By Charlie Elliott From Antoine Dupont’s ridiculous try-assist to newcomers announcing themselves and familiar faces returning in South Africa, this weekend has been one with plenty […]
Latest Posts
Gallagher Premiership Team of the Week: Alex Lozowski, Fitz Harding and Elliot Daly shine
By Charlie Elliott Fantastic finishing from Fitz Harding, Alex Lozowski’s impeccable kicking and a vintage Elliot Daly performance were the standouts in the Gallagher Premiership. After an entertaining weekend […]
Steve Borthwick: We need to build a fortress
By Adam Hathaway Steve Borthwick has urged his England to pick up the winning habit and turn Twickenham into a fortress once again. Virtually all […]
Newcastle Falcons end losing run
By Paul Rees Newcastle Falcons finally brought their 25-match losing run to an end with a victory in their battle of the basement against Exeter […]
Rivals driving me on – Tommy Reffell
By Simon Thomas Tommy Reffell says he is being driven on by the competition for the Wales No.7 jersey with Jac Morgan back on the […]
Nick Isiekwe finds sense of direction
By Adam Hathaway Nick Isiekwe insists the new spirit of co-operation between club and country can help him take the next step to being an […]
20-minute red gets go-ahead
Referees will have the option to show a 20-minute red card during the autumn internationals. Teams will lose a player for the rest of the […]
Gabriel Ibitoye can go to the next level, says Pat Lam
By Mark Stevens Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam believes in-form winger Gabriel Ibitoye is capable of playing at the next level. Lam watched on […]
Gareth Davies calls time on Test career
Wales scrum-half Gareth Davies, 34, has announced his retirement from international rugby. The Scarlets half-back won 77 Wales caps and toured twice with the Lions. […]
Alex Sanderson: George Ford wants to be a player, not a coach
By Jon Newcombe George Ford returns to training next week but it has come too late for him to be included in England’s Autumn Nations […]
Ollie Lawrence happy to move in at No.12
By Paul Rees A play called The Fear of 13 opened in London to five-star reviews last week, but it is a number that holds […]
Red Roses march on
England will face Australia, USA, and Samoa in the pool stages of next year’s World Cup. The Red Roses, who are top of the world […]
Northampton Saints won’t rush Alex Mitchell
By Paul Rees Northampton will not rush Alex Mitchell back into action despite missing the injured England No.9 in the opening rounds of the Premiership. […]
Restoration of trio cannot be justified
IT appears to me that the authorities at the RFU have lost their moral and ethical compass in inviting these three clubs to join the […]
Thanks, Jeff, your piece was spot on
THE main purpose of this letter is to thank you for your existence and quality. I used to play from 11 to 21 (when six […]
Figures don’t add up
IN his column in a recent edition of The Rugby Paper, Peter Jackson states that the RFU are set to earn a whopping £16 million […]
Return of the big clubs has my vote
I UNDERSTAND the arguments against offering an olive branch to the three ‘Phoenix clubs’, as detailed in Nick Cain’s column last week, due to the […]
Are we watching Quins Reserves?
Ace: Harlequins’ U20 World Championship-winning centre Sean Kerr starred for London Scottish last week PICTURE: Getty Images I’M sure the London Scottish-Harlequins link is working […]
I’d have included Butler in the mix
REALLY enjoyed Brendan Gallagher’s article. As a former player in the Sixties, Seventies and early Eighties, I was fortunate to play with or against many […]
Laws made a difference
I VERY much enjoyed reading the article on how positions have changed over the last 50 years. It would be interesting to see something similar, […]
Dream Team – Scott Sio
SCOTT SIO, THE EXETER CHIEFS AND FORMER AUSTRALIA AND BRUMBIES PROP, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE’S PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST… Forwards 1. James Slipper – […]
All Blacks will have to be at their best against England
By Jeremy Guscott – Outspoken and unmissable, every week… In some ways the New Zealand system means that they are not at full strength between […]
Saracens go top in last-minute drama
By Paul Rees Bristol Bears ………………. 35pts Tries: Harding 2, 35, 41; Randall 18, Fricker 43 Conversions: MacGinty 36, 42 Penalties: MacGinty 10, 60 Saracens […]
Mark McCall: I can’t recall win like that
Mark McCall has been in charge of Saracens for 13 years but admitted he had never experienced a victory like yesterday’s. Sarries were 15 points […]
Francois van Wyk late show steals it for Bath
By Brendan Gallagher Harlequins ………………….. 24pts Tries: Dombrandt 6, Isgro 16, 37 Conversions: Smith 7, 17, 38 Penalty: Smith 61 Bath ……………………………… 26pts Tries: Pepper […]
Johann van Graan: That was a match of quality
Bath head coach Johann van Graan was impressed with what he saw. “What a rugby game,” he said. “A very high-quality rugby game – two […]
Versatile Tommy Freeman in control for Northampton Saints
By Adam Hathaway Northampton Saints ….. 47pts Tries: Freeman 3, Furbank 7, Sleightholme 20, 26; James 23, Hendy 36, Ramm 60 Conversions: F Smith 8, […]
Alex Sanderson: You can’t play loose against an angry team
Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson feared his side would face a Northampton backlash after their defeat to Leicester and he was proved right. Sanderson’s […]
At last! Newcastle Falcons end record losing streak
By Luke Jarmyn Newcastle …………………… 24pts Tries: van der Walt 17, Blamire 29, 54 Conversions: Grayson 18, 30, 55 Drop goal: Grayson 68 Exeter ……………………………18pts […]
Rob Baxter: We are missing a little belief
Exeter boss Rob Baxter looked perplexed after seeing his side suffer the ignominy of falling to the basement boys of the Premiership table. With the […]
No rest for Leicester Tigers as Michael Cheika puts foot down
By Adam Hathaway Match Preview Leicester v Gloucester Today. Kick-off 3pm, Welford Road Leicester boss Michael Cheika has shelved thoughts of resting players early on […]
Caolan Englefield: We need to be more aggressive in defence
By Gary Fitzgerald Caolan Englefield remains confident Gloucester can plug sufficient holes in their leaky defence to stun the Tigers again in their Welford Road […]
Time for England to walk the walk
By Nick Cain Right here, right now, English rugby union craves forward momentum. It needs something to knock the negatives surrounding our sport into the […]
Brave Will Green does game huge service
Will Green is owed a significant debt by rugby union in England – and further afield – for his courage and unshakeable determination to tell […]
I’m calmer than I’ve ever been – Beno Obano
By Jon Newcombe Beno Obano has credited the calming influence of Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan for one of his most consistent runs […]
Robbie Smith determined to be in contention for Scotland
By Paul Rees Robbie Smith’s patience paid off in the summer when he made his debut for Scotland and the Northampton hooker hopes that making […]
It would be grand for Wasps to return
By Chris Hewett – Thinking Allowed Prize assets: Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and, inset from top, Tom Willis, Gabriel Oghre, Alfie Barbeary, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Greg Fisilau and […]
Trouble in store for the All Blacks at No.7
It’s an old joke, with a touch of truth about it. When an England supporter on tour in New Zealand pops into a one-horse-town corner […]
Dragons fall to Benetton as they run out of puff
By Roger Panting Dragons …………. 21pts Tries: Westwood 27, Evans 50, Lewis-Hughes 73 Conversions: Evans 27, 50; O’Brien 74 Benetton ……….. 31pts Tries: Bernasconi 36, […]
Jacob Stockdale at the double as Ulster put Ospreys away
By John Fallon Ulster …………….36pts Tries: McCormick 5, 52, Stockdale 10, 65, Marcus Rea 32, Penalty 24 Conversions: Cooney 33, Doak 66 Ospreys …………12pts Tries: […]
Scarlets on fire to send the Bulls to first defeat
By Simon Thomas Scarlets ………………………. 23pts Tries: Macleod 11, Murray 41, Rogers 72 Conversion: Lloyd 12 Penalties: Lloyd 40, 52 Bulls……………………………… 22pts Tries: Moodie 1, […]
Scottish stars prove their worth for Edinburgh
By Bryn Palmer Edinburgh ………27pts Tries: Van der Merwe 46, Schoeman 60, Graham 64, Ashman 79 Conversions: Thompson 47, 79 Penalties: Thompson 6 Cardiff …………….. […]
Glasgow’s salvage mission
Sharks ………….28 Glasgow ……… 24 ■By BRYN PALMER GLASGOW salvaged two losing bonus points with two tries in the final two minutes as a host […]
Snyman shows who’s boss
Connacht …….. 12 Leinster ………..33 ■ By JOHN FALLON RG SNYMAN again showed his class as an understrength Leinster side proved far too strong for […]
Munster facing tough test
Stormers …….. 34 Munster ………. 19 ■ By KEVIN FALLON MUNSTER have a huge game on their hands next week against the Sharks after they […]
Zebre ……………… 9 Lions ……………. 10
THE Lions continued their unbeaten start to the season by edging Zebre in a rain-soaked tight affair. Ivan van Rooyen’s side scored the game’s only […]
Titi Lamositele’s happy to do his talking on the pitch
By Jon Newcombe Titi Lamositele is happy at being the quiet achiever at Harlequins having moved to a club full of big characters from Montpellier […]
Jacques Vermeulen keen to join the fight
By Mark Stevens When push comes to shove, Exeter Chiefs forward Jacques Vermeulen is not one to shy away from the heat of battle. Sidelined […]
French quick to dismiss ‘soft red’
PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW ONLY France could ban one of their most notorious agents provocateurs for life, then clear the way […]
The day Glasgow had the last word down in Cardiff
A MEMORIAL service is to be held at Dollar Parish Church on Friday week in honour of a Scot who carried the name of arguably […]
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