Club Rugby

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

Jonny’s boots hand Toulon vital away win in Cardiff

21 October 2012 0 comments

A second half try from Steffon Armitage and a kicking lesson from Jonny Wilkinson helped Toulon to their second win in as many games to […]

Patient Ulster get the goods in rainy Glasgow

19 October 2012 0 comments

A second half try from flanker Chris Henry helped Ulster to a 19-8 win over Glasgow to put the Irish in control of their pool […]

“It will be hard but we’re a different team now,” – Chris Robshaw

19 October 2012 1 comment

Tomorrow, Harlequins are travelling back to Galway to face Connacht, the exact same place their dream of reaching the Heineken Cup quarter-finals got away last […]

Heineken Cup round 2: preview and predictions

19 October 2012 0 comments

Pool 1 Munster v Edinburgh Munster will be disappointed they did not close the game out last Racing Metro last week, conceding two late penalties. […]

Amlin Challenge Cup round 2: preview and predictions

19 October 2012 0 comments

Dragons v Bayonne Tonderai Chavhanga returns for the Dragons as they face Bayonne following their defeat at Wasps last week. The former Springbok returns on […]

“We can’t afford to go backwards now, “ – Sailosi Tagicakibau

19 October 2012 0 comments

London Irish will look to build on their bonus point win over Bordeaux-Begles last week when they take on Mont de Marsan tomorrow at the […]

Geordan Murphy is still the role model for Leicester’s Niall Morris

19 October 2012 2 comments

Niall Morris has no doubt about his place in the full-back pecking order at Leicester: ‘Geordan Murphy is still Number One.’ Like last season, when […]

Gloucester get the five points but worry over injuries

18 October 2012 0 comments

Four first half tries handed Gloucester a 25-13 bonus-point win over Bordeaux-Begles at Kingsholm tonight. However, the game may be costly for the Cherry and […]

“Let’s keep the momentum before the Premiership resumes,” – Jim Hamilton

18 October 2012 0 comments

Gloucester host Bordeaux-Begles tonight in a bid to keep the pressure on London Irish at the top of their Amlin Cup group. For captain Jim […]

Missile Joe Launchbury is for lift-off, says Wasps head coach Dai Young

18 October 2012 0 comments

Joe Launchbury is not one for the future, according to Wasps chief Dai Young, because the flanker-cum-lock has arrived already! Young, looking back to Launchbury’s […]

Rob Cook makes up for lost time with Mike Tindall help at Gloucester

17 October 2012 1 comment

Gloucester full-back Rob Cook has waited a lifetime to get his chance at the top level of elite sport and now he is enlisting Mike […]

Ulster leave it late but Ruan Pienaar secures the five points

12 October 2012 0 comments

Ulster had to wait until the third minute of stoppage time and a try from Springbok Ruan Pienaar to secure a 41-17 bonus-point win over […]

Heineken Cup round 1: preview and predictions

12 October 2012 0 comments

Pool 1 Edinburgh v Saracens Edinburgh make six changes to their starting line-up to take on Saracens at Murrayfield. Internationals Tom Brown and Richie Rees […]

Amlin Challenge Cup round 1: preview and predictions

12 October 2012 1 comment

Bordeaux-Begles v London Irish Guy Armitage and Chris Hala’ufia will both start their first matches’ of the season as London Irish begin their Amlin Challenge […]

“Last week was a major boost but let’s be consistent now,” says Topsy Ojo

12 October 2012 2 comments

On paper, London Irish are one of the most threatening team in the Premiership. On the pitch however, the Exiles have struggled after seeing a […]

Andy’s new attitude means he’s coming Goode for the Worcester Warriors

12 October 2012 1 comment

In recent times rugby‘s version of the Goode life has all been about Alex, not Andy. While Saracens star Alex is being talked about as […]

Gloucester do the job in France but Andy Hazell faces lengthy ban

11 October 2012 1 comment

Fourteen-men Gloucester earned an ugly 11-6 win at Mont-de-Marsan in the opening game of the Amlin Challenge Cup. Ian Clark’s first half try was enough […]

“It’s a privilege to play with Owen Farrell,” says Saracens Steve Borthwick

11 October 2012 0 comments

Saracens captain Steve Borthwick has backed Owen Farrell to hit top form ahead of England‘s autumn international campaign. The 21-year-old fly-half endured a tough start […]

Premiership round 6 review

8 October 2012 0 comments

Bath (Lost 10-16 to Gloucester) With Olly Barkley gone, you’d think Bath struggle and, despite his status, Stephen Donald hadn’t made the impact you would […]

George Ford’s boots earn Leicester Tigers a win over sorry Sale Sharks

5 October 2012 0 comments

George Ford kicked 15 points from the tee to help Leicester claim a convincing 20-8 win over Sale in Salford. It is the sixth consecutive […]

“We’re not used to it but we deserve it,” says Worcester Richard Hill

5 October 2012 0 comments

After the first five rounds, a clear transformation can be seen in how the Worcester Warriors play the game and for the first time ever, […]

Premiership round 6: preview and predictions

5 October 2012 1 comment

Exeter v Harlequins Wallaby lock Dean Mumm will make his Chiefs debut tomorrow as Exeter seek to return to winning ways after their 30-8 defeat […]

Top14 round 8: preview and predictions

5 October 2012 2 comments

Jonny Wilkinson return at fly-half for Toulon as the French giants try to get back to winning ways when they travel to Biarritz a week […]

“Leicester Tigers exit paying off for me,” says Billy Twelvetrees

4 October 2012 0 comments

Leaving Leicester can be considered to be either brave or stupid but, after starting Gloucester‘s first four games this season, Billy Twelvetrees believes his decision […]

Watch out, Saints Courtney Lawes is back and bigger than ever

3 October 2012 1 comment

It was Andy Goode’s misfortune to be in the wrong place at the wrong time last Saturday afternoon. With 60 minutes of Worcester‘s match against […]

George Ford may be forced to quit Leicester Tigers says Austin Healey

2 October 2012 1 comment

Austin Healey says Welford Road is not big enough to accommodate both Toby Flood and George Ford. Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill has opted […]

Premiership round 5 review

1 October 2012 1 comment

Bath (beat Sale 31-10) The West Country side were bidding farewell to Olly Barkley who is off to Racing Metro today and they did it […]

Farrell and Saracens give Harlequins first taste of defeat

30 September 2012 2 comments

Champions Harlequins suffered their first defeat of the season to the hands of Saracens in a 18-16 thriller at The Stoop. After two games where […]

Dean Mumm, an Aussie ‘old-timer’ who became a young Chief

29 September 2012 1 comment

Dean Mumm, at 28, should be reaching his peak as a second row, but in Australian terms he has already been thrown onto the international […]

Saints’ scrum put Wasps to the sword

28 September 2012 0 comments

Northampton remains unbeaten and go top of the table with a convincing 24-6 win over London Wasps at Franklin’s Gardens. The Saints’ pack put on […]

“I’ll have to bring my A-game to beat Sarries,” says Harlequins Mike Brown

28 September 2012 1 comment

Harlequins full-back Mike Brown is adamant he will have to be a the top of his game to deal with Saracens areal attack if the […]

Premiership round 5: preview and predictions

28 September 2012 0 comments

Bath v Sale Olly Barkley, who is moving to Racing Metro on Monday, will start his final game for Bath Rugby at fly-half as the […]

Top 14 round 7: preview and predictions

28 September 2012 0 comments

Welsh star Mike Phillips has been suspended until further notice by Bayonne for repeatedly breaking team rules and going on night outs. The 30-year-old scrum-half […]

Leicester Manu Tuilagi is the best says Saracens Joel Tomkins

28 September 2012 2 comments

Joel Tomkins admits that Manu Tuilagi has set the benchmark for English centres but the Saracens cross-coder maintains it will not be long until he […]

How Jonny Wilkinson helped Joe Gray see the light

26 September 2012 0 comments

Harlequins hooker Joe Gray has revealed how Jonny Wilkinson’s dedication to training inspired him to become one of the finest lineout throwers in the game. […]

Vision of TV cash helps London Welsh chase targets

25 September 2012 0 comments

Lyn Jones has been the green light to make further signings to bolster London Welsh‘s survival bid after details of the proposed £152m windfall from […]

Premiership round 4 review

24 September 2012 0 comments

Bath (Lost 22-29 to London Irish) The West country boys couldn’t get into the game for most of the match against a much improved Exiles’ […]

Naqelevuki helps Exeter to gritty win over Saracens in woeful conditions

23 September 2012 0 comments

A crucial second half from Sireli Naqelevuki helped Exeter claim a spirited 14-12 win over Saracens in horrendous weather conditions at Sandy Park. Naqelevuki’s try […]

We’re on the cuff of doing something special – Worcester Richard Hill

21 September 2012 2 comments

Worcester head-coach confessed it was hard to pick up the players’ spirit on Monday morning but he is adamant the Warriors are on the verge […]

Premiership round 4: preview and predictions

21 September 2012 1 comment

Exeter v Saracens Injuries to Craig Mitchell and Tom Johnson mean Carl Rimmer and James Phillips come into the pack while Haydn Thomas is given […]

Top 14 round 6: preview and predictions

21 September 2012 0 comments

This week the duel between Jonny Wilkinson and Frederic Michalak won’t happen as both will start for Toulon and form the half-back pairing for the […]

“Be ready put your body on the line,” Conor O’Shea tells his players

21 September 2012 0 comments

Harlequins director of rugby Conor O’Shea is looking forward to the challenge Leicester will set but pleads his player to be ready put their body […]

Tom Youngs: “My debt to selfless George Chuter”

21 September 2012 1 comment

Leicester‘s Tom Youngs admits he is still a work in progress as a hooker and has no qualms in tapping up Tigers rival George Chuter […]

Why joining Northampton Saints was no-brainer for Luther Burrell

20 September 2012 0 comments

Powerhouse centre Luther Burrell says his desire to learn from Northampton‘s impressive array of England stars drove him to leave Sale Sharks. The ambitious 24-year-old […]

“I just had to cherry-pick Gloucester,” says All Black Jimmy Cowan

19 September 2012 0 comments

All Black scrum-half Jimmy Cowan revealed he has joined Gloucester because of the club’s ‘parochialism’ and argued that he heads to Kingsholm to reignite, rather […]

English will offer £100m bait to land their jackpot

18 September 2012 1 comment

England’s Premier clubs will go into Tuesday’s meeting with their Heineken Cup colleagues with a £100m cheque to place on the bargaining table. Premier Rugby […]