What’s in The Rugby Paper: 14/01/24

The Champions Cup and Challenge Cup are back in full swing this weekend, and we’ll have reports from all 17 games being played across Friday and Saturday in The Rugby Paper this Sunday.

That will also be accompanied by previews of the four games on Sunday including Bath vs Racing 92, with England hopeful Ben Spencer discussing his side’s star-studded tussle with the Parisians and going up against his opposite number Nolann Le Garrec.

Henry Arundell will hope he can play a starring role for the visitors, and Paul Rees speaks to London Irish legend Topsy Ojo on how he is hurting watching the club’s former stars excel for different teams, but is optimistic about a possible return for the liquidated club in the proposed Premiership 2.

That league is still known as the Championship, for now, and in addition to the latest on the dispute between the second tier and the RFU we will also have coverage of the action from the league, in addition to a busy round of games in the Women’s Premiership Rugby and men’s National Leagues One, Two North, Two East and Two West.

From our columnists, Jeremy Guscott outlines why Andy Farrell is a great choice to lead the British and Irish Lions into battle in Australia next year, and Brendan Gallagher replies to those that have been criticising the quality of the previous generations of the sport in his Rugby Matters column. 

As Newcastle Falcons chase their first win in 13 tonight, their tyro outside centre and England U20s player Oliver Spencer is our Young Gun and their former fly-half Craig Willis, now playing for Ealing, selects the best XV he has played with or against in Dream Team.

And don’t miss former Moseley, Bath, Gloucester and England flanker Steve Ojomoh, father of Bath centre Max, looking back on his career in the game and discussing his son’s prospects in My Life in Rugby.

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