Joe Santamaria selects his Tier Two Team of the Year While the major nations were battling for sporting immortality at the Rugby World Cup, the […]
Latest Posts
Talented players will still miss out
JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME With the start of a new year, it’s the beginning of a new RFU and Premiership […]
Young Guns: Scotland U20s prop Callum Smyth
BY BEN JAYCOCK Scotland U20s prop Callum Smyth enjoyed the ‘best six months of his life’ this year when he took part in the Macphail […]
Coach to Coach with Martin Webdale
Former Richmond director of rugby Steve Hill, below, talks to Martin Webdale, the head coach at Loughborough University, above Steve Hill: How and why did […]
Steelmen show grit to hit back against Ponty
Premiership round-up By ROB COLE EBBW VALE completed a smash and grab raid in the second half at Sardis Road to prove they have got […]
Ewels in talks with Sharks
Charlie Ewels could be on the move at the end of the season after having a meeting with Sale Sharks about a switch to the […]
Dunvant pile pain on Tata
Championship round-up DUNVANT were able to jump into fourth place in Championship West as they picked up a three-try triumph from their home clash with […]
Simmonds is facing a fight for survival
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN THE final weekend of 2023 – and we’re almost at the halfway point of the Top 14 season. There’s still a […]
I’m honoured, says Sir Dicky with NY award
Cornish Pirates owner Sir Richard ‘Dicky’ Evans says he is ‘surprised’ and ‘honoured’ to be awarded a knighthood in the New Year Honours. Kenya-based Evans […]
Symes looking to impress in Wales
By BEN JAYCOCK After excelling in Australia, tyro fly-half Jacob Symes has returned to Wales to link up with Welsh Premiership side Swansea and is […]
What’s in The Rugby Paper: 31/12/23
Harlequins host Gloucester in their annual ‘Big Game’ at Twickenham on Saturday, part of extensive coverage from the Premiership and the URC in The Rugby […]
Premiership previews: Round ten
Round 10 of the Premiership promises to deliver riveting clashes amidst an electric festive atmosphere. Bristol look set for their biggest crowd of the season […]
Tuilagi to miss start of Six Nations with groin problem
England centre Manu Tuilagi will miss the start of the 2024 Six Nations with a groin problem that he suffered for Sale in last weekend’s […]
Agree new PGP deal quickly, urge DoRs
By PAUL REES Premiership clubs expect the details of the new Professional Game Partnership (PGP) with the RFU to be agreed early in the new […]
Gloucester close in on deal for Atkinson
By NEIL FISSLER Gloucester are in talks to do a deal that will see them sign former Wasps fly-half Charlie Atkinson from Premiership rivals Leicester […]
Easter urges RFU not to divide National One
By LUKE JARMYN Nick Easter fears that RFU plans to split National One in two, with a north and south divide, will see it lose […]
Warr: It’s special to learn from the best
By LUKE JARMYN Sale Sharks Gus Warr believes that time spent rubbing shoulders and working with the likes of double World Cup winner Faf de […]
Unlucky Quirke ruled out with foot injury
Raffi Quirke’s dismal luck with injuries continued when a foot injury he picked up at Leinster last weekend that was initially thought to be minor […]
Newcastle sign Holgate
NEWCASTLE have signed Championship winner Jordan Holgate on a deal until the end of the season after his previous club Jersey Reds’ liquidation. Holgate, 26, […]
Goodman takes over
LEINSTER assistant coach Andrew Goodman will replace Mike Catt as Ireland’s backs coach at the end of the season. The 41-year-old New Zealander will work […]
Big Game is next in line for upbeat Dombrandt
By PAUL REES Alex Dombrandt will enjoy a rare break over Christmas before returning to drive Harlequins’ twin assaults on the Premiership and the Champions […]
Codling: This is the toughest run I have had as a coach
By PAUL REES Newcastle may have had a challenging start to the season, but Alex Codling believes there are several reasons why England’s coaches should […]
Dowson praise for Radford turnaround
By JON NEWCOMBE Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson has paid tribute to new defence coach Lee Radford and his players for the remarkable turnaround […]
Chiefs ace Tom set for Hanazono
ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Tom Hendrickson has signed a deal with Osaka-based Japanese League One side Hanazono Kintetsu Liners after leaving Exeter Chiefs […]
Everitt in talks at Edinburgh
ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER EDINBURGH have opened talks with Sean Everitt about extending his stay in the Scottish capital after he arrived on […]
Saracens in hunt for big name wing
ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Saracens have held informal talks with England wingers Jonny May and Joe Cokanasiga about a move to London at […]
Quins offer Care new contract
ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Danny Care has been offered the chance to extend his contract with Harlequins until after his 38th birthday with […]
Glasgow keen for Hastings return
ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Scotland international Adam Hastings has been speaking to Glasgow Warriors about a return north of the border when his […]
Dream Team with Damian Welch
The former Exeter Chiefs, Llanelli, Scarlets, Cardiff & Pontypridd second row, chooses the best XV he has played with or against… 1. Gethin Jenkins – […]
I can see why Dupont has gold in his sights
JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK IT is very hard to think of France without Antoine Dupont as a driving force as both scrum-half […]
Cokanasiga shows his England quality
By ADAM HATHAWAY Bath ……………………………… 25pts Tries: Cokanasiga 1, 47; Stooke 42, Reid 74 Conversion: Russell 49 Penalties: Russell 33 Harlequins …………………… 17pts Tries: Smith […]
‘There’s more to come from Joe’
Johann van Graan, the Bath head coach, revealed Steve Borthwick has been keeping an eye on Joe Cokanasiga and insists there is more to come […]
Leicester suffer as Chiefs put on a show
By MARK STEVENS Exeter Chiefs ……………… 29pts Tries: Vermeulen 7, Penalty 10, Slade 39, Tuima 80 Conversions: Slade 7, 40 Penalty: Slade 51 Leicester Tigers […]
McKellar unhappy with poor first half
LEICESTER head coach Dan McKellar bemoaned a dismal first half that saw the visitors trail 21-0. “It was a poor start from us,” he said. […]
Agony for Hastings as Saints hold on
By PAUL REES Gloucester ………………….. 29pts Tries: Clarke 27, Harris 40, Alemanno 47, Carreras 52 Conversions: Hastings, 28, 40, 53 Penalties: Hastings 59 Northampton Saints……31pts […]
A good win but not a great performance, says Dowson
NORTHAMPTON moved to third in the table with a sixth Premiership victory in seven, but director of rugby Phil Dowson was far from satisfied. “It […]
Sharks keep it tight to hold off Saracens
By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Sale Sharks ………………… 22pts Tries: Creevy 17, Roebuck 43, Cowan-Dickie 48 Conversions: Ford 18, 48 Penalty: Ford 64 Saracens ………………………20pts Tries: Van […]
Tuilagi injury worry for Sale
ALEX Sanderson, with concerns about Manu Tuilagi’s first-half exit, hailed his pack’s performance for giving his side the edge. “Our set-piece was phenomenal and that’s […]
Energetic Vakatawa puts Bears in charge
By LUKE JARMYN Newcastle Falcons…….. 13pts Tries: McCallum 80+2 Conversions: Jennings 80+3 Penalties: Johnson 40+2, Jennings 48 Bristol Bears ……………….. 21pts Tries: Ibitoye 17, Vakatawa […]
Codling delighted by crowd support
DESPITE suffering an 11th straight defeat in all competitions, Newcastle boss Alex Codling praised his side’s effort and the Falcons’ hard going faithful. Codling said: […]
Here’s my England squad for Six Nations
NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK There will have been times when the honeymoon period predicted for Steve Borthwick’s first year as England […]
Sweeney’s words causing deep anger
NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK There is something radically wrong when the chief executive of the RFU – who is responsible for […]
It’s been incredible to be here for so long
Jon Newcombe catches up with Saracens DoR Mark McCall, who has been the boss since 2011 With his 13th calendar year as director of rugby […]
Toulouse are the most entrancing side of them all
CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED Dupont or no Dupont, Ntamack or no Ntamack, this latest edition of the Champions Cup may well turn out to be […]
Gorging on a Christmas feast of non-stop rugby
CHRIS HEWETT Rugby has always been a game of Big Ideas: Carwyn James, the patron saint of Stradey Park, was a thinker of weight and […]
The French out in front? That’s not how it looks
With 12 victories in 16 games, Paul Rees reflects on a promising start by English clubs in the Champions Cup It has been a chastening […]
Being called to the bar was my proudest day
MY LIFEIN RUGBY THE FORMER WORCESTER AND HARLEQUINS SECOND ROW TURNED NFL PLAYER CHRISTIAN SCOTLAND-WILLIAMSON Crashing home: Scotland-Williamson scoring for Worcester against Leicester PICTURE: Getty […]
Time of goodwill to all (well, nearly all)
RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER hands out his Christmas goodies… HO HO HO. I’m normally more of a scrooge than a Santa at Christmas but, to […]
Derby day double act for regions
By BEN JAYCOCK Fixtures: Tuesday December 26: Cardiff v Dragons, Kick-off 3pm Scarlets v Ospreys, Kick-off 5.15pm Boxing Day action sees back-to-back Welsh derbies as […]
Glasgow claim the bragging rights
By BRYN PALMER Glasgow…………22pts Tries: Rowe 17, Matthews 66, Miller 73 Conversions: Horne 67, 74 Penalty: Thompson 6 Edinburgh……… 10pts Try: Nel 33 Conversion: Healy […]
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