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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Worcester Warriors forward Matt Garvey retires

9 May 2022 0 comments

Worcester Warriors forward Matt Garvey has retired from rugby as a player. The 34-year-old former London Irish, Bath and Gloucester joined Worcester on a one-season […]

Harlequins sign South African second row Irné Herbst from Benetton

5 May 2022 0 comments

Harlequins have signed South African second row Irné Herbst from United Rugby Championship outfit Benetton. After spending five-years in Italy at Benetton, the 29-year-old will […]

Sale Sharks centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg

Van Rensburg trades Sharks

4 May 2022 1 comment

Springbok centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg will be heading back to South Africa as he signs for URC side the Sharks. The 27-year-old, who has […]

Max Ojomoh feels Bath will reap rewards of home-grown policy

3 May 2022 0 comments

Bath centre Max Ojomoh feels that Bath will reap the long-term rewards of having a squad made up 50% home-grown players. Speaking to The Rugby […]

London Irish come from 25 points down to earn draw with Wasps

1 May 2022 1 comment

London Irish (14) 42Tries: Rowe, Parton, Pearson, Arundel, Hassell-Collins, Penalty Cons: Jackson 5Wasps (24) 42Tries: Oghre, Hougaard 2, Atkinson, Kibirige Cons: Gopperth 4 Pens: Gopperth […]

Banahan urges Bath to bridge the divide

1 May 2022 0 comments

By TOM BRADSHAW BATH legend Matt Banahan says the club must urgently return to its city roots to stop an “us and them” dynamic which […]

Ashton hat-trick puts him at top of the tree

1 May 2022 0 comments

By ROB WILDMAN Leicester ……….56pts Tries: Ashton 4, 22, 27, B Youngs 36, Moroni 43, Steward 57, Wiese 67, Potter 74 Conversions: Ford 15, 27, […]

Chris Ashton: ‘Now I want to make it to 100’

1 May 2022 1 comment

CHRIS Ashton said he was relieved to set the Premiership’s try scoring record. His hat-trick took him on to 95 – three ahead of Leicester’s […]

Rampant Gloucester humiliate sorry Bath

1 May 2022 1 comment

By PAUL REES Gloucester……..64pts Tries: Harris 12, Rees-Zammit 30, 35; Carreras 40, Morgan 41, Atkinson 47, Ludlow 59, Meehan 66, Ford-Robinson 75, Alemanno 78 Conversions: […]

We just couldn’t cope -Hatley

1 May 2022 1 comment

NEAL Hatley said he could not explain why Bath suffered one of the most humiliating afternoons in their history. “I do not know what happened,” […]

Malins the master as Saracens march on

1 May 2022 1 comment

By ROGER PANTING Worcester ……..16pts Tries: Howe 78 Conversions: Searle 78 Penalties: Smith 13, 26, 38 Saracens ……….38pts Tries: Malins 4, 41, 56, 71; Earl […]

Diamond: We keep giving easy chances to good teams

1 May 2022 0 comments

WORCESTER boss Steve Diamond accepted that his side were outclassed. “As in previous games, we have managed to hand easy opportunities to good sides,” he […]

Grayson puts Saints in box seat for play-offs

1 May 2022 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Northampton ..32pts Tries: Freeman 5, Ludlam 11, Furbank 25, Waller 37 Conversions: Grayson 6, 12, 38 Penalties: Grayson 58, 77 Harlequins ……..31pts […]

Matson: ‘Tough’ penalty cost us

1 May 2022 0 comments

HARLEQUINS’ senior coach Tabai Matson was disappointed to concede the late penalty that led to Saints snatching victory. “We were lucky to be only nine […]

Sharks take honours in Battle of the North

1 May 2022 0 comments

By ROSS HEPPENSTALL Sale ………………..35pts Tries: Van der Merwe 17, 37; B Curry 43, Hammersley 52, Ashman 67 Conversions: Du Preez 18, 38, 44, 55, […]

‘We can beat Racing in Paris’

1 May 2022 0 comments

ALEX Sanderson insists Sale can go to Paris and beat Racing on Sunday. The odds are stacked against the Sharks as they seek to topple […]

Wasps in the way of Exiles triple bid

1 May 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES PREVIEW… London Irish v Wasps Today. Kick-off 3pm, Brentford Community Stadium LONDON Irish are the only club still fighting on three fronts […]

We’ll have to be at our very best, says Blackett

1 May 2022 0 comments

Coach: Lee Blackett LEE Blackett says every match for the rest of the season is a knock-out one for Wasps who are in contention to […]

Simpson’s try double inspires fightback win

1 May 2022 1 comment

By BEN JAYCOCK Gloucester ……..25pts Tries: Jordan 19, Morris 32, Morgan 70 Conversions: Barton 20, 70 Penalties: Barton 10, 16 Worcester ……..39pts Tries: Howe 11, […]

Rampant Irish put Tigers to slaughter

1 May 2022 0 comments

London Irish ….59 pts Tries: Arundell 14, 45, Tuisue 21, 35, Reid 29, Donnell 38, Stokes 49, Cinti 55, Joseph 79 Conversions: Reid 15, 22, […]

Ace Evans lands last-kick sucker punch

1 May 2022 0 comments

Premiership By HUWS THOMAS Llandovery ……….29 Bridgend …………..30 BRIDGEND upset the Llandovery applecart in style with full-back Cai Evans – son of Ieuan – putting […]

Danny Cipriani announces Bath departure

29 April 2022 0 comments

Bath fly half Danny Cipriani has announced he will be leaving the club at the end of the season and is moving on ‘to experience […]

Exeter defence coach departs

29 April 2022 1 comment

Exeter have confirmed defence coach Julian Salvi has left the club with immediate effect. Director of Rugby, Rob Baxter, said: “I have been looking to […]

Piers Francis signs for Bath

28 April 2022 0 comments

Northampton Saints centre and former England international Piers Francis will join Bath Rugby for the 2022/23 season. The 31-year-old fly-half, who can also play centre, […]

Northampton Saints sign James Raam

28 April 2022 1 comment

Northampton Saints have signed Australian winger James Raam from the Waratahs for next season. Ramm, 23, joins Saints from Super Rugby side New South Wales […]

Matt Symons to retire at the end of the season

27 April 2022 2 comments

Harlequins lock Matt Symons has confirmed he will retire from rugby at the end of the season. The 32-year-old calls time on an 11-year playing […]

Tom Youngs retires from professional rugby

27 April 2022 2 comments

Leicester Tigers star and former England international Tom Youngs has confirmed his retirement from professional rugby with immediate effect. The 35-year-old retires after making 215 […]

Newcastle prop Adam Brocklebank signs two-year contract extension

26 April 2022 1 comment

Prop-forward Adam Brocklebank has signed up for another two seasons with Newcastle Falcons. The 26-year-old loose-head has made 74 appearances for the Kingston Park club, […]

Argentine centre Matias Orlando signs two-year extension at Newcastle Falcons

25 April 2022 1 comment

Argentine centre Matias Orlando has signed a new two-year contract at Newcastle Falcons. Capped 47 times by Los Pumas, the 30-year-old has played 18 games […]

Saracens 38 – 22 Exeter Chiefs: Saracens secure play-off place with strong second-half display against Exeter

24 April 2022 0 comments

Saracens secured a Premiership play-off place after a powerful second-half display secured a bonus-point victory over Exeter at the StoneX Stadium. Exeter led 15-10 at […]

Terrible in the first 60 -Boyd

24 April 2022 0 comments

CHRIS Boyd celebrated his first win at Bath since taking charge at Northampton, but admitted the performance was not good enough to get them a […]

Atkinson’s style puts Wasps on right road

24 April 2022 0 comments

By ROB WILDMAN Wasps …………….41pts Tries: West 4, Bassett 31, Stooke 53, Oghre 63, 79, T Willis 80 Conversions: Gopperth 4, 53, Umaga 63, 80 […]

We’ll be going flat out in every single game, says Blackett

24 April 2022 1 comment

WASPS boss Lee Blackett firmly believes his squad can still claim end-ofseason glory. “We’ve got two competitions and we will be going flat out in […]

Gloucester denied by Fricker’s late double

24 April 2022 0 comments

By TOM BRADSHAW Bristol …………….29pts Tries: Thacker 3, Uren 7, Fricker 68, 79 Conversions: Sheedy 4, 8, 69 Penalties: Sheedy 11 Gloucester ……..28pts Tries: Chapman […]

Bristol deliver on Lam’s call to action

24 April 2022 2 comments

PAT Lam revealed he held a mass club meeting ahead of the derby in order to instill passion in a season where silverware is no […]

Six-try Exiles keep play-off dream alive

24 April 2022 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Newcastle ……..14pts Tries: Robinson 19, Stevenson 40 Conversions: Hodgson 20, 40 London Irish ….42pts Tries: Rowe 16, Tuisue 24, Creevy 29, Hassell-Collins […]

‘Yellow card cost us two scores’

24 April 2022 0 comments

NEWCASTLE d irector of rugby Dean Richards said the firsthalf yellow card changed the game. He said: “They scored twice during the period of the […]

Proving the doubters wrong fuels Vermeulen

24 April 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES PREVIEW… Saracens v Exeter Today. Kick-off 3pm, StoneX Stadium EXETER have played in the last six Premiership finals, but defeat away to […]

Top tackler Earl relishing test against a ‘proper team’

24 April 2022 1 comment

Motivated: Ben Earl BEN Earl says Saracens will be motivated by finishing in the top two and ensuring a home tie in the play-offs against […]

Diamond: There’s no ill-feeling, we do not hold grudges

24 April 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES THE semi-finals of the Premiership Rugby Cup would usually struggle to command attention at a stage of the season when clubs are […]

Esterhuizen powers home to trap Tigers

24 April 2022 0 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Harlequins ……..26pts Tries: Collier 2, Murley 12, Esterhuizen 73 Conversions: Smith 3 Penalties: Smith 34, 66, 80 Leicester ……….20pts Tries: Nadolo 7, […]

Matson: Proud to be in the fight

24 April 2022 1 comment

HARLEQUINS senior coach Tabai Matson was proud of how his side hung in the fight. “We are pleased with that. You know what is coming […]

Haywood swoops to snatch it for Saints

24 April 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES Bath ………………..31pts Tries: Clark 22, Muir 32, Spencer 55, 58 Conversions: Cipriani 23, 33, Spencer 56, 59 Penalties: Cipriani 40 Northampton ..36pts […]

Ealing withdraw Premiership appeal

22 April 2022 1 comment

Ealing Trailfinders have withdrawn their appeal of the RFU‘s decision to not grant them promotion to the Gallagher Premiership. The RFU denied this season’s Championship […]

Beno Obano’s latest documentary – “Prep To Win: Harlequins”

22 April 2022 0 comments

Ahead of his latest Amazon Prime documentary “Prep To Win: Harlequins”, Beno Obano believes it is crucial content around the sport is made in order […]

Newcastle Falcons v London Irish: Philip van der Walt returns for Falcons

21 April 2022 0 comments

Philip van der Walt returns from injury as Newcastle Falcons make six changes for Friday’s visit of London Irish in the Premiership. This week, Falcon […]

Bristol Bears v Gloucester: Bears make six changes to starting XV

21 April 2022 0 comments

Steven Luatua returns to captain the Bristol Bears in Friday night’s West Country derby clash with Gloucester. Gloucester coach George Skivington has named an unchanged […]

Bristol dealt crucial blow as star centre faces surgery

20 April 2022 1 comment

Bristol Bears superstar Semi Radradra’s season is over after Pat Lam confirmed the Fijian will have an operation on his knee this week. The centre […]

Dean Richards steps down as DOR of Newcastle

19 April 2022 0 comments

Newcastle director of rugby Dean Richards is negotiating an alternative role at the club following reports he is stepping down from his current position. Richards […]