As the RaboDirectPro12 season starts tomorrow, we take a look at the key players and the ones to watch in each of the 12 teams. […]
Latest Posts
Brian Smith hopeful Ansbro will play again
London Irish head coach Brian Smith is optimistic Joe Ansbro will be able to play again in spite of his broken neck. The Scotland international […]
Henson should be back within a month
London Welsh head coach Lyn Jones has revealed Gavin Henson will be back in action in four weeks for the Exiles. The 30-year-old, who suffered a […]
London Irish allrounder Alex Corbisiero leads new prop crop
Loose-head props of yesteryear conjure up an image of gnarled old campaigners with bleeding ears and a job description which could be summarised as ‘push’. […]
Now Wales put on their own club double header
Wales are to promote their first double-header at the Millennium Stadium during the new season, an East-West duel involving all four regional teams. The RaboDirect […]
Maori All Blacks to tour England
The Maori All Blacks will to take on Leicester Tigers, Canada and a RFU Championship select XV during their Northern Hemisphere tour in November. They […]
Premiership preview (3 days to go): London Irish, Bath, Gloucester
With the start of the Aviva Premiership only three days away, we take a look at what lays ahead for the 12 teams. Today, London Irish, […]
Loyal Matt Smith content to be an unsung hero at Leicester Tigers
No player better embodies the qualities of the archetypal Leicester player than Matt Smith – Tigers through and through, massively appreciated inside the confines of […]
20 Questions: Freddie Burns – Gloucester fly-half
Big year for Gloucester? Massive! The way last year ended was a big disappointment but there are a lot of fresh faces on board and […]
George North bids to join up with cyclist girlfriend in Rio Olympics
George North has revealed his ambition to join his cycling girlfriend at the 2016 Olympics. The Wales star is dating track talent Becky James who […]
London Wasps’ takeover “imminent”
London Wasps chairman Mark Rigby is hopeful the sale of the club will be completed “imminently”. An agreement had been reached in June to sell […]
RaboDirectPro 12 preview
DANIEL SCHOFIELD discovers how the PRO12 teams are adapting to the new season’s demands. As Leinster‘s fortunes have risen in recent years so Munster’s have […]
Gollings named as Sri Lanka Sevens coach
Ben Gollings has been appointed Sri Lanka Sevens‘ head coach for the next two months in their bid to reach next year’s World Cup. The […]
Zebre announce inaugural team to face Dragons
Newly formed Zebre Rugby has announced their team for their first ever RaboDirectPro12 game against Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade on Friday night. They […]
Glasgow announces team for season opener
Sean Lamont will start on the wing for Glasgow in their opening RaboDirectPro12 game against Ulster at Ravenhill on Friday night. Duncan Weir has been […]
SSE National Leagues preview
With the National Leagues competitions starting on Saturday, we take a look at how Fylde, Ealing, Caldy and Redruth are preparing. SSE National League One […]
Quins secure Wallace’s services for two more years
Highly rated Harlequins opensie flanker Luke Wallace has signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him with the Premiership champions until the end of […]
Championship winners must go up says chairman Geoff Irvine
Championship clubs’ chairman Geoff Irvine, right, says their Premiership counterparts need worry about only one thing – to avoid finishing bottom of the table – […]
Bath’s Francois Louw gets South Africa call
Bath flanker Francois Louw will miss at least the first three rounds of the Premiership season after he was called up to the South African […]
Nick Cain: Packer-style circus is real threat to rugby
There has been a recurrent message doing the rounds since the 2011 World Cup which the existing rugby establishment, based on the IRB and national […]
Nick Cain talks to bath boss Gary Gold about reviving a once-champion club
Gary Gold is cagey when he considers the question of the quality he has found at Bath in terms of squad, infrastructure and culture. Understandably […]
Alex Gray hopes fast start can earn green light at London Irish
London Irish No.8 Alex Gray is hoping for ‘second season syndrome’ in reverse as he looks to put a disappointing first year at the Exiles […]
Haughton moves across The Channel
As revealed in The Rugby Paper, full-back Richard Haughton joined Perpignan on a six-month deal as a medical joker for Sofiane Guitoune. The 31-year-old joined […]
Premiership preview (4 days to go): Worcester, London Wasps, London Welsh
With the start of the Aviva Premiership only four days away, we take a look at what lays ahead for the 12 teams. Today, Worcester, […]
Twickenham’s debenture holders in World Cup row
Twickenham debenture holders are furious that they will not be guaranteed seats at the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Chief executive Ian Ritchie this week sent […]
My Life in Rugby: Thom Evans – Former Scotland, Glasgow and Wasps wing
Everything was going so well in my rugby career but all that ended when I broke my neck against Wales in the 2010 Six Nations. […]
Oakley joins Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints have signed former Wales international back row Rhys Oakley. The 31-year-old has impressed Jim Mallender while on trial with Saints after leaving Bourgoin. […]
French duo strengthen London Welsh front row
As revealed in The Rugby Paper on Sunday, London Welsh have strengthened their front row with the signings of Bourgoin duo Franck Montanella and Arthur […]
“I’m more than just a fast mover,” says Wasps winger Christian Wade
Wasps winger Christian Wade is sick of being labelled simply a speed merchant and is determined to prove he has more than one trick up […]
Peter Jackson: Forgotten Dwayne finds new ally in Cips
At a suburban training centre where Manchester City’s multi-millionaires cruise around in their limousines, two international misfits are preparing to take the English Premiership by […]
British and Irish Lions eye Leinster’s Joe Schmidt as Gatland back-up
The Lions are to consider a second New Zealand contender for next year’s three-Test series in Australia – Leinster head coach Joe Schmidt. Kiwi Warren […]
Major set back for Drew Mitchell
Australia’s Drew Mitchell faces a new lengthy spell on the sidelines after the Waratahs winger ruptured a tendon in his right ankle. He left the […]
Dream Team: Hugo Ellis – Rosslyn Park and former Dragons No.8
1. Alex Corbisiero – Has an incredible appetite for hard work and is a great scrummager. He thoroughly deserves the rise through the England ranks. […]
Rugby Championship review: Who will stop the All Blacks?
As the first two rounds of the Rugby Championship drew to an end on Saturday night, we take a look at how it panned out […]
Irish sign John Ryan on loan
London Irish have signed Munster prop John Ryan on a short term loan as cover for the front row. The 23-year-old prop, who can play […]
Moment in Time: Saracens and the 1998 Tetley Bitter Cup final
Emotion is an oft-used word in rugby, but this is a day that sticks in the minds of Saracens people on many counts. For starters, […]
Jeff Probyn: Ritchie review could finally grasp that contract nettle
The end of a spectacular Olympics where our athletes won 65 medals including 29 gold (and we’ve still got the Paralympics to go), has focused […]
Six weeks for Gavin Henson
Gavin Henson will be sidelined for 6 weeks after suffering a minor fracture to his cheekbone. The injury happened in last night’s friendly game against […]
Argentina draw in historic match against South Africa
Argentina had to concede an unlucky 16-16 draw against South Africa for their first ever home game of the Rugby Championship in Mendoza. True to […]
Suspected broken cheek bone for Henson
Gavin Henson suffered a suspected broken cheek bone in London Welsh‘s defeat to the Scarlets earlier this afternoon. He was stretched off after 33 minutes […]
Pre-season friendly games results
Most of the teams were playing friendly games a week away from the start of the season. Here are some of the results: Gloucester 54 […]
New Zealand 22 Australia 0
New Zealand have retained the Bledisloe Cup with a convincing 22-0 over the Wallabies in Auckland for the second round of the Rugby Championship. Israel […]
Scarlets sign Adriaanse
The Scarlets have finalised contracts with South African tight head prop Jacobie Adriaanse for the next three years adding more strength to their front five […]
Pre-season friendlies: results
With just a week to go before the start of the season, a string of pre-season friendlies took place tonight. Here are the results: Sale […]
Saracens Andy Saull working to build same power as Jacques Burger
English rugby has been crying out for a classic openside who can link play in the loose, turn over the ball in the tight and […]
Leicester v Nottingham: teams
Leicester Tigers have announced their squads for tomorrow’s friendly at Welford Road (KO 3pm). New signings Rob Andrew, Richard Thorpe, Pat Phibbs, Vereniki Goneva and […]
Saints terminate Sharman’s contract
Brett Sharman has been released by Northampton a day after his club announced it would be taking disciplinary action against him for an abusive tweet […]
Scarlets v Welsh: teams
The Scarlets and London Welsh have announced their team for the first ever fixture between the two teams. New signings Kristian Philips and Richard Kelly start […]
Gloucester v Doncaster: teams
Gloucester and Doncaster have both named what looks like their strongest side for their final warm-up game before the start of the competitive season. Jonny […]
Falcons have strength in depth to make a quick return says Glen Delaney
With the honourable exception of Bedford’s Mike Rayer, there is no coach with more experience of English rugby’s second tier than Glenn Delaney who left […]