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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Sanderson: We’ll come back better

9 June 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES It’s all over: Sale fly-half George Ford during last week’s defeat PICTURES: Getty Images Alex Sanderson is an ebullient, upbeat character who […]

New Zealand teams display their strength

9 June 2024 0 comments

Super Rugby Pacific round-up By BEN JAYCOCK New Zealand continued their Trans-Tasman dominance with three of the final four teams participating in next weekend’s Super […]

Johann van Graan: Bath exactly where they should be after years of hard graft

7 June 2024 0 comments

Bath will face Northampton at Twickenham on Saturday after being transformed from Gallagher Premiership no-hopers to title contenders in under two years. South African Johann […]

Courtney Lawes proud of Northampton legacy as he prepares for final game

7 June 2024 0 comments

Courtney Lawes is proud of the one-club legacy he leaves behind at Northampton as he stands one victory away from a fitting end to his […]

Matt Dawson: Scrum-Halves could decide Premiership Final

6 June 2024 0 comments

Matt Dawson believes the battle of the scrum-halves could decide the Premiership Rugby final – and who wears the number nine shirt for England this […]

Twickenham security ‘all over’ any attempted protests at Premiership final

6 June 2024 0 comments

Premiership Rugby has been assured that security at Twickenham is “all over” any potential repeat of last year’s protests when Northampton and Bath meet in […]

Charlie Ewels believes Bath are ready to claim first Gallagher Premiership crown

5 June 2024 0 comments

Charlie Ewels says Bath are “embracing the pressure” ahead of their quest for a first Gallagher Premiership title. Bath and west country rivals Gloucester are […]

Tommy Freeman: Saints taking lessons from Dublin defeat into Premiership final

5 June 2024 0 comments

Northampton have been reflecting on the harsh lessons of their defeat at Croke Park to steel their bid to claim the Gallagher Premiership title on […]

‘Final will be a huge day for the club’

2 June 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Bath are in the Premiership final for the first time since 2015 after overcoming a battling Sale yesterday. They will now meet […]

I want my England shirt back says JVP

2 June 2024 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD The sight of the world’s best scrum-half strutting his stuff at the home of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club last weekend increased the […]

Sanderson warns about selecting Curry too soon

2 June 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Selecting Tom Curry for this summer’s England tour comes with a warning from Sale Sharks boss Alex Sanderson – pick him now […]

Boyd got me back on track – Ludlam

2 June 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Lewis Ludlam left the Franklin’s Gardens turf in a Northampton jersey for perhaps the last time on Friday night, six years after […]

Clarke confident Gloucester can put the bad times behind them

2 June 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Gloucester will have regrets for their disappointing season that saw the Cherry & Whites finish second bottom in the Premiership for a […]

Chessum ‘gutted’ to miss out on England

2 June 2024 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD Ollie Chessum admits he is “gutted” to be missing out on a busy summer with England in the southern hemisphere. However, the […]

Finally! Bath hold nerve to see off Sharks

2 June 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Bath ………………………………. 31pts Tries: Hill 11, Obano 21, Annett 72 Conversions: Russell 22, 73 Penalties: Russell 2, 26, 47, 65 Sale Sharks […]

Van Graan’s attitude just right for us, says Spencer

2 June 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Bath captain Ben Spencer says one of the most impressive things about Johann van Graan is how quickly he got buy-in from […]

Smith has final say for Saints

2 June 2024 0 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Northampton Saints….. 22pts Tries: Odendaal 19 Conversions: Smith 20 Penalties: Smith 28, 31, 40, 62, 70 Saracens ………………………20pts Tries: Lewington 54, Cinti […]

Proud to see so much character, says Dowson

2 June 2024 0 comments

Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson hailed his side’s hunger. He said: “Character is something that’s really hard to define and measure but you saw […]

We’ve just been too inconsistent, admits Farrell

2 June 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Owen Farrell succinctly summed up Saracens’ season in two words before what turned out to be his final match for the club […]

Gloucester put faith in ‘some old heads’

2 June 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES It was typical of Gloucester’s season – make that the last couple – that when they came up against a front five […]

Exeter’s Harris has to retire

2 June 2024 0 comments

Exeter hooker Iestyn Harris has been forced to retire from rugby on medical grounds aged 25. The Welshman, who joined from Cardiff Blues in 2022, […]

Only one full house in ‘greatest season’ finale

2 June 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN Here’s something for the RFU mandarins and Premiership owners who are hell-bent on keeping England’s top league ring-fenced to ponder. The greatest Premiership […]

Time to let Borthwick pick from the best

2 June 2024 0 comments

PAUL REES SAYS THE ENGLAND COACH SHOULD NOT BE LIMITED TO ONLY SELECTING PLAYERS WHO PLAY IN THE PREMIERSHIP England’s preliminary training squad for the […]

Courtney Lawes ready to run ‘blood to water’ one last time at Franklin’s Gardens

30 May 2024 0 comments

Courtney Lawes says he will “treasure forever” his 17 years as a Northampton player as he prepares for an emotional Franklin’s Gardens farewell. Lawes’ final […]

Jack van Poortvliet relishing England return after leaving last camp in tears

30 May 2024 0 comments

Jack van Poortvliet’s last experience of an England camp was being driven out in tears by his mum knowing his World Cup was over before […]

Owen Farrell believes Saracens will rise to challenge of knockout rugby

29 May 2024 0 comments

Owen Farrell insists Saracens are ready to shed the inconsistency that has defined their season as their Gallagher Premiership title defence reaches its moment of […]

Tom Curry set to return for Sale this weekend following ‘car crash’ hip injury

27 May 2024 0 comments

England flanker Tom Curry is poised for a long-awaited return to action for Sale Sharks’ semi-final against Bath on Saturday after being sidelined since the […]

Du Preez keeps it in family for Sale

26 May 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES When Sale signed George Ford two years ago, it seemed that Robert du Preez would have his time on the field rationed […]

McCall confident stunned Saracens will bounce back

26 May 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Saracens have endured a tough campaign on and off the pitch as they head into the playoffs but director of rugby Mark […]

We can beat anyone now says stoked up Matavesi

26 May 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Sam Matavesi knew something had changed when he joined up with Northampton after Fiji’s World Cup quarter-final exit last autumn. “Something seemed […]

Slade delighted to be presented with top award

26 May 2024 0 comments

Exeter and England outside centre Henry Slade has picked up the 2023/24 Premiership Player of the Season award following a standout campaign. Slade bounced back […]

We will have a full deck of cards next season – McKellar

26 May 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Leicester’s dejection at finishing well short of the play-off positions was compounded by the sight of their fierce rivals Northampton sitting at […]

Lam backs Ibitoye for England’s tour

26 May 2024 0 comments

By NICK POWELL Bristol boss Pat Lam says winger Gabriel Ibitoye should be selected for England’s summer tour after he topped the rankings for the […]

Bath and Saints to win – but only just

26 May 2024 0 comments

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK It’s hard to see Northampton changing the way they’ve played all season when they face Saracens in the […]

Try tsunami sends a mixed message

26 May 2024 0 comments

Peter Jackson looks at an increase in points scored but suggests the figures may be hiding a problem for the Premiership. Over the last seven […]

Dugdale’s stepping out of the shadows

26 May 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Sam Dugdale has stepped out of the shadows of the Curry brothers and Sale Sharks boss Alex Sanderson couldn’t be happier for […]

Fantastic four face final tests

26 May 2024 0 comments

PAUL REES LOOKS FORWARD TO THE PREMIERSHIP PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINALS: NORTHAMPTON v SARACENS AND BATH v SALE NORTHAMPTON The Saints finished at the top of the […]

Diamond out to add some steel

26 May 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Even someone without Steve Diamond’s coaching experience would have known that taking over at Newcastle was never going to turn them into […]

You write off Saracens at your peril – Grewcock

26 May 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Danny Grewcock has joined Paul Sackey as the second player to be inducted into the Premiership Rugby Hall of Fame for 2024 […]

Young guns who are shining for the Chiefs

26 May 2024 0 comments

Paul Rees talks to Exeter DoR Rob Baxter to find out how his investment in homegrown talent is paying off at 9 and 10 Exeter […]

Playing for Tigers a privilege, says Scott

26 May 2024 0 comments

By MARK STEVENS Matt Scott says it was his ‘privilege’ to pull on the Leicester Tigers jersey after playing his final game for the club […]

Poor defence cost us, admits Wilson

26 May 2024 0 comments

By NICK POWELL Harlequins head coach Danny Wilson has admitted poor defence cost them a place in the play-offs after a disappointing end to the […]

Cloete & Van Velze to retire at end of season

26 May 2024 0 comments

Bath’s South African forwards GJ van Velze and Chris Cloete will retire from rugby at the end of the season. Van Velze, 36, has made […]

Jennings looking for new challenge

26 May 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Still only 28, Rory Jennings is seeking the seventh full-time contract of his nomadic career after being released by Newcastle. By his […]

Young gun Baxter headlines Premiership Team of the Season

23 May 2024 0 comments

By Ben Jaycock Tyro Harlequins prop Fin Baxter is the headline selection in Premiership Rugby‘s 2023/24 team of the season which has a strong Northampton […]

Slade awarded Premiership Player of the Season

22 May 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Exeter Chiefs and England star Henry Slade has picked up the 2023/24 Premiership Rugby Player of the Season award following a standout […]

It’s away day delight as Sharks bite Sarries

19 May 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Saracens ……………………… 10pts Tries: Riccioni 66 Conversions: Farrell 67 Penalties: Farrell 26 Sale ……………………………….20pts Tries: Roebuck 23, R du Preez 51 Conversions: […]

Sarries to hit road as Sale upset their plans

19 May 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Sale and Bath joined Northampton and Saracens in the Premiership play-offs after a final round yesterday full of twists and shocks. Sale […]

Big Ben strikes at right time for Sale

19 May 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Ben Curry is often referred to as the twin brother of Tom, the 50-cap England flanker who has missed the entire season […]

Danny hails departing ‘Quins legend’ Collier

19 May 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Harlequins’ household names are nearing the end of their careers but scrum-half Danny Care believes their new coaching team has built a […]

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