Premiership

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

My only regret is not hitting the 200 club, says Ross Batty

6 June 2021 0 comments

PAUL REES talks to Bath’s Ross Batty who announced his retirement this week Ross Batty will on Saturday bid an emotional farewell to Bath supporters […]

High-tempo Quins’ better fit for Luke Wallace than Tigers

6 June 2021 0 comments

LUKE Wallace rejoined Harlequins from Leicester last week and reckons the mood at the Stoop hints at a return to the glory days for […]

Eddie wants extra Currys to keep England on the boil

6 June 2021 0 comments

EDDIE Jones has already marked the card of his young guns telling them to gain inspiration from Tom Curry as their journey to the 2023 […]

Tom Wood commits to Northampton Saints

4 June 2021 1 comment

The 50-cap England flanker agrees extension to remain at Franklin’s Gardens beyond the current Premiership season

Where Henry Thomas will be playing next season after Bath confirm prop’s exit

4 June 2021 0 comments

The tighthead will be leaving his boyhood club this summer to move to France, TRP understands

Manu Tuilagi withdrawn from Sale Sharks squad due to Covid-19 protocols

4 June 2021 1 comment

Manu Tuilagi will not be featuring for Sale Sharks against Harlequins this evening after he was deemed to be close contact of a Sale Sharks […]

Alex Sanderson fans the flames ahead of clash with ‘ungracious’ Harlequins

4 June 2021 1 comment

Sale Sharks boss harbours some ill-feeling over Harlequins’ celebrations from 24-12 win at the Stoop back in February

Exeter Chiefs confirm signing of Connacht centre Sean O’Brien

3 June 2021 1 comment

As revealed in The Rugby Paper last weekend, the reigning Premiership champions have signed the former Ireland U20 international

Lam: Big names aren’t guaranteed their place

3 June 2021 0 comments

No guarantees await the squad who have taken Bristol to the top of the Premiership, says Pat Lam

Paolo Odogwu out of England’s summer with serious knee injury

2 June 2021 0 comments

‘Heart-breaking’ news for the Wasps centre, who follows Joe Launchbury and Jack Willis in suffering a knee ligament injury this year

Mateo Carreras signs new contract with Newcastle

2 June 2021 2 comments

A one-year extension for the Argentine wing, who follows Mark Tampin and Connor Collett in agreeing new deals this week

Covid-19 outbreak casts cloud over Gloucester’s season run-in

1 June 2021 0 comments

The Premiership match between Gloucester and Bath this weekend has been cancelled after a number of Covid-19 cases were detected at the Cherry and Whites

‘I’m totally at peace’ – Bath hooker Ross Batty to retire

1 June 2021 1 comment

“His decision to retire has not been easy, however as part of being a seasoned professional he has earned the respect of his teammates and coaches” – Stuart Hooper

‘Fat kid’ Alex Waller brings up his 300 for Saints

30 May 2021 1 comment

Plenty more to come from the Northampton Saints 300-match man

Evans: Home-grown talent will be crucial next season for Harlequins

30 May 2021 0 comments

Harlequins attack coach Nick Evans believes the club are returning to their ways of bringing through great talent to the first team

Jack Maunder hopes to take Chiefs form onto Test stage

30 May 2021 0 comments

The Exeter Chiefs scrum-half toured Argentina with England back in 2017, and is looking for a return to the Test stage this summer

Manu proves it’s collision not evasion that counts | Chris Hewett

30 May 2021 0 comments

THE most depressing comment of last week came from Alex Sanderson, which was counterintuitive, since the Sale director of rugby is one of the more […]

Ring-fence move must be rejected says Baron

30 May 2021 0 comments

Former RFU chief executive Francis Baron believes ring-fencing would set Premiership Rugby down a negative commercial trend

Harlequins 44-33 Bath: Quins secure play-off spot in ten-try thriller

30 May 2021 0 comments

Harlequins reach the Premiership play-offs for the first time in seven years

Northampton 30-25 Wasps: Blackett blasts ref for Biggar ‘escape’

30 May 2021 0 comments

Could the Lions fly-half be cited for a hit on Wasps No.10 Jacob Umaga?

Sale 22-12 Bristol: And that’s just the start says Sanderson!

30 May 2021 0 comments

Sale Sharks guarantee their place in the Premiership play-offs with victory over leaders Bristol Bears

David Ribbans hopes to have impressed the watching Eddie

30 May 2021 1 comment

Eddie Jones was in attendance at Franklin’s Gardens to watch Ribbans put in a shift for Saints to beat Wasps

Worcester 17-18 Leicester: Explosive Genge puts Lions dismay in past

30 May 2021 1 comment

Roger Panting reports from Sixways as Leicester Tigers come from behind to beat Worcester Warriors

Gloucester 30-28 London Irish: Twelvetrees sees his extra work pay off

30 May 2021 0 comments

Billy Twelvetrees held his nerve to give Gloucester the win with a last-minute penalty at Kingsholm

Kidney: Last kick losses are so tough to take

30 May 2021 0 comments

Declan Kidney and George Skivington offer their thoughts on a dramatic conclusion to Friday night’s clash between London Irish and Gloucester

Preview: Falcons aim to put brake on Sam’s try scoring run

30 May 2021 0 comments

What does Dean Richards think of Sam Simmonds’ try-scoring feats in the Premiership this season?

Shaun Adendorff ready to leave Northampton Saints

30 May 2021 0 comments

The Saints No.8, a summer arrival in 2020, is set to move to a Pro D2 club in France

Exeter Chiefs sign highly-rated centre from Connacht

30 May 2021 1 comment

EXETER Chiefs have completed the signing of Ireland U20 outside centre Sean O’Brien who has agreed to a two-year deal. O’Brien, in his third season […]

Alan Solomons expects to be leaving Worcester on a high

30 May 2021 1 comment

Worcester director of rugby Alan Solomons tells PAUL REES why next season will be his last at Warriors Alan Solomons is 70 going on 20. […]

Prop duo join Bath

29 May 2021 0 comments

BATH have added two tightheads props to their squad for next season by signing D’Arcy Rae from Glasgow Warriors and Johannes Jonker from Ealing Trailfinders. […]

Henry Slade issues statement in response to vaccine story

28 May 2021 1 comment

The England and Exeter Chiefs centre has come under fire for saying he would be avoiding Covid-19 vaccines until he could make an informed decision

Manu Tuilagi to return to action this weekend for Sale Sharks

27 May 2021 89 comments

The England centre has been out for eight months after suffering an achilles injury last October

Mike Brown loses appeal against six-week ban for stamping

27 May 2021 0 comments

Brown has played his last game for Harlequins after his six-week ban was upheld at an appeal hearing on Wednesday evening

Reuben Bird-Tulloch finds new club after being among quartet to leave Saints

26 May 2021 1 comment

Tommy Mathews, Ryan Olowofela and Tui Uru will also depart Northampton Saints this summer

Stuart Hooper addresses when Danny Cipriani will make his Bath debut

26 May 2021 3 comments

Bath fly-half Cipriani will not feature for the club in this season’s run-in

Chris Boyd brings out the best in his English coaches

26 May 2021 2 comments

CHRIS Boyd is doing his bit for the future of English coaching according to one of his protégés at Northampton Saints. The New Zealander, […]

Injured Cameron Redpath out until 2022 for Bath and Scotland

25 May 2021 1 comment

Scans have determined Redpath ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament against Sale Sharks earlier this month

Academy product Charlie Atkinson signs new contract at Wasps

25 May 2021 0 comments

Wasps have promoted 19-year-old Atkinson to the senior squad

Alex Cuthbert to leave Chiefs and join Ospreys

23 May 2021 0 comments

ALEX CUTHBERT is set to leave Premiership champions Exeter Chiefs when his contract ends in the summer, with the Ospreys set to secure his services […]

Young Tigers are set to roar again says Kay

23 May 2021 2 comments

Despite not emulating the cup success of their footballing neighbours, Ben Kay believes Leicester Tigers are on track to vie for top honours again. The […]

Wasps continue shopping spree with 20 stone prop from Scarlets

23 May 2021 0 comments

WASPS have agreed to sign Scarlets prop Pieter Scholtz who moved to South Wales from the Southern Kings last December. Wasps boss Lee Blackett moved […]

Big Four: The deciding factors

23 May 2021 1 comment

FIXTURES Sale have the toughest run-in with their three remaining fixtures against the other clubs in the play-off positions. The first two are at home, […]

Marcus Smith is ‘world class’ in all areas – Goode

23 May 2021 0 comments

MARCUS Smith is just as physical as Owen Farrell and a better defender than George Ford. Now it is time to open up the international […]

London Irish centre Theo Brophy Clews forced to call time

22 May 2021 0 comments

LONDON Irish back Theo Brophy Clews has been forced to retire at just 24 because of concussion. The England U20 international, a fly-half or centre, […]

Bath confirm Dempsey to depart as part of coaching shake-up

21 May 2021 1 comment

As revealed by TRP in January, Bath have recruited David Williams to be their new attack coach

Harlequins full-back Mike Brown to appeal six-week ban

20 May 2021 0 comments

Mike Brown will aim to appear for Harlequins again this season after the club confirmed his application to appeal has set up a new hearing

Reaching a European final is testament to the squad-building at Leicester

20 May 2021 1 comment

Ben Kay breaks down the improvements made by Leicester Tigers under Steve Borthwick ahead of their trip to Twickenham on European Final Weekend

Ex-Chief Luke Mehson signs up for 2021-22 with Wasps

20 May 2021 0 comments

Mehson, 21, came through the Exeter Chiefs academy after impressing for the University of Exeter in BUCS Super Rugby

Sam Simmonds smashes Premiership try record

20 May 2021 0 comments

SAM Simmonds broke the Premiership try-scoring record for a season with a hat-trick in Exeter’s 31-12 win at London Irish on Tuesday taking his tally […]