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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Jack Nowell to be sidelined for nine weeks, Rob Baxter confirms

27 November 2018 0 comments

A big doubt for Exeter’s remaining Champions Cup pool stage matches

Solomona double gets wasteful Sharks home

25 November 2018 1 comment

By COLIN NEWBOULT Sale Sharks 18pts Tries: Solomona 8, 58 Conversions: R du Preez 9 Penalties: R du Preez 45, 75 Northampton 13pts Tries: Reinach […]

Diamond: We need our heroes to be local

25 November 2018 0 comments

SALE supremo Steve Diamond admits they could get the Du Preez brothers, Jean-Luc and Rob, on longer term deals but is wary of disrupting their […]

Wasps hold on despite three-try Thacker’s fightback

25 November 2018 0 comments

By NEALE HARVEY Wasps 32pts Tries: Neal 4,47, De Jongh 7, Gaskell 45 Conversions: Sopoaga 7, 45, 47 Penalties: Sopoaga 25, 38 Bristol 28pts Tries: […]

We’llsoon see best of Lima says Dai

25 November 2018 0 comments

WASPS star signing Lima Sopoaga enjoyed one of his best displays to date. Boss Dai Young said: “There’s been a lot of pressure on him. […]

Centurian Flood drives Falcons change of tide

25 November 2018 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD Newcastle 16pts Tries: Williams 39 Conversions: Flood 40 Penalties: Flood 6, 57, 70 Bath 8pts Tries: McConnochie 28 Penalties: Atkins 48 Game-changer: […]

’Worst display of the season’

25 November 2018 0 comments

TODD Blackadder chastised his men after this lacklustre loss at Kingston Park. The unhappy Bath director of rugby insisted the visitors were the architects of […]

Judge relishing ‘surprise’ jump from Pirates as Sarries look to lay down the law

25 November 2018 1 comment

By NEALE HARVEY PREVIEW… Leicester v Saracens Today. Kick-off 3pm, Welford Road CORNISH Pirates tighthead Christian Judge says talks over his future can wait as […]

Blunt Quins attack fails to find the killer touch

25 November 2018 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Worcester 20pts Tries: Schonert 32, Mills 63 Conversions: Weir 32, 63 Penalties: Weir 12, Pennell 40 Harlequins 13pts Tries: Marchant 56 Conversions: […]

Cox: We owed the fans a win after Bath

25 November 2018 0 comments

ALAN Solomons praised his side’s resilience as they climbed to sixth in the Premiership table. “I’m really happy with the win as our set-piece was […]

Cipriani slip puts Chiefs on the road to victory

25 November 2018 1 comment

By MIKE SINCLAIR Exeter 23pts Tries: White 34, Cuthbert 44 Conversions: Steenson 34, 44 Penalties: Steenson 24, 50, 77 Gloucester 6pts Penalties: Cipriani 3, 13 […]

Johan: Europe will be tough

25 November 2018 1 comment

JOHAN Ackermann admitted it is going to take a “massive effort” for his side to turn the tables when they meet Exeter twice in eight […]

Stuart Hogg will take us to the next level, says Exeter Chiefs wing Cuthbert

23 November 2018 0 comments

ALEX CUTHBERT is excited at the prospect of playing in an all-British & Irish Lions back-three at Exeter next season following the Chiefs capture of […]

Saracens bring in Nick Kennedy as full-time head of recruitment

22 November 2018 0 comments

The former London Irish director of rugby had been working for the Premiership club on a consultancy basis

Flanker Lewis Ludlam extends contract with Northampton Saints

22 November 2018 0 comments

A success story for Saints’ academy

Danny Care’s future at Harlequins thrown deeper into uncertainty as club pursues Argentina star

22 November 2018 0 comments

The England scrum-half is out of contract at the Stoop in the summer

Luatua confident Bristol’s million pound man Piutau can shore up leaky defence

18 November 2018 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE AFTER a couple of runouts in the Cup, Bristol’s million-pound man Charles Piutau will be unleased on the Premiership against Exeter today […]

Quins courage earns praise from Gustard

18 November 2018 0 comments

By STEWART McCULOUGH Impressive: Francis Saili scores for Quins PICTURE: Getty Images TEAMS HARLEQUINS: Brown 7, Earle 7, Marchant 7, Tapuai 8, Morris 6 (Saili, […]

Deano: It’s been bumpy season

18 November 2018 0 comments

HARLEQUINS supremo Paul Gustard was satisfied with the defensive display despite Andrew Davidson’s try for Newcastle in the final ten minutes denying Quins a clean […]

Bath locks are key to Warriors demise

18 November 2018 0 comments

By TOM BRADSHAW Building a lead: Semesa Rokoduguni touches down Bath’s first try PICTURES: Getty Images BATH ended a sevengame winless streak courtesy of a […]

‘We spent all match on the back foot’

18 November 2018 0 comments

A FRUSTRATED Alan Solomons bemoaned his side’s poor set-piece, which he said cost Worcester the match. He said: “We had no field possession, we had […]

TMO Jonker made himself look a right plonker

18 November 2018 0 comments

REFEREES of yesteryear were divided on the Courtney Lawes call last week. England’s Ed Morrison thought he was offside, South Africa’s Jonathan Kaplan thought Lawes […]

How Burgess shattered the All Blacks mystique

18 November 2018 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER A weekly look at the game’s other talking points Heroes all: The North West Counties team leave the field after their […]

World Cup bolter? Ollie Thorley scored a peach

18 November 2018 1 comment

Try of the week: And of the season thus far, Ollie Thorley’s sensational second try against Leicester, stepping and burning off four Leicester defenders after […]

Barnes and Smart opted for England in a good way

18 November 2018 0 comments

THE question of allegiance to one country rather than another has raised its ugly head again with Gary Graham’s double defection, from Scotland to England […]

Wales must find more to beat these Boks

18 November 2018 0 comments

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Real Test: Jonathan Davies expects to win PICTURE: Getty Images Wales had beaten South Africa just once […]

Wyles leaves the bar long enough to star

18 November 2018 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD CHRIS Wyles thoroughly enjoyed his surprise return to Allianz Park as Saracens scrapped and battled their way passed a hungry Sharks outfit. […]

Shrinking gates should be a worry for the regions

18 November 2018 0 comments

THE PRO14’s decision to take the money and put their competition behind a pay wall meant their audience was always going to shrink. For the […]

Diamond: Now we must beat Saints

18 November 2018 0 comments

STEVE Diamond was left frustrated as Sale blew a wonderful chance to bring the champions down to earth. The Sale boss saw his players claw […]

Landajo talks ask questions about Care

18 November 2018 1 comment

HARLEQUINS are in advance discussions with Argentina No.9 Martín Landajo which will place a question mark over the future of England star Danny Care. Landajo, […]

19st Taqele barrels in to show he finally gets the game

18 November 2018 0 comments

By ROB WILDMAN HEAVYWEIGHTWallaby Taqele Naiyaravaro made his powerful presence fully felt in this uplifting win for Northampton. The Wallaby wing – all 19st and […]

Daly deciding if he wants out of Wasps

18 November 2018 1 comment

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEILFISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler Get-out clause: Elliot Daly ELLIOT DALY could swap Wasps for Saracens next season thanks to […]

Work is the only cure says Young

18 November 2018 1 comment

DAI YOUNG ordered his struggling Wasps squad to work harder after this dispiriting seventh successive defeat. “Northampton were good and we were poor. I was […]

Luke says No to new Chiefs offer

18 November 2018 1 comment

EXETER CHIEFS are losing their battle to keep England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie after he rejected a new contract. Cowan-Dickie is out of contract at the […]

Razor-sharp Thorley rips poor Tigers to shreds

18 November 2018 1 comment

By ROGER PANTING OLLIE Thorley scored two breathtaking tries to celebrate his return to Premiership rugby as Gloucester produced a season’s best performance. Due to […]

Cipriani: We knew how they would play

18 November 2018 1 comment

DANNY Cipriani returned after a three week suspension to steer his side to an emphatic win. He said: “Former Leicester players Ed Slater and Fraser […]

Bath’s Matt Garvey craving a trophy finish for mentor Booth

14 November 2018 0 comments

The early announcement of Booth and Darren Edwards’ exit haven’t destabilised the Bath dressing room

Huge boost for Bath as Anthony Watson and three other senior players agree new deals

13 November 2018 0 comments

Todd Blackadder talks about moves which sees key members of forward and backs sign

Scotland full-back Stuart Hogg to move to Exeter Chiefs at the end of the season

13 November 2018 0 comments

Rob Baxter admits to previous pursuit of Glasgow Warriors back

Exeter’s young guns are too hot for Quins

11 November 2018 1 comment

By MIKE SINCLAIR EXETER’S faith in the seemingly endless Sandy Park production line paid off as they over-ran a poor Harlequins side to go top […]

Pellow: We’ve just got stronger

11 November 2018 0 comments

EXETERskills coach Ricky Pellow declared himself “really pleased” after his predominently young side showed just what benefits fringe players can earn from a sometimes-derided competition. […]

Solomons calls on academy Warriors to build on impressive start to campaign

11 November 2018 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON WORCESTER Warriors have named three loan players in a much-changed squad for today’s match at Saracens as they look to build on […]

Penalty try earns Sale rare win over Tigers

11 November 2018 0 comments

By ROB WILDMAN Threat: Matt Postlethwaite makes a break for Sale PICTURES: Getty Images High rise: Tigers’ Graham Kitchener wins a lineout SALE edged to […]

Deacon: Discipline gave us problems

11 November 2018 0 comments

LEICESTER’S assistant coach Brett Deacon praised fit-again Mike Fitzgerald after the back row returned from a knee injury which had sidelined him since the opening […]

Grobler’s late TMO try drama seals it for Gloucester

11 November 2018 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING GERAINT Grobler sneaked over in the last minute to save Gloucester’s blushes as Saints looked set to remain unbeaten in the competition […]

Boyd: We had guts but little composure

11 November 2018 0 comments

NORTHAMPTON’S director of rugby Chris Boyd said: “It’s disappointing to lose it at the end but at times we were not composed enough so we […]

Costello’s crusade to bring better balance to Wasps’ attack and defence

11 November 2018 1 comment

By GEORGE LAWRENCE WASPS have recalled a host of big names for the showdown with Bristol following last Sunday’s 15-14 defeat to Northampton. Despite that […]