The Rugby Paper

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

CHRIS HEWETT

GUEST COLUMNIST Gloucester white flag disrepects a great Cup Gloucester are in the process of forgetting all about Danny Cipriani, that exquisitely gifted memory-maker of […]

Stem Bok tide

S -outh A -fricans L -oving E -ngland R -aises U -underlying F -uture C -oncerns Why are foreign “stars” being allowed to take centre […]

Edwards factor critical for France

Lucky escape: England players mob Owen Farrell after he kicked the winning penalty in extra time PICTURE: Getty Images JERRY Guscott’s column that suggested that […]

Quins track giant lock

HARLEQUINS have asked to be kept in touch with the plans of Western Province lock David Meihuizen who is a target for the Scottish Rugby […]

Poor all round

ENGLAND’S game against France, a team with one tenth of the caps England has, was just appalling. To win by three points and then celebrate […]

Friendly

Saracens …………….45pts Tries: Segun 6, Morris 22; Pifeleti 31, 69; Whitely 61, 73 Conversions: Hooley 6, 22, 31, 61, 69, 73 Penalties: Hooley 52 Leicester […]

Predictably same old Scots story

I SHALL now predict the Six Nations for Scotland 2021, perhaps best to imagine it in Eddie Butler’s voice… Opening weekend embarrassment against England, yet […]

Was Eileen first Lady President?

WHILE reading England’s Hall of Fame listing on World Rugby’s website I came across the entry for Gillian Burns. Among the items which comprise her […]

End yellow bib brigade

I PLAYED rugby in the era that celebrated a player scoring by waiting until he reached the halfway line and then players and spectators applauded. […]

Match action

Dragon-slayer: Wasps’ Thomas Young scores their fourth try in the 24-8 victory in Newport PICTURE: Getty Images -starts Page 8 >> … Continue reading… Access […]

Is Farrell still untouchable?

I’M starting to question Owen Farrell’s place in the team. What does he bring that others do not? At flyhalf he is mostly a kicking […]

It’s snore fest

WHILE I am no supporter of ring-fencing, having seen the opening rounds of this season’s Premiership and the Autumn Internationals I would be more than […]

CLOSE-UP

GIORGI HVESELADZE Georgia outside centre v SEMI RADRADRA Fiji outside centre Kveseladze, from Georgian part-time club RC Armazi Marneuli, hardly saw the ball and had […]

Bad move on Matera

PABLO Matera’s reinstatement as Argentina’s captain a few days after he was removed was chronic bad judgement by the Argentine Rugby Union. The racist tweets […]

Swansong season for Banahan

NEWS EXTRA GLOUCESTER back Matt Banahan will retire at the end of the season. The Jersey-born England international, who won 16 caps under Martin Johnson and […]

Fans sold up river

TODAY’S England v France final is only viewable live on Amazon Prime. At a time when fans are unable to go to Twickenham, or a […]

Forthcoming fixtures

Sunday December 6  Autumn Nations Cup: England v France (2pm) Premiership: London Irish v Sale (2.30pm) Gloucester v Harlequins (4.15pm) Friday December 11  European Champions […]

Crass criticism of ref Owens

IN Colin Boag’s column on November 29 he refers to Welsh referee Nigel Owens’ achievement of reaching the remarkable milestone of officiating in his 100th […]

Modern kick tennis is a turn off

Highlight: Toby Flood scores the winning try for Newcastle against Sale PICTURE: Getty Images I SETTLED down to watch Newcastle v Sale on TV thinking […]

Gibbins chasing glory in DC

CALLUM Gibbins is looking forward to a new chapter of his career as he prepares to move to Major League Rugby in America with Old […]

Remembering Pross

READING Brendan Gallagher’s moving tribute to Ray Prosser reminded me of a story I once heard about an incident on the 1959 Lions tour to […]

RIP Ray the Great

BRENDAN Gallagher’s article was an excellent tribute to one of the great coaches of Welsh and British rugby, Ray Prosser. Coach to the great Pooler […]