Features

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

How the sun keeps shining for Spain

11 August 2024 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER Impressive: Joel Merkler in action for Toulouse PICTURE: Getty Images IT’S been […]

Frenchman Fourcade put Italy on the right track

11 August 2024 0 comments

FRENCH coach Bertrand Fourcade, whose death at the age of 81 was announced this week, rarely gets mentioned for his contribution to Italian rugby these […]

Changing names is never easy to do

11 August 2024 0 comments

SO Twickenham will henceforth be called the Allianz Stadium apparently, at least that’s what the sponsors hope. Now the RFU is not in a position […]

Sharks out to bring pride back to the north

11 August 2024 0 comments

PAUL REES REPORTS ON HOW UNFASHIONABLE SALE AND DOR ALEX SANDERSON ARE AIMING TO TURN THE TIDE SALE’S strong finish to the season was not […]

Sir Gareth Edwards: Antoine Dupont ‘has a buzz about him’

4 August 2024 0 comments

Simon Thomas talks to Sir Gareth Edwards, rated by many as the greatest rugby player of all time, about the brilliance of Antoine Dupont.

Lions must work for pack

4 August 2024 0 comments

A YEAR AHEAD OF THE 2025 LIONS TOUR OF AUSTRALIA, PAUL REES LOOKS AT HOW ANDY FARRELL’S TEAM MIGHT LINE UP THE Lions tour to […]

Call me The Stag – but I was stuck with Bambi

4 August 2024 0 comments

MY LIFEIN RUGBY THE FORMER SCOTLAND SEVENS INTERNATIONAL AND GLASGOW HAWKS/WARRIORS, WATERLOO AND BEDFORD BACK ROWER RORY McKAY IT’S been great watching the Rugby Sevens […]

It was good to see Scotland support for T2

4 August 2024 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER Captured: Gus Warr in action against Canada PICTURE: Alamy SCOTLAND, for reasons […]

Increase the teams in Olympic Sevens

4 August 2024 0 comments

SOMETIMES you just have to say well done. To witness six days of raucous sell-outs at the Stade de France for the two Sevens competitions […]

’74 Lions failed to impress the doyen

4 August 2024 0 comments

NO sooner had I finished my trip down memory lane last week with the 1974 Lions than I stumbled across John Reason’s book on the […]

McCall out to build new dynasty at Saracens

4 August 2024 0 comments

PAUL REES LOOKS AT THE CHALLENGES FACING EX-CHAMPIONS AS THEY PREPARE FOR LIFE WITHOUT YOU-KNOW-WHO LAST season marked the end of an era for Saracens. […]

New leaders for old rivalries

4 August 2024 0 comments

The Rugby Championship preview Paul Rees predicts that New Zealand and South Africa will battle for top spot – but it might come down to […]

YOUNG GUNS

4 August 2024 0 comments

CAIOJAMES WALES U18 & GLOUCESTER FLANKER Pocket rocket back row Caio James is unusually short for his position among the piano shifters but the Welsh […]

It’ll be tough – we’ll give it our best shot

4 August 2024 0 comments

Q&A Following promotion to National Two East, Colchester head coach Craig Burrows, below, tells Ben Jaycock his plan for the new challenge On the way […]

Spain’s coming of age

28 July 2024 0 comments

ANALYSIS >> PAUL REES REPORTS ON THE CHALLENGES FACING EMERGING NATIONS TO REACH THE TOP…WHILE PROBLEMS MOUNT IN WALES Triumph: Spain celebrate victory over Tonga […]

I wanted to finish at the highest level possible

28 July 2024 0 comments

MY LIFEIN RUGBY ALEX LEWINGTON THE FORMER SARACENS, LONDON IRISH, LEICESTER AND NOTTINGHAM WINGER IWAS still in Notts County’s football academy when I first took […]

Richardis goes the distance with pearler of a kick

28 July 2024 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER A weekly look at the game’s other talking points Delight: Spain U20 celebrate victory over Fiji PICTURE: World Rugby HISTORY will […]

JPR: It was the worst time to lose my cool

28 July 2024 0 comments

IT’S time to conclude our ‘real time’ look back at the 1974 Lions tour which finished exactly 50 years ago yesterday with a 13-13 draw […]

The Bears blueprint: Go and play without fear

28 July 2024 0 comments

PAUL REES ON HOW BRISTOL HEAD COACH PAT LAM PLANS TO GUIDE THE WEST COUNTRY OUTFIT BACK TO THE TOP Class act: Steven Luatua in […]

Staying up’s going to be a challenge

28 July 2024 0 comments

Q&A Ben Jaycock talks to Devonport Services head coach Ben Russell, below, as they prepare for life in National Two West Happy days: Devonport Services […]

Sacrifices beyond the call

28 July 2024 0 comments

ANOTHER Matt Dawson, an Australian hockey player not to be confused with his namesake from Question of Sport, made a news item the other day. […]

CRAIG WRIGHT

28 July 2024 0 comments

YOUNG GUNS NORTHAMPTON & ENGLAND U20 HOOKER Having concluded his time in the England U20s setup with a World Championship medal, Craig Wright is now […]

DREAMTEAM

21 July 2024 0 comments

Gareth Steenson, the former Exeter Chiefs, Cornish Pirates & Rotherham fly-half, chooses the best XV he has played with or against… 1. Brett Sturgess –Solid […]

No stopping the American battlers

21 July 2024 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER A weekly look at the game’s other talking points IT’S exactly 100 years ago since France and the USA met in […]

Playing for your country is the biggest honour

21 July 2024 0 comments

MY LIFEIN RUGBY THE FORMER USA HOOKER AND HEAD COACH, WHO PLAYED PROFESSIONALLY FOR HARLEQUINS AND PONTYPRIDD TOM BILLUPS IWAS born and raised in a […]

All Black who was bristling with pride

21 July 2024 0 comments

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW On the front foot: Norm Hewitt leads the Haka before a match against Llanelli at Stradey Park […]

Wrong that Hill was picked in the first place

21 July 2024 0 comments

GIVEN the dysfunctional state of their national game, perhaps only Wales could find a long-overdue win mired in a sorry controversy entirely of their own […]

Macclesfield ready for the long haul…

21 July 2024 0 comments

Q&A Ben Jaycock talks to new Macclesfield director of rugby Matt Coleridge, bottom, about the challenges his newly promoted side will face after being shifted […]

Patchell becomes a rocket in Japan

21 July 2024 0 comments

On the move: Rhys Patchell scoring a try for the Highlanders last season PICTURES: Alamy WALES fly-half Rhys Patchell has joined NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu […]

European Cup must only be for elite

14 July 2024 0 comments

Nick Cain Column When an elite competition like the European Cup comes up with a dullard draw which has deposed two-time champions La Rochelle playing […]

DREAMTEAM

14 July 2024 0 comments

John Liley, the former Wakefield, Leicester, Moseley and Worcester full-back, chooses the best XV he has played with or against… 1. Mark Linnett – A […]

Entertaining the crowds is not the only thing

14 July 2024 0 comments

Paul Rees says that, while attracting a new audience is important, the game must not ignore its core support Scott Robertson made his name with […]

Six Nations may stick to Saturdays

14 July 2024 0 comments

The Six Nations is considering playing all three matches in a round on Saturdays, something that has been reserved only for the final weekend for […]

It’s a lot of work but we’ll be ready in time

14 July 2024 0 comments

Q&A Ben Jaycock talks to newly promoted Havant’s head coach Will Knight ahead of their National 2 East campaign How are preparations going for next […]

HARVEY CUCKSON

14 July 2024 0 comments

YOUNG GUNS Bath & England u20 second row Harvey Cuckson thought long and hard about whether to represent England or Wales in his age-grade rugby […]

I can’t wait to take on Ireland in semi

14 July 2024 0 comments

OLAMIDE SODEKE ENGLAND U2O SECOND ROW Winners: England celebrate their hard-fought victory against South Africa PICTURE: World Rugby THE team is looking strong coming off […]

Expect the Chiefs Mk2 to be real contenders

14 July 2024 0 comments

PAUL REES LOOKS AT WHY EXETER’S DOR HAS PUT PLAYER RETENTION AHEAD OF RECRUITMENT AT SANDY PARK The most eye-catching result of the Premiership season […]

I played my last game in 38-degree heat…

14 July 2024 0 comments

MY LIFEIN RUGBY CHRIS PLANCHANT THE FORMER NORTH OTAGO, BIRKENHEAD PARK, NEW BRIGHTON, WATERLOO, DONCASTER AND CHESHIRE/ LANCASHIRE BACK ROWER OMAN, where I have been […]

I am really proud of our back-to-back promotions

14 July 2024 0 comments

Coach to coach Steve Hill puts the questions to Myles Landick, below, head coach at Jersey RFC Why did you get into coaching rugby and […]

DREAM TEAM

7 July 2024 0 comments

Tom Savage, the Moana Pasifika and former Gloucester and Suntory Sungoliath second row, chooses the best XV he’s played with… 1. Val Rapava-Ruskin – Big […]

Big guns in danger of just looking after No.1

7 July 2024 0 comments

ANALYSIS PAUL REES WONDERS HOW THE SPORT CAN KEEP PAYING FOR ITSELF IN HARD TIMES….WHILE UNIONS BUILD FOR THE FUTURE When the professional era started […]

The scrum has decided the last two World Cups

7 July 2024 0 comments

Q&A Ben Jaycock speaks to Northampton scrum coach Matt Fergurson about their victorious Premiership campaign and the game’s issues around the set-piece Tell us about […]

CHARLIE MYALL

7 July 2024 0 comments

YOUNG GUNS LEICESTER & ENGLAND U20 CENTRE Charlie Myall has put his injury woes behind him and is on a mission to inflict bone-crunching tackles […]

There’s more than money to Toulouse

7 July 2024 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER There have, rightly, been acres of words written about Toulouse in recent […]

‘It’s about being the best player you can be’

7 July 2024 0 comments

Paul Rees finds out what drives new Tigers head coach Michael Cheika and what he plans to do at Welford Road Despite their chequered past […]

Three hat-tricks for the Baa-Baas was a peak

7 July 2024 0 comments

MY LIFEIN RUGBY DEREK STARK THE FORMER SCOTLAND, BARBARIANS & GLASGOW WING Scoring for Scotland with my first touch of the ball after getting the […]

I’m proud of the culture we have created here

7 July 2024 0 comments

Coach to coach Steve Hill puts the questions to Anthony Howcroft, below, head coach at Sale FC Why did you get into coaching and how […]

Borthwick is right to keep faith with Smith

30 June 2024 0 comments

Paul Rees Looks at the challenges facing England in New Zealand… While another Aussie steps in at Leicester Steve Borthwick hopes to name an unchanged […]

Cheika knows he will be judged on results

30 June 2024 0 comments

Leicester were once a byword for stability. Like Liverpool FC, they had a reputation for promoting from within and benefiting from a boot room that […]