Features

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

35 years on and Tim’s charity still full of hope

28 April 2024 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER If you believe rugby is the ultimate team sport – which I still do – it is tempting to superimpose all […]

Young Guns: Harlequins & England U20 centre Sean Kerr

28 April 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Sean Kerr revealed kicking in front of a vibrant, hostile crowd in France during England U20s Six Nations title decider in Pau […]

Cokayne in for Red Roses decider

25 April 2024 0 comments

Amy Cokayne comes in for the injured Lark Atkin-Davies as England take on France in a third-consecutive Grand Slam deciding match on Saturday. The match […]

Series 3, Episode 35: Grand Slam decider preview with Marlie Packer

25 April 2024 0 comments

It all comes down to this! The Women’s Six Nations is heading for an epic conclusion in Bordeaux on Saturday as England take on France, […]

Dream Team with James Flynn

21 April 2024 0 comments

The Ampthill and former Saracens, Jersey, Yorkshire Carnegie & Sale Sharks prop, chooses the best XV he has played with or against… 1. Eroni Mawi […]

Red Roses: Exeter Chiefs prop Liz Hanlon

21 April 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Birthplace: Epsom, Surrey Date of Birth: 30/07/01 Community Club: Sutton & Epsom RFC Red Roses caps: 0 Why I Play Rugby: To […]

Scoring in Hell Fire Corner was great

21 April 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Greg Goodfellow – The former Cornwall, Chinnor, Redruth, Cornish Pirates, Coventry, Mounts Bay & Hawick scrum-half talks about his life […]

S Africa is crying out for its own league

21 April 2024 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS – A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER IF I remember my A level geography correctly, Africa is moving […]

Great to see Swiss move up the ladder

21 April 2024 0 comments

There will be a new name mixing it with the bigger teams in the Rugby Europe Championship next season after Switzerland clinched their first promotion […]

Young Guns: Newcastle Falcons hooker Jacob Oliver

21 April 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Newcastle Falcons have endured a dismal campaign in the Premiership but tyro hooker Jacob Oliver believes the future is bright in the […]

The four clubs in Kyiv have to share one pitch

21 April 2024 0 comments

Coach to Coach Former Richmond DoR Steve Hill puts the questions to Dimitri Basilaia, the Ukraine assistant coach Why did you get into coaching rugby […]

Series 3, Episode 34: Champions Cup review and Premiership run-in with Jordan Crane

18 April 2024 0 comments

The quarter-final stage of the Champions Cup was an absolute try-fest, with 41 tries in four games underpinning headline wins for Harlequins and Leinster. Joining […]

Coming to grief on the road to Morocco

14 April 2024 0 comments

Mark Stevens talks to Exeter chairman Tony Rowe about his love of classic rallying across all corners of the world WIDELY regarded as one of […]

Saracens turn their sights on May

14 April 2024 0 comments

Saracens are in talks with England and Gloucester winger Jonny May, below, about a move this summer. Saracens had also spoken to Bath’s Joe Cokanasiga, […]

Another year for O’Mahony

14 April 2024 0 comments

Ireland skipper Peter O’Mahony has signed a new one-year contract at Munster after speculation he was set to retire. The 34-year-old has won two league […]

Offiah Jnr ready to make mark at Bath

14 April 2024 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE By ROSS HEPPENSTALL Tyler Offiah is setting himself up for life on and off the field as the England U18s winger prepares […]

Porter set for Aussie return

14 April 2024 0 comments

England centre Guy Porter looks set to return to Australia this summer with the view to representing the Wallabies. Porter, who won his sixth England […]

Dream Team with Billy Harding

14 April 2024 0 comments

The Blackheath, England Counties and former Rosslyn Park, London Scottish, Esher, Wasps, Ampthill & Coventry hooker, chooses the best XV he has played with or […]

Red Roses: Gloucester-Hartpury prop Mackenzie Carson

14 April 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Birthplace: British Columbia, Canada Date of birth: 24/06/98 Community club: Abbotsford RFC Red Roses debut: vs Scotland March 2023 Caps: 13 Why […]

More local derbies in the north would help

14 April 2024 0 comments

Former Richmond boss Steve Hill talks to Ben Woods, below, the head coach at Tynedale in National Two North Why did you get into coaching […]

It was an honour to reach the 400-mark

14 April 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Chris Dicomidis – The former Pontypridd, Cardiff, Wales U21 & Cyprus international looks back at his career in the game […]

André, high priest of French running rugby

14 April 2024 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER A weekly look at the game’s other talking points Andre Boniface, who died earlier this week aged 89, and his younger […]

I’m really impressed by the ambition on show

14 April 2024 0 comments

Q&A Ben Jaycock talks to England men’s head coach Jonathan Pendlebury following a successful U18 Six Nations festival So, Jonathan three wins from three, how […]

Young Guns: Bath & England U18 back row Connor Treacey

14 April 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK England U18s captain Connor Treacey led his country through an unbeaten Six Nations and now plans to be a sponge at Bath, learning […]

Series 3, Episode 33: Matt Dawson on England, Northampton and the Champions Cup

11 April 2024 0 comments

This is a big one! Plenty on the menu for host Ollie Little and columnists Nick Cain, Brendan Gallagher and Chris Hewett as they are […]

England could be an option for Green

7 April 2024 0 comments

Harlequins full-back Tyrone Green will qualify for England in 2025 and while he still harbours hopes of playing for South Africa he is open to […]

Care set to stay at Quins

7 April 2024 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE Veteran scrum-half Danny Care is set to snub lucrative offers from France and sign a contract extension at Harlequins. Care has received […]

Montpellier lead chase for Munster ace Frisch

7 April 2024 0 comments

Montpellier are leading the chase for Munster centre Antoine Frisch, who has declared his allegiance to France over Ireland. Born in Fontainebleau, France, Frisch qualifies […]

Kitshoff set for return to Stormers

7 April 2024 0 comments

After weeks of speculation South Africa’s two-time World Cup winning prop Steven Kitshoff has decided to leave Ulster at the end of his first season […]

Dream Team with Peter Scrivener

7 April 2024 0 comments

The former Wasps no.8 chooses the best XV he has played with or against… 1. Paul Rendall – I had the pleasure of playing with […]

Red Roses: Saracens outside centre Sydney Gregson

7 April 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Birthplace: Baldock, Hertfordshire Date of birth: 20/01/96 Community club: Letchworth Garden City RFC Red Roses Debut: vs Wales February 2015 Caps: 4 […]

Bring back rucking and kill the jackal

7 April 2024 0 comments

Coach to coach Former Richmond director of rugby Steve Hill puts the questions to Paul Turner, below, coach of Championship club Ampthill RFC Why did […]

Here’s hoping we see another drop of magic

7 April 2024 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER IT’S Northampton against Munster in Europe today and for me that can […]

25 years of hurt and counting for Scotland

7 April 2024 0 comments

Scotland fans should look away now but this week – April 10 to be precise – will be the 25th anniversary of their last Championship […]

London Irish was just so full of real, good people

7 April 2024 0 comments

David Paice, the former England and London Irish hooker, looks back on his career in the game IT feels like a lifetime ago now that […]

Young Guns: Rams and England U20s fly-half George Makepeace-Cubitt

7 April 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK George Makepeace-Cubitt was the only player in England U20s’ victorious Six Nations squad not connected to a Premiership club but the talented […]

Series 3, Episode 32: Simon Middleton discusses Red Roses

2 April 2024 0 comments

The Red Roses are two rounds into their Six Nations title defence and have come away with two convincing bonus point wins. New head coach […]

Time we demanded more from players

1 April 2024 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER THE other weekend – although it could probably be any weekend – […]

Free flowing rugby is my prime aim

1 April 2024 0 comments

Former Richmond director of rugby Steve Hill puts the questions to Amy Turner, former Red Roses front rower and current head coach of Harlequins Women […]

Beaten, but this Ukrainian team can be proud of their efforts

1 April 2024 0 comments

STEVE HILL A warm sunny day greeted the Ukrainian team as they arrived at Havirov RFC for their match against the Czech Republic. The Czech […]

Rebel life is just the thing for Maunder

1 April 2024 0 comments

By MARK STEVENS Jack Maunder had always been a name synonymous with Exeter Chiefs. Born and raised in the heart of Devon, rugby ran through […]

Young Guns: Northampton & England U20 wing Toby Cousins

1 April 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Former Northampton season ticket holder Toby Cousins aims to follow in the footsteps of the club’s youthful backline and break into the […]

Slade: I’m happy to stay a Chief

31 March 2024 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE By MARK STEVENS Henry Slade is set to reject the advances of clubs on the other side of the English Channel and […]

Fearn’s in line to boost Knights

31 March 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Darren Fearn is thought to be Doncaster Knights’ first-choice as new forwards coach as the Championship club continue to reshape their coaching […]

Dream Team with Jordon Poole

31 March 2024 0 comments

The Coventry and former Yorkshire Carnegie, Darlington Mowden Park & Exeter Chiefs hooker, chooses the best XV he has played with or against… 1. Will […]

Red Roses: Saracens second row Rosie Galligan

31 March 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Birthplace: Finchley, North London Date of birth: 30/04/98 Community club: Aylesford Bulls RFC Red Roses debut: vs Ireland February 2019 Caps: 15 […]

Putting 50 points on the Aussies was a highlight

31 March 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Ruaridh Jackson – The former Scotland, Glasgow, Wasps and Harlequins fly-half talks about his career in the game IT was […]

Series 3, Episode 31: Picking a British & Irish Lions XV for Australia 2025

25 March 2024 0 comments

The British & Irish Lions are just over a year away from heading down under to take on Australia! With dust settling after the 2024 […]

Wallaby star Izaia signs for Tigers

24 March 2024 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE LEICESTER have signed Australia centre Izaia Perese for the 2024-25 season on a ‘multi-year’ deal from Sydney-based Waratahs. The 26-yearold former rugby […]