World

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

Anthony Watson will be star for England says Nick Abendanon

9 April 2014 0 comments

Nick Abendanon admits that Anthony Watson’s emergence proved a decisive factor in taking the plunge with European giants Clermont.

RFU fail in bid to get All Blacks Test switch

8 April 2014 1 comment

Concerted attempts by the RFU to change the Test schedule for England’s summer tour of New Zealand in June have failed.

VIDEO: The rise of rugby in Japan

4 April 2014 1 comment

Christina Macfarlane looks at the rise of rugby in an unlikely place. Video courtesy of CNN’s International’s ‘Rugby Sevens Worldwide’, sponsored by HSBC.

James Hook can freshen up Warren Gatland’s game-plan

4 April 2014 1 comment

Sonny Parker believes Wales are going stale under head coach Warren Gatland and calls for a return of James Hook.

Sir Ian McGeechan urges SRU To nurture talent with London Scottish

4 April 2014 0 comments

Sir Ian McGeechan has called on Scotland Rugby to utilise London Scottish in order to create greater depth in its national talent pool.

Ben Morgan: We can storm All Blacks stronghold

2 April 2014 0 comments

Bullish No.8 Ben Morgan has backed England to send out a pre-World Cup statement of intent by beating mighty New Zealand in June.

Dan Hipkiss warns England not to put Manu Tuilagi on the wing

1 April 2014 0 comments

One of the few headaches facing Stuart Lancaster after the Six Nations is one he has encountered before – how to solve a problem like Manu?

VIDEO: Fail swan dive from Hong Kong Sevens

31 March 2014 1 comment

The Hong Kong Sevens is known for its entertainment in the stands but Japan‘s Kosuke Hashino thought he would give the crowd something else to […]

Jeff Probyn: It was the Scotland game that cost England the title

28 March 2014 2 comments

Sometimes in life everything conspires to bring about the right outcome and make dreams come true, even if it takes a little luck. First we […]

Apprentice Maro Itoje ready to replace the grand master

28 March 2014 0 comments

Maro Itoje could barely pluck up the courage to speak to Steve Borthwick when the pair first met at Saracens four years ago.

Nick Cain picks his new Lions team from the evidence of the Six Nations championship

27 March 2014 1 comment

Selecting a 2014 Lions side confirms more than anything just how long a year in rugby can be. If the Lions were bound for New […]

Top ten hit Owen Farrell has climbed up to No.3

27 March 2014 2 comments

Owen Farrell can be bracketed among the world’s top three fly-halves alongside Dan Carter and Jonny Sexton, according to Wasps and former England star Andy Goode.

Greig Laidlaw rested for five weeks ahead of World Cup

26 March 2014 0 comments

Edinburgh Rugby have agreed to rest captain Greig Laidlaw for five weeks following a request from the Scotland national team. The five-week break is intended […]

Jeremy Guscott: England lead the way in my team of Six Nations

26 March 2014 0 comments

There was not much separating the four top sides in this year’s Six Nations, as the tournament took us on a journey that was great […]

Brendan Gallagher: The sevens wonder of the world still going at 75!

26 March 2014 0 comments

Over the years camp followers have suffered from severe sunburn, hypothermia and trench foot watching the HSBC Rosslyn Park School Sevens but that all comes […]

England Sevens finish third in Tokyo

24 March 2014 0 comments

England finish third in Tokyo after coming from behind to beat World Champions New Zealand 21-12 in the play-off. Tries from Marcus Watson and Dan […]

Mike Brown named RBS 6 Nations Player of the Championship

21 March 2014 1 comment

Mike Brown has been named RBS 6 Nations Player of the Championship to cap a superb tournament. The England full-back secured over 34 per cent […]

Courtney Lawes and Joe Launchbury are ‘best in the world’

21 March 2014 0 comments

Former England lock Ben Kay has hailed the Courtney Lawes/Joe Launchbury double act as the perfect second row partnership.

Tom Mitchell: Konichiwa from Japan’s capital

20 March 2014 0 comments

Konichiwa! That is pretty much the extent of our grasp of the lingo out here. Of all our stops on the Sevens world tour, Tokyo […]

Fight for Dan Cole’s place won’t change Henry Thomas

20 March 2014 0 comments

Henry Thomas is the first to admit that he cannot match Dan Cole’s all-court ability in an England shirt.

Stuart Hogg banned for three weeks

19 March 2014 0 comments

Stuart Hogg has been handed a three-week ban for the red card he received against Wales last Saturday in Cardiff. The Scotland full-back was found […]

Win a Brilliant Monster Marriott London Sevens weekend

18 March 2014 0 comments

Marriott Hotels is calling for rugby fans across the land to design their ultimate London Sevens rugby experience using #Brilliant7s. The most freakishly fun and […]

Sam Warburton to miss Wales summer tour

17 March 2014 2 comments

Sam Warburton will miss Wales‘ summer tour to South Africa after dislocating his shoulder in the 51-3 win over Scotland on Saturday. The Welsh captain suffered […]

Six Nation previews

14 March 2014 0 comments

The 2014 Six Nations title will be decided tomorrow between Rome and Paris with Ireland, England and France still in the running to be crowned […]

Vunipola replaces Marler in England XV

14 March 2014 1 comment

Mako Vunipola will start at loose-head for England in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations match against Italy at the Stadio Olimpico. The Saracene prop replaces Joe Marler […]

Leigh Halfpenny out for four months

14 March 2014 0 comments

Leigh Halfpenny will be out of action for up to four months as he requires a shoulder surgery. The Wales full-back dislocated his shoulder in […]

Italy v England preview

14 March 2014 0 comments

Manu Tuilagi will make his long awaited England return on Saturday after being named on the bench to face Italy in Rome. The Leicester centre is […]

France v Ireland preview

14 March 2014 1 comment

Louis Picamoles has been recalled by Philippe Saint Andre to face Ireland on Saturday but the Toulouse No.8 will start at blindside for France. Picamoles, who […]

Wales v Scotland preview

14 March 2014 1 comment

Dan Biggar and Mike Phillips will form a new half-back partnership as Warren Gatland makes six changes to his Wales team ahead of their game […]

Jim Mallinder staying to finish his Leicester hunt

14 March 2014 0 comments

Jim Mallinder has revealed how the desire to break Leicester Tigers’ hegemony and establish Northampton as domestic rugby’s leading force persuaded him to snub the chance of coaching England two years ago.

Peter O’Mahony returns for Ireland

13 March 2014 0 comments

Peter O’Mahony returns to the Ireland starting XV as they chase the Six Nations title in Paris on Saturday. The Munster captain has recovered from the […]

Dougie Fife to make Scotland debut

13 March 2014 1 comment

Dougie Fife will make his Scotland Test debut in Cardiff on Saturday after being named on the wing to face Wales in the last round of […]

Brendan Gallagher: Why Barbados against mighty All Blacks will be no rum do

13 March 2014 0 comments

It’s a bleary-eyed Sunday morning on Aldershot Garrison Common where the icy wind knifes you in two and the freezing rain threatens to morph into […]

Castro out but Parisse is back for Italy

13 March 2014 1 comment

Martin Castrogiovanni has been ruled out of Saturday’s clash with England but influential captain Sergio Parisse returns at No.8. The former Leicester prop suffered an limped […]

VIDEO: O2 Inside Line

12 March 2014 0 comments

In this episode of O2 Inside Line, Exeter duo Tom Johnson and Jack Nowell offer their insights and analysis of the Wales game and then […]

Manu Tuilagi set for England return

12 March 2014 0 comments

Manu Tuilagi will make his England return on Saturday in Rome after being named in the matchday 23 to face Italy in the last round […]

Save 10% On The England Rugby Silver Rose Collection!

7 March 2014 0 comments

The London Silver Company.Com is a brand new licensee to England Rugby. It has created a brand new exclusive rang of jewellery for both men and women called The England Rugby Silver Rose Collection.

Henry Thomas will be ready for World Cup, says Jason Leonard

7 March 2014 1 comment

He is not the heir to Dan Cole’s tighthead throne yet but Henry Thomas has all the attributes to overthrow England’s No.3 one day, says prop legend Jason Leonard.

Master spy James O’Connor is impressed by England

5 March 2014 1 comment

James O’Connor believes England are “building towards something special” and admits Australia will have their work cut out to beat them at the 2015 World Cup.

Defeat at Twickenham carries £2m price tag

4 March 2014 0 comments

England and Wales will be playing for high stakes in next Sunday’s Six Nations eliminator at Twickenham.

England Sevens to take on Wales at Twickenham

3 March 2014 0 comments

England will take on Wales in a one-off Sevens international staged immediately after Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations contest between the countries at Twickenham. The match […]

Courtney Lawes left it too long to hit heights, says Simon Shaw

28 February 2014 0 comments

Courtney Lawes’ burgeoning reputation as a world-class lock has been a while in coming – indeed England legend Simon Shaw thinks it has taken too long.

Stop us if you can, George North tells England

25 February 2014 1 comment

Wales descend on Twickenham next week with a challenging message to England: “Stop us, if you can.”

Tom Mitchell: Semi-final defeat to New Zealand hurts but we can’t wait for Tokyo

18 February 2014 0 comments

As we return to England with another fourth-place finish there is a now familiar feeling of so close yet so far. But if anything our […]

Stuart Lancaster’s youth policy is a gamble says Mark Cueto

14 February 2014 0 comments

Mark Cueto fears England have turned to youth on a wing and prayer – claiming it would be wrong to leave Saracens’ two speedsters on the scrapheap for good.

One of world’s best No.8s? I’m not even top in Wales, says humble Taulupe Faletau

13 February 2014 0 comments

Trying to make Taulupe Faletau sing his own praises, and watching him refuse to brand himself as one of the best No.8s in the world, is as painful as it is refreshing.

Rugby World Cup 2015 launches ‘The Pack’ volunteer programme

12 February 2014 1 comment

The England 2015 Organising Committee has today launched ‘The Pack’ – the volunteer programme for Rugby World Cup 2015. Made up of 6,000 volunteers, ‘The […]

England finish fourth at Wellington Sevens

8 February 2014 1 comment

England finished fourth of the Wellington Sevens following a last-gasp 14-7 defeat to Fiji in the third-place play-off this morning. On the back of two […]

Tomasso Allan refuses to be eclipsed by Diego Dominguez shadow

7 February 2014 0 comments

Tomasso Allan is a gifted 20-year-old of natural sunny disposition – as befits a young tyro who spends most of his time living the dream in Perpignan, Cape Town and Rome – but the mention of Diego Dominguez produces something akin to a frown.