Miscellaneous

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

Red card likely to end Aki’s World Cup

13 October 2019 1 comment

From TOM BRADSHAW IRELAND guaranteed their place in a quarter- final against either the All Blacks or South Africa, but it came at a price […]

We must make our tackles – Edwards

13 October 2019 1 comment

SHAUN Edwards has told Wales to buck up their defensive approach or risk a World Cup quarter-final exit at the hands of France. Warren Gatland’s […]

Joker Eddie laughs off big Billy’s injury scare

6 October 2019 2 comments

From ADAM HATHAWAY Crunch: Tomas Lavanini got a red card for this high tackle on Owen Farrell PICTURE: Getty Images Concern: Billy Vunipola has his […]

Gatland: Win well to scare the rest

6 October 2019 1 comment

WARREN Gatland has urged his Wales side to gain a psychological advantage over their World Cup rivals by putting Fiji and Uruguay to the sword […]

World Cup party time as Japan stun Irish

29 September 2019 0 comments

■ From ADAM HATHAWAY Few beers: Jamie Joseph says Japan’s belief is high JAPAN dazzled the World Cup for the second time in four years […]

Brutal training sets up Wales

29 September 2019 0 comments

■ From ALEX BYWATER SHAUN Edwards issued Wales with a World Cup battle cry and told Warren Gatland’s players they will remember it forever if […]

We’ll fight Tongan fire with fire says Eddie

22 September 2019 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON Upbeat: Eddie Jones EDDIE Jones wants to send a clear message to England’s World Cup rivals that they are more than a […]

Gatland: Let’s make the country proud of us

22 September 2019 0 comments

WARREN Gatland declared Wales battle hardened and ready to bid for World Cup glory after a week of hell dominated by a betting scandal surrounding […]

Addison waiting in the wings for Ireland

15 September 2019 2 comments

By SAM JACKSON Final touch: Charlie Watson scores the last Saracens try to see off Wasps in the Premiership 7s final PICTURE: Getty Images Match […]

Canada snub gets lead Pirate hungry for battle

15 September 2019 0 comments

NEWS EXTRA By MIKE SINCLAIR BRETT Beukeboom is eager for action with Cornish Pirates after missing out on a place in Canada’s World Cup squad. […]

Speedster Cambriani strikes twice to sink Blues

15 September 2019 2 comments

CELTIC CUP By ROB COLE BEN Cambriani flew in for two tries as the Ospreys got their Celtic Cup campaign off the mark with a […]

Promoted Birchgrove make it two on the spin

15 September 2019 1 comment

WELSH DIV 1 ROUND-UP By CARL FIELD BONYMAEN made it two wins out of two in One West Central with a 29-15 triumph at Skewen. […]

World Cup takes its heavy toll on Toulouse

15 September 2019 0 comments

FRENCH COLUMN JAMES HARRINGTON Veteran: Census Johnston, playing here for Racing 92, is still going strong for Bayonne at the age of 38 The Marseillaise […]

Warburton: Curry will prove to be world class

15 September 2019 1 comment

By JAMES CANDY Belief: Sam Warburton SAM Warburton believes England flanker Tom Curry will prove himself one of the premier sevens on the planet in […]

Go make history Eddie tells his men

8 September 2019 1 comment

■ By NICK CAIN Upbeat: Eddie Jones EDDIE Jones will climb onto the plane to Japan with his England squad today telling them to make […]

Gatland: Wales in fine shape for Japan

8 September 2019 0 comments

WARREN Gatland insisted Wales are in fine fettle for the World Cup and still have some tricks up their sleeves for Japan despite seeing his […]

Ireland hit back after Red Rose humiliation

1 September 2019 0 comments

By STEFFAN EVANS Decision: Warren Gatland IRELAND responded to their bashing at Twickenham with an impressive 22-17 win in Warren Gatland’s final home game in […]

All Blacks back on top as Wales flop

1 September 2019 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON NEW Zealand are back on top of the world rankings following Ireland’s win in Cardiff, with former No.1 side Wales dropping three […]

Wales are favourites now says artful Eddie

18 August 2019 0 comments

By ALEX BYWATER Jibe: Eddie Jones Dragon’s roar: George North celebrates scoring the only try of the game PICTURE: Getty Images ENGLAND head coach Eddie […]

Shattered Halfpenny still makes his mark

18 August 2019 0 comments

By ROB COLE LEIGH Halfpenny proved that even after nine months away from the international stage he still has plenty to offer, although he might […]

Humble Lochore was touched by true greatness

11 August 2019 0 comments

THEY came by the thousand to pay their last respects at lunchtime on Thursday and listen in their sorrow to the sound of John Denver, […]

Taking the Mickey no laughing matter

11 August 2019 0 comments

SOMEONE, somewhere can be relied upon to take offence at something said tongue-in-cheek. As Steve Hansen knows. Confronted with the notion put forward by ex- […]

No Peter, so my job gets harder

11 August 2019 0 comments

PRESS officers have long been redefined in my trade as prevention officers, notorious for blocking access to the more interesting interviewees at their clubs. The […]

Scrap the warm-up games and take a short tour instead

11 August 2019 1 comment

BRENDAN GALLAGHER RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points Proper preparation: Ben Kay and Steve Thompson celebrate beating the All Blacks […]

Fireside chats with Lochore will never dim

11 August 2019 1 comment

Son of the soil: Brian Lochore against SA in 1970 LIKE many All Black legends Sir Brian Lochore was a son of the soil, strong […]

Mulvihill rejects offer of Russian tune-up

11 August 2019 2 comments

By ROB COLE NEWS EXTRA CARDIFF Blues have turned down the chance to play Russia before the World Cup and will have only one senior […]

Ladies or women, they need to raise bar

11 August 2019 0 comments

CATHERINE SPENCER FORMER ENGLAND WOMEN’S CAPTAIN Football is a game for gentlemen played by hooligans, and Rugby Union is a game for hooligans played by […]

Titans set sights on promotion under new man Posa

11 August 2019 0 comments

By GUY WILLIAMS NEWS EXTRA AMBITIOUS new Rotherham joint head coach Ants Posa is confident he can build a side to challenge for promotion this […]

Bust-up pair can still get on the plane says Eddie

11 August 2019 1 comment

By NICK CAIN Sent home: Ben Te’o Sent home: Mike Brown Bledisloe bragging rights: Exeter scrum-half Nic White scores for Australia in their 47-26 win […]

Big risk this England side could be left humiliated

11 August 2019 1 comment

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME New cap: Northampton back row Lewis Ludlam starts on the blindside flank PICTURE: Getty Images With […]

Wales go top of the world rankings

11 August 2019 2 comments

By ALEX BYWATER ALUN Wyn Jones has vowed Wales will embrace the pressure of their favourites tag at Twickenham this afternoon after his side went […]

Wray is being hounded for caring for his players

11 August 2019 0 comments

SARACENS are in the cross-hairs of a number of Premiership rivals who want them nailed for alleged salary cap breaches before the start of the […]

Yes, Wade could have been true superstar

11 August 2019 0 comments

CHRISTIAN Wade is the wonderkid who made the bold move of leaving Rugby Union for American Football in April because England coaches could not work […]

Line-out size matters

11 August 2019 0 comments

THE height stats in the England back row look too one-dimensional for my liking, because everyone is 6ft 2ins. Whether it is new boy blindside […]

I’m predicting 2-0 to Wales this week

11 August 2019 1 comment

Big fan: I’d like to see Owen Lane play on Saturday PICTURE: Getty Images WARREN Gatland has gone fully loaded for today’s first meeting with […]

World Rugby must sort out danger at the breakdown

11 August 2019 0 comments

I’M VERY interested to see how World Rugby’s latest trial laws will go, but my view is our game continues to ignore the biggest problem […]

Friendly? This will be full metal jacket for Gatland

11 August 2019 0 comments

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Far from preserving the status of the Test match, rugby has given it such a battering that […]

Eddie keen to get his RWC timing just right

4 August 2019 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD Balance: Eddie Jones EDDIE Jones has spoken of his determination to ensure England top their World Cup Pool before hitting peak performance […]

Shingler primed for Wales comeback

4 August 2019 2 comments

By PETER JACKSON See you soon, injured Faletau tells his dejected supporters Smiling assassin: Kotaro Matsushima breaks to score Japan’s fourth try in their rout […]

A British League is ‘urgently needed’

28 July 2019 2 comments

By PETER JACKSON THE MAN whose millions kept Cardiff Blues afloat for more than 20 years today calls for the creation of a British & […]

Richmond demand Carnegie review

28 July 2019 1 comment

By SAM JACKSON RICHMOND are demanding a review of the RFU’s decision to allow Yorkshire Carnegie to play on in the Championship next season. Richmond, […]

New British League is ‘coming in two years’

21 July 2019 0 comments

■By PETER JACKSON A BRITISH League featuring the long overdue revival of Anglo-Welsh competition will be ‘up and running in two years’, according to a […]

Itoje and Kruis are my No1 No2s says Bayfield

14 July 2019 1 comment

By NEALE HARVEY INDOMITABLE Saracens duo Maro Itoje and George Kruis offer England their best route to second row domination, according to former England lock […]

Dowson: Ludlum has the attitude that Eddie loves

14 July 2019 0 comments

LEWIS Ludlam’s hardnosed attitude and determination in the face of adversity will give him a vital edge in the battle for England back row selection, […]

Joe can star at World Cup then roar as a 2021 Lion!

14 July 2019 1 comment

By GARY FITZGERALD JOE Marler may enjoy his fresh taste of England so much he will decide to also take a bite at the Lions! […]

Wales go full throttle for England warm-ups

14 July 2019 1 comment

By ALEX BYWATER ENGLAND will face a full strength Wales side when the teams meet at Twickenham on August 11 to kick off the World […]

Bone-graft Faletau is fit for the big push

14 July 2019 0 comments

By PETER JACKSON TAULUPE Faletau will be cleared to make a long-overdue Wales come-back next month thanks to bone-graft surgery on his broken arm. Wales […]

Top-flight survival takes precedence for Exiles

14 July 2019 0 comments

By NEALE HARVEY NEWLY-promoted London Irish risk missing out on RFU funding worth £750,000 next season unless they significantly increase their quota of English qualified […]