BATH supremo Todd Blackadder blasted his weak-minded side. “We weren’t there mentally,” he said. “We knew what was at stake, knew they were good, so […]

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK SEAN O’Brien is one of the fiercest competitors in the game, yet his view that the 2017 […]

EMOTIONAL Saints supremo Jim Mallinder took a swipe at critics who called for his head after the opening day thrashing by Saracens. He said: “You […]

By ROGER PANTING EXETER ruthlessly exposed the gulf in class between top and bottom of the Premiership as they walloped Worcester at Sixways. Apart from […]

WORCESTER’S director of rugby, Gary Gold, accepted that it had been a tough night for Warriors. He said: “It was very difficult to swallow that […]

By COLIN NEWBOULT YOU KNOWit is going to be your evening when a player, who has gone 155 games without scoring, finally gets across the […]

LONDON Irish director of rugby Nick Kennedy admitted that their performance fell well below the required standard following a second consecutive heavy defeat. “Our defence […]

By NICK VERDIER WASPS have built a reputation as the most lethal attack in the Premiership, but Ashley Johnson has revealed they are desperate to […]

BACK-ROWER Jack Clifford reckons Harlequins must fly off the blocks if they are to stop Wasps recording their third win of the season when the […]

LIONS star Elliot Daly will make his first start of the season for Wasps following an extended pre-season break. Daly has been named at outside […]

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK EDDIE Jones was in full ogre-slaying mode this week, sounding like the armour-plated incarnation of St George […]

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER TIGERS kick-started their season with an invaluable win but after three tries in the first quarter and an impressive first half generally, […]

LEICESTER coach Matt O’Connor has warned that his team are better than their opening defeats against Bath and Northampton suggested “We are a good footie […]

By GRAHAM JENKINS in Philadelphia NEWCASTLE Falcons managing director Mick Hogan has defended the club’s decision to take their Premiership clash with Saracens to Philadelphia […]

By NEALE HARVEY SAINTS lock David Ribbans chose the right night to demonstrate his England potential with a barnstorming display in front of Eddie Jones […]

QUINS director of rugby John Kingston said his team’s medics had to react quickly when Demetri Catrakilis started to struggle to breathe early in the […]

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK The Schalk Brits masterclass against Northampton that lit up the Twickenham doubleheader last weekend made up my […]

MANU Tuilagi’s latest knee injury, which requires surgery and will keep him out of action for three months, puts the biggest question mark over his […]

THERE is more than a hint of a PC version of 1984’s ‘Big Brother’ about the New Zealand Rugby Union’s enquiry into player misconduct, including […]

By MIKE SINCLAIR CHAMPIONS Exeter shrugged off the spluttering start to the defence of their title as they handed newlypromoted London Irish a punishing welcome […]

HENRY SLADE, who graduated from Exeter’s production line to the England squad, paid tribute to the youngsters aiming to follow in his footsteps. A glut […]

By COLIN NEWBOULT FOR ALL the zip and zest of the previous weekend, where attacking rugby thrived and defences were deemed surplus, this brought the […]

NEWCASTLE boss Dean Richards praised their lineout defence after locks Calum Green and Will Witty caused severe problems for the Sale set-piece. “I thought our […]

NEALE HARVEY talks to Wasps’ South African centre about the 2019 World Cup Wasps centre Juan de Jongh reckons he still has a shot at […]

By NICK VERDIER WORCESTER fly-half Tom Heathcote admits high-flying Wasps are far from the dream opponents for a team in need of a confidence boost […]

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND DAN BIGGAR is a colossal loss to Welsh rugby. It was no surprise to see his move to Northampton […]

By NICK CAIN COURTNEY Lawes said before this East Midlands derby that Saints would be looking for redemption after last weekend’s drubbing by Saracens, and […]

JIM Mallinder said his England internationals Courtney Lawes and Dylan Hartley had risen to the challenge to restore Northampton’s pride. “Courtney Lawes and Dylan Hartley, […]

By NEALE HARVEY SEMESA Rokoduguni demonstrated yet again why he deserves an England call after conjuring two scintillating late tries to salvage victory for Bath. […]

EMOTIONAL Bath head coach Tabai Matson was close to tears after his last match at the Rec. The New Zealander, who heads home for family […]

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER WE HAD thunder and lightning on and off the field for 20 minutes at the Stoop yesterday which was more than enough […]

From BRENDAN GALLAGHER at Twickenham London Irish 39pts Tries: Ojo 23, Bell 30, Treviranus 58, McKibbin 78 Conversions: Bell 31, 59 Penalties: Bell 4, 7, […]

LONDON Irish flanker and man of the match Blair Cowan: “We weren’t surprised at that performance, we have been building for this for the last […]

By NEALE HARVEY Gloucester 28pts Tries: Thrush 25, 39; Morgan 56, Woodward 80 Conversions: Burns 25, 39, 56, Twelvetrees 80 Exeter 21pts Tries: Simmonds 4, […]

EMOTIONAL new Gloucester head coach Johan Ackermann credited his side’s spirit after getting his reign off to the best start. He said: “We showed fight […]

By STEVE KENNY Wasps 50pts Tries: Robson 3, 13, 33, 44, Wade 16, Rowlands 70, Rieder 73 Conversions: Gopperth 3, 13, 16, 33, 70, 73 […]

SALE boss Steve Diamond admitted his team had no answer to the invention of Wasps in a brilliant firsthalf display. But Diamond praised his team […]

By COLIN NEWBOULT Newcastle 35pts Tries: Tait 5, Vickers 52, Cooper 62, Socino 75 Conversions: Takulua 6, 53, Willis 76 Penalties: Takulua 21, 50, 67 […]

WORCESTER director of rugby Gary Gold is concerned by the injury sustained by British and Irish Lions international Ben Te’o. Te’o, who starred in New […]

PREVIEW… By NICK VERDIER Leicester v Bath Today. Welford Road. Kick-off 3pm Power: Matt Toomua is tackled by Finn Russell on his debut for Leicester […]