Featured

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

Dean Ryan in wings as Akapusi Qera hints at move

24 May 2013 0 comments

Dynamic Gloucester flanker Akapusi Qera could potentially be reunited with Dean Ryan when his contract at Kingsholm expires next year. Qera, nominated for this season’s […]

Ben Alexander’s debt to Bedford Blues production line

23 May 2013 0 comments

Bedford may have been the finishing school for three front-rowers in the Lions squad, but the Blues also played a key role in developing a […]

I won’t be watching the Lions says Toby Flood

22 May 2013 1 comment

Toby Flood aims to deliver his own personal snub to the British and Irish Lions … by not bothering to watch them on TV! The […]

Joe Launchbury launchpad is thanks to boss Dai Young

22 May 2013 1 comment

Do you believe in fate? Joe Launchbury does, and why not after a season in which he scaled the heights with England and was named […]

French act to head off revolt over Heineken Cup

21 May 2013 0 comments

France called a crisis meeting over Europe yesterday aimed at averting the planned Anglo-French breakaway to launch an alternative tournament. The Dublin summit, held hours […]

RFU Championship Dream Team 2012-13

21 May 2013 0 comments

The four Championship semi-finalists dominate this year’s Dream XV with Nottingham and Newcastle, the top two sides from the regular season, boasting four representatives each. Nottingham’s […]

England call on Luther Burrell and Stephen Myler for Argentina tour

20 May 2013 1 comment

Luther Burrell and Stephen Myler have been added to the England squad ahead of their tour of Argentina tour. The Northampton Saints backs duo will […]

Israel Folau in, Quade Cooper out for Wallabies to face Lions

19 May 2013 1 comment

Cross-code convert Israel Foau is set to become a dual-code international after being named in Robbie Deans’ initial Wallabies squad to face the British & […]

Leinster beat Stade Francais to claim Amlin Challenge Cup

17 May 2013 0 comments

Leinster lifted the Amlin Challenge Cup trophy after beating Stade Francais 34-13 in Dublin tonight. In front of their home fans at the RDS, the […]

Andy Robinson: My three Lions to scatter the Wallabies

17 May 2013 0 comments

Former England and Scotland head coach Andy Robinson has earmarked Justin Tipuric, Tom Youngs and Leigh Halfpenny as his Lions players to dazzle during the […]

Power will be on from first scrum – Richard Hibbard

16 May 2013 0 comments

Hooker Richard Hibbard says the Lions need to take referees out of the equation by dominating from the first scrum to the last against Australia. […]

Some regrets? Yes, but they’re few to mention for Delon Armitage now!

15 May 2013 2 comments

Delon Armitage has opened his heart on why he never wanted to leave England but felt there was no choice if he was to rekindle […]

Greene King to be title sponsors of RFU Championship

14 May 2013 3 comments

Brewing giant Greene King are set to become the first title sponsor of the RFU Championship in a three-year deal believed to be worth £1.2m. […]

Northampton Saints to meet Leicester in Premiership final

12 May 2013 0 comments

Their will be a taste of the East Midlands at Twickenham in two weeks as Northampton Saints will face Leicester Tigers in the Premiership final […]

Newcastle beat Leeds to reach Championship final

12 May 2013 1 comment

Newcastle will play Bedford in the Championship final after a 34-30 aggregate win over Leeds Carnegie at Kingston Park today. Jimmy Gopperth kicked all the […]

Andy Saull: Newcastle Falcons won’t stifle me like Saracens

10 May 2013 0 comments

Flanker Andy Saull admits he signed for Newcastle to stop his career stagnating in Saracens‘ regimented environment. Long seen as the nearest thing England have […]

Leicester Tigers and Tom Youngs headline Premiership awards

9 May 2013 0 comments

Tom Youngs was voted the Aviva Premiership Player of the Year last night. The Leicester hooker has been in superb form all season wether it […]

Those Semesa Rokodoguni back-flips are helping our heroes

9 May 2013 0 comments

After undergoing a six-month tour of Helmand province, it is no surprise that Fijian flyer Semesa Rokoduguni is un- daunted by whatever he faces on […]

Eleven new faces for England tour of Argentina

8 May 2013 0 comments

Christian Wade, Marlan Yarde and Jonny May are three of the 11 uncapped players named by Stuart Lancaster in his England squad for this summer’s Barbarians game […]

“I’m used to being snubbed,” says James Hook

8 May 2013 2 comments

James Hook has made a frank admission about his international future after being excluded by the Lions and Wales on successive days. “It’s obvious that […]

Captain Sam Warburton has winning ways with the referees

7 May 2013 0 comments

Warren Gatland has revealed that a crucial component in his appointment of Sam Warburton as captain of the 2013 Lions was his ability to get […]

Leeds figure it out with two sevens like Wales

7 May 2013 1 comment

Just as two opensides helped Wales to Six Nations glory against England, Leeds’ own magnificent sevens – Jacob Rowan and Chris Walker – have handed […]

Wigan have winner in Andy Powell, says Scott Quinnell

3 May 2013 1 comment

Scott Quinnell has tipped Andy Powell to be a big hit in Rugby League following his decision to cross codes and sign a three-year deal […]

Mike Tindall ‘better than four years ago’ says Nigel Davies

2 May 2013 0 comments

Mike Tindall is close to putting pen to paper on a deal to remain player-coach at Gloucester, according to Cherry & Whites boss Nigel Davies. […]

Elliot Daly benefits from 15-love at first sight

1 May 2013 2 comments

It has not always been the smoothest of transitions for Elliot Daly at full-back this season but according to Wasps backs coach Shane Howarth it […]

Warren Gatland names British and Irish Lions squad

30 April 2013 0 comments

Warren Gatland has announced his British and Irish Lions squad to tour Australia this summer. Welshman Sam Warburton will captain the squad, which includes 15 […]

Mike Cudmore vows to stick with Ealing Trailfinders attacking philosophy

30 April 2013 0 comments

Ealing Trailfinders have become one of the best attacking sides in the land scoring over a thousand points in the past four National League seasons. […]

Toulon beat Saracens to reach the Heineken Cup final

28 April 2013 0 comments

Toulon have set up an all-French Heineken Cup final after beating Saracens 24-12 at Twickenham today. Englishman Jonny Wilkinson kicked all of the ‘Rouges and […]

Youngs brothers at heart of it in Leicester’s charge

26 April 2013 37 comments

Ben Youngs has hailed the contribution of brother Tom as Leicester close in on a ninth straight Premiership final appearance. Hooker Tom this week received […]

Alex Gray in numbers: from No.8 to 7s, and then to 13 in 15s!

25 April 2013 0 comments

Alex Gray intends following Tom Croft and James Haskell by using England Sevens as a route to international stardom. Gray’s surprising switch to Sevens has […]

BBC win battle to avert Sky monopoly

24 April 2013 3 comments

The BBC has won its fight to keep Wales on network television, averting the threat of Sky seizing almost the entire autumn Test schedule. After […]

Second tier expect end to ‘cartel’ of Premiership

23 April 2013 1 comment

The Championship expect a deal to be thrashed out soon that will put promoted clubs on equal central funding with the existing Premiership elite. The […]

James Shanahan looks to transform Plymouth Albion fortunes

22 April 2013 0 comments

New Plymouth Albion boss James Shanahan wants to make Brickfields a fortress as he bids to realise the potential of the fallen Championship outfit. Shanahan, […]

Exeter Chiefs beat London Wasps and look set for Heineken Cup

21 April 2013 2 comments

Exeter Chiefs are in prime position to qualify for the Heineken Cup next season after a 37-24 bonus-point win against London Wasps at Adams Park. […]

James Johnston: “Don’t call me Judas for putting my family first”

19 April 2013 4 comments

Harlequins prop James Johnston has been hurt by abusive fans branding him a ‘Judas’ following his decision, announced in January, to accept a big-money move […]

Jonny Wilkinson ‘can have six more years at top – like Ryan Giggs’

18 April 2013 0 comments

Jonny Wilkinson can emulate Ryan Giggs’ longevity and play top-level sport until he is 39, according to the fly-half’s long-term mentor Steve Black. Last month […]

Cardiff will get eight World Cup matches

17 April 2013 1 comment

England are planning to turn the Millennium Stadium into a World Cup gold mine worth more than £50m. Up to eight matches are being earmarked […]

England open 2014 RBS Six Nations with trip to France

16 April 2013 1 comment

England will start their 2014 Six Nations campaign with a trip to the Stade de France to face France on Saturday, February 1. On the […]

Money man Kelvin Bryon pulls plug on London Welsh hopes

16 April 2013 1 comment

London Welsh are facing fresh turmoil after the club’s majority shareholder, Kelvin Bryon, revealed he is pulling out at the end of the season. Bryon, […]

Just get rid of the hit-squad to solve this scrum farce

12 April 2013 3 comments

Scrum guru Phil Keith-Roach claims the chaos and controversy surrounding the set-piece would be gone within a month if the IRB removed one sentence from […]

England launch new Canterbury kit for London Sevens

12 April 2013 0 comments

Canterbury and the RFU have unveiled the new England Sevens home and alternate shirts at Twickenham Stadium with the two shirts expected to spark debate […]

When Halani ‘Aulika stopped being a waisted talent

11 April 2013 0 comments

London Irish prop sensation Halani Aulika would have been lost to the game had it not been for a chance meeting on an Auckland petrol […]

London Wasps saved as £500k tax bill is paid

10 April 2013 0 comments

New Wasps owner Derek Richardson had to settle an outstanding tax bill of £500,000 before completing the long-awaited takeover of the London club on Friday.

George North joins Northampton

9 April 2013 1 comment

The Scarlets announced today they have agreed to release the 20-year-old winger on his request so he could sign a three-year deal with the East Midlands side.

Nigel Wray backs move for Welsh to join Aviva Premiership

9 April 2013 2 comments

England’s Premiership clubs plan to strike a deal with the four Welsh regions which could change the landscape of European competition.

Andrew Sheridan is backed for Lions call-up by rival Dan Cole

5 April 2013 1 comment

Leicester prop Dan Cole prepared for his first competitive tussle with Andrew Sheridan next week by insisting the Lions cannot afford to ignore the form […]

Sevens ace Cory Allen set to be Wales’ next big thing

4 April 2013 1 comment

It hardly seems fair for Wales to unearth another back with the size of Goliath and accuracy of David’s slingshot but that is just what […]

George North is urged to get Test clearance

3 April 2013 1 comment

Wales have asked George North to ensure he protects his international future before completing his proposed £250,000 transfer to Northampton. WRU officials have advised the […]

Top English clubs would ‘welcome’ Welsh tie-up

2 April 2013 2 comments

A senior Welsh official last night claimed that some English clubs would welcome reviving Anglo-Welsh competition – and even the idea of Wales‘ four regional […]