Premiership

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

Dominant Chiefs set up shot at the semis

12 May 2024 0 comments

By MARK STEVENS Exeter Chiefs ……………… 58pts Tries: Slade 20, Feyi-Waboso 33, 65, John 40, Skinner 43, 71, Jenkins 77 Conversions: Slade 21, 33, 40, […]

Baxter: We must recharge quickly

12 May 2024 0 comments

EXETER DoR Rob Baxter says his team will have to recharge quickly in their quest to reach the top four with their remaining fixture away […]

Superior Saints go on 14-try rampage

12 May 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Northampton………………..90pts Tries: Furbank 1, Dingwall 12, Sleightholme 21, 56, 66; Langdon 27, 35; Mitchell 39, Waller 47, Matavesi 50, 78; Iyogun 53, […]

We had a job to do and we went out and did it, says Dowson

12 May 2024 0 comments

NORTHAMPTON director of rugby Phil Dowson felt sympathy for Gloucester after their 14-try drubbing but said his side had a job to do to secure […]

Russell masterclass has Bath in top gear

12 May 2024 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Newcastle……………………. 17pts Tries: Blamire 30, 40+2, Stuart 63 Conversions: Connon 64 Bath ……………………………… 28pts Tries: du Toit 4, Spencer 13, Cokanasiga 27, […]

Diamond calls for 80-minute showing

12 May 2024 0 comments

NEWCASTLE boss Steve Diamond told his players and staff “to stop feeling sorry for themselves” after Falcons’ suffered a 20th league defeat on the spin. […]

James at his best as Sale keep in the race

12 May 2024 0 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Sale ……………………………….31pts Tries: Warr 8, Taylor 13, James 34, O’Flaherty 43 Conversions: Ford 9, 14, 35, 44 Penalties: Ford 57 Leicester …………………….. […]

‘I’m going to stick with this motley lot’

12 May 2024 0 comments

ON an evening of final home appearances for some big names, Sale coach Alex Sanderson announced live to the home crowd after the game that […]

Northampton swoop to sign England U20s fly-half

12 May 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Northampton have signed England U20s fly-half George Makepeace-Cubitt. Having endured the hardship of London Irish folding, the tyro playmaker showed grit and […]

Don’t only blame RFU for lack of confidence

12 May 2024 0 comments

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME IT WAS interesting to read last week’s comments by Simon Halliday in The Rugby Paper and […]

Premiership previews: Round 17

10 May 2024 0 comments

Heading into the penultimate round of the Premiership season seven teams still stand a chance of reaching the play-offs, with each of them in contention […]

Vunipola warned again by RFU over drunken arrest

9 May 2024 0 comments

Billy Vunipola has received a formal warning from the RFU for the second time in just over five years, on this occasion in relation to […]

Chessum out till next season in England and Tigers injury blow

9 May 2024 0 comments

Leicester Tigers lock Ollie Chessum will miss the rest of this domestic season and England‘s summer tour to Japan and New Zealand after shoulder surgery. […]

Care extends Quins stay into 19th season

8 May 2024 0 comments

Harlequins and former England scrum-half Danny Care has signed a new contract to spend a 19th season at the London club. The 37-year-old has accumulated […]

Ford loving dramatic end to the season

8 May 2024 0 comments

By PAUL EDDISON George Ford is relishing the ‘do-or-die’ nature of the Gallagher Premiership Rugby run-in as his Sale Sharks side look to seal a […]

Eight-year PGP deal expected next month

5 May 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES The ground-breaking new agreement between Twickenham and the Premiership clubs is expected to be announced after next month’s play-off final. The eight-year […]

Smith: I’m better at handling mistakes

5 May 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Fin Smith credits his superb form this season to a mental mind-shift that enables him to now take the rough with the […]

Murley admits he’d be tempted to try out league

5 May 2024 0 comments

By STEFAN FROST Cadan Murley has revealed he could cross over codes once he has fulfilled his trophy-winning ambitions at Harlequins. The wing, preparing for […]

Skivington’s banking on experience next time out

5 May 2024 0 comments

By MARK STEVENS George Skivington expects to see significant improvements within his Gloucester squad next season after a campaign he readily admits has failed to […]

Fit-again Ewels enjoying new life under Johann

5 May 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES When Charlie Ewels suffered knee ligament damage on England’s 2022 tour to Australia, his club Bath were at rock bottom. They had […]

Return to Sixways still on agenda

5 May 2024 0 comments

Worcester Warriors Supporters Trust have welcomed news that the firm which owns the club has been sold. The new consortium, led by Wasps owner Chris […]

Roebuck out to impress England

5 May 2024 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Sale’s Tom Roebuck is a man on a mission as he looks to use the final weeks of the Premiership season to […]

RFU’s still killing the dreams of investors

5 May 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK The RFU’s indecision is final. It does not know what to do about promotion-relegation – or, if […]

Don’t put Dickson in that position

5 May 2024 0 comments

If the Karl Dickson furore in the Harlequins v Northampton clash last weekend at Twickenham tells us anything, it is that if a former pro […]

Without referees, there is no game

5 May 2024 0 comments

Paul Rees looks at the pressures on the men and women in the middle and asks what can be done to help them Who would […]

We had belief in our ability

5 May 2024 0 comments

Mark Stevens talks to Exeter Chiefs legend Gareth Steenson as he embarks on a new chapter away from Sandy Park IN THE heart of Exeter, […]

University pathway to top of the game

5 May 2024 0 comments

By WILLIAM GUPWELL Being named in an England Students squad is among the highest honours that can be bestowed upon a university rugby student in […]

The ringfence which is encouraging open play

5 May 2024 0 comments

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME THERE have been a few articles written about how the Premiership has started to play a […]

Itoje avoids ban for Barbeary tackle

1 May 2024 0 comments

Saracens second row Maro Itoje has avoided a ban for the last two games of the regular season of the Premiership for his tackle on […]

Series 3, Episode 36: Ruan Ackermann on Prem weekend, residency rules and EPCR semis

30 April 2024 0 comments

Following a pivotal weekend of Gallagher Premiership action – not without its controversies – Ollie Little, Brendan Gallagher and Nick Cain are joined by Gloucester […]

Baxter: “We are overachieving” this season

29 April 2024 0 comments

Rob Baxter praised his young side’s competitive edge and their ability to learn from mistakes after their comfortable victory against Gloucester. “We probably are overachieving […]

Vunipola arrested and tasered twice in Majorca incident

29 April 2024 0 comments

Saracens and former England number eight Billy Vunipola has been arrested following a violent incident in a bar in Majorca. According to reports in The […]

Chiefs boost top-four hopes with five-try win at Kingsholm

28 April 2024 0 comments

By TOM JEFFREYS Gloucester…………………………………………..17 Tries: May 29, Clement 40, Clark 50 Conversions: Atkinson 52 Exeter Chiefs……………………………………….38 Tries: Vermeulen 14, 60; John 18, Woodburn 36, Feyi-Waboso […]

Battle for top four reaching climax

28 April 2024 0 comments

The battle for the Premiership play-off places heated up yesterday with leaders Northampton losing to Harlequins and a revitalised Bristol Bears launching a stunning comeback […]

I’ll never stop looking for hidden gems – Lam

28 April 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Pat Lam says he will never stop plundering the rugby mine of the Championship and the leagues below it as he searches […]

Saracens know how to win – Tompkins

28 April 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK With the Premiership run-in hotting up, Saracens centre Nick Tompkins claims ‘experience matters’ in these blockbuster end-of-season contests and says his side […]

Leicester in discussions to hire new attack coach

28 April 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Dan McKellar has told Leicester fans to buckle up for the ride next season as the club closes in on appointing an […]

Langdon is quick to make his point

28 April 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Northampton have placed an emphasis this season on putting pace in the legs of their players and that suits Curtis Langdon, a […]

Falcons face battle to break their duck

28 April 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Time is running out for Newcastle as they seek to avoid joining Rotherham and London Welsh as clubs who finished a Premiership […]

Porter delivers as Quins stay in hunt

28 April 2024 0 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Harlequins ……………………41pts Tries: Northmore 1, 26; Lewies 33, Murley 45, Porter 67, 73 Conversions: Smith 27, 34, 46; Evans 74 Penalties: Evans […]

‘For us today, it was do or die’

28 April 2024 0 comments

Quins skipper Alex Dombrandt was delighted after the Londoners’ crucial victory over Northampton. “We make it tough for ourselves sometimes,” he said. “But we’re very […]

Leicester stunned by Bristol late show

28 April 2024 0 comments

By ROB WILDMAN Leicester Tigers ………….19pts Tries: Ollie Hassell-Collins 17, 48; van Wyk 63 Conversions: Pollard 18, 63 Bristol Bears ………………..21pts Tries: Lahiff 68, 74; Bradbury […]

Thacker made the difference, says Lam

28 April 2024 0 comments

Bristol boss Pat Lam lauded substitute Harry Thacker after his team had overturned a 19-0 deficit to beat Leicester. “This game is always the one […]

Saracens take advantage in battle for top two spot

28 April 2024 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Bath……………………………………. 12pts Tries: du Toit 57, Redpath 62 Conversions: Spencer 62 Saracens……………………………15pts Tries: Parton 12, Segun 40 Conversions: Farrell 40 Penalties: Farrell […]

We managed to rediscover our energy, says McCall

28 April 2024 0 comments

Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall hopes his side’s improved display at Bath will be a springboard for the rest of the season. “Even though […]

Sharks look to have edge in Diamond derby

28 April 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW… Newcastle Falcons v Sale Sharks Today. Kick-off 3pm, Kingston Park SALE boss Alex Sanderson has thanked Steve Diamond, his opposite number […]

Diamond still confident he can make a big difference

28 April 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Starting: Guy Pepper LAST season’s beaten Premiership finalists would not seem the ideal opponents after conceding a record number of points in […]

Vermeulen: It’s payback time for the Chiefs

28 April 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW… Gloucester v Exeter Chiefs Today. Kick-off 3pm, Kingsholm BRUISING back rower Jacques Vermeulen wants Exeter to put their foot on the […]

Skivington looking for players to prove themselves

28 April 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Dasher: Josh Hathaway GEORGE Skivington has told his players ahead of today’s clash with Exeter at Kingsholm that they may have nothing […]