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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Woodburn relishing challenge of unfamiliar territory

27 February 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES Motivated: Woodburn OLLY Woodburn is intent on making up for lost time after missing 24 matches because of a bulging disc in […]

Wing wizard Harry hungry for long spell of success

27 February 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES HARRY Potter has lived with remarks about his moniker all his life, but the wing is intent on making a name for […]

Black and Ambers hold off Steelmen’s rally

27 February 2022 0 comments

Premiership By STEFFAN THOMAS Ebbw Vale……………22 Newport……………….29 NEWPORT held off a late rally from Ebbw Vale to solidify their place at the top of the […]

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, […]

Dean Richards handed three week match-day ban for media comments

24 February 2022 0 comments

Newcastle Falcons Director of Rugby Dean Richards has been banned from any match-day involvement for three weeks following his comments in Sunday’s post match interview […]

Kiran McDonald to join Wasps at the end of the season from Glasgow Warriors

23 February 2022 0 comments

Scottish lock Kiran McDonald will join Wasps at the end of the season from Glasgow Warriors. The 6ft 8in lock was this week called up […]

Italy scrum-half Callum Braley signs for Northampton Saints

23 February 2022 0 comments

Italian scrum-half Callum Braley has signed for Northampton Saints ahead of the 2022/23 season after making the switch from Italian side Benetton. Bristol-born Braley has […]

Former England and Saracens lock George Kruis retires from rugby

22 February 2022 0 comments

Former Saracens and England forward George Kruis has announced his retirement from all rugby on his 32nd birthday to concentrate on his business commitments. Kruis […]

Exeter snatch victory over 14-man Newcastle Falcons

20 February 2022 0 comments

Newcastle (7) 14Tries: Haydon-Wood, McGuigan Cons: Haydon-Wood 2Exeter (7) 15Tries: Schickerling, Innard Con: J Simmonds Pens: J Simmonds A late Joe Simmonds penalty with four […]

Falcons chase rare double over out-of-sorts Chiefs

20 February 2022 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW… Newcastle v Exeter Today. Kick-off 3pm, Kingston Park WITH Champions Cup qualification and the play-offs beyond them and no relegation to […]

Capstick still confident Exeter will make the playoffs

20 February 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES Force: Richard Capstick BRITAIN may have been battered by storms last week, but even though Kingston Park has a reputation of being […]

Drovers hold off Merthyr in thriller

20 February 2022 0 comments

Premiership By HUW S THOMAS Merthyr………………..36 Llandovery………….43 AN 11-try thriller went Llandovery’s way, but they had to withstand a fine Merthyr second-half comeback to prevail. […]

Black and Ambers run riot over Ponty

20 February 2022 0 comments

Premiership By STEFFAN THOMAS Newport……………….36 Pontypridd……………. 7 NEWPORT maintained their unbeaten start to the season as they thrashed Pontypridd on Thursday night. The Black and […]

Tigers keep it tight to curb Bath spirit

20 February 2022 1 comment

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Bath ………………..20pts Tries: Muir 9, Ojomoh 29, Bayliss 31 Conversions: Bailey 29 Penalties: Bailey 22 Leicester ……….24pts Tries: Wiese 6, Wrigglesworth 12, […]

Leicester Tigers head coach Steve Borthwick

‘Players came up with the answers’

20 February 2022 0 comments

LEICESTER head coach Steve Borthwick praised his side for finding solutions in the second half. “We started the game really well and then there was […]

Jackson’s final kick snatches it for Irish

20 February 2022 1 comment

By GARY FITZGERALD London Irish ….32pts Tries: van Rensburg 3, 24, Coleman 41, Hassell-Collins 64 Conversions: Jackson 25, 42, 65 Penalties: Jackson 59, 80 Saracens […]

Vunipola boys on top form – Shaw

20 February 2022 0 comments

JOE Shaw praised the Vunipola brothers even though the discarded England pair could not get their side over the line against Irish at Brentford Community […]

Harlequins happy to be back in the swing

20 February 2022 0 comments

By MATT WRIGHT Harlequins ……..29pts Tries: Beard 3, Jones 31, Murley 44, Esterhuizen 46, Lynagh 64 Conversions: Edwards 31, 44 Wasps …………….24pts Tries: T Willis […]

Blackett delight as Willis return gives Wasps extra edge

20 February 2022 1 comment

A PAIR of England internationals were at the forefront of the action of Harlequins’ victory over Wasps, with Jack Willis’ return drawing one of the […]

Sharks move up as Saints miss chance

20 February 2022 0 comments

By ROB WILDMAN Northampton….21pts Tries: Augustus 6, Coles 36, Mitchell 42 Conversions: Furbank 7, 36, 45 Sale ………………..22pts Tries: Reed 3, James 14, Van Rensburg […]

Northampton Saints director of rugby Chris Boyd

Furbank right to go for it – Boyd

20 February 2022 0 comments

NORTHAMPTON boss Chris Boyd backed his team’s decision to kick that last-minute penalty. “They discussed it and George Furbank, in particular, was confident he could […]

Vailanu try clinches morale-boosting win

20 February 2022 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Worcester ……..19pts Tries: van der Merwe 5, Beck 19, Vailanu 45 Conversions: Smith 5, 19 Bristol …………….14pts Tries: Luatua 26, Lahiff 29 […]

Diamond: My lads showed real guts

20 February 2022 1 comment

IT was a first win for Worcester’s new director of rugby, Steve Diamond, who believed his side’s determination was the key factor in their victory. […]

Sale sign Dom Barrow after impressive trial

18 February 2022 25 comments

Sale Sharks have signed the former Leicester Tigers and Newcastle lock Dominic Barrow after a successful trial period. Barrow had retired from rugby in 2020 […]

Putting Premiership rugby on free to air TV is massive, says Harlequins wing Cadan Murley

17 February 2022 1 comment

The move to put Gallagher Premiership rugby on ITV was “massive” for the game as a whole, said Harlequins wing Cadan Murley on The Rugby […]

Saracens announce £32M takeover by consortium of investors

16 February 2022 1 comment

Saracens have announced a that the £32m takeover by a consortium Kimono House Ltd has been completed. The takeover was announced in October, but has […]

Premiership launches PRTV streaming service

16 February 2022 0 comments

THE PREMIERSHIP have announced the launch of a new streaming service that allows supporters to watch all Gallagher Premiership rugby matches not broadcast on ITV […]

Harlequins coaching trio sign permanent and dateless contracts

16 February 2022 2 comments

Harlequins have rewarded three coaches who helped inspire them to win last seasons Premiership title as Nick Evans, Adam Jones and Jerry Flannery all sign […]

Bath’s westcountry duo Orlando Bailey and Max Ojomoh sign new contracts

15 February 2022 1 comment

Homegrown Bath Rugby duo Orlando Bailey and Max Ojomoh have signed two-year extensions with the Blue, Black and Whites. The pair, who have both risen […]

Mark Wilson: Newcastle Falcons and England forward retires with immediate effect

14 February 2022 22 comments

Newcastle Falcons and England international Mark Wilson has retired from rugby with immediate effect. The 32-year-old Newcastle skipper and back-row forward won 23 caps and […]

Lam in SOS for cover at No.9

13 February 2022 1 comment

PAT LAM says Bristol have begun an urgent search for scrum-half cover after third-choice nine Tom Whiteley went off injured. “It looks like a hamstring […]

Archie relishing his chance to fill big boots of Dombrandt

13 February 2022 1 comment

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW… Saracens v Harlequins AFTER back-to-back defeats, Archie White insists defending Premiership champions Harlequins have the necessary depth in their squad to […]

Shaw: Lozowski has huge appetite to get better

13 February 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES Hunger: Alex Lozowski SARACENS have become used to this stage of the season when they have to cope without international players and, […]

Quins duo could be so deadly says Eddie

13 February 2022 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD EDDIE Jones is banking on that special Harlequins factor to help England “light up Rome” and revive his side’s Six Nations title […]

Wigglesworth’s age no concern for Borthwick

13 February 2022 1 comment

By PAUL REES RICHARD Wigglesworth will be on course to become only the second player to feature in the Premiership after turning 40 if he […]

Innard and Armand put Chiefs on track

13 February 2022 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Exeter …………….24pts Tries: Innard 26, Schickerling 49, Woodburn 65, O’Flaherty 75 Conversions: Simmonds 49, 65 Gloucester ……..15pts Tries: Clarke 7, Carreras 70, […]

‘Players need to be smarter’

13 February 2022 0 comments

GLOUCESTER head coach George Skivington was disappointed with his side’s performance as they struggled for possession and territory. “It’s a fair result as Exeter were […]

Barbeary’s time must come says Blackett

13 February 2022 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD Wasps …………….41pts Tries: Miller 2, Alo 21, Stooke 38, Odogwu 68 70; Barbeary 74, 80 Conversions: Gopperth 22, 69, 80 Bath ………………..24pts […]

Hatley: Red card proved decisive

13 February 2022 0 comments

NEAL Hatley remained tight-lipped about Semesa Rokoduguni’s dismissal which proved so costly for Bath. The Bath coach, whose side have two Premiership wins from 15 […]

Returning Sharks too strong for Warriors

13 February 2022 0 comments

By NATHAN EDWARDS Sale ………………..36pts Tries: James 2, Reed 21 60, Tuilagi 46, Langdon 56, Van Rensburg 68 Conversions: MacGinty 46, 61, 69 Worcester ……..12pts […]

Bench beat us, admits Diamond

13 February 2022 1 comment

STEVE Diamond’s return to the AJ Bell Stadium ended in defeat after his old side utilised their strong bench to take charge in the second […]

Cramp-free Burns runs riot in front of full house

13 February 2022 1 comment

By ROB WILDMAN Leicester ……….35pts Tries: Nadolo 13, 22; Montoya 31, Hegarty 58 Conversions: Burns 14, 23, 59 Penalties: 17, 43, 65 Northampton ..20pts Tries: […]

I was just glad to get on the pitch says six-club Ashton

13 February 2022 0 comments

CHRIS Ashton confessed he was just “grateful to be here” after his Leicester debut. The 34-year-old, who has now played for six Premiership clubs, made […]

A mauling for Bears as Irish put on style

13 February 2022 0 comments

By TOM BRADSHAW Bristol …………….32pts Tries: Whiteley 16, Naulago 32, Strang 77, Challenger 79, Kerr 80 Conversions: Whiteley 33, Eden 80 Penalties: Whiteley 3 London […]

Chris Ashton joins Leicester Tigers on short-term contract

10 February 2022 0 comments

Leicester Tigers have signed dual-international Chris Ashton on a short-term contract. The 34-year-old joins Tigers from Worcester Warriors having previously represented fellow Gallagher Premiership […]

Quins must sharpen up to avoid Sharks bloodbath

6 February 2022 2 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD Versatile: Oscar Beard JERRY Flannery has warned his players to sort out their discipline or risk getting “pumped” by Sale. The straight-talking […]