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Toulouse and Stade in line for a race to glory

17 March 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN The top two tiers of French domestic rugby have been on hiatus this weekend, giving fans a clear run at the […]

Redshaw ready to lead from the front

10 March 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Ben Redshaw trained with England during last year’s World Cup before he had made his Newcastle debut, already marked out as a […]

Reid: We want to build new legacy

10 March 2024 0 comments

Jon Newcombe talks to Bath back rower Miles Reid who wants to see the glory days return, if only to keep his dad quiet Combative […]

Oyonnax have to keep on believing

10 March 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Oyonnax manager Joe El-Abd promised last week that his side would ‘fight to the end’ following their so-near-so-far 35-39 home defeat […]

End of an era as Lawes commits to Brive

25 February 2024 0 comments

Courtney Lawes will leave Northampton this summer to join ProD2 side Brive after 17 seasons at Franklin’s Gardens. Lawes said Northampton did “everything they could” […]

Mercer: I’m focused on Gloucester

25 February 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES If desire to play for England was a factor in selection, Zach Mercer would be one of the first names on the […]

McDowall on fine form to put Glasgow in the clear

18 February 2024 0 comments

By BRYN PALMER Glasgow………..40pts Tries: McKay 1, 37, McDowall 3, 75, Ashfar 44, Cordero 69 Conversions: Thompson 2, 4, 38, 45; Weir 76 Dragons………….. 7pts […]

Short-term contract takes Grace to Bath

18 February 2024 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON Former Wales rugby league star Regan Grace has signed a short-term contract with Bath. The 27-year-old switched to rugby union and joined […]

Keen demand to host Euro finals weekend

4 February 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Dominic McKay, chairman of European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR), has revealed that interest in hosting European club rugby’s finals weekend was higher […]

Scotland prop Rory signs with Warriors

4 February 2024 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Scotland and Lions loosehead Rory Sutherland is returning to Scotland at the end of the season after signing a […]

We are here for the long term

4 February 2024 0 comments

Newcastle were the only Premiership club to sack their head coach mid-season last year and the Falcons were at it again last month when Alex […]

Young Guns: Newcastle wing/fullback Ben Redshaw

4 February 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Ben Redshaw has burst onto the professional rugby scene and is hoping his wonder try against Perpignan is a sign of what’s […]

North and Kinghorn miss out on Cardiff clash

1 February 2024 0 comments

Preview: Wales vs Scotland (Saturday, 4:45pm) Wales’ George North and Scotland’s Blair Kinghorn will both be absent from the two countries’ opening game of the […]

Ward: Diamond is the right man for Falcons

28 January 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Steve Diamond takes over at Newcastle this week with club stalwart Micky Ward believing the hard-nosed former Sale and Worcester director of […]

Crisis? Not in my view, says Sanderson

28 January 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW… Gloucester v Sale Today. Kick-off 3pm, Kingsholm WITH four straight defeats in all competitions and a season-ending injury to England lock […]

Conquistador going in search of pot of gold

28 January 2024 0 comments

Six Nations team-by-team previews: Italy Brendan Gallagher predicts new coach Gonzalo Quesada could just be a very good appointment SO what next for Italy? What […]

Farrell’s jumping from fire…into fire

28 January 2024 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS I don’t know about you but it’s occasionally been a bit of a torture watching Owen Farrell struggle with himself ever since England’s […]

Lyon get it right against Perpignan

28 January 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON In a league featuring the likes of Racing 92 and Toulouse, Toulon and La Rochelle, Bordeaux and Stade Francais, there’s a ‘big match’ […]

Premiership previews: Round 12

26 January 2024 0 comments

After a two-week break for European action, the Premiership is all set for its final round of matches before the Six Nations. With Steve Borthwick’s […]

La Rochelle defy wind to win Sale shootout

21 January 2024 0 comments

By TOM JEFFREYS Sale Sharks…………………………………24 Tries: Roebuck 59, Creevy 67, Dugdale 77, Veainu 80+2 Conversions: Ford 68, Bedlow 79 La Rochelle…………………………………37 Tries: Leyds 9, Hastoy […]

Caulfield sees red as Bears bomb out

21 January 2024 0 comments

By JOHN FALLON Connacht …………………….. 27pts Tries: Bolton 9, Aungier 20, Blade 33, Smith 46 Bristol……………………………10pts Conversions: Tries: Carty 47, Hanrahan 21 Penalty 80 Penalties: […]

Sherratt proud of courageous Cardiff lads as Racing superstars turn on the style

21 January 2024 0 comments

By SIMON THOMAS Racing 92 …….. 48pts Tries: Kamikamica 18, Kolisi 25, Tabuavou 32, Tedder 43, Wade 46, Baudonne 50, Tarrit 76 Conversions: Tedder 19, […]

We need a more exclusive guest list

21 January 2024 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED HERE’S a little brain-teaser, just to make sure you’ve been paying attention at the back of the class: since 2014, when […]

Edinburgh claim vital bonus point to proceed

21 January 2024 0 comments

By SIMON THOMAS Scarlets ………… 19pts Tries: Roberts 14, Conbeer 79, Penalty 80 Conversion: Lloyd 79 Edinburgh……… 31pts Tries: Vellacott 3, Nel 7, Van der […]

Wales prop Thomas ruled out of Ospreys’ South African safari

21 January 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK PREVIEW… Lions v Ospreys Today. Kick-off 1pm, Ellis Park THE Ospreys have already qualified for the Challenge Cup knockout stages but know […]

Black Lion …….. 3 Clermont ………36

21 January 2024 0 comments

CLERMONT secured home advantage in the last 16 with a five-try rout of the Georgian newcomers. The Top 14 giants and three-time former winners ended […]

Tough for Falcons as Diamond gets ready

21 January 2024 0 comments

■ By PAUL REES NEWCASTLE’S players will have their fourth boss in less than a year when Steve Diamond starts work as consultant director of […]

Brown returns as Dragons aim to make it four in a row

21 January 2024 0 comments

PREVIEW… Dragons v Sharks By BEN JAYCOCK Today. Kick-off 5.30pm, Rodney Parade THE Dragons are aiming for four victories on the spin at Rodney Parade […]

Georgia turn to Cockerill

21 January 2024 0 comments

FORMER England hooker and forwards coach Richard Cockerill has been appointed head coach of Georgia and the nation’s premier club side Black Lion. The 53-year-old […]

Challenge Cup Friday and Saturday previews

19 January 2024 0 comments

Half of the places provided by the EPCR Challenge Cup pool stages for the last 16 have already been decided. Six sides are through, and […]

Cockerill handed Georgia job

18 January 2024 0 comments

Former Leicester Tigers boss and England assistant Richard Cockerill has been named head coach of the Georgian national team and their club side Black Lion. […]

Disappointing Connacht to concentrate on Challenge Cup after Lyon hold on

14 January 2024 0 comments

By JOHN FALLON Lyon………………. 34pts Tries: Abrahams 19, 74 Tchaptchet 21, Guillard 52 Conversions: Jackson 15, 22, 53; Berdeu 75 Penalties: Jackson 27, 35 Connacht […]

Mercer in the right place for Gloucester

14 January 2024 0 comments

By BRYN PALMER Edinburgh………..20pts Tries: Young 22, Ashman 61, Vellacott 68 Conversion: Healy 69 Penalty: Healy 52 Gloucester ……… 21pts Tries: Rees-Zammit 45, Mercer 74 […]

Full-back Hopkins is star of the show as fans pay tribute to JPR

14 January 2024 0 comments

By SIMON THOMAS Ospreys………….25pts Tries: Hopkins 40, 50, Giles 63 Conversions: Edwards 51, 64 Penalties: Edwards 34, 43 Perpignan……….. 3pts Penalties: McIntyre 46 ON a […]

Le Brun keeping Castres on course

14 January 2024 0 comments

Castres ………..28 Black Lion ……. 6 CASTRES secured their second win in the Challenge Cup to boost their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages […]

Dragons blow chance of booking home leg

14 January 2024 0 comments

By JOHN WILKINS Zebre………………20pts Tries: Gesi 26, 51; Bianchi 44 Conversions: Montemauri 45 Penalties: Montemauri 35 Dragons………….17pts Tries: Rosser 58 Penalties: Evans 6, 13, 17, […]

Cheetahs excited for trip to Dam

14 January 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Preview Cheetahs v Pau Today. 1pm THE Cheetahs are gearing up for this historic clash as the South African franchise host a […]

Radford gives the credit to simpler defence

14 January 2024 0 comments

Northampton defence coach Lee Radford cites simplified structure as the key to his side’s turn in fortunes this season. In recent years, Saints were top […]

Challenge Cup round three Friday and Saturday Preview

12 January 2024 0 comments

Round 3 of the Challenge Cup promises an array of exciting fixtures, featuring eight matches unfolding across Friday and Saturday with teams vying for a […]

Millard backing Gloucester to do some damage

7 January 2024 0 comments

■ By PAUL REES Starts: Jonny May GLOUCESTER are looking for the new year to provide them with a reset after eight successive Premiership defeats […]

Simmonds is facing a fight for survival

31 December 2023 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN THE final weekend of 2023 – and we’re almost at the halfway point of the Top 14 season. There’s still a […]

The French out in front? That’s not how it looks

24 December 2023 0 comments

With 12 victories in 16 games, Paul Rees reflects on a promising start by English clubs in the Champions Cup It has been a chastening […]

Time of goodwill to all (well, nearly all)

24 December 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER hands out his Christmas goodies… HO HO HO. I’m normally more of a scrooge than a Santa at Christmas but, to […]

Derby day double act for regions

24 December 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Fixtures: Tuesday December 26: Cardiff v Dragons, Kick-off 3pm Scarlets v Ospreys, Kick-off 5.15pm Boxing Day action sees back-to-back Welsh derbies as […]

Dreadful night for Scarlets

24 December 2023 0 comments

When they drank Llanelli dry the day the Scarlets beat New Zealand 51 years ago, the public houses to run out of beer included The […]

O’Gara’s problems keep on coming

24 December 2023 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Australian hooker Tolu Latu went straight into La Rochelle’s matchday squad for pre-Christmas trip to Stade Francais, days after completing a […]

Does Rugby League Have a Gambling Problem?

21 December 2023 0 comments

In the annals of rugby league history, the Easter of 2004 stands out as a pivotal moment, marking the collision of athleticism, competition, and the […]

Champions Cup and Challenge Cup Sunday round-up

18 December 2023 0 comments

Narrow victories for Exeter and Leicester ensured English teams came away with more wins than losses on a second-straight weekend of Champions Cup action. Although, […]

Dungeon of obscurity needs to be shut

17 December 2023 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT Barely able to buy a round of drinks, let alone a win – the good men and true of Kingsholm are up against […]

Scarlets stunned by Matkava’s history boys

17 December 2023 0 comments

By SIMON THOMAS Scarlets ………….. 7pts Try: Fifita 4 Conversion: Lloyd 5 Black Lion ……..23pts Tries: Modebadze 34, Mamrikishvili 58 Conversion: Matkava 35, 59 Penalties: […]

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