What’s in The Rugby Paper: 05/05/24

For only the second time in eight seasons there are two English teams in the Champions Cup semi-finals, and we’ll have action and reaction from Northampton’s trip to Croke Park against Leinster and a preview of Harlequins’ visit to Toulouse in The Rugby Paper this Sunday.

Saints’ star fly-half Fin Smith will be hoping to play a pivotal role in Dublin, and he says his stellar form is down to a mindset shift in discussing his breakthrough campaign with club and country.

Blair Kinghorn admits his own performances became stagnant at Edinburgh and needed the high competition for places at Toulouse to upgrade his game as he looks ahead to Sunday’s contest with Quins.

Neil Edwards will undoubtedly be watching this weekend’s fixtures having played for both English clubs, and the former Scotland lock looks back on his career in the game in My Life in Rugby.

We’ll also be across the Challenge Cup, with Sharks taking on Clermont-Auvergne at The Stoop and Gloucester hosting Benetton.

Though they’ve shown excellent cup form boss George Skivington also speaks honestly about the Cherry and Whites’ disappointing campaign in the league, echoing sentiments from back rower Ruan Ackermann in this week’s podcast (below).

Elsewhere in the West Country England and Bath lock Charlie Ewels discusses his club’s rapid growth from underachieving bottom to competing for titles, and Exeter Chiefs legend Gareth Steenson opens up on his lengthy tenure at the club and what’s next for the fly-half.

Sale Sharks winger Tom Roebuck has put his hand up for England selection this summer after hitting fine form in the Premiership this season, and he also sits down with our reporters.

Paul Rees analyses the state of refereeing in the English game after Karl Dickson’s controversial performance in Harlequins’ victory over Northampton Saints.

Fellow columnist Jeff Probyn believes Premiership matches are more entertaining due to the lack of relegation threat for teams at the bottom of the table.

The National Leagues may have concluded but we will have a full preview of the Bill Beaumont County Championship and keep up with the action in the second tier as Ealing close in on the title.

And don’t miss our weekly features with Bath fly-half James Linegar answering Ben Jaycock’s questions as our Young Gun, and his club’s former head coach – who had a playing career for Wales, London Welsh and London Irish – Darren Edwards selects his Dream Team.

Stream this week’s episode of The Rugby Paper Podcast on YouTube (also above), Apple Podcasts, Spotify (also below), Castbox, Google Podcasts, or your favourite podcast app.

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