Head coach Andy Farrell signed off from Ireland duty with another win as he turns his attention to the British and Irish Lions tour in […]
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Joe Schmidt gets the Aussies bouncing
By Peter Jackson For far too long yesterday, Joe Schmidt threatened to send his protege off on Lions’ business accompanied by the hissing sound from […]
Springboks going to need a bigger trophy cabinet …
Peter Jackson looks back on a season where, once again, South Africa proved to be the best team on the planet Now that they have […]
Scotland must not waste potential
By Jeremy Guscott – Outspoken and unmissable every week… An assessment of where Scotland and England are after the autumn series, with another Calcutta Cup […]
Martin Johnson would not have put up with it
Danny Care has alleged in his book that Eddie Jones was a bully, confirming what anybody with a half a brain had deduced a long […]
Forbidden fruit is now too tempting
Just when you thought that it couldn’t get any worse at the RFU, CEO Billy Sweeney receives a ‘bonus’ of £358,000, taking his salary for […]
Great to see Coventry doing so well
Last Saturday I went to Butts Park Arena to watch Northampton Saints edge out my team Coventry by 19-10 in the Premiership Cup clash, the […]
Don’t be in awe of ‘The System’
AS a long-time England supporter I feel compelled to express my concerns about the performances and results of our team. Much debated selection issues play […]
Warren Gatland is not the man to blame
As expected, the critics are circling Warren Gatland following the latest Wales defeats. These people, however, often ignore the fact that he has a proven […]
Tough for clubs to get permission for 10,001
I HAVE every sympathy with my old friend Simon Halliday, the outgoing Chairman of the Championship Board, and the Championship clubs having read his comments […]
Wharfedale show the way ahead
Last weekend Wharfedale – currently fifth in National Two North – played league leaders Lymm with 13 homegrown players in the starting line-up. Just before […]
It’s time for a root and branch clearout at RFU
By Nick Cain – Read his expert opinion every week In what sort of world does the wage packet of one administrator in a sports […]
When he was on it, Joe Marler had the lot
Power house: Joe Marler in action for England during 2023 World Cup PICTURE: Getty Images There’s a need for big characters in rugby union as […]
We can’t compete with the big dogs, admits Steve Diamond
By Paul Rees Steve Diamond will be putting young players on long-term contracts to protect Newcastle from the greater spending power of every other club […]
Guy Pepper full of praise for Sam Underhill
By Jon Newcombe Sam Underhill was one of Guy Pepper’s idols growing up and he’s now enjoying learning from him in person at Bath. In […]
Exeter Chiefs fight hard but Bath go back to top
By Paul Rees Bath……………………………….. 19pts Tries: Pepper 6, Reid 45, Annett 67 Conversions: Russell 7, 68 Exeter……………………………. 15pts Tries: Vermeulen 19, Fisilau 80+2 Conversion: Slade […]
Rob Baxter: We can take a lot from that
Exeter’s losing Premiership run continued but Rob Baxter took heart from the performance against the leaders. “What pleased me was that we were really competitive […]
Santi Carreras class has Northampton Saints on the rack
By Rob Wildman Northampton Saints……. 17pts Tries: Furbank 6, Augustus 48 Conversions: Hutchinson 6, 48 Penalty: Hutchinson 74 Gloucester…………………… 25pts Tries: Carreras 3, 32; Mercer […]
Phil Dowson: We didn’t stand up for fight
Northampton boss Phil Dowson admitted Gloucester “had a point to prove” and that his men “didn’t stand up for the fight”. On a difficult day […]
Pat Lam puts Gabriel Ibitoye in frame for England
By Gary Fitzgerald Harlequins ………………….. 24pts Tries: Dombrandt 3, Murley 21, Northmore 26, Green 63 Conversion: Evans 22, 64 Bristol Bears ………………. 48pts Tries: Ravouvou […]
I’ve no regrets and I won’t be coming back, says Joe Marler
Joe Marler’s big send off was turned sour by Bristol but he still claimed it was the perfect time to hang up his well-worn boots. […]
Newcastle master misfiring Saracens
By Luke Jarmyn Newcastle ……………………. 17 Tries: Hearle 22, Radwan 33 Conversions: Connon 23, 34 Penalty: Connon 2 pts Saracens ……………………… 12pts Tries: Elliott 17, […]
We were not good enough – Mark McCall
Saracens boss Mark McCall showed due respect to a Newcastle side who handled the torrid conditions better. McCall admitted having the likes of Jamie George […]
Alex Sanderson: We need to get our bite back
By Paul Rees MATCH PREVIEW Sale v Leicester Today. Kick-off 3.15pm, AJ Bell Stadium Alex Sanderson expects Sale to bear their teeth against resurgent Leicester […]
We’ll be locked and loaded for Sale trip -Cheika
■By JON NEWCOMBE WITH wins over Exeter, Newcastle and Saracens, playing away from home in the Premiership currently holds no fears for Leicester. The Tigers […]
Scotland deserve fair share of British & Irish Lions
By Chris Hewett – Thinking Allowed We may be exaggerating here, but not by much: since the wonderful Tom Smith made the last of his […]
Time for RFU to put those tin hats on
If there has been an unusual amount of activity in one corner of the commodities market over recent days, blame Twickenham, where the governing classes […]
Cardiff are too strong for spirited Dragons
■ By ROGER PANTING Cardiff……………………………31pts Tries: Mann 31, Millard 39, Sheedy 42, Lee-Lo 50 Conversions: Sheedy 31, 39, 42, 50 Penalties: Sheedy 7 Dragons………………………… 23pts […]
Zebre stun Ospreys to climb off the bottom
By Simon Thomas Zebre………………22pts Tries: Gesi 6, 25, Trulla 43 Conversions: Da Re 7, 44 Penalty: Da Re 57 Ospreys…………. 17pts Tries: Kasende 18, Lloyd […]
Duncan Weir steps up to have final say in tense affair
By Simon Thomas Glasgow…………. 17pts Tries: Matthews 36, Venter 50 Conversions: Weir 37, 51 Penalty: Weir 66 Scarlets…………. 15pts Tries: Macleod 11, Nicholas 46 Conversion: […]
Munster end their losing run
By Kevin Fallon Munster……….. 17 Lions…………….. 10 Munster captain Jack O’Donoghue hopes they can build on this win heading into the Champions Cup. They managed […]
Sharks survive Stormers comeback to take derby victory
Sharks survived a stunning fightback to triumph in Durban. Sharks were cruising going into the final few minutes with a 13-point lead, but they conceded […]
Edinburgh keep Benetton at bay
By Tom Wilson Edinburgh……..50 Benetton……….33 Edinburgh survived an enthralling Augustin Creevy-inspired Benetton comeback in the second half to finish on the right side of a […]
Connacht are blown away by Bulls
By John Fallon Connacht………14 Bulls………………28 Connacht, down to 14 men for almost three-quarters of the game, were blown away by the Bulls. The Bulls also […]
Leinster make it seven wins in a row
By Jim Short Ulster…………….20 Leinster…………27 Leinster’s second string proved far too strong for Ulster to make it seven wins on the spin. “Squad depth is […]
Cup games were pretty tough on us, admits Cornish Pirates coach Gavin Cattle
By Mark Stevens As clubs across English rugby’s top two divisions return to league action this weekend, questions continue to be asked about just how […]
Jacques Vermeulen excited to visit old friends
By Paul Rees Exeter start their Champions Cup campaign away in South Africa on Saturday, but Jacques Vermeulen will feel very much at home. The […]
My body is telling me to quit, says Rob Evans
By Peter Jackson – The man truly in the know Wales are about to be hit by another loss despite spending the final weekend of […]
Let’s hope Newcastle Falcons can keep flying flag
As last season’s final Premiership table confirmed, Northampton and Newcastle could not possibly have been further apart: the Saints sweeping all before them, the Falcons […]
Questions for the All Blacks
Despite following up their World Cup quarter-final win over Ireland last year with another in Dublin a fortnight ago, the All Blacks face some tough […]
Time for big guns to deliver in the Six Nations
PAUL REES ASSESSES THE FORM OF ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, FRANCE, WALES AND ITALY IN THE BUILDUP TO THE SIX NATIONS ENGLAND Result: Henry Slade celebrates a […]
Thomas ready for Edinburgh clash
■By GARY FITZGERALD FRESH from his dream Wales debut, Freddie Thomas has set his sights on helping Gloucester conquer Europe. The second row enjoyed a […]
Several clubs are battered by Storm Bert
By Luke Jarmyn A number of rugby clubs across England and Wales have been left “devastated”, decimated and at risk of disappearing altogether after Storm […]
Dream Team – Grant Hughes
GRANT HUGHES, THE FORMER SCOTLAND SEVENS INTERNATIONAL AND STIRLING COUNTY WING, NOW WITH CHINNOR, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST… Forwards […]
Good to see the Eagles soaring again
RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points – By Brendan Gallagher That’s a wrap for the autumn Tests and it would […]
It’s hard to recall when the RFU was so ineptly run
YOU know something really bad is afoot when an annual report reads like an expensive defence document being presented at the High Court. I’m almost […]
Bruce Houston is on target to snatch it for Pirates
By Mike Sinclair C Pirates………… 15pts Tries: McNab 12, Relton 58 Conversion: Houston 58 Penalty: Houston 76 Chinnor…………… 13pts Try: Feeney 27 Conversion: Slevin 27 […]
Ealing Trailfinders quick off the mark to take home the honours
By William Gupwell E Trailfinders…63pts Tries: Moore 3, 35; Reid 16, De Wee 22, Kernohan 26, Harris 30, Walker 61, 69, 74 Conversions: Willis 4, […]
Doncaster get back to their best in fine style
By GUY WILLIAMS Doncaster Knights……. 52pts Tries: Olowofela 68, 75; Jones 10, Smith 20, Edwards 26, Kerr 41, Dolly 53, Strong 56 Conversions: Bennett 10, […]
It’s back to business as usual for Bedford
By ROB WILDMAN Nottingham…… 10pts Tries: Myall 16, Dickinson 69 Bedford………….. 17pts Tries: Langdon 3, Adamson 20, James 62 Conversion: Maisey 62 A BREAK-AWAY interception […]
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