Premiership

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

Jones lets Wizards off hook

27 March 2022 0 comments

Premiership Cup By HUW S THOMAS Llandovery ……….23 Aberavon …………..24 LLANDOVERY had beaten Aberavon twice in the Premiership Cup West Conference before Christmas but it […]

Davies fluffs chance to be the hero

27 March 2022 1 comment

Premiership By ANTHONY WILSON Swansea …………..24 Pontypridd ……….25 JAMES Davies had the chance to be the hero for Swansea with a last gasp conversion, but […]

Willi Heinz departs Warriors

22 March 2022 0 comments

Former England international Willi Heinz has been released from his contract with Worcester Warriors and will return to his native New Zealand. Heinz, 35, joined […]

Effervescent young Saints get seven up

20 March 2022 1 comment

By GARY FITZGERALD Saracens ……….35pts Tries: Segun 8, 65; Pifileti 29, Jackson 60, Lewis 73 Conversions: Vunipola 9, 30, 61, 66, 73 Northampton ..46pts Tries: […]

Vukasinovic stars on his return as Wasps sting the reigning champs

20 March 2022 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Sale ………………..26pts Tries: Taylor 22, Langdon 47, Cliff 71, Metcalf 80 Conversions: Wilkinson 23, Curtis 72, 80+1 Wasps …………….41pts Tries: Kibirige 3, […]

Bears bully boys smash record score past Bath

20 March 2022 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Bristol …………….61pts Tries: Lane 3, Bates 10, Byrne 15, Adeolokon 19, 26; Attwood 34, Kloska 61, Eadie 68, O’Conor 76 Conversions: Eden […]

Tait strikes late to deny Tigers a losing bonus

20 March 2022 2 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Newcastle ……..36pts Tries: Earl 22, Kerr 27, Wright 33, Wacokocoke 45, Smith 72, Tait 79 Conversions: Connon 28, 33, 80 Leicester ……….28pts […]

Five-try Exiles claim their third maximum to march into the semi-finals

20 March 2022 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK London Irish ….34pts Tries: Tuisue 9, Willemse 39, Parton 50, Rogerson 62, 78 Conversions: Reid 10, O’Sullivan 40, Atkins 63 Penalties: O’Sullivan […]

Hat-trick hero Max steals win for Chiefs

20 March 2022 1 comment

By MIKE SINCLAIR Exeter …………….31pts Tries: Teague 4, Norey 20, 38, 76; Southworth 67 Conversions: Walsh 4, 20, 67 Worcester ……..29pts Tries: Hearle 15, Howe […]

Leicester stay top but fail to impress

13 March 2022 0 comments

By ROB WILDMAN Leicester ……….47pts Tries: Nadolo 7, 57; Scott 19, Potter 31, Penalty Try 39, Reffell 52, Ashton 70 Conversions: Burns 7, 31, 52, […]

Nadolo: I was inspired by mum

13 March 2022 0 comments

NEMANI Nadolo revealed after his man-of-the-match display that he was inspired by his watching mum over from Australia. It was the first time since Covid […]

High-flying Harlequins charged up for final push before the cavalry returns

13 March 2022 1 comment

By PAUL REES PREVIEW… Bristol Bears v Harlequins Today. Kick-off 3pm, Ashton Gate TABAI Matson is delighted by the way his squad have responded to […]

Sale cling on to keep play-off hopes alive

13 March 2022 1 comment

By SAM JACKSON Sale ………………..26pts Tries: De Klerk 5, MacGinty 25, JP du Preez 39, JL du Preez 44 Conversions: De Klerk 26, 40, 46 […]

Ludlow: We can make top four

13 March 2022 0 comments

LEWIS Ludlow admitted Gloucester missed out on a golden chance to upset Sharks at the AJ Bell Stadium but looked on the bright side as […]

Falcons thwarted by Goode’s masterclass

13 March 2022 1 comment

By LUKE JARMYN Newcastle ……..21pts Tries: McGuigan 4, 53 Conversions: Haydon-Wood 5 Penalties: Haydon-Wood 18, 22, 28 Saracens ……….36pts Tries: Woolstencroft 14, Penalty Try 25, […]

We failed to get to next level -Walder

13 March 2022 0 comments

NEWCASTLE coach Dave Walder admitted they were their the makers of their own downfall. Walder said: “We made life hard for ourselves, they put the […]

Saints aim to buck the trend and make up for their Gloucester nightmare

13 March 2022 1 comment

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW… Northampton v Wasps Today. Kick-off 3pm, Franklin’s Gardens HAVING lost sleep in the wake of last week’s dispiriting 35-30 loss against […]

Hearle’s the hero as Warriors stun Chiefs

13 March 2022 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Worcester ……..35pts Tries: Hearle 17, 34, 68, Heward 46, Doel 65 Conversions: Smith 17,34, 46, 65, 68 Exeter …………….31pts Tries: Grondona 26, […]

Baxter: We made simple mistakes

13 March 2022 0 comments

EXETER’S director of rugby, Rob Baxter, accepted that the red card was crucial but his side still had their chances to win. “Quite often you […]

Former Springbok scrum-half Louis Schreder joins Bath

8 March 2022 0 comments

Former Springbok scrum-half Louis Schreude will join Bath Rugby at the start of next season. The current Newcastle Falcons scrum-half will move south to join […]

Exeter Chiefs boost play-off chances with victory over Sale Sharks

6 March 2022 0 comments

Exeter Chiefs….19 Sale Sharks…..12 Exeter Chiefs continued their play off push as Jacques Vermeulen scored two tries on his return from injury as Exeter hung […]

Saracens triumph in battle of the top dogs

6 March 2022 0 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Saracens ……….34pts Tries: Woolstencroft 21, 78, Lewington 31, Maitland 37, Koch 43 Conversions: Lozowski 23, 31, 44 Penalties: Lozowski 32 Leicester ……….27pts […]

McCall enjoys happy return

6 March 2022 0 comments

SARACENS director of rugby Mark McCall, returning from his break, was impressed by side’s desire. “The level of fight and desire was incredible and earnt […]

Bath look to Faletau as Bears lose plot

6 March 2022 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD Bath ………………..29pts Tries: Rokoduguni 37, Joseph 42, Faletau 46, Cokanasiga 71, De Glanville 80 Conversions: Cipriani 43, 47 Bristol …………….27pts Tries: Thacker […]

Another red puts pressure on Lam

6 March 2022 0 comments

PAT Lam choked back the bitter disappointment of a dramatic late derby defeat having endured the sight of wing Siva Naulago’s second red card in […]

Rees-Zammit extends the misery for Saints

6 March 2022 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Gloucester ……..35pts Tries: Elrington 3, Seabrook 37, Rees-Zammit 63, Penalty Try 67, Socino 76 Conversions: Hastings 3, 37, 53, 75 Northampton ..30pts […]

‘Play-off places too close to call’

6 March 2022 2 comments

GLOUCESTER’S head coach, George Skivington, believed the securing of an end of season play-off spot was too close to call. “There’s a whole group in […]

Quins ride out double yellow for bonus win

6 March 2022 2 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Harlequins……..24pts Tries: Jones 4, Murley 27, 67, Lynagh 31 Conversions: Allan 5, 32 Newcastle ……..10pts Tries: Marshall 38 Conversions: Haydon-Wood 39 Penalties: […]

Falcons rue their failure to execute

6 March 2022 1 comment

HARLEQUINS head coach Tabai Matson said his side rode their luck at times, particularly when they went down to 13 men. Matson said: “Before the […]

Sale aim to stretch unbeaten run to six with rapid winger Reed in red-hot form

6 March 2022 1 comment

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW… Exeter Chiefs v Sale Sharks Today. Kick-off 3pm, Sandy Park ALEX SANDERSON is revelling in the form of rapid young winger […]

Kidney keeps cool as Exiles go fourth

6 March 2022 0 comments

By MATTHEW BALDWIN London Irish ….43pts Tries: Creevy 10, 42; Cinti 27, Gonzalez 37, Rona 49, Jackson 56, White 72 Conversions: Jackson 37, 42, 49, […]

Red card not to blame – Diamond

6 March 2022 0 comments

STEVE Diamond says Duhan van der Merwe’s red card was harsh but refused to blame referee Jack Makepeace for their heavy defeat. The Scotland wing […]

Beetham steers Cardiff to top of the table

6 March 2022 1 comment

Premiership By ALEX JONES Cardiff…………..41 Aberavon ……..28 JACOB Beetham warmed up for his trip to South Africa with the Cardiff regional side by scoring 26 […]

Carmarthen move into the play-off places

6 March 2022 1 comment

Premiership By ADAM PETERS Carmarthen ……..22 Bridgend …………..17 KALLUM Evans struck twice to move Carmarthen Quins up into the play-off places. The speedy Quins wing […]

Innovative Stuckey secures late win

6 March 2022 1 comment

Premiership By JOHN WILLIAMS Pontypridd ……….19 Merthyr …………….17 DALE Stuckey’s quick thinking created a crucial try for Pontypridd and then his goalkicking skills secured a […]

Steelmen run out of steam in second-half

6 March 2022 1 comment

Premiership By DAVID JOHN RGC ……………………27 Ebbw Vale …………11 EBBW Vale ran out of luck in the second half after leading at the break and […]

Bath v Bristol preview: Win critical for both teams in West Country derby

4 March 2022 0 comments

Bath and Bristol face off in a West Country derby absolutely critical to both sides as they attempt to continue the re-building of their seasons […]

Joe Marler starts for Harlequins as they host Newcastle Falcons on Friday night

3 March 2022 0 comments

Joe Marler returns to Harlequins starting XV as they look to earn a third-straight Premiership win as they host struggling Newcastle Falcons on Friday. GLOUCESTER, […]

Premiership hopefuls dealt huge blow to promotion plans

1 March 2022 0 comments

Premiership promotion hopefuls Doncaster Knights and Ealing Trailfinders have not met the minimum standards criteria for promotion to the top flight. The RFU Council agreed […]

Australia lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto signs for Northampton Saints

1 March 2022 0 comments

Northampton Saints have signed Australian international lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto ahead of the 2022/23 season. The 6’6” second row – who clocks in at 116kgs and […]

Gloucester stalwart Charlie Sharples retires with immediate effect

28 February 2022 0 comments

Gloucester‘s stalwart winger Charlie Sharples will retire from professional rugby with immediate effect. Initially planning on retiring at the end of the season, a shoulder […]

Northampton Saints re-sign prop Ethan Waller

28 February 2022 0 comments

Northampton Saints have re-signed loosehead prop Ethan Waller. The 29-year-old moves back to cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens from Worcester Warriors, where he has spent […]

Burns in charge as Leicester march on

27 February 2022 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Leicester ……….35pts Tries: Van Poortvliet 14, Wiese 22, Liebenberg 51, Porter 74 Conversions: Burns 14, 22, 51 Penalties: Burns 54, 65, 78 […]

We need to learn some serious lessons, says Skivington

27 February 2022 2 comments

GLOUCESTER head coach George Skivington believed his side needed to learn some serious lessons. “It’s very disappointing and the boys are gutted but it shows […]

Big Joe’s late show gives Bath a boost

27 February 2022 0 comments

By MIKE SINCLAIR Newcastle ……..25pts Tries: McGuigan 5, Collett 28, Peterson 61 Conversions: Haydon-Wood 28, 61 Penalties: Haydon-Wood 17, 38 Bath ………………..30pts Tries: Richards 22, […]

We gave ball away too often -Walder

27 February 2022 1 comment

WITH Newcastle’s rugby director starting a threematch ban for criticising last weekend’s referee, the only Dean Richards on duty at Kingston Park was his touch […]

Honours even as Jackson fires wide

27 February 2022 1 comment

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Sale ………………..27pts Tries: D du Preez 38, 55; JL du Preez 44, Reed 60 Conversions: MacGinty 45, 56 Penalties: MacGinty 41 London […]

Kiss rues costly lapses in discipline

27 February 2022 0 comments

LONDON Irish head coach Les Kiss had mixed emotions after missing out on the win. He said: “They’ve got an imposing home record so to […]

Quins ride out Care yellow to sneak win

27 February 2022 1 comment

By ROGER PANTING Worcester ……..21pts Tries: Heward 18, Vailanu 39, Atkinson 78 Conversions: Smith 18, 39; Searle 78 Harlequins ……..29pts Tries: Green 24, Care 35, […]