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Deadlock broken as promotion restored

16 June 2024 0 comments

By NICK CAIN Promotion and relegation between the Premiership and Championship has been restored from next season after the Championship clubs secured significant concessions from […]

Winters leads brutal ride across USA in aid of Doddie

16 June 2024 0 comments

By NICK CAIN Even for men as mentally and physically durable as former England Grand Slam back rowers Peter Winterbottom and Mike Teague, the 3,250 […]

Mistake to select Tom and not Ted

16 June 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK Ted Hill must be wondering what else he has to do to get back into an England […]

All Blacks will be ready to roll

16 June 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN Rumours that New Zealand are in a state of flux heading into their two-Test summer series against England should be handled with care. […]

Return of relegation is reason to cheer

16 June 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN The restoration of promotion and relegation, which this column has advocated non-stop since the RFU’s ring-fence moratorium in 2021, is cause for celebration. […]

Series 3, Episode 42: Tom Pearson reflects on Premiership win and England summer squad debate

12 June 2024 0 comments

Northampton have ended their 10-year drought, securing the Gallagher Premiership title against 14-man Bath in a thriller at Twickenham on Saturday. Tom Pearson was one […]

Hotshot Hendy seizes the day

9 June 2024 0 comments

By NICK CAIN at Twickenham Northampton Saints….. 25pts Tries: Freeman 24, Sleightholme 28, Mitchell 73 Conversions: Smith 24, Furbank 75 Penalties: Furbank 48 Drop goals: […]

Connection to the elite is missing

9 June 2024 0 comments

In last week’s paper, Nick Cain raised issues for Premiership clubs and their acolytes at the RFU to ponder. He asks why the governing body […]

Borthwick needs a clear direction

9 June 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK The fog around England’s take-off as an attacking force in the latter stages of the Six Nations […]

Let the ‘waterboys’ just get on with it

9 June 2024 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED It’s the burning question of the moment: what is Jacques Nienaber? Not “who is Jacques Nienaber”, or “why is he here”, […]

Series 3, Episode 41: Gallagher Premiership Final debate and general rugby revelry with Craig Doyle

7 June 2024 0 comments

The big one is upon us! Northampton Saints and Bath are set to battle it out in one of the most eagerly anticipated Gallagher Premiership […]

McCaw’s vision for harmony

2 June 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK If the current power struggle in New Zealand rugby intensifies, with the NZRPA and the provincial unions […]

Only one full house in ‘greatest season’ finale

2 June 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN Here’s something for the RFU mandarins and Premiership owners who are hell-bent on keeping England’s top league ring-fenced to ponder. The greatest Premiership […]

Series 3, Episode 40: Lee Dickson – Premiership semi-finals preview

29 May 2024 0 comments

What a Champions Cup final it was, and Antoine Dupont’s Toulouse ultimately condemned Leinster to a third consecutive final defeat to claim their sixth European […]

Include Welsh sides in two-tier Premiership

19 May 2024 0 comments

A couple of letters in last week’s paper along with Nick Cain’s column got me thinking on these subjects of ring-fencing and a possible Anglo-Welsh […]

Diamond’s rough support loses sparkle

19 May 2024 0 comments

By NICK CAIN What makes this season even more of a travesty is that Steve Diamond, Newcastle’s consultant rugby director, who reiterated his support for […]

Top flight losing its soul, and integrity

19 May 2024 1 comment

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK GLOUCESTER’S 90-0 capitulation to Northampton at Franklin’s Gardens last weekend reflected all that is rotten about a […]

Series 3, Episode 38: JP Doyle on laws of the game and Premiership final day

15 May 2024 0 comments

The Gallagher Premiership is headed towards a superb Super Saturday, with five teams still in the running for the final two play-off spots! Joining host […]

Time to put an end to marquee players

12 May 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK ARE marquee players, or coaches, worth it, or are they just a Premiership owners’ vanity project? Judging […]

Series 3, Episode 37: Champions Cup, Dupont and Olympics with Mike Friday

9 May 2024 0 comments

There’s plenty on the agenda for the Rugby Paper Podcast this week. Ollie Little and columnists Brendan Gallagher, Chris Hewett and Nick Cain review English […]

Blame RFU for lack of confidence – Halliday

5 May 2024 0 comments

By NICK CAIN The Cornish Pirates statement that the future of professional rugby in Cornwall is in jeopardy – citing RFU prevarication over promotion as […]

RFU’s still killing the dreams of investors

5 May 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK The RFU’s indecision is final. It does not know what to do about promotion-relegation – or, if […]

Series 3, Episode 36: Ruan Ackermann on Prem weekend, residency rules and EPCR semis

30 April 2024 0 comments

Following a pivotal weekend of Gallagher Premiership action – not without its controversies – Ollie Little, Brendan Gallagher and Nick Cain are joined by Gloucester […]

Leinster’s workload merits little sympathy

28 April 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK LEINSTER are worried about the pressure that could prevent them from winning a European Cup and URC […]

Quins duo tipped to power up England

21 April 2024 0 comments

By NICK CAIN Will Collier and Fin Baxter could galvanise the England scrum with their technique and power, according to World Cup-winning scrum coach Phil […]

England must take Quins pair to NZ

21 April 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK WILL Collier and Fin Baxter have been showered with praise following Harlequins epic European Cup quarter-final away […]

Champ teams must hold on to players

21 April 2024 0 comments

READING letters, Sunday 14/4, Alec Jones makes a very valid point re Newcastle’s non relegation. Then alongside I see Exeter is pilfering Jimmy Roots from […]

How Lomu changed the way we played

21 April 2024 0 comments

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME IT SEEMS the spectre of size has raised its head again with my old partner Brian […]

The RUGBY Paper

21 April 2024 0 comments

Podcast with special guest Jordan Crane Host Oliver Little and TRP columnists Nick Cain, Brendan Gallagher and Chris Hewett get to the heart of our […]

Easy to spot the fairer competition

14 April 2024 0 comments

BRENDAN Gallagher reports on Leinster’s convincing win over Leicester Tigers in the European Champions Cup last 16. The Leinster side is drawn from a variety […]

Dawson predicts the battle at 10 will benefit England

14 April 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK The Fin Smith–Marcus Smith fly-half debate was given a good airing when Matt Dawson was the guest […]

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 […]

Time to encourage ambitious clubs

7 April 2024 0 comments

IN a recent issue of The Rugby Paper, Jon Newcombe wrote that the RFU has emphasised its wish to make the Championship ‘more commercially viable’. […]

Too much tinkering is causing confusion

7 April 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK Rugby Union is in the grip of the “the law of unintended consequences”, which is the most […]

What’s in The Rugby Paper: 07/04/24

5 April 2024 0 comments

It’s the weekend of the last 16 of the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup, and you can find reports from 11 games across the two […]

Time for club owners to come clean on plans

31 March 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN – READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK SEETHING financial undercurrents are undermining the main pillars of the game in England, with the professional […]

Series 3, Episode 31: Picking a British & Irish Lions XV for Australia 2025

25 March 2024 0 comments

The British & Irish Lions are just over a year away from heading down under to take on Australia! With dust settling after the 2024 […]

The RUGBY Paper

24 March 2024 0 comments

Podcast Host Oliver Little and TRP columnists Nick Cain, Brendan Gallagher and Chris Hewett get to the heart of our game Available now to download […]

Relegation saga still a shadow over game

24 March 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK There is so much that makes so little sense in the English club game. Nothing made this […]

England unleash taste of things to come

17 March 2024 0 comments

SIX NATIONS 2024 By NICK CAIN France………………………….. 33pts Tries: Le Garrec 20, Barre 56, Fickou 60 Conversions: Ramos 21, 57, 62 Penalties: Ramos 18, 32, […]

Italy wins ignite the Six Nations

17 March 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK The game-changing force of last weekend’s Six Nations tales of the unexpected cannot be exaggerated. The fourth […]

I doubt Le Garrec would be snared easily under any laws

17 March 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN Nolann Le Garrec’s spectacular 40-metre reverse pass to Thomas Ramos just after the half-hour in France’s 45-24 win over Wales last Sunday in […]

England A need to face ‘real’ Portugal

17 March 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN Portugal face multiple champions Georgia in the Rugby Europe final at the Stade Jean Bouin in Paris today, and the team that they […]

We need to make most of this team

17 March 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN The England U20s won their first Six Nations title since 2021 with a tremendous second-half effort in which they scored 33 points to […]

Podcast reacts to stunning wins for England and Italy

11 March 2024 0 comments

What a weekend of rugby! The latest round of the 2024 Six Nations was without doubt its best so far, as Italy and England pulled […]

Smith’s drop of magic revives England

10 March 2024 0 comments

From NICK CAIN at Twickenham England………………………… 23pts Tries: Lawrence 4, Furbank 48, Earl 60 Conversions: Smith 61 Penalties: Ford 17 Drop goals: Smith 80 Ireland…………………………. […]

It’s time for the real France to stand up

10 March 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK FOR crying out loud, when will the real France stand up and be counted? Having touted Fabien […]

Episode 100! Previewing England vs Ireland with Jonny Bell

6 March 2024 0 comments

This week, the Rugby Paper Podcast brings up 100 episodes! A huge thank you to all those who support and continue to follow the podcast […]

Borthwick must stop delaying and rebuild

3 March 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK WHEN Steve Borthwick took over from Eddie Jones as England head coach he said that he had […]

What’s in The Rugby Paper: 03/03/24

1 March 2024 0 comments

Lewis Moody continues to remain doubtful for England’s prospects against Grand Slam-chasing Ireland in next weekend’s Six Nations action, one of several exclusive interviews in The […]

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