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

Six Nations TV deal set to rocket past £50m a season

9 June 2015 0 comments

The next Six Nations television deal is expected to increase by 25 per cent.

Dave Ward: Our new guys will put Harlequins back on top

6 June 2015 0 comments

Harlequins hooker has backed star signings Roberts, Jones and Horwill to kick-start a revival at the Stoop.

Keep promotion, it gives clubs hope, says RPA boss Damian Hopley

5 June 2015 0 comments

Championship clubs must continue to have access to the top-flight and says the RFU should think carefully before endorsing Premiership plans.

Courtney Lawes and Joe Launchbury ‘top locks for England’

29 May 2015 1 comment

Pair must be England’s World Cup starting locks according to Nick Kennedy.

James Haskell won’t be giving up to Sam Burgess without a fight

26 May 2015 0 comments

James Haskell will not give up his England No.6 jersey lightly and has warned Sam Burgess he faces a major battle for that World Cup […]

“I’m lucky to have had supportive clubs,” says Samoa star Kahn Fotuali’i

23 May 2015 0 comments

Kahn Fotuali’i admits Polynesian players are under pressure to quit international rugby in order to secure lucrative overseas contracts. But Northampton’s Samoan scrum-half insists he […]

Dean Mumm on mission to prove he’s World Cup ready

22 May 2015 0 comments

Exeter skipper Dean Mumm insists he will have no qualms over returning to England as ‘public enemy No.1′ if he achieves his dream of representing […]

Harlequins prop Matt Shields now ready for his crack in big league

21 May 2015 0 comments

Rookie Harlequins tighthead Matt Shields has endured a baptism of fire since joining from Darlington Mowden Park in February and emerged with flying colours. But […]

Glenn Delaney: The salary cap cheats must be hammered

20 May 2015 0 comments

London Irish coach insists there can be no second chances for Premiership salary cap cheats beyond the end of this season.

Manu Tuilagi ‘will be worried about his big brother’

19 May 2015 1 comment

Leicester Tigers are to ask Tuilagi’s elder brother Freddie to keep a closer eye on their young star and ensure he remains trouble free.

Alex Corbisiero set to miss World Cup – Trevor Woodman

16 May 2015 0 comments

Lions prop set for World Cup heartbreak according to former England prop who believes Joe Marler and Mako Vunipola will be picked by Stuart Lancaster.

Manu Tuilagi kicked out of England squad for assaulting police officer

15 May 2015 1 comment

Leicester centre convicted this week of three charges of assault and one of criminal damage.

England shouldn’t pension off old guard says Ugo Monye

15 May 2015 0 comments

Ugo Monye believes England‘s World Cup wing selections are potentially set in stone but has urged boss Stuart Lancaster not to dismiss the old guard. […]

Tom Varndell: I won’t quit England until I beat Mark Cueto’s record

14 May 2015 0 comments

Tom Varndell wants to end his career abroad but he will not leave English rugby until he is the most prolific try-scorer in Premiership history. […]

Charlie Sharples blasts Euro bosses for play-off grind

13 May 2015 0 comments

Gloucester wing Charlie Sharples has slammed European Cup chiefs for plunging the Cherry & Whites into play-offs at the expense of player welfare. Despite winning […]

Martin Haag: Don’t stop clubs from daring to dream

9 May 2015 0 comments

No clubs should be denied the chance of ‘doing a Bournemouth’.

Long-shot Joe Simpson looking to close gap on No.9 rivals

8 May 2015 0 comments

Wasps scrum-half believes his ability to be a game-changing ‘super sub’ is the point of difference that will propel him into England’s World Cup squad.

Watch us finish World Sevens Series with a flourish, says Tom Mitchell

7 May 2015 0 comments

England Sevens captain warns rivals that, having been good enough to win in Tokyo, they will be in much better shape for Glasgow and London legs.

Richie McCaw will be hungry to end on high warns Neal Back

6 May 2015 1 comment

Former England flanker has warned New Zealand’s World Cup rivals to write off Richie McCaw at their peril.

Newcastle defiant despite Premiership clubs’ deficit nearing £25m

6 May 2015 1 comment

Newcastle managing director confident Falcons can become Premiership force despite incurring huge losses for a second successive year.

Exodus of stars at Leicester Tigers is alarming says Neil Back

5 May 2015 0 comments

Leicester legend accuses old club of standing still and fears they will fall even further behind their rivals if top players continue to leave.

Ben Youngs is confident that Leicester ‘culture’ won’t be diluted by foreign recruits

2 May 2015 0 comments

The Tigers announced the capture of six players and only one is English-born.

“I rejected big money move for England,” says Nick Easter

1 May 2015 2 comments

Steffon Armitage’s decision to play in France should preclude him from an England call up, according to Harlequins back-rower.

Semesa Rokoduguni’s form warranted a fairer crack blasts Neal Hatley

30 April 2015 1 comment

Bath win must not become a ‘one-cap wonder’

Tony Spreadbury: I got it wrong… but give young refs a break

29 April 2015 0 comments

RFU referees supremo still intends giving up-and-coming whistlers a chance.

Elton Flatley: Matt Giteau’s recall damages Wales’ chances

28 April 2015 0 comments

Matt Giteau’s Australian reinstatement will put Wales in greater World Cup danger than England, according to the Wallaby who almost changed rugby history. Elton Flatley, […]

Buccaneer Sam Burgess tailor-made for No.6 – Francois Louw

25 April 2015 0 comments

Sam Burgess‘s future lies on the blindside flank, according to Bath openside Francois Louw, who was hugely impressed with the former Rugby League man after […]

‘Kick up the bum’ puts Marland Yarde back on track

24 April 2015 0 comments

harlequins wing will leave no stone unturned to regain his England place.

Don’t write off Chris Ashton for England, says Mark Cueto

23 April 2015 1 comment

Former Test star reckons Jack Nowell and Anthony Watson are in pole position for England wing shirts.

Thomas Waldrom is on target to outgun the wing men

21 April 2015 0 comments

‘The Tank’ is on course to become the first forward to top the Premiership scoring charts since former England flanker Neil Back in 1998-99.

Forget Steffon Armitage, Red Rose needs Matt Kvesic

17 April 2015 0 comments

Matt Kvesic is overdue an England call-up, according to Gloucester legend Andy Hazell, who believes the in-form openside has the potential to displace captain Chris […]

George Ford and JJ have given us a cutting edge – Chris Robshaw

16 April 2015 0 comments

England captain Chris Robshaw has welcomed the introduction of George Ford and Jonathan Joseph into England’s backline saying the Bath duo add a new dimension […]

Red-hot Freddie Burns targets World Cup warm-ups

15 April 2015 0 comments

Fly-half believes he could yet earn him a place in England’s World Cup training squad – if he can steer Leicester to a shock Premiership title.

Plymouth Albion statement on James Shanahan

14 April 2015 0 comments

Plymouth Albion and head coach James Shanahan have parted company with three games remaining in the Championship season. The news follows Sunday’s 27-16 defeat to […]

Ian Ritchie right to say it’s ‘unacceptable’ – Billy Twelvetrees

9 April 2015 0 comments

RFU boss was right says England centre.

Stuart Hooper: Dave Attwood was deflated but he’ll rise for World Cup

9 April 2015 0 comments

Bath captain backs club colleague to reclaim his place in the Red Rose boiler room ahead of the World Cup.

Extra Test with Ireland on agenda for England

7 April 2015 0 comments

Old rivals to meat at HQ four times next season.

Neil De Kock is backing Ben Spencer for the top

3 April 2015 1 comment

Cup hero is well on the way to becoming “world class” according to fellow Saracens scrum-half.

Yorkshire Carnegie appoint Bryan Redpath as head coach

13 March 2015 0 comments

Yorkshire Carnegie have announced that Bryan Redpath will be their new head coach next season. The former scrum-half, 44, who signed a two-year contract, joins […]

Heaslip returns for Ireland

12 March 2015 0 comments

Jamie Heaslip will start for Ireland for the potentially decisive Six Nations clash with Wales in Cardiff. The British and Irish Lions No.8 replaces Jordi […]

Frustrated fans deserve more action says Wayne Barnes

11 March 2015 1 comment

Top referee Wayne Barnes is receptive to the idea of stopping the clock at scrums, lineouts and when tries are scored in order to prevent […]

“England still need Martin Johnson” – Brian Smith

10 March 2015 0 comments

England would be in better shape if Johnson were still in charge according to former Red Rose attack coach.

Sort out the scrum cheats blasts angry Marcos Ayerza

6 March 2015 1 comment

Leicester loosehead believes better education and TMOs would help referees eliminate scrum cheats and restore the set-piece to its former glory.

Runaway train Sinoti Sinoti is not slowing down

5 March 2015 0 comments

Sinoti Sinoti, he’s so good they named him twice. It’s a line used before but has never been more apt. Newcastle‘s Samoan winger has had […]

EXCLUSIVE: Welsh clubs gang up to oust chief executive Roger Lewis

4 March 2015 0 comments

By PETER JASCKON The Welsh Rugby Union had been urged to ‘get rid’ of chief executive Roger Lewis before last Tuesday’s announcement of his impending […]

Steve Diamond backs Danny Cipriani to steal Owen Farrell’s slot

3 March 2015 0 comments

Sales’s born-again fly-half is capable of ousting Saracens rival from the England World Cup squad.

London Irish failed to match my ambition says Tom Homer

28 February 2015 24 comments

London Irish’s lack of success made it impossible for full-back to resist the lure of a fresh start at Bath.

Hendre Fourie: England have the right mix

27 February 2015 0 comments

James Haskell may favour playing in the seven shirt but former England openside Hendre Fourie believes the reason he’s playing his best rugby again for […]