Rugby World Cup

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

Chris Robshaw backs USA to boost 2031 Rugby World Cup

15 December 2024 0 comments

By Paul Rees Chris Robshaw is confident the United States will make a success of hosting the 2031 World Cup and expand the game’s commercial […]

Blow for England as Jones quits

25 August 2024 0 comments

By Ben Jaycock Back-to-back World Cup winning defence coach Felix Jones has left his role with England after sources revealed he was unsettled by an […]

Stick or twist? The choice at 10

25 August 2024 0 comments

Paul Rees looks ahead to New Zealand’s heavyweight matches against world champions South Africa The Rugby Championship title could be decided in the next two […]

2027 World Cup is closer than you think, says Borthwick

21 July 2024 0 comments

By ADAM HATHAWAY Steve Borthwick admits he faces a race against time to get England up to speed as he turns his sights to the […]

World Cup 2031 will be a tough sell in USA

21 July 2024 0 comments

Nick Cain World Cup USA is six and a half years away. Yet, outside the fraught situation World Rugby (IRB) faced in scheduling the 1995 […]

Steve’s call left Clarke out in the cold

19 May 2024 0 comments

By ROSS HEPPENSTALL Steve Borthwick has been blasted for the way he axed a key member of England’s backroom staff. Jon Clarke was appointed as […]

Storti brings season to an end in style

5 May 2024 0 comments

Portugal wing Raffaele Storti may have made a slow start to the season but he has been making up for it ever since. Storti, below, […]

Minnows in line for a World Cup boost

14 April 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE World Rugby aims to streamline the Rugby World Cup qualification process to give non-high performance nations even more time to prepare for […]

George has inspired England improvement – Dawson

11 April 2024 0 comments

Former England captain and scrum-half Matt Dawson has praised skipper Jamie George as the “catalyst” for the country’s recent turnaround, and backed his former club […]

Man prosecuted for abusing World Cup official

9 April 2024 0 comments

A man in Australia has been prosecuted for abusing TMO Brian MacNiece on social media during Enlgand’s match against Samoa in last year’s Rugby World […]

JVP ready to prove he’s back to his best

7 April 2024 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN England and Leicester dynamo Jack van Poortvliet has highlighted in both his actions and words that he’s back to his very best […]

‘Immortal’ Whitelock to retire

7 April 2024 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON NEW Zealand’s mostcapped player Sam Whitelock will retire at the end of the French club season in June. The lock, who played […]

Paraguay skipper Garcete sets sights on World Cup 2027

28 March 2024 0 comments

Combative Paraguayan second row Mariano Garcete, 26, is captain of club and country but has his eye on something greater. “I watched Uruguay play France […]

En garde, England

10 March 2024 0 comments

World rugby’s absurd international residency qualification of just three years should put the RFU on its guard that England will not be facing some of […]

Appleton expected to beat Wales at Rugby World Cup

29 February 2024 0 comments

Portugal captain Tomás Appleton set his side the goal of beating Wales at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, and feels that “crazy” ambition helped Os Lobos win […]

Henshaw is full of praise for Nienaber

18 February 2024 0 comments

By ROB COLE Ireland centre Robbie Henshaw believes his game has improved since South Africa’s World Cup winning coach Jacques Nienaber has joined the Leinster […]

Erasmus to take Springboks through to 2027

6 February 2024 0 comments

Rassie Erasmus will return as head coach of South Africa through to the next Rugby World Cup after the departure of Jacques Nienaber to Leinster. […]

Barnes backing World Rugby legal action

4 February 2024 0 comments

Legal action is being taken after match officials and players suffered online abuse during the Rugby World Cup. World Cup final referee Wayne Barnes retired […]

Ardao heads to Miami to face his next challenge

4 February 2024 0 comments

By JOE SANTAMARIA Uruguay sensation Manuel Ardao took the World Cup by storm with some sensational performances but is far from satisfied. Anyone who watched […]

Double agents out to prove their worth

4 February 2024 0 comments

Ben Nurse talks to two of Portugal’s World Cup stars looking forward to taking on England A Everyone who has ever played rugby has had […]

Cockerill handed Georgia job

18 January 2024 0 comments

Former Leicester Tigers boss and England assistant Richard Cockerill has been named head coach of the Georgian national team and their club side Black Lion. […]

Farrell extends Ireland stay to 2027

14 December 2023 0 comments

Andy Farrell has extended his contract as Ireland head coach until after the next Rugby World Cup in 2027. With his previous contract expiring in […]

Jones returns to Japan job

13 December 2023 0 comments

Eddie Jones has been confirmed as the new coach of Japan, where he was boss between 2012 and 2015, less than a month after he […]

Robshaw: Farrell will take charge of England again

10 December 2023 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD Former captain Chris Robshaw is backing Owen Farrell to lead England into World Cup battle Down Under in four years’ time. A […]

Jones set for Japan job

10 December 2023 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE Former England boss Eddie Jones could return to international coaching as early as this week after having a second interview for the […]

Bath move for World Cup star Snyman

3 December 2023 0 comments

By NEIL FISSLER World Cup winner RG Snyman is set to reunite with Johann van Graan, with Bath on the verge of completing a deal […]

Twenty years on and still looking good…

3 December 2023 0 comments

Brendan Gallagher looked on as England’s World Cup winners from 2003 got together recently WAISTLINES have expanded and hairlines receded while even those still blessed […]

South Americans keen to build on new foundations

3 December 2023 0 comments

By JOE SANTAMARIA Now the dust has settled on the World Cup, the three South American nations will reflect upon a mixed tournament, which encompassed […]

Fiji must play top teams – Matavesi

26 November 2023 0 comments

By PAUL REES Sam Matavesi says the World Cup showed Fiji need more fixtures against the leading nations if they are to regularly challenge in […]

20 years on and little to give us any real hope

26 November 2023 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK THIS week saw the 20th anniversary celebrations of the 2003 England squad winning the World Cup for […]

Series 3, Episode 17: Picking an England XV to win RWC 2027 and remembering 2003

22 November 2023 0 comments

The Rugby Paper Podcast is back with a bang! Post Rugby World Cup and on the anniversary of England‘s iconic Rugby World Cup win in […]

World Cup winner Strydom dies in car crash

20 November 2023 0 comments

South African 1995 World Cup winner Hannes Strydom has died in a car accident at the age of 58. The former lock started in the […]

Underhill faces a fight for his place

19 November 2023 0 comments

By PAUL REES Back row is not one of England head coach Steve Borthwick’s problem positions in terms of competition for places, but the return […]

Good cop, bad cop worked well, says Lake

19 November 2023 0 comments

By SIMON THOMAS Dewi Lake has revealed just how much he learned about captaincy with Wales at the World Cup amid his “good cop, bad […]

Series 3, Episode 16: Mark Evans on RWC format shake-up and World League introduction

7 November 2023 0 comments

In the Rugby Paper Podcast‘s final Rugby World Cup episode, it’s time to zoom out a bit and look ahead to the next four years. […]

Evans: It was good for Smith to play 15

5 November 2023 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Harlequins attack coach Nick Evans believes Marcus Smith will be all the better for his full-back experience at the World Cup, despite […]

Marler: I’m gutted we blew our final chance

5 November 2023 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD Joe Marler has labelled England’s campaign in France “a decent journey” but concedes he is “gutted” they “blew” the chance of becoming […]

Why refs must still have the final word

5 November 2023 0 comments

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK THE World Cup final was always going to be tense, and produce significant talking points. When you have […]

Barnes showed why he’s the best

5 November 2023 0 comments

Wayne Barnes retired at the top of his game on Thursday after taking charge of a record 111 internationals, the last of which was last […]

Perfect Pollard was the key difference

5 November 2023 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK THE aftermath of South Africa’s record fourth win in the World Cup final in Paris last weekend […]

Boks greater than sum of their parts

5 November 2023 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED THERE was much wailing and gnashing of teeth at the unveiling of the 2023 “supreme” side by the planet brains at […]

Like Dr Luyt, the game is still far too one-eyed

5 November 2023 0 comments

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW THE first World Cup dinner after a South Africa-New Zealand final since 1995 apparently ended without a […]

When I was hit, I used to smile

5 November 2023 0 comments

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME With the World Cup finally over and an outcome that was half expected but many were […]

The biggest losers from the Rugby World Cup 2023

3 November 2023 0 comments

The dust has almost settled in the aftermath of the Rugby World Cup, but for many months to come there will still be nations hurting […]

Venter: South Africa ‘unbelievably blessed’ in World Cup triumph

2 November 2023 0 comments

Brendan Venter feels South Africa benefitted from huge amounts of good fortune on their way to winning a fourth World Cup title, which he believes […]

The biggest winners from the Rugby World Cup 2023

2 November 2023 0 comments

A World Cup that will rank as one of the most unpredictable and exciting has come to an end after eight weeks of high drama […]

Barnes calls time on long refereeing career

2 November 2023 0 comments

English veteran referee Wayne Barnes has retired after a distinguished 20-year career with the whistle. Barnes, 44, has refereed 111 test matches and more than […]

May joins Lawes and Youngs in international retirement

31 October 2023 0 comments

Jonny May has become the third England player to retire after the Rugby World Cup, joining Courtney Lawes and Ben Youngs in calling time on […]

Series 3, Episode 15: RWC 2023 review with Brendan Venter

30 October 2023 0 comments

The sun has set on Rugby World Cup 2023, and in a thrilling finale the Springboks held onto their crown, edging out New Zealand by […]

Top of the world

29 October 2023 0 comments

Springboks take fourth title after epic showdown From ADAM HATHAWAY Siya Kolisi and his Springboks joined the rugby immortals as they landed back-to-back World Cups […]

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