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.

George urges RFU to listen to old boys

29 October 2023 0 comments

By ADAM HATHAWAY Jamie George has urged the RFU to listen to England’s seasoned internationals before rubber-stamping proposals over new playing contracts. Twickenham chiefs have […]

Majestic Boks win in battle of Paris

29 October 2023 0 comments

By NICK CAIN New Zealand……………….. 11pts Tries: B Barrett 57 Penalties: Mo’unga 16, 37 South Africa …………………12pts Penalties: Pollard 2, 12, 18, 33 SOUTH Africa […]

Brilliant Boks are worthy champions

29 October 2023 0 comments

BRENDAN GALLAGHER So they have only gone and done it! South Africa have become the first team to win four World Cups which is pretty […]

Bronze beauties: Dan and Earl steer England to third in the end

29 October 2023 0 comments

By NICK CAIN England ……………………….. 26pts Tries: Earl 7, Dan 44 Conversions: Farrell 9, 45 Penalties: Farrell 3, 13, 30, 65 Argentina ……………………. 23pts Tries: […]

Borthwick quick to look to the future

29 October 2023 0 comments

From ADAM HATHAWAY Steve Borthwick finished his first World Cup campaign as England head coach and immediately put his business head back on after the […]

Kamikaze Kids in unison once again

29 October 2023 0 comments

BRENDAN GALLAGHER OK, it wasn’t a cracker but nor was this play-off game a dud. In a tournament marked by a handful of games for […]

Borthwick needs to rebuild England pack

29 October 2023 0 comments

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK IT was a well executed England game-plan against South Africa in the semi-final, but the other side of […]

Borthwick has tough decisions to make

29 October 2023 0 comments

PAUL REES FOURTH in the Six Nations, third in the World Cup. Redemption rather than progress for England given the pool they were in and […]

England will struggle to replace Marler and Cole

29 October 2023 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK Here is a prediction. England will not win another World Cup, or Six Nations Grand Slam, or […]

Village teams which gave stars their start

29 October 2023 0 comments

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND WHEN the Principality Stadium crowd rises to salute Leigh Halfpenny as he makes his final appearance on the international […]

‘Pence’, the most humble superstar

29 October 2023 0 comments

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW When the curtain comes down on his international career next Saturday, Leigh Halfpenny will need a removal […]

Final bow for these veterans

29 October 2023 0 comments

PETER JACKSON Now that the World Cup has come and gone, so, too, has a distinguished team of veterans with matching track records. While the […]

Lagisquet’s effort cannot be ignored

29 October 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS World Rugby could desperately do with an injection of PR savvy not to mention a certain generosity of spirit. Take their awards ceremony […]

England missed their big chance

29 October 2023 0 comments

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME I can’t help thinking the disappointment that is currently being felt by England fans is probably […]

Rugby’s greatest rivalry back on biggest stage

27 October 2023 0 comments

The Rugby World Cup‘s two most dominant teams will meet in their first final since 1995 this Saturday as New Zealand and South Africa face […]

Youngs to retire after Argentina play-off

25 October 2023 0 comments

Ben Youngs will retire after England’s Rugby World Cup third-place play-off this Friday as his country’s most-capped player. Scrum-half Youngs, 34, will start his first […]

Lawes left out for Curry in England’s final match of World Cup

25 October 2023 0 comments

Courtney Lawes has missed out on being selected for England‘s final game of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, with Tom Curry getting the nod at […]

24-team World Cup, Nations Cup and global calendar confirmed by World Rugby

24 October 2023 0 comments

World Rugby have announced there will be a new international league competition included in a global calendar from 2026, with a 24-team World Cup given […]

Kleyn could never have imagined final with South Africa

24 October 2023 0 comments

Former Ireland player Jean Kleyn has revealed that being involved in a World Cup Final for his native South Africa was “outside the realm of […]

Series 3, Episode 14: Nick Easter on the World Cup final and what’s next for England

23 October 2023 0 comments

England so nearly pulled off a shock upset against the Springboks but it was Handré Pollard’s boot that condemned the Red Rose to a semi-final […]

England legend Lawes to retire

23 October 2023 0 comments

England veteran Courtney Lawes has announced his retirement from international rugby, bringing to an end a 14-year career. 34-year-old Lawes, who debuted alongside now coach […]

It’s heartbreak

22 October 2023 0 comments

England go so close but Springboks steal it From ADAM HATHAWAY Owen Farrell predicted great things for England despite their heartbreaking semi-final defeat to the […]

Gallant England cruelly denied by Boks

22 October 2023 0 comments

By NICK CAIN England …………………………15pts Penalties: Farrell 3, 10, 24, 39 Drop goals: Farrell 53 South Africa …………………16pts Tries: Snyman 69 Conversions: Pollard 70 Penalties: […]

All Blacks move into the final but this was a sorry mismatch

22 October 2023 0 comments

From NICK CAIN at the Stade de France Argentina……………………….6pts Penalties: Boffelli 4, 34 New Zealand………………….44pts Tries: Jordan 10, 61, 72 Barrett 16, Frizell 41, 48, […]

Paying the price of a lopsided draw

22 October 2023 0 comments

BRENDAN GALLAGHER And there, ladies and gentlemen, we can see the mortal danger of having such a lopsided draw. We may have spent all last […]

McKellar in frame for Jones position

22 October 2023 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE Leicester Tigers boss Dan McKellar, above, has emerged as a potential target for the Australian Rugby Union if Eddie Jones, below, walks […]

Why take off key players?

22 October 2023 0 comments

NICK CAIN The main factor in France being edged out by South Africa in last weekend’s quarter-final classic was that there was a drop-off after […]

Next time, Dupont will take what is his

22 October 2023 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED DID the spirit of rugby romance go to meet its maker in the immediate aftermath of the World Cup quarter-final weekend […]

Curtain falls on dynamic duo

22 October 2023 0 comments

Paul Rees sees Johnny Sexton and Dan Biggar exit stage left as their epic international careers come to a close ALL things must pass, none […]

Put Kolbe fast show on the big TV screen

22 October 2023 0 comments

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Seven days on, Thomas Ramos will still be kicking himself over falling victim to the mother of […]

Why the final step is often one too many

22 October 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER If I had a fiver for every time I’ve heard the expression […]

Pleased Dickson made the right call

22 October 2023 0 comments

Did you, like me, cheer inwardly when Karl Dickson could be heard on comms explaining that not all hits to the head are foul play […]

I’m going nowhere, promises Galthie

22 October 2023 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN “I have a contract that runs until June 2028, so no.” That was France head coach Fabien Galthie’s succinct – and […]

Steward in for one of three England changes for South Africa

19 October 2023 0 comments

Freddie Steward has replaced Marcus Smith in one of three England changes for their Rugby World Cup semi-final against South Africa, with the Springboks unchanged […]

Argentina and New Zealand go largely unchanged for semi-final

19 October 2023 0 comments

Argentina have made just one change to their starting line-up for Friday’s semi-final against New Zealand, who have only made two of their own in […]

Series 3, Episode 13: The greatest quarter-finals in RWC history and a look to the semis

18 October 2023 0 comments

Wow. Just wow. The Rugby World Cup 2023 quarter-finals certainly did not disappoint, with two all-time great matches in Paris accompanied by a couple of […]

Five semi-final shocks to inspire England and Argentina

17 October 2023 0 comments

The odds of both England and Argentina overcoming their semi-final opponents this weekend to reach the Rugby World Cup Final are anything between 33/1 or […]

Raiwalui confirms Fiji departure after World Cup exit

17 October 2023 0 comments

Fiji boss Simon Raiwalui has confirmed he will step down at the end of the year after his side’s Rugby World Cup campaign ended with […]

South Africa stun France to set up England rematch

15 October 2023 0 comments

By Nick Powell, Online Editor France………………………………………..28 Tries: Baille 4, 31; Mauvaka 22 Conversions: Ramos 5, 32 Penalties: Ramos 40+1, 54, 73 South Africa…………………………….29 Tries: Arendse […]

England hold off Fiji fightback to reach semis

15 October 2023 0 comments

By Nick Powell, Online Editor England…………………………….30 Tries: Tuilagi 14, Marchant 23 Conversions: Farrell 24 Penalties: Farrell 11, 34, 38, 54, 78 Drop-goal: Farrell 72 Fiji………………………………………24 […]

Care: Time to grab this chance of a lifetime

15 October 2023 0 comments

From ADAM HATHAWAY Danny Care has urged England to seize the day against Fiji this afternoon because it could be the last dance for a […]

Gatland: Change of ref did not help

15 October 2023 0 comments

From ADAM HATHAWAY in Marseille Warren Gatland claimed a change of referee put a spoke in the wheels of his Wales side as they crashed […]

Confident England set to get out of jail

15 October 2023 0 comments

From ADAM HATHAWAY PREVIEW… England v Fiji Today. Kick-off 4pm, Stade de Marseille Steve Borthwick and his coaching staff are on parole today as England […]

Fairytale finale for revived Pumas

15 October 2023 0 comments

From NICK CAIN Wales……………………………. 17pts Tries: Biggar 14, T Williams 57 Conversions: Biggar 16, 57 Penalties: Biggar 21 Argentina ……………………. 29pts Tries: Sclavi 68, Sanchez […]

Unbelievable! It all ends in Irish tears

15 October 2023 0 comments

By TOM BRADSHAW Ireland………………………. 24pts Tries: Aki 27, Gibson-Park 39, Penalty 64 Conversions: Sexton 29, 40 Penalties: Sexton 22 New Zealand……………. 28pts Tries: Fainga’anuku 19, […]

Sorry end for Sexton and his band of brothers as they fall short yet again

15 October 2023 0 comments

BRENDAN GALLAGHER No No No. Not again surely? After 36 years of trying to win a quarter-final Ireland have fallen short again but what drama. […]

France put faith in Dupont return

15 October 2023 0 comments

By TOM BRADSHAW PREVIEW… France v South Africa Today. Kick-off 8pm, Stade de France France are preparing for a game of “rare intensity” and simmering […]

England must get best out of Smith

15 October 2023 0 comments

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK STEVE Borthwick does not have a lot of choice when it comes to selecting his forwards for today’s […]