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

Call to axe Bill Sweeney ‘as soon as possible’

22 December 2024 0 comments

By Nick Cain Bill Sweeney’s tenure as RFU chief executive is in a precarious position after Bill Beaumont’s announcement as an interim RFU Board Chairman […]

Henry Arundell lines up England return

22 December 2024 0 comments

By Sam Jackson Henry Arundell, one of rugby’s most exciting talents, is poised to join Bath next season from Stuart Lancaster’s Racing 92, opening the […]

The motion to call an SGM sent to Bill Sweeney, which had been signed by more than 200 RFU clubs

22 December 2024 0 comments

Dear Bill, 1. The publication of Annual Report (2023/24), including the Remuneration Committee report in respect of the remuneration of the senior leadership within the […]

Jack Willis: I’m loving my life with Toulouse

22 December 2024 0 comments

By Mark Stevens While some sides would consider the tag of defending champions as a target on their backs, it appears Toulouse see it more […]

Matt Sherratt backing Taulupe Faletau to hit the heights

22 December 2024 0 comments

By Simon Thomas Taulupe Faletau has been tipped to move on up through the gears as he continues his long-awaited comeback. The Wales and Lions […]

Jack Clement: I’m here to put fear into our opponents

22 December 2024 0 comments

By Gary Fitzgerald Jack Clement feels the Cherry and Whites are now ripening nicely into a potential top four side and putting real “fear” into […]

Speedster Ollie Sleightholme ends the year on a high

22 December 2024 0 comments

By Paul Rees Ollie Sleightholme will not be among those glad to see the back of 2024 – a year in which he made his […]

Johann Van Graan is the key to our rise to the top, says Charlie Ewels

22 December 2024 0 comments

By Mark Stevens Cast your mind back only a couple of years and it was clear to see Bath were a team searching for direction. […]

Freddie Steward leads calls for Michael Cheika to stay at Leicester Tigers

22 December 2024 0 comments

By Paul Rees Michael Cheika will hold talks with Leicester after Christmas over his future having signed a one-year contract with the East Midlands club. […]

Too many subscriptions is no way to attact a new audience

22 December 2024 0 comments

With the arrival of Premier Sports there is yet more fragmentation and a further dilution of rugby’s media profile. The numbers watching matches on free […]

Champions Cup defeats will spur us on – Harry Randall

22 December 2024 0 comments

By Paul Rees Harry Randall believes Bristol’s two Champions Cup defeats against Leinster and La Rochelle this month will help them in their quest to […]

Dream Team – Josh Davies

22 December 2024 0 comments

JOSH DAVIES, THE FORMER WALES U20s, EALING, LONDON WELSH & BARNES SCRUM-HALF, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST… Forwards 1. Rhodri […]

England’s outsiders deserve a chance

22 December 2024 0 comments

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK IT’S just six weeks before the start of the 2025 Six Nations, and since Steve Borthwick became England […]

Bill Beaumont needs to show clear thinking

22 December 2024 0 comments

By Nick Cain – Read his expert opinion every week Bill Beaumont is stepping into a saloon in which the tables and chairs have been […]

England have to wait on Afo Fasogbon

22 December 2024 0 comments

Here’s hoping that the knee injury that Gloucester’s Afo Fasogbon sustained against Harlequins on Friday does not rule him out for long – because England […]

Jack Nowell proves that he’s still the lad

22 December 2024 0 comments

There’s something about crossing The Channel that seems to bring out the best in England’s Top 14 exports, with a rejuvenated Jack Nowell scoring a […]

No Franco Mostert? That’s got to be a mistake

22 December 2024 0 comments

By Chris Hewett – Thinking Allowed Here’s a funny thing: one of the more prominent rugby sites on the worldwide web super information highway thingy […]

Show Champions Cup a little more respect

22 December 2024 0 comments

By Chris Hewett You could set the clocks by it. Whenever the Walcot Old Boys team bus began one of its regular 45-mile descents from […]

Kyle Steyn looking forward to a sibling showdown

22 December 2024 0 comments

By Bryn Palmer Match Preview Glasgow v Edinburgh Today. Kick-off 3pm, Hampden Park Fit-again Scotland wing Kyle Steyn is relishing the prospect of making his […]

Harlequins v Gloucester-Hart

22 December 2024 0 comments

Preview Dec 28. 3pm HARLEQUINS captain Jade Konkel has issued a rallying cry towards fans going to watch Big Game 16 on December 28 to […]

When a World Cup triumph got you a washing machine

22 December 2024 0 comments

By Peter Jackson – The man truly in the know So America’s golfers will be paid £400,000-a-man at the Ryder Cup next year for what […]

Schalk Ferreira leads the way as veterans take to the pitch

22 December 2024 0 comments

Veteran props never quit, they just keep on scrummaging in ever increasing numbers which explains why Francisco Gomez Kodela fails to make the combined European […]

At least the French are going full-bore in Champions Cup

22 December 2024 0 comments

By Peter Jackson Neutrals the world over will relish the prospect of Toulouse and La Rochelle invading Cardiff at season’s end for the seventh all-French […]

Shane Lewis-Hughes puts his faith in the finger of fate…

22 December 2024 0 comments

For more than 60 years, Red Conway stood in a class all on his own: the only international player to undergo amputation by way of […]

Jonny Wilkinson’s still out on his own at SPOTY

22 December 2024 0 comments

Since its inception 70 years ago, the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year award has been presented to a galaxy of superstars drawn from a […]

Richie Williams to step down as head coach at Cambridge

22 December 2024 0 comments

Cambridge head coach Richie Williams will be stepping down from his role following the Championship fixture against Bedford Blues on Saturday December 28. Williams has […]

Alfie Petch on the move

22 December 2024 0 comments

Gloucester prop Alfie Petch has signed a short-term loan deal at Cornish Pirates. The 24-year-old played for the Pirates during 2022-23 before signing for Northampton. […]

I’ve still got plenty to give, says Josh Beaumont

22 December 2024 0 comments

By Gary Fitzgerald Josh Beaumont prepares to put his body on the festive front line again in the Sale cause revealing his biggest “regret” has […]

Trewin looking to help Pirates finish with a top four spot

22 December 2024 0 comments

By DAN ROBERTSHAW CORNISH Pirates full-back Will Trewin brought up his half-century of appearances for the club in style with a strong away win against […]

My Christmas day XV

22 December 2024 0 comments

Rugby Matters – A weekly look at the game’s other talking points by Brendan Gallagher Backs 15 Mark Mapletoft (England): Born December 25, 1971: Made […]

Let’s all return to the good old days

22 December 2024 0 comments

PLEASE, please, please can we have our old Heineken European Cup back. The current imposter just doesn’t work until the very final stages. It’s rapidly […]

Not all doom and gloom at Mowden Park, insists Craggs

22 December 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Survival mode: DMP flanker Joe Caggs DARLINGTON Mowden Park are heading into the New Year bottom of the table, and club stalwart […]

Will’s flying on the wing – and it’s all down to home comforts

22 December 2024 0 comments

By CHRIS COLLYER Hat-trick man: Tynedale winger Will Roberts WILL Roberts believes Tynedale’s ruthless approach and game-by-game attitude will allow his side to continue climbing […]

Ben believes students are Taylor-made for this level

22 December 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Looking up: Loughborough fly-half Ben Taylor BEN TAYLOR feels Loughborough Students could be much higher than their current mid-table placing – if […]

Ben’s happy that Bury’s Donny link is bearing fruit

22 December 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Player-coach: Bury St Edmunds fly-half Ben Penfold BURY St Edmunds appear to have put their messy start to the season behind them […]

You can’t play without emotion

22 December 2024 0 comments

Coach to coach Steve Hill talks to Dan Protherough, the director of rugby at Bromsgrove RFC Why did you get into coaching rugby and how […]

Osada gets the Knights off to flier

22 December 2024 0 comments

JAPAN RUGBY By BEN JAYCOCK SAITAMA Wild Knights kicked off their Japan Rugby League One season in convincing fashion by beating Tokyo Sungoliath 33-12 courtesy […]

Bill Beaumont named interim chairman at RFU as Tom Ilube resigns amid scandal

20 December 2024 0 comments

Sir Bill Beaumont has been appointed Rugby Football Union chairman on an interim basis following the resignation of Tom Ilube. Ilube stepped down on Friday […]

Tom Ilube resigns as RFU chairman amid pay controversy

20 December 2024 0 comments

Tom Ilube has resigned as chairman of the Rugby Football Union amid controversy over executive pay. The move follows an outcry over RFU chief executive […]

Channelling Teams of the Past: Derby Day Delight and Cup Dreams for Heol-y-Cyw

19 December 2024 0 comments

By Peter Ryan – @PeterRyanSports “There is only one way to succeed at anything: to give everything.” This powerful statement from Heol-y-Cyw captain Jordan Hawkins […]

Start with Tom Roebuck, Ben Curry tells Steve Borthwick

15 December 2024 0 comments

By Ross Heppenstall Steve Borthwick has been urged to make in-form Sale star Tom Roebuck a starting winger in the Six Nations. Roebuck enjoyed an […]

Northampton Saints, Harlequins & Leicester Tigers lead way

15 December 2024 0 comments

By Ben Jaycock Northampton Saints won in South Africa for the first time in their history by beating the Bulls away in Pretoria 30-21 courtesy […]

Cornish Pirates remove break clauses

15 December 2024 0 comments

By Sam Jackson Cornish Pirates have lifted the break clauses in player contracts which had been inserted in the summer amid concern over the ongoing […]

Steve Borthwick leads tributes to Tom Voyce

15 December 2024 0 comments

English rugby is mourning the death of 43-year-old former winger Tom Voyce. He went missing last Saturday night during Storm Darragh while attempting to drive […]

Handre Pollard: My future still up in the air

15 December 2024 0 comments

By Paul Rees Handre Pollard is out of contract at the end of the season and Leicester hope a strong showing for the rest of […]

Scotland will benefit from winning habit – Blair Kinghorn

15 December 2024 0 comments

By Adam Hathaway Blair Kinghorn has been getting into the winning habit with Antoine Dupont and co at Toulouse and reckons that could spell bad […]

England-born Junior Kpoku rules out playing for France

15 December 2024 0 comments

By Sam Jackson Hard-hitting: Racing 92 lock Junior Kpoku Junior Kpoku, ineligible for Steve Borthwick’s England team while playing for Racing 92, says the prospect […]

Gareth Anscombe glad to be back to his best after a year out

15 December 2024 0 comments

By Paul Rees Gloucester believe Gareth Anscombe is back to his best after the Wales outside-half spent almost a year out with injury. Anscombe joined […]