By Paul Rees Exeter are confident that the decision to change their defensive system will not jeopardise Henry Slade’s place in the England side. Slade […]
Latest Posts
Ioan Cunningham quits Wales
Ioan Cunningham has resigned from his role as Wales women head coach after three years at the helm. Wales won only four of 11 Tests […]
Chandler Cunningham-South gunning for Springboks
By Adam Hathaway Chandler Cunningham-South is aiming to be a big hit against the Springboks on Saturday after adding New Zealand to his highlights reel. […]
Mark Mapletoft backing for Asher Opoku-Fordjour
By Dan Robertshaw Mark Mapletoft has noticed an air of confidence around recent England call-up Asher Opoku-Fordjour this year and expects the Sale Sharks man […]
More heartache for England as Aussies steal it at the death
By Nick Cain at Twickenham England ……………………….. 37pts Tries: Cunningham-South 5, 12; Sleightholme 57, 68, Itoje 78 Conversions: Smith 13, 68, 79 Penalties: Smith 20, […]
Once again, England fail to use their loaf
By Paul Rees In a match both sides tried hard to lose, England succeeded. It was their fifth defeat in a row and in all […]
Of all the positives for Australia, Joseph Sua’ali’i was the biggest
By Brendan Gallagher Welcome back to Australia. Where have you been? And hello Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i. What did your mother feed you? It’s not just that […]
Andy Farrell: We have to find solution quickly
Ireland coach Andy Farrell made no excuses and admitted New Zealand deserved to win and urged his side to dig deep and improve to beat […]
Ireland all at sea as Damian McKenzie pulls the strings
By Brendan Gallagher Ireland………………………….. 13pts Try: van der Flier 42 Conversion: Crowley 43 Penalties: Crowley 7, 39 New Zealand ………………. 23pts Try: Jordan 68 Penalties: […]
Argentina make it nine in a row
By Ben Jaycock Italy ……………….. 18pts Tries: Penalty 33, Nicotera 69 Penalties: Allan 43, 44 Argentina ……… 50pts Tries: Mallia 11, Bertranou 29, Sclavi 49, […]
France too strong for spirited Japan
By James Harrington France…………….52pts Tries: Bielle-Biarrey 4, 28; Gailleton 10, Roumat 19, Mauvaka 34, Gros 42, Boudehent 54, 65 Conversions: Ramos 11, 20, 29, 43, […]
Warren Gatland’s facing a big day at the office
By Simon Thomas Match Preview Wales v Fiji Today. Kick-off 1.40pm, Principality Stadium Warren Gatland has known plenty of huge fixtures during his coaching career […]
We blew so many chances, says Lam as
■By ROGER PANTING Bristol Bears … 10pts Try: van Rensburg 47 Conversion: Worsley 47 Penalty: Worsley 37 Australia A ……. 10pts Tries: Anderson 7, 79 […]
Townsend: We’ll have to be at our very best
■By BRYN PALMER PREVIEW… Scotland v South Africa Today. Kick-off 4.10pm, Murrayfield GREGOR Townsend may have several wins over South Africa on his CV as […]
Bears can’t stop last-minute try
In addition there were very few players in their ranks who put their hand up for promotion to the first-choice squad apart from strong-running three-quarters, […]
What we can learn from other sports
HAVING watched round one of the Autumn Internationals I revelled in the copying of NFL style referee announcements so the thousands in the ground all […]
Give Joe Cokanasiga a run on the wing
Steve Borthwick has proven during his career that he is a great coach and he is starting to show that he is a good selector […]
The game was ours to lose – and we did
HISTORY really does repeat itself, England’s team selection is proof of that. Why take Marcus Smith off ? He was having a terrific game kicking […]
Dream Team – Donovan O’Grady
DONOVAN O’GRADY, THE SWITZERLAND AND BLACKHEATH SCRUM-HALF WHO WORKS FOR THE RPA, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST… Forwards 1. Simon […]
England a licence to thrill
JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK Key man: Ollie Lawrence should be able to inject more pace into England attacks PICTURES: Alamy SOUTH Africa […]
Young gun half-backs lead Northampton Saints fightback
By Tom Vickers Northampton … 31pts Tries: Scott-Young 8, Cousins 52, McParland 56, Brown 59, Wright 68 Conversions: Makepeace-Cubitt 52, 56, 59 Nottingham ……29pts Tries: […]
Bedford take their time to get up and running
By Paul Jacobs Bedford ………….26pts Tries: Adamson 3, 25; Herman 62, 68 Conversions: Maisey 2, 26, 63 Ampthill ………….. 6pts Penalties: Barton 2, 32 Bedford […]
Four tries for Obi Ene puts Sale Sharks on road to take down Caldy
By Luke Jarmyn Sale ……………………………….40pts Tries: Ene 4, 10, 20, 39, Wills 56, McElroy 65 Conversions: Curtis 5, 11, 21, 40, 66 Caldy ………………………………. 7pts […]
Josh Hodge to the fore as Exeter Chiefs finally begin to find their feet
By Mark Stevens Exeter Chiefs .. 54pts Tries: Fisilau 9, 26, 42, Hodge 21, 51, Frost 39, Rigg 55, Skinner 75 Conversions: Hodge 11, 22, […]
Non-stop Bath give Bristol the runaround
By SAM JESS Bath ………………..78pts Tries: Staddon 5, Parry 12, 49; Hennessey 17, 69; Tuipulotu 22, Carr-Smith 38, 52; McConnochie 46, 56; Green 78, Offiah […]
James Hadfield hits London Scottish for six to lead Sarries rout
By Mo Sher Saracens ……….99pts Tries: Eke 5, Hadfield 11, 27, 30, 48, 51, 58, Michelow 17, Jackson-Richard 23, Braley 40, Moore -Aiono 61, Hall […]
High-class Coventry turn back the clock
By ROB WILDMAN Leicester …………………….19pts Tries: Wand 6, Kata 54, van der Flier 65 Conversions: Threlfall 54, 65 Coventry ……………………. 33pts Tries: Hinkley 14, Poole […]
Gutsy Gloucester have to fight all the way to see off Pirates
By ROGER PANTING Gloucester……….36pts Tries: Thorley 23, Knight 36, Adderly-Jones 55, Nelson 60, Reeves 68 Conversions: R Taylor 23, 55, 60, 69 Penalty: R Taylor […]
Ealing make Quins work hard to take the honours
By DAN ROBERTSHAW Harlequins …….38pts Tries: Lawday 7, Anderson 14, Benson 29, Penalty 48, Hammond 51 Conversions: Benson 8, 20, 30, 51 Penalty: Benson 78 […]
Falcons know Doncaster will be tough test
By BEN JAYCOCK In: Oli Spencer scores for Falcons against Caldy PREVIEW… Newcastle v Doncaster Falcons Knights Today. Kick-off 3pm, Kingston Park NEWCASTLE Falcons will […]
‘I want to prove my worth to Bath’ – Ruaridh McConnochie
By Jon Newcombe Out-of-favour Bath winger Ruaridh McConnochie is hoping to use the Premiership Cup to lay down a challenge to Johann van Graan and […]
Townsend ready to leave the dark days behind him
By MARK STEVENS STU Townsend says he’s ready to put the ‘dark times’ behind him and help ignite a new charge with the Exeter Chiefs […]
Steve Borthwick’s bench policy needs work
By Nick Cain – Read his expert opinion every week The bench miscalculations cooking England’s goose in the final quarter of matches is coming full […]
Hard to find out the truth about Eddie’s ‘reign of fear’
ONE of the realities of rugby union in the pro era is that players who criticise a coach who kept them as part of his […]
‘My school tour to SA changed me’ – Christ Tshiunza
Simon Thomas talks to Christ Tshiunza about his personal journey from Africa to Wales From Kinshasa to Cardiff, from Exeter to the international stage, it’s […]
Evan Lloyd making the most of his late switch to hooker
By Simon Thomas It’s safe to say Evan Lloyd’s story is pretty unique. Not only did he play for Wales before he had started a […]
When value for money is not part of the deal
CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED ENGLAND’S bench strategy against New Zealand – goodbye “bomb squad”, hello “squib squad” – has been investigated, psychoanalysed, convicted on all […]
Priceless memories from across the union landscape
Masterly: Steve Bale MORE often than not, guests on this paper’s weekly podcast are subjected to a quickfire round of 15 personal questions, the last […]
Chicago will be Devoto’s kind of town
By MARK STEVENS On the move: Ollie Devoto EXCITED Ollie Devoto says he’s ready to embark on his own ‘American Dream’ after signing a deal […]
Angus Scott-Young keen to follow his father
By Jon Newcombe Typical of most Australians, Angus Scott-Young has a fairly sunny disposition and the loose forward is confident that Saints can soon start […]
Fitz Harding wants to join England pals
By Paul Rees Bristol’s strong start to the season has been rewarded with five players selected in England’s two senior squads – and skipper Fitz […]
Cian Healy keeps rolling the years away
By Peter Jackson – The man truly in the know Just when the All Blacks thought they had finally seen the back of him, an […]
The one-man choir whose class shone like a beacon
STEVE Bale had more, far more than a voice worthy of the Albert Hall on the Last Night of the Proms or any other night […]
Duty of Danny Care: How Eddie Jones rates
Paul Rees examines the record and reputation of the ex-England coach who divides opinion wherever he goes A man apart: Eddie Jones took charge of […]
Four-try David calls the shots for Bears
■By WILL PERRINGWOOD Leicester ………………….7pts Try: McGhie 25 Conversion: Feury 26 Bristol ……………………. 62pts Tries: David 3, 34, 38, 53; Hesketh 5, J Joyce-Butchers 18, […]
Trailfinders make champions fight hard
■By TOM JOHNSON Trailfinders ….. 19pts Tries: White 55, Beukeboom 73, Clarke 77 Conversions: Taylor 56, 78 Tries: Sing 11, Rugman 21, 36; Matthews 48, […]
Let’s get truth on Eddie’s regime
RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER Trying times: Eddie Jones coaching England PICTURES: Alamy THIS Eddie Jones stuff. […]
Farewell Baler, the dedicated driver of our gang of misfits
SO farewell then Baler – Steve Bale – a prince among men as well as a most talented versatile wordsmith mainly with the Neath Guardian, […]
Mose fail to spark as Jones leads by example
■By TIMOTHY FORRESTER Richmond ……. 42 B Moseley ……. 14 CONFIDENT Richmond ran up another six tries in a lively Friday game against Birmingham Moseley. […]
Park withstand a late Stortford rally
■By RHYS STRATTON Rosslyn Park ……… 18 Bishop’s S …………… 15 A PHYSICAL affair at The Rock on Friday saw Rosslyn Park come away with […]