………14pts Tries: Collins 52, […]

The city bleeds rugby-Graan

23 October 2022 1 comment

BATH’S Director of Rugby Johann van Graan was delighted with the result. He said: “I’m pretty ecstatic for the team, that’s the culmination of 15 […]

Hastings’ monster drop goal swings it

23 October 2022 1 comment

By BEN JAYCOCK London Irish…………………. 21pts Tries: Creevy 2, Loader 26 Conversions: Jackson 4 Penalties: Jackson 15, 34, 49 Gloucester…………………… 22pts Tries: Socino 21, 53; […]

Kidney: It’s up to Eddie if he still takes Arundell to Jersey

23 October 2022 1 comment

LONDON Irish DoR Declan Kidney was disappointed to lose by such a fine margin. “You look how little the drop-goal went over the crossbar and […]

Sanderson sets sights on pina colada time

23 October 2022 1 comment

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW… Sale Sharks v Harlequins Today. Kick-off 3pm, AJ Bell Stadium With games against Saracens and Gloucester followed by a bye week […]

Veteran Care keen to extend his time at Harlequins

23 October 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES HARLEQUINS are to hold talks with Danny Care about extending his career at the club which started 16 years ago. Scrum-half Care, […]

Premiership Cup round-up: Falcons end long wait with dramatic late winner

20 October 2022 0 comments

Louie Johnson’s late conversion earned a first away victory in the Premiership Cup for Newcastle Falcons since February 2019 as they won a thriller at […]

Wasps administration confirmed as players made redundant

17 October 2022 0 comments

Wasps‘ widely-expected administration has now been confirmed and their players made redundant. A statement read: “Wasps Holdings Limited (the “Company”) was placed into Administration on […]

Reffell shines as Tigers roar at the Stoop

16 October 2022 0 comments

Harlequins…….19pts Tries: Murley 68, 79; Care 80+2 Conversions: Smith 69, 80+3 Leicester Tigers..27pts Tries: Reffell 8, 53; Montoya 33, Watson 76 Conversions: Burns 34, 77 […]

Wasps to explore merger with Irish

16 October 2022 1 comment

EXCLUSIVE By NEIL FISSLER Wasps could be set to leave Coventry and make a return to their traditional home in London as part of a […]

Launchbury set to join Quins

16 October 2022 2 comments

Harlequins are understood to have come to the rescue of Wasps and England lock Joe Launchbury. Launchbury, 31, is one of a number of internationals […]

Nadolo keen to make a lasting impression

16 October 2022 1 comment

By JON NEWCOMBE As well as scoring tries, scaring the living daylights out of opponents and winning a Premiership title, powerhouse wing Nemani Nadolo has […]

Lam: I’ve not yet been able to pick my strongest XV

16 October 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES Bristol have three of the most exciting backs in the Premiership in Charles Piutau, Semi Radradra and Siva Naulago, but they have […]

Lawrence on a mission to make most of life at Bath

16 October 2022 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Having gone through “a rollercoaster of emotions”, Ollie Lawrence is determined to make the best of his good fortune after landing a […]

Schoeman happy to be back and set to inject some flair into the Falcons

16 October 2022 0 comments

By TOM BRADSHAW Fit-again fly-half Tian Schoeman is ready to get the Falcons flying high as he brings a self-confessed streak of “risk and flair” […]

Sharks keen to lure more fans after good start

16 October 2022 1 comment

By PAUL REES Sale are looking at ways of filling the AJ Bell Stadium to capitalise on a strong start to the season which took […]

Late Hastings penalty swings derby thriller

16 October 2022 3 comments

By PAUL REES Gloucester ……..31pts Tries: Reid 11, Ruskin 31, 58; Clarke 39 Conversions: Hastings 12, 32, 40, 59 Penalties: Hastings 77 Bristol …………….28pts Tries: […]

Sinckler back to his best – Lam

16 October 2022 0 comments

Pat Lam expects Kyle Sinckler to be named in the England squad tomorrow after the prop went on the rampage at Kingsholm. Sinckler, who missed […]

Lawrence dazzles as Bath show real fight

16 October 2022 0 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Saracens ……….37pts Tries: Goode 2, Malins 41, Daly 51, Lewington 55 Conversions: Farrell 3, 42, 52, 56 Penalties: Farrell 18, 34, 62 […]

McCall: Defence not up to standard

16 October 2022 0 comments

Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall rued his side’s ‘sloppy’ defence. “It’s not a performance we are happy with,” he said. “Bath harassed us really […]

Saints hold on as epic fightback falls short

16 October 2022 2 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD Northampton….32pts Tries: Sleightholme 5, 53; Matavesi 12, Collins 43, Augustus 49 Conversions: Grayson 44, 50 Penalties: Grayson 24 Newcastle………31pts Tries: Penny 32, […]