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Exiles lock Coleman poised to snub Paris

27 February 2022 1 comment

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER ADAM Coleman is deciding his next move after talking to Racing 92 about a switch to Paris next […]

Good on Diamond for telling it like it is

27 February 2022 1 comment

CHRIS HEWETT HATS off to the straight-talking Steve Diamond, “lead rugby consultant” – aka “new boss” – at Worcester. In this paper last weekend, Diamond […]

Irish imports pay their way better than Welsh

13 February 2022 0 comments

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Ireland showing Wales the way goes beyond what happened in the Six Nations last week and has […]

Serendipity enhances Euro Cup’s Round of 16

6 February 2022 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT UNINTENDED consequences? You can’t move for them in the Union game, whether the governing class is ring-fencing the Premiership or fiddling around with […]

Blue means yellow in Wayne’s world

30 January 2022 2 comments

PETER JACKSON WAYNE Barnes, admirably true to form, set a shining example of how referees ought to react when players confront them with foul language. […]

Webb: We need to compete for the full 80 minutes

23 January 2022 0 comments

By STEFFAN THOMAS Veteran: Rhys Webb RHYS Webb has told his Ospreys side they must perform for the full 80 minutes if they are to […]

Rugby needs this new ITV audience

23 January 2022 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT WHO out there remembers what occurred immediately after the great Ashes series of 2005? To be clear: pretty much every Ashes series in […]

Such a poignant glimpse of England’s lost talent

23 January 2022 1 comment

Brendan Gallagher delves into some of rugby’s most enduring images, their story and why they are still so impactful Iconic Rugby Pictures: PART 94 Mathew […]

Light Blues shone golden light upon the great game

9 January 2022 0 comments

Brendan Gallagher charts the rich history of 150 years of Cambridge University rugby As we nudge into 2022 it’s time to officially celebrate 150 years […]

We shall recall them with pride

26 December 2021 0 comments

Brendan Gallagher remembers the great rugby players who passed away in 2021 RAYMOND JOHN McLAUGHLIN UCC Dublin, Gosforth, London Irish, Connacht, Ireland and Lions Died […]

Munster to line up Kidney for Van Graan

19 December 2021 0 comments

By NEIL FISSLER MUNSTER are weighing up a move for London Irish director of rugby Declan Kidney after confirming Johann van Graan is moving to […]

Joys of scoring written large on Dupont’s face

19 December 2021 1 comment

Brendan Gallagher delves into some of rugby‘s most enduring images, their story and why they are still so impactful Iconic Rugby Pictures: PART 89 Antoine […]

Maddocks faces big French test

19 December 2021 1 comment

By STEFFAN THOMAS BARRY Maddocks has worked at the cutting edge of professional rugby for 20 years, and now faces one of the biggest challenges […]

Oh, for those refreshing Heineken Cup years!

12 December 2021 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT GUEST COLUMNIST Heineken Cup rugby was once so vibrant and exhilarating – so spellbindingly good, year after year – it left nostalgia without […]

Injury-hit Wasps aren’t ‘fooled’ by Munster’s Omicron woes

12 December 2021 3 comments

By PAUL REES WASPS announced their arrival in Europe 17 years ago when they defeated Munster in the semifinal at Lansdowne Road having trailed by […]

Out-of-form Sale wary of deadeye Anscombe

12 December 2021 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW… Ospreys v Sale Today. Kick-off 1pm, Swansea.com Stadium SALE’s last visit to Wales in April ended with a thumping 57-14 win […]

Irish following same points pattern as their glory year

12 December 2021 0 comments

By PAUL REES WHEN London Irish reached the Premiership final in 2009, they took at least a point from every match they played. They have […]

Millfield boys top of the class again

24 October 2021 1 comment

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER THERE were all sorts of sports to enjoy on the goggle box […]

London Irish 16-21 Leicester: Ford steers Tigers off the rocks just in time

10 October 2021 3 comments

GEORGE Ford kicked three penalties in the final 25 minutes to haul Leicester over the line and make it four from four to return to […]

Stimpson: He looks the real deal to me

3 October 2021 1 comment

LEICESTER have a trackrecord for producing England full-backs, but the most notable in the post-war era are Dusty Hare (25 caps, 1974-84) and Tim Stimpson […]

Jordie let-off proves there’s one law for NZ and one for rest

12 September 2021 1 comment

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER THERE was much evidence this week for those (ie everybody living outside of New Zealand) who have always felt the All […]

The brooding Lamaison is victim of a bar brawl

5 September 2021 1 comment

Brendan Gallagher delves into some of rugby’s most enduring images, their story and why they are still so impactful Iconic Rugby Pictures: PART 75 Lamaison […]

Wasps ace Gopperth gunning to join golden oldies club

5 September 2021 0 comments

■By JON NEWCOMBE JIMMY GOPPERTH hasn’t ruled out the possibility of becoming the first back to play Premiership rugby past the age of 40. The […]

Craig White calls time on Sale Sharks job

1 August 2021 2 comments

FORMER British & Irish Lions conditioning coach Craig White, who joined Sale Sharks when Alex Sanderson took over at the AJ Bell Stadium, has left […]

Hero Howley hits turbo to land European glory

1 August 2021 1 comment

Brendan Gallagher delves into some of rugby‘s most enduring images, their story and why they are still so impactful What’s happening here? It’s May 23, […]

ROG ends Ireland’s long wait for Slam

25 July 2021 0 comments

Brendan Gallagher delves into some of rugby’s most enduring images, their story and why they are still so impactful What’s happening here? It’s March 21, […]

EPCR draw the pools for the 2021-22 Champions Cup

21 July 2021 0 comments

A 24-team Champions Cup draw has been held, find out where Exeter, Harlequins, Sale, Bristol, Northampton, Leicester, Bath and Wasps will be travelling to

My Life in Rugby – Ashley Johnson: World Cup snub led me to Wasps

4 July 2021 1 comment

LIKE any black player growing up in South Africa, you couldn’t be mediocre, you couldn’t just be another talent, you had to excel if you […]

Heineken Cup tiers revealed ahead of pool draw

4 July 2021 2 comments

NEWS EXTRA THE ROAD to next season’s Heineken Champions Cup final in Marseille will begin to be mapped out when the pool draw for the […]

Influencer Craig White’s got Sale in rhythm

13 June 2021 1 comment

SALE SHARKS are enjoying a ‘drum roll’ end to the season, with a first Premiership title in 16 years in their sights, thanks in part […]

MacGinty’s great – time his country caught up | Chris Hewett

6 June 2021 1 comment

Chris Hewett believes AJ MacGinty is in the form of his life for Sale Sharks

Athletics put me on fast track to Wales

6 June 2021 1 comment

MY LIFEIN RUGBY THE FORMER WALES AND CARDIFF WINGER AND GREAT BRITAIN OLYMPIC HURDLER NIGEL WALKER World class: Nigel Walker running for GB at Los Angeles Olympics in […]

Champions Cup? Now it’s taking in also-rans!

30 May 2021 1 comment

CHRIS HEWETT GUEST COLUMNIST If and when the brewing industry calls “time gentlemen please” on its financial support for the European Champions Cup – it is […]

Dream Team: Former Ireland and Sale Sharks hooker Bernard Jackman

23 May 2021 0 comments

Bernard Jackman picks a dream XV based on the best he has played with or against

Why I always find myself rooting against the Irish

9 May 2021 0 comments

COLIN BOAG AsI watched the Champions Cup semi-final between La Rochelle and Leinster, cheering for the French team, it got me wondering why, despite having no particular […]

Lions beware those slips before lift-off

2 May 2021 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER A weekly look at the game’s other talking points Was it Homer or Robbie Burns – it’s usually one or the […]

Could fan power stop Super League in rugby? | Chris Hewett

25 April 2021 0 comments

After a bitter week in football fuelled by greed, Chris Hewett considers whether fan power in rugby bears any weight against the game’s emerging power-brokers

Stringer’s cheek gets Munster home at last

18 April 2021 0 comments

Brendan Gallagher delves into some of rugby’s most enduring images, their story and why they are still so impactful Iconic Rugby Pictures: PART 56 Peter Stringer scores […]

Andy Uren making waves in Harry’s absence at Bristol Bears

1 April 2021 0 comments

Uren has eased the void of England scrum-half Harry Randall to keep Bristol Bears firmly in charge at the top of the Premiership

Text-book Worsley, the tackle machine

28 March 2021 0 comments

Brendan Gallagher delves into some of rugby‘s most enduring images, their story and why they are still so impactful Iconic Rugby Pictures: PART 53 Joe […]

Adrian can’t believe the Wales’ Euro wait goes on | Peter Jackson

28 March 2021 1 comment

Peter Jackson meets the fly-half who was key to Cardiff’s Heineken Cup push in 1996, the only Welsh region to reach the tournament finale to this day

Joe Simmonds says Exeter Chiefs won’t freeze on the big stage

28 March 2021 2 comments

Exeter Chiefs fly-half Joe Simmonds says the reigning champions will draw on their experiences against Toulouse and Racing 92 ahead of facing Lyon for the first time

Covid can’t keep Tuala down long

21 February 2021 0 comments

By DANIEL GALLAN Eventful season: Ahsee Tuala on the ball for Northampton PICTURE: Getty Images DESPITE having played just seven games, Ahsee Tuala is having […]

Bod was so humble, unlike Prem ‘stars’

7 February 2021 2 comments

MY LIFEIN RUGBY TOM DENTON Driving on: Tom Denton powers through the challenge of Fernandez Lobbe during the Premiership match between Leeds and Bath PICTURE: […]

Returning Dai eager to move Blues forward

10 January 2021 1 comment

DAI Young will return to Cardiff Blues as interim director of rugby following head coach John Mulvihill leaving the Welsh region. The Australian took charge […]

Exclusive: Steve Borthwick can help Leicester rediscover their mojo

8 January 2021 2 comments

Pat Howard reflects on the departure of old friend Geordan Murphy at Leicester and shares his view on the work Steve Borthwick has on his plate

Rugby Great Schools: ‘Professional’ Colston’s set the bar sky high

7 January 2021 0 comments

Colston’s conveyor belt of talent in modern rugby is quite something…

Festive fun as Henson overcomes Fearns KO | Chris Hewett

27 December 2020 1 comment

Chris Hewett offers a digest of Christmas stories to warm the cockles

Wasps’ Academy gems get another chance to shine

27 December 2020 0 comments

By NEALE HARVEY Top prospect: Wasps forward Alfie Barbeary WASPS will again unleash their youthful No.8-9-10 axis of Alfie Barbeary, Will Porter and Charlie Atkinson […]