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Tag: Champions Cup

Toulouse hammer Exeter to set up semi-final against Quins

14 April 2024 0 comments

By NICK POWELL Toulouse……………64 Tries: Ntamack 8, Willis 32, Kinghorn 48, 56; Ahki 51, 75; Dupont 58, Malia 67, 79 Conversions: Kinghorn 9, 33, 49, […]

Baxter backs world club champs

14 April 2024 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter welcomes plans for a new club world championship providing it is financially viable. Slated to start […]

Coming to grief on the road to Morocco

14 April 2024 0 comments

Mark Stevens talks to Exeter chairman Tony Rowe about his love of classic rallying across all corners of the world WIDELY regarded as one of […]

All over for Lewington

14 April 2024 0 comments

Saracens wing Alex Lewington will retire at the end of the season. The 32-year-old, who was part of Saracens’ Champions Cup and Premiership double-winning team […]

Ramm: We are up for a fight to the finish

14 April 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES James Ramm believes Northampton’s exploits in the Champions Cup will boost their bid to not only make the Premiership play-offs again but […]

Hendy making most of having his legs on ‘back to front’ – Dowson

14 April 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Phil Dowson believes George Hendy is a wing unlike any other – because he has his legs on back to front. The […]

Green seizes day for dazzling Quins

14 April 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Bordeaux-Begles ………..41pts Tries: Lucu 19, Buros 24, Depoortere 42, Bielle-Biarrey 59, Tambwe 64, 75 Conversions: Lucu 25, 43, 60, 65 Penalties: Lucu […]

Millard: We knew we had to dig deep

14 April 2024 0 comments

Billy Millard said Harlequins knew they would have to dig deep to reach their first Champions Cup semi-final after travelling to a side that the […]

Saints on rampage as Bulls fall apart

14 April 2024 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD Northampton Saints….. 59pts Tries: Ramm 10, 47; Lawes 15, Sleightholme 20, Mitchell 24, 67; Coles 40, Dingwall 50, Augustus 72 Conversions: Smith […]

Time for props to take their share of the glory

14 April 2024 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED OVERMATCHED teams usually find themselves facing the music without having to listen to any. It was different for Lyon, who schlepped […]

Rugby schedule has little to do with player welfare

14 April 2024 0 comments

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW A roll of drums and a fanfare of trumpets late last summer heralded a new title sponsor […]

Time to create a new dynasty

14 April 2024 0 comments

Paul Rees looks at what Mark McCall needs to do at Saracens as several big names head for the exit door WHEN Saracens first won […]

Series 3, Episode 33: Matt Dawson on England, Northampton and the Champions Cup

11 April 2024 0 comments

This is a big one! Plenty on the menu for host Ollie Little and columnists Nick Cain, Brendan Gallagher and Chris Hewett as they are […]

Northampton Saints player ratings vs Munster

8 April 2024 0 comments

By TOM JEFFREYS Northampton Saints produced a memorable display to earn their first Champions Cup knockout victory in 13 years against tournament stalwarts Munster. Phil […]

Dowson impressed by ‘freak athlete’ Hendy

7 April 2024 0 comments

Northampton Saints head coach heaped praise on George Hendy after his two second half tries sealed a 24-14 win over Munster in the Investec Champions […]

Saints battle past Munster to secure quarter-final spot

7 April 2024 0 comments

By TOM JEFFREYS Northampton Saints……………………………….24 Tries: Ramm 10, Freeman 35, Hendy 60, 72 Conversions: Smith 10, 36 Munster………………………………………………..14 Tries: O’Brien 15, Haley 27 Conversions: Crowley […]

Loader still has England in sight

7 April 2024 0 comments

Ben Loader still dreams of playing for England and is hoping his performances in Cape Town for the Stormers will one day offer a route […]

Manny stars for Baxter’s battling Chiefs

7 April 2024 0 comments

By MARK STEVENS Exeter ………………………….21pts Tries: Vintcent 23, Fisilau 56, Roots 66 Conversions: Slade 23, 56, 66 Bath ……………………………..15pts Tries: du Toit 21, Hill 28 […]

‘It came down to small margins’

7 April 2024 0 comments

Disappointed Bath boss Johann van Graan insists his side will ‘regroup’ in the wake of their Champions Cup exit. “We are incredibly disappointed, because we […]

Riley crashes over to snatch Stoop thriller

7 April 2024 0 comments

By NICK POWELL Harlequins ………………….. 28pts Tries: Esterhuizen 23, Smith 34, Murley 40+2, Riley 76 Conversions: Smith 25, 35, 40+3, 78 Glasgow………………………. 24pts Tries: Cummings […]

Leinster march on to face old foes

7 April 2024 0 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Leinster……………………….. 36pts Tries: Gibson-Park 12, 23, 29; Henshaw 49, Conan 71 Conversions: R Byrne 13, 30, 50; H Byrne 72 Penalties: R […]

Powerful Bulls lay down a marker

7 April 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Bulls ………………59 Lyon………………. 19 The Bulls reached the Champions Cup quarter-finals for the first time in their history and sounded a warning […]

James relishing the Munster challenge

7 April 2024 0 comments

■By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW… Northampton Saints v Munster Today. Kick-off 12.30pm, Franklin’s Gardens IT is games like this after noon’s Champions Cup Round of 16 […]

Ntamack back for heavyweight clash

7 April 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES PREVIEW… Toulouse vRacing 92 Today. Kick-off 3pm, Stade Ernest Wallon ROMAIN Ntamack starts his first match since suffering knee ligament damage in […]

Ulster set for massive fight

7 April 2024 0 comments

Preview Montpellier v Ulster Today. 12.30pm ULSTER interim head coach Richie Murphy says a ‘massive test’ awaits in Montpellier. Ulster have lost their last two […]

Bundee’s back to boost Connacht

7 April 2024 0 comments

Preview Pau v Connacht Today. 5.30pm IRELAND duo Bundee Aki and Finlay Bealham come into the starting XV as Connacht head coach Pete Wilkins names […]

JVP ready to prove he’s back to his best

7 April 2024 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN England and Leicester dynamo Jack van Poortvliet has highlighted in both his actions and words that he’s back to his very best […]

The day Crane had final word at Cardiff

7 April 2024 0 comments

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW The Millennium Stadium once staged a trio of penalty shoot-outs in four years as fondly remembered by […]

It’s still all to play for in race to the finishing line

7 April 2024 0 comments

Paul Rees predicts a nerve-racking end to the Premiership season where bonus points will prove crucial THE two-month Premiership break has made the jostling for […]

TV deal to break €500m barrier

7 April 2024 0 comments

FRENCH COLUMN – JAMES HARRINGTON France’s Ligue Nationale de Rugby hopes to pocket more than half-a-billion euros, after launching a call for tenders for Top […]

Premier Sports is set to get back to ‘business as usual’

7 April 2024 0 comments

IRELAND-BASED sports broadcaster Premier Sports makes its long-expected return to British EPGs on Tuesday April 9, after its buyout of Viaplay’s UK sports broadcast arm […]

Toulon will have to wait for Carbonel

1 April 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN LOUIS Carbonel’s immediate Top 14 future is in Montpellier. The question is: for how long? The Toulon-born fly-half has been the […]

Borthwick now spoilt for choice at 15, says Piutau

1 April 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Charles Piutau feels England’s decision to drop Freddie Steward in favour of George Furbank at full-back shows the embarrassment of riches Steve […]

We’ll pick our best team for Exeter, says Bath coach

31 March 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Bath will pick their strongest available side at Exeter in Saturday’s Champions Cup last 16 with head coach Johann van Graan billing […]

Sharp Smith gives Saints extra edge

31 March 2024 0 comments

■By ROB WILDMAN Northampton Saints……41pts Tries: Coles 5, Ramm 12, 46, Freeman 61, Sleightholme 68 Conversions: Smith 5, 12, 46, 62, 69 Penalties: Smith 17, […]

O’Flaherty: We need to learn from our inquest

31 March 2024 0 comments

■By JON NEWCOMBE Sale Sharks vExeter Chiefs PREVIEW… Today. Kick-off 3pm, Salford Community Stadium SALE’S players had good old northern, say it how it is, […]

Big guns fire for Leinster

31 March 2024 0 comments

Leinster ………. 47 Bulls …………….. 14 By JOHN FALLON LEINSTER brought most of their big guns back for this one and head coach Leo Cullen […]

Ulster have little to offer

31 March 2024 0 comments

Shortly after Dan McFarland’s abrupt exit as Ulster’s head coach, chief executive Jonny Petrie dismissed any questions over his future at Ravenhill. “I’m committed to […]

What’s in The Rugby Paper: 31/03/24

29 March 2024 0 comments

Time is running out for the RFU‘s new Professional Game Partnership (PGP) to be agreed, and you can find the latest progress after a meeting […]

Don’t get trapped in bowels of a big club

24 March 2024 0 comments

Diamond’s warning to his young guns By PAUL REES Steve Diamond has warned his young charges at Newcastle to beware of offers from other Premiership […]

I’m fresh and ready for action, says Muir

24 March 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Will Muir broke into the England squad this year and although he did not feature in the Six Nations, Bath’s coaches noted […]

Van Graan backing Lawrence to put Bath in overdrive

24 March 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES On fire: Ollie Lawrence JOHANN van Graan is expecting Ollie Lawrence to play a big part in Bath’s push for the Premiership […]

Connacht left at the gate by proud Lions

24 March 2024 0 comments

By JOHN FALLON Connacht ……..14 Lions …………….38 MAN of the match JC Pretorious said a first ever win in Ireland could now propel them into […]

Toulon heading in right direction

24 March 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN TOULON coach Pierre Mignoni earned something of a reprieve this weekend, as his side’s 54-7 win over Montpellier at Stade Mayol […]

Baxter backing Jenkins to bounce back at Chiefs

24 March 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Rob Baxter has backed Dafydd Jenkins to bounce back from the disappointment of leading Wales to a first Six Nations wooden spoon […]

All set for a race to the finish

17 March 2024 0 comments

With the Premiership resuming next weekend, Paul Rees looks at how the runners and riders are gearing up The Premiership resumes this week after an […]

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 […]

Baxter turns his attention to top Ealing pair

10 March 2024 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE – EXCLUSIVE By JON NEWCOMBE Having already snapped up Coventry’s star centre Will Rigg in a mid-season swoop, Exeter are going back […]