Premiership

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

Georgian centre Giorgi Kveseladze signs for Gloucester

16 December 2020 0 comments

George Skivington welcomes new recruit who impressed in the Autumn Nations Cup to Kingsholm

Scotland fly-half Adam Hastings agrees Gloucester move in 2021

15 December 2020 0 comments

Hastings will leave Glasgow Warriors when his contract at Scotstoun expires next sum

Gloucester confirm Danny Cipriani has left the club with immediate effect

15 December 2020 2 comments

Danny Cipriani’s stay at Kingsholm is cut short in the final year of his contract, as Adam Hastings is set to sign with Gloucester

Steve Diamond rescued Sale Sharks from abyss but courted controversy

15 December 2020 3 comments

Jon Newcombe charts the highs and lows of Steve Diamond’s tenure at Sale Sharks

Bath have signed former England Sevens star Alex Gray

Alex Gray is back from NFL ready to become Eddie’s new hybrid super star

10 December 2020 0 comments

After playing for Atlanta Falcons, Bath signing Alex Gray tells NEALE HARVEY he has returned from the NFL determined to fulfil Eddie Jones’ vision of […]

Harlequins centre Andre Esterhuizen hit with four-week ban

9 December 2020 0 comments

The Springbok will be unavailable for the next month after catching Gloucester fly-half Lloyd Evans with an elbow

Skivington has been a breath of fresh air says Varney

9 December 2020 0 comments

From Italy U20s to the Azzurri, Varney credits his sharp development through 2020 with the arrival of ‘Skivs’ at Kingsholm

Sale Sharks director of rugby Steve Diamond

Steve Diamond leaves Sale Sharks in shock exit

8 December 2020 0 comments

A huge shock in the Premiership at the club that challenged for a play-off spot last season

A West Country battle looms over Beno Obano signature

8 December 2020 0 comments

And is Bath No.8 Zach Mercer set to leave the Rec?

Earle: I’d like to think my mental strength got me through injury rehab

7 December 2020 0 comments

Harlequins winger Nathan Earle had been in Eddie Jones’ plans prior to suffering a knee injury in 2019

Tigers put up a fight but Chiefs power in for a bonus

6 December 2020 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD EXETER’S well-drilled, well-oiled machine ground Tigers into submission with another formidable pack-driven performance at Welford Road. The champions took a while getting up […]

Exeter captain Jack Yeandle eager for Glasgow Warriors challenge

6 December 2020 0 comments

Yeandle is already looking ahead to the Chiefs’ Champions Cup opener against Glasgow after easing past Leicester in the Premiership

Bath weather fly-half storm to canter home

6 December 2020 0 comments

By TOM BRADSHAW A MUSCULAR display by the Bath pack laid the foundations for a bonus-point win that got the West Country side’s season up […]

Worcester Warriors fell to defeat to Bath in the Premiership

Alan Solomons frustrated Worcester’s by poor finishing

6 December 2020 1 comment

Warriors director of rugby Solomons bemoans botched attacking phases in 33-17 defeat to Bath

Bristol Bears claim victory over Northampton Saints thanks to Sam Bedlow

Bristol’s super sub Sam Bedlow kicks Saints into submission

6 December 2020 0 comments

All the drama from Bristol’s last-gasp victory over Northampton Saints on Friday night, when Sam Bedlow was the hero

Northampton Saints director of rugby Chris Boyd

Boyd: We should have won, we’re not waving white flags yet

6 December 2020 0 comments

The post-match reaction of Northampton director of rugby Chris Boyd to Saints’ defeat to Bristol in the Premiership

Evans aims to put on a variety show for the fans

6 December 2020 0 comments

By NEALE HARVEY AMBITIOUS fly-half Lloyd Evans says Gloucester will happily eschew a slavish kicking game if his side keep racking up thrilling victories like […]

Dombrandt keeps armband as Ashton starts at 15

6 December 2020 1 comment

Captain: Dombrandt GLOUCESTER head coach George Skivington makes two changes to the team that beat Wasps last weekend. Lewis Ludlow returns at openside flanker […]

Preview: London Irish must up tempo to sap Sharks power

6 December 2020 0 comments

Exiles full-back Tom Homer talks to Neale Harvey ahead of the visit of Sale Sharks to the Brentford Community Stadium on Sunday

Kick fest at Falcons was excruciating says Sale’s Sam James

6 December 2020 0 comments

Sale Sharks centre Sam James reflects on the defeat to Newcastle Falcons that had viewers in despairs of boredom

Newcastle Falcons director of rugby Dean Richards

Cropper’s coming, but not just yet says Deano

6 December 2020 0 comments

By ROB WILDMAN NEWCASTLE continue to defy the pundits and thoroughly deserved this win over a flat and depleted Wasps team. Dean Richards’ unheralded squad […]

Blackett: Gutted as basics let Wasps down

6 December 2020 0 comments

Last season’s Premiership finalists fall to successive defeats in 27-17 loss to Newcastle Falcons

Harlequins centre Andre Esterhuizen sets sights on Lions tour

4 December 2020 0 comments

8-cap Springbok Esterhuizen talks Quins, Paul Gustard, and being on the receiving end of an Owen Farrell tackle

Ben Loader aims to emulate Jonny May’s dazzling ability to reach England call-up

4 December 2020 0 comments

The London Irish wing/full-back tells Neale Harvey about his England ambitions and the solid base being built at the Exiles

TEAMS – Round 3: Duncan Weir back for Worcester

4 December 2020 0 comments

Team news for all matches taking place in Round 3 of the Premiership this weekend

South Africans provide great bang for your buck, says Schalk Brits

2 December 2020 0 comments

There are only two Premiership clubs who have no South Africans amongst their squad

Bristol lead race for out-of-favour Leicester No.10 Tom Hardwick

2 December 2020 0 comments

Hardwick is one of five fly-halves at Welford Road after Tigers recruited heavily at the position this year

Leicester prop Ryan Bower hits 50 after ten years at the crease

1 December 2020 0 comments

On the opening day of the season Bower was able to savour a victory on his 50th Premiership appearance

I’ll remember that try for a long time says Chiefs flyer O’Flaherty

29 November 2020 0 comments

Instinctive: Tom O’Flaherty TOM O’Flaherty admitted even he was surprised by the wonder try which helped Chiefs smash sad Bath with six of the best. […]

Care leads the way as Quins end Saints jinx

29 November 2020 0 comments

By ROB WILDMAN Northampton……..29pts Tries: Ludlam 10, 66, Isiekwe 39, Hutchinson 58 Conversions: Grayson 10, 39, Mallinder 58 Penalties: Grayson 23 Harlequins …………49pts Tries: Care […]

Gustard hails his England old boys

29 November 2020 0 comments

QUINS’ head coach Paul Gustard paid tribute to Danny Care and Mike Brown, describing the forgotten England men as “exceptional.” Gustard singled out Care for […]

Billy bags a score as Skivington lads come good again

29 November 2020 0 comments

■ By ROGER PANTING BILLY Twelvetrees scored 20 points Gloucester recovered from last week’s wor-rying 38-15 defeat at the hands of Leicester with a convincing […]

Blackett: At least we fought at the end

29 November 2020 0 comments

WASPS director of rugby Lee Blackett believed there were few plusses to take. “The only pleasing aspect of the game was our character and fight […]

Ioan shows Wales his promise for the future

29 November 2020 1 comment

■ By MIKE SINCLAIR IOAN Lloyd was surplus to requirements for Wales following his international debut last weekend – but Bristol were delighted to have […]

Physicality of my Bears pulled us through says happy Lam

29 November 2020 0 comments

Pleased: Pat Lam PAT Lam declared himself “really pleased that we got the five points – there’s a lot of history with Worcester”. The Bristol […]

Flood’s late winner nicks it for Falcons

29 November 2020 1 comment

■ By LUKE JARMYN TOBY Flood scored a match-winning try in added time to secure Falcons’ second win on the trot to start the new […]

Diamond: We went into panic mode

29 November 2020 0 comments

STEVE Diamond was not a happy man and told his players to sort out their discipline and keep cool heads. Diamond said: “The first-half was […]

Cole relying on Wigglesworth to drive Tigers standards

29 November 2020 0 comments

By NEALE HARVEY LEICESTER prop Dan Cole is backing veteran scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth to help his side surge to their best Premiership start in five […]

Exiles aim to write a winning first chapter in Brentford

29 November 2020 1 comment

In on the flank: Blair Cowan starts for Irish LONDON Irish make three changes from the side that narrowly lost at Worcester for their first-ever […]

The Lone Ranger rides again with Gorgadze

29 November 2020 3 comments

CHRIS HEWETT Watching Beka Gorgadze play England and Wales on his own was an interesting experience, the young Georgian No.8’s carrying and tackling and organising […]

Jiffy makes a lot of rucking sense

29 November 2020 0 comments

JONATHAN Davies – that’s “Jiffy”, not “Foxy”– the cross-code creator from decades past rather than the Lions centre from the here and now – fears […]

History’s on Falcons side

29 November 2020 0 comments

IN THE opening round of the inaugural Premiership in 1997-98, a newly-promoted Newcastle made the long trip to Bath, won against expectations and went on […]

The sizzling Simmonds keep Chiefs steaming on

29 November 2020 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD Exeter……………………40pts Tries: S Simmonds 11, 30, O’Flaherty 33, Penalty try 62, Hidalgo-Clyne 68, Whitten 77 Conversions: J Simmonds 12, 31, 34, Walsh […]