Featured

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

Kay: Tigers can roar again with Toomua and Tuilagi

22 July 2016 0 comments

World Cup winner turned BT Sport pundit Ben Kay talks to NEALE HARVEY about how he anticipates the new season unfolding at both club and international […]

Steve Smith: Phillips can continue long line of Sale’s magic No.9s

21 July 2016 0 comments

By John Newcombe SALE legend Steve Smith has backed Mike Philips to add his name to the club’s long roster of scrum-half greats. Sale have […]

Paul James extends Ospreys deal

20 July 2016 0 comments

Wales prop Paul James has extended his contract with the Ospreys to 2018. The loosehead will be 36 by the time his new deal expires […]

Guscott column: Eastmond can revive England hopes at Sale

14 July 2016 0 comments

By Jeremy Guscott Kyle Eastmond is a very talented player with a skill set that really suits Rugby Union. When he is in the right […]

Barritt: Schalk can lead us to treble

13 July 2016 0 comments

Saracens skipper Brad Barritt reckons the arrival of South African back-rower Schalk Burger will take his side to the next level as the Men in […]

Six Nations can’t ignore Georgia’s tour glory

9 July 2016 0 comments

Georgia were back home in Tbilisi this week being lauded by one and all after their inaugural Pacific Island tour resulted in two wins and […]

Charlie Hodgson: It’s all so fierce now but guys like Owen Farrell can keep us on top

8 July 2016 0 comments

How did it feel to finish your playing career as a Premiership and Champions Cup ‘double’ winner? It’s what dreams are made of. With the […]

Jamie George reveals secrets of England revival

7 July 2016 0 comments

Victorious hooker Jamie George has identified the belief installed by Eddie Jones, Steve Borthwick‘s coaching and the leadership qualities of Dylan Hartley as three of […]

Neil Back backing youngsters to rival star man James Haskell

6 July 2016 0 comments

James Haskell‘s heroics in Australia may have put the long-running back-row argument on the back burner but England legend Neil Back is still of the […]

Bath boss Bruce Craig NOT selling up at the Rec

5 July 2016 0 comments

Bruce Craig has categorically denied he is selling Bath after rumours emerged he was on the verge of offloading his controlling interest to billionaire business […]

Dylan Hartley can challenge captain Sam Warburton says Fran Cotton

5 July 2016 0 comments

Dylan Hartley’s conversion from serial offender into a challenger to Sam Warburton as Lions captain is given a ringing endorsement today by one of the […]

How Yorkshire Carnegie find those JWC gems

2 July 2016 0 comments

Made in Yorkshire, won in Lancashire. It may be stretching the point, but, with five players involved, there’s no disputing Yorkshire Carnegie played a significant […]

Rob Cook’s backing Jonny May to break into Eddie Jones’ elite

1 July 2016 0 comments

Jonny May is set to roar back fit, firing and ready to reclaim his England wing spot, according to former Gloucester teammate Rob Cook. May, […]

Super heroes who can be marvels with Lions

30 June 2016 0 comments

Saracens coach Alex Sanderson expects his real life ‘Fantastic Five’ of George Kruis, Maro Itoje, Owen Farrell and brothers Mako and Billy Vunipola to defy […]

Players heading for another post-Lions burnout say RPA

29 June 2016 0 comments

Damian Hopley believes England‘s top stars are facing inevitable burnout unless steps are taken to limit the number of appearances they make. The Rugby Paper […]

Eddie Jones must look at Saxons stars Danny Cipriani and Dave Attwood

28 June 2016 0 comments

Fresh from leading England Saxons to a 2-0 series win in South Africa, head coach Ali Hepher reckons at least half a dozen will push […]

I was a fat-arse at Bath admits Stephen Donald

24 June 2016 0 comments

Stephen Donald outdid Warren Gatland in the home hero stakes in Hamilton, leaving the field to a standing ovation after guiding the Chiefs to an […]

Top agent calls for RFU to address Tier Two welfare

23 June 2016 0 comments

The supply line of Championship players to the Premiership will dry up unless England’s second tier undergoes a major overhaul.

Shane Monahan gets cagey in search for new career

22 June 2016 0 comments

Former Gloucester and Rotherham winger Shane Monahan is to swap the rugby field for the octagon after embarking on a career in Mixed Martial Arts. […]

EXCLUSIVE: Tom Coventry quits to leave London Irish in turmoil

21 June 2016 0 comments

By Neale Harvey London Irish‘s plans have been plunged into turmoil following director of rugby Tom Coventry‘s decision to quit ahead of their return to […]

Gloucester stint made me a better player says Stevie McColl

17 June 2016 0 comments

Two years after leaving for Gloucester, Stevie McColl says he returns to the north for a second spell with Yorkshire Carnegie a much better player. […]

Donncha O’Callaghan battles to give war-torn kids better life

16 June 2016 0 comments

Warrior Donncha O’Callaghan brought down the curtain on a gruelling first season at Worcester and then set off on a more challenging assignment. He is […]

Stuart Lancaster confirms job target

15 June 2016 0 comments

Stuart Lancaster wants to coach in the Southern Hemisphere to prove English coaches are “good enough to work there”. The former England boss has nothing […]

Mark Bennett plans rendezvous in Rio with Sonny Bill Williams

14 June 2016 0 comments

Mark Bennett is hoping to take on his boyhood hero Sonny Bill Williams at the Rio Olympics. But he has serious reservations about coming up […]

The incredible story of Connacht sensation Niyi Adeolokun

10 June 2016 0 comments

Tony Smeeth was watching the Pro12 Grand Final from his father’s hospital bedside in Dorchester when a familiar figure flashed across the screen in Connacht […]

Wide boys will worry Wallabies says Jonathan Joseph

10 June 2016 0 comments

Jonathan Joseph believes England’s cut-and-thrust style is perfectly suited to the fast grounds of Australia as they aim for a first series win Down Under. […]

Will Fraser: We can double up just like Leicester

9 June 2016 0 comments

Will Fraser says Saracens are determined to make their critics eat humble pie by becoming first side since Leicester in 2002 to clinch back-to-back ‘doubles.’ […]

We’re backing England insist Wasps, despite foreign legion

8 June 2016 0 comments

Wasps insist they remain committed to developing England-qualified players despite falling well short of RFU targets for season 2015-16. The Coventry-based outfit reached semi-finals in […]

EXCLUSIVE: Championship playoffs set to be scrapped

7 June 2016 0 comments

By NEALE HARVEY The controversial Championship play-offs are set to be discarded as part of a new £220m, eight-year agreement between Premiership Rugby and the […]

Speed king Marcus Watson on track to claim prized Rio Olympics spot

4 June 2016 0 comments

Marcus Watson returned to the World Sevens circuit last week, and although it was a shock to the system, the Newcastle flier is confident he […]

Playoff pain will work in our favour long term says Dai Young

3 June 2016 0 comments

Dai Young believes Wasps‘ double dose of semi-final heartache will strengthen their bid to recapture the cub’s glory days. Defeat in last week’s Premiership semi-final […]

Signs pointing up for Sale after tough ten years

2 June 2016 0 comments

Sale legend Dean Schofield believes his former club are on course to challenge for domestic silverware again ten years after they became champions of England. […]

Dean Ryan looking to flick the power switch at Worcester

1 June 2016 0 comments

Worcester boss Dean Ryan has called on his home-grown stars to step up physically and match the power game of their Premiership rivals. Warriors finished […]

New boys backed to spark Freddie Burns’ Test bid

31 May 2016 0 comments

Freddie Burns still has an England future according to Leicester head coach Aaron Mauger, who reckons the summer arrivals of Test stars Matt Toomua and […]

Aaron Mauger: Reduce fixtures or risk injury increase

27 May 2016 0 comments

Leicester head coach Aaron Mauger has demanded a reduction in the number of games in order to reduce the risk of player burnout. With the […]

Owen Farrell’s fast becoming undroppable like Jonny Wilkinson says Ugo Monye

26 May 2016 0 comments

Owen Farrell is a “champion player” who is on track to emulate the achievements of Jonny Wilkinson, according to former England and Lions wing Ugo […]

Dave Ewers stepping up his challenge to Chris Robshaw

25 May 2016 0 comments

Dave Ewers will challenge Chris Robshaw for his England place according to Exeter Chiefs teammate Don Armand, who describes Stuart Lancaster‘s decision not to include […]

Simon Amor urged to pick Joe Simpson for Olympic showpiece

24 May 2016 0 comments

Charles Piutau reckons Wasps teammate Joe Simpson is more than capable of making the transition to Sevens rugby for the Rio Olympics. Livewire scrum-half Simpson […]

Chris Robshaw indebted to ‘honest’ Eddie Jones for his revival

20 May 2016 0 comments

Revitalised Chris Robshaw cannot wait to tackle Australia again after bouncing back from his personal World Cup nightmare. Robshaw suffered a torrid time in the […]

We’re ready for Aussies thanks to guru Eddie Jones

19 May 2016 0 comments

Bullish Ben Youngs reckons England‘s tourists are ready to shock Australia next month under the belligerent leadership of Eddie Jones. Having captured a Six Nations […]

Steffon Armitage? We’d take him, says Dallaglio

18 May 2016 0 comments

A move by Wasps to sign Steffon Armitage would make sense to everyone involved according to club legend.

Six Nations heads for talks on relegation

17 May 2016 0 comments

The organisers of the Six Nations are to consider introducing promotion and relegation to the world’s oldest annual international championship. After years of dismissing the […]

Danny Care boy destined to get ton up says Nick Evans

13 May 2016 0 comments

Livewire Danny Care will become England’s most capped scrum-half and the first to win a century of caps, according to Harlequins teammate Nick Evans. Care, […]

Gareth Anscombe is facing a ‘warm’ welcome home

12 May 2016 0 comments

Gareth Anscombe is braced for a rocky return to New Zealand after turning his back on the All Blacks. Anscombe is likely to get the […]

Martin Corry: Sam Underhill must come home to prove himself

11 May 2016 0 comments

Sam Underhill must put aside his loyalty to the Ospreys and join a Premiership club if he is to fulfil his England ambitions, according to […]

Brexit may threaten overseas signings

10 May 2016 0 comments

Britain’s potential exit from the European Union could have “big implications” for overseas rugby players plying their trade here, according to Newcastle managing director Mick […]

Ian Davies blasts RFU as Tier Two attendances dwindle

7 May 2016 0 comments

Outgoing Cornish Pirates rugby director Ian Davies has accused the RFU of “paying lip service” to the Championship. Davies insists there must be a root […]

Billy Vunipola will rise to challenge of Nathan Hughes

6 May 2016 0 comments

Billy Vunipola will see off the challenge of Nathan Hughes and prove he’s the best No.8 in world rugby, according to Saracens teammate Kelly Brown. […]

Leicester Tigers have given me back my roar – Telusa Veainu

5 May 2016 0 comments

Leicester‘s try-wizard Telusa Veainu reckons he owes the Welford Road outfit a huge debt of gratitude for handing him a post-World Cup lifeline. Tongan star […]