NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK THE return of England A – the national second team known as the Saxons when they last […]
Latest Posts
For once, ‘Hugh Bacardi’ was speechless…
NICK CAIN HUGH McHardy is one of those irrepressible, generous characters who give such vibrancy to the social and playing fabric of rugby union that […]
Domestic structure in need of review
LETTERS MANY seem to believe reaching the semi-finals was sufficient, but given the resources available, England should be consistently in the top two or three […]
Leal right to enforce the laws
SURELY it up to the players to know the laws of the game and the referee to enforce them. Therefore, referee Adam Leal in last […]
Probyn for the top job!
WHAT a brilliant and pertinent article written by Jeff Probyn in last week’s issue. Absolutely spot on! Oh that we had someone of his calibre […]
Saracens still top dogs but Chiefs look hungry
By BEN JAYCOCK LAWRENCE Dallaglio believes reigning champions Saracens are the blueprint for any English professional side and sees them as red-hot favourites to secure […]
Bath hope new dance floor will let their talent shine
By JON NEWCOMBE BATH defence coach JP Ferreira hopes that the playing surface at The Rec will be much improved following the completion of maintenance […]
Change of culture is needed to compete
CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED A slippery subject, rugby culture, and easily misrepresented in its narrowest sense. Across great swathes of the sporting landscape, the English […]
It’s better late than never to pick Zach
CHRIS HEWETT IF we’re being harsh – and heaven knows, the Cherry and White flock who congregate on the steps of the Kingsholm Shed once […]
Heartbreak for Scarlets as Van Wyk try steals it
By SIMON THOMAS Scarlets …………23pts Tries: Rogers 17, Elias 68 Conversions: Lloyd 18, 69 Penalties: Lloyd 3, 48, 54 Lions……………… 24pts Tries: Louw 21, Botha […]
Zebre claim first win in 29 games
By BEN JAYCOCK Zebre …………… 12 Sharks ………… 10 Zebre secured their first win since April 2022 as they narrowly saw off the Sharks thanks […]
Umaga kick kills off the Stormers
■By SAM JACKSON Benetton ……..20 Stormers …….. 17 THE travel woes of South African teams continued as the Stormers stumbled to a defeat against Benetton. […]
Ospreys fall just short as Dell gets late winner
■By ROGER PANTING Ospreys ……………………….. 23pts Tries: Williams 5, Morgan-Williams 67 Conversions: Walsh 5, 57 Penalties: Walsh 25, 55, 73 Glasgow…………………………31pts Tries: Matthews 37, 44, […]
Cardiff left to count cost of their errors
■By SIMON THOMAS Cardiff …………… 12pts Tries: Grady 23, Lee Lo 53 Conversions: De Beer 53 Bulls ………………. 18pts Tries: Papier 11, De Klerk 14 […]
Healy puts boot into Connacht
■By JOHN FALLON Edinburgh …….25 Connacht ……..22 BEN Healy broke Connacht’s hearts with a drop goal in the final play of the night to end […]
Ulster end Munster’s run
■By JOHN FALLON Ulster …………… 21 Munster ……….14 CAPTAIN Tom Stewart paid tribute to recordbreaker Rob Herring on his 230th appearance and debutant prop Scott […]
Dragons call on Wales cavalry
■By BEN JAYCOCK Preview: Dragons v Leinster Today. Kick-off 1.15pm DRAGONS head coach Dai Flanagan has made nine changes ahead of today’s encounter with Leinster […]
New season set
Ben Jaycock looks at contenders ahead of next weekend’s kick-off to the Women’s Premiership season With just nine teams but a TNT Sports broadcast contract […]
Hat-trick for Adamson as Blues find rhythm
■By LUKE JARMYN Bedford ………….53pts Tries: Day 21, French 31, Adamson 34, 56, 69; Onojaife 43, Conway 60, 79 Conversions: Grimoldby 32, 35, Maisey 57, […]
Ampthill aim for top four after Cov win
■By BEN JAYCOCK AMPTHILL’S ever-present No.8 Morgan Strong has been a key figure in the club’s fast start this season and says last weekend’s victory […]
COACH TO COACH
FORMER RICHMOND DIRECTOR OF RUGBY STEVE HILL, FAR LEFT, TALKS TO GISELLE MATHER, DIRECTOR OF WOMEN’S RUGBY AT EALING TRAILFINDERS Giselle played for Wasps and […]
The Beast of Bezier broke the mould
RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER A weekly look at the game’s other talking points French rugby said goodbye this week to the toughest guy in the […]
This diminished Premiership is benefiting no-one
RUGBY MATTERS TIME waits for no man. As the World Cup recedes in the rear-view mirror and we concentrate on the Premiership it’s slightly alarming […]
Uni links are vital to make-up of clubs
RUGBY MATTERS CLOSE match-ups with local University sides are nothing particularly new. The great Coventry sides back in the day enjoyed a massive Loughborough University […]
Tackling an age old problem
ANALYSIS >> PAUL REES SAYS RECENT MEASURES BROUGHT IN TO IMPROVE PLAYER SAFETY ARE ALREADY MAKING A DIFFERENCE Sam Cane last week received a three-match […]
Wallabies on downward spiral, warns Campese
By BEN JAYCOCK AUSTRALIA legend David Campese has called out the lack of instinctive flair in rugby union and believes the sport has become a […]
Litterick learned prop trade through Jones
By SIMON THOMAS Rising star: Rhys Litterick AS a young tighthead learning the ropes, new Cardiff Rugby prop Rhys Litterick could hardly have had a […]
Exiles travel globe to find new homes
PETER JACKSON PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Relocated: London Irish player of the year Tom Pearson is now starring for Northampton Saints […]
Legend of the ‘Bearded Beast’ Esteve
PETER JACKSON FOR sheer bloodthirsty brutality, no international fixture of the last half century has come remotely close to matching France-Wales in Paris of the […]
Late Cade try seals battling triumph for Park
By RHYS STRATTON Leicester L ……23 Rosslyn Park..32 ROSSLYN Park overcame a fierce challenge from Leicester Lions to come away with a win. The visitors […]
Smith’s hat-trick is the difference
By THOMAS LLEWELLYN Cinderford………….. 14 B Moseley …………..34 BIRMINGHAM Moseley produced a dominant second-half performance to secure the win. The first half was responsible for […]
Titans don’t make it easy for hosts
By JOHN ALLANSON Bishop’s S……………38 Taunton Titans ….29 STORTFORD celebrated a hard-fought victory over Taunton. The hosts started fast and, after several phases, won a […]
Leo leads the hosts to a hard-fought victory
By GRAHAM COX Blackheath …… 21pts Tries: Noot 5, Walliker 43, Hennessey 58 Conversions: Dalrymple 5, 43, Cooke 58 Richmond ……… 17pts Tries: Kerr 24, […]
Half-backs are on song as Albion claim top spot
By JOHN VAUGHAN Chinnor……………….. 17 Plymouth A …………22 PLYMOUTH claimed a hard-fought victory to claim four points and take top spot. Albion’s half-backs Oulton and […]
Back-to-back wins for Mowden boys
By TOM BULMER Darlington MP…….25 Sedgley Park……… 18 DARLINGTON made it back-to- back wins with a close victory over Sedgley Park. The visitors led 10-15 […]
Super Sale inflict defeat on leaders
By GARETH DANIELS Sale FC…………………29 Rams……………………. 17 SALE FC ripped the form book apart as the bottom side saw off league leaders Rams. The Dogs […]
Tony’s Titans ready to relish toughest tests lying in store
By EDDIE MCATEER TAUNTON Titans face another difficult set of games in National One, and head coach Tony Yapp is under no illusions about how […]
Leaders overcome toughest challenge so far
By BEN CROPPER Leeds Tykes….20 Wharfedale……. 8 LEADERS Leeds Tykes overcame their toughest assignment yet, edging out Yorkshire rivals Wharfedale to maintain their unbeaten record. […]
It’s the life of Riley for in-form William
By ANDREW SMITH Huddersfield………. 17 Preston G…………….. 41 PRESTON Grasshoppers overwhelmed rockbottom Huddersfield with a seven-try demolition in the basement battle, inspired by William Riley. […]
Beech lands the killer blow for Hull
By RICHARD GORE Hull……………………….34 Lymm……………………27 HULL ran out winners in a thrilling game with Will Hall playing a starring role. Lymm started well and raced […]
Star turn Holmes too good for Dale
By NICK DOYLE Otley……………….. 31pts Tynedale………..26pts TYNEDALE scored three tries in the last ten minutes to secure two points but it was Otley who ran […]
Okafor leads the way as Titans stay in the hunt
By BRIAN NORMAN Hull Ionians…………24 Rotherham T……….49 ROTHERHAM kept up their pursuit of Leeds Tykes with a professional, efficient performance over struggling Hull Ionians. The […]
Fisher at the right price for the hosts
By NATHAN EDWARDS Sheffield………………34 Fylde…………………….28 ELLIOT Fisher’s flawless kicking game brought 14 points in a victory against Fylde, as Sheffield bounced back from a difficult […]
Evans’ landmark moment is in vain
By MO SHER Sheffield Tigers….35 Billingham…………..25 BILLINGHAM left Dore Moor with little but pride to show for their efforts – and a landmark achievement for […]
Fylde hoping to come to life following slowest start
By OLLY PINHEY Making his point: Fylde coach Alex Loney FYLDE enjoyed an emphatic 62-19 win against Huddersfield last week which head coach Alex Loney […]
Aces in the pack lift Dudley off the bottom
By LUKE JACOBS Dudley Kings…26 Chester………….. 17 A POWERHOUSE forward-pack display was the crucial ingredient as Dudley Kingswinford grabbed a threetry win to hoist themselves […]
Students’ surge sees off Salop
By JAMES GALLAGHER Loughborough S….38 Newport (S)………… 16 LOUGHBOROUGH Students overcame a slow start to get the better of fellow strugglers Newport (Salop). The game […]
Groves glee after decisive penalty
By MO SHER Old Redcliffians…. 20 Clifton………………….. 17 A TENSE local derby went the way of Old Redcliffians, but only after a gripping 80 minutes […]
Reds hit back to stun Uni battlers
By BILL HOOPER Redruth…………..29pts Exeter Uni……….22pts THREE second-half tries from the Redruth pack turned this game on its head and gave the hosts a much-needed […]
In-form Lucs stand firm to thwart Cam comeback
By ALEX SMITH Luctonians…………..32 Camborne…………….26 LUCTONIANS extended their lead at the top of the table with an exhilarating win over Camborne in a game that […]
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