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Tag: Premiership

Hunt and George lead the way in a team packed with talent

30 June 2024 0 comments

Ben Jaycock talked to our reporters to select The Rugby Paper’s Women’s Premiership Team of the Season 2023-24 Premiership Women’s Rugby finalists Gloucester-Hartpury and Bristol […]

Jamie George wants his England team-mates to ‘love’ facing the All Blacks

28 June 2024 0 comments

England have only won two Tests against the All Blacks in New Zealand. Jamie George has urged his England team-mates to embrace the challenge of […]

Michael Cheika out to win ‘biggest trophies’ after taking over at Leicester

28 June 2024 0 comments

Dan McKellar parted company with the Tigers on Saturday after only one season in charge. Michael Cheika is aiming to restore Leicester to the pinnacle […]

Shock as McKellar quits

23 June 2024 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON LEICESTER are reported to be in talks with former Australia coach Michael Cheika after they announced the sacking of head coach Dan […]

We’ll get it right this time, insists Darbon

23 June 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE WITH the dust barely settled on their Premiership-winning season, Northampton Saints CEO Mark Darbon has insisted that the mistakes of 2014 won’t […]

Evans unhappy with player release options

23 June 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Dismayed: Mark Evans MARK EVANS has taken a swipe at Top 14 and Premiership clubs for having double standards over inter national […]

Lawrence ready for All Black challenge

23 June 2024 0 comments

By ADAM HATHAWAY OLLIE Lawrence revealed England’s current tour of Japan and New Zealand is the perfect tonic for his Premiership hangover. The Bath centre […]

Burke keen to step out of Farrell’s shadow at Sarries

23 June 2024 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD Star: Fergus Burke in action for the Crusaders SLIPPING into the boots of a departed club and England legend would fill most […]

Why less might not be more for stars

23 June 2024 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED MARTIN Johnson spent a rugby eternity perfecting his survival skills in the engine room of the scrum – the nearest thing […]

Sing is on song for a double triumph

23 June 2024 0 comments

■By MARK STEVENS Gloucester-Hartpury…. 36pts Bristol Bears ………………. 24pts Tries: Hunt 25, Hendy 54, Sing 58, Venner 62, Jones 68 Conversions: Sing 26, 55, 59, […]

This will be tricky to take – Ward

23 June 2024 0 comments

BRISTOL Bears head coach Dave Ward refused to be too downbeat despite seeing his side’s slip to defeat in their first-ever Premiership Women’s Rugby final. […]

SpongeBob glad of his place in the Oldies XV

23 June 2024 0 comments

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW TWENTY years ago this very week on the banks of the Clyde, New Zealand won the Junior […]

I was offered a NFL trial but it was too big a risk

23 June 2024 0 comments

MY LIFEIN RUGBY IAN DAVEY THE FORMER BATH, BEDFORD, EL SALVADOR AND PERTEMPS BEES WINGER WHEN I was 16, in my first season for Colston’s, […]

Diamond must find gems for Newcastle

23 June 2024 0 comments

PAUL REES ASSESSES THE CHALLENGES AHEAD FACING STEVE DIAMOND, THE MAN AT THE TOP AT KINGSTON PARK IT SEEMED that the only way for Newcastle […]

We’re all heading in different directions

23 June 2024 0 comments

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME Sunday Mixed signals: The Championship is being seen as development tool – but not everything makes […]

Marcus Smith given the keys as Borthwick goes all guns blazing

18 June 2024 0 comments

By Tom Jeffreys Steve Borthwick has decided there is no room for experimentation as he names his strongest squad for this weekend’s fixture against Japan. […]

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 […]

Cov’s chief: We’ll drop to Nat leagues

16 June 2024 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Coventry chief executive Nick Johnston says the Championship club remains prepared to drop down to the national leagues if they can’t reach […]

Fresh calls to get rid of the caterpillar ruck

16 June 2024 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Hartpury’s director of rugby John Barnes has called for the eradication of the caterpillar ruck – and for scrums to be left […]

Carpenter looking to make his mark

16 June 2024 0 comments

From ADAM HATHAWAY in Japan Sale’s Joe Carpenter is aiming for a cap with Steve Borthwick’s Red Rose touring side but admits his heart is […]

Four-match Obano ban

16 June 2024 0 comments

BATH prop Beno Obano has been given a four-match ban after being sent off during last Saturday’s Premiership final defeat by Northampton. Obano was shown […]

Saints chief confident they will build on title triumph

16 June 2024 0 comments

NORTHAMPTON chief executive Mark Darbon is confident Saints can build on their Premiership title and be a force for season to come. Saints beat Bath […]

Tuima: I have to move up the ladder

16 June 2024 0 comments

By MARK STEVENS Even by his own expectations, it’s been quite the year for Exeter Chiefs forward Rusi Tuima. Handed his chance to shine by […]

Ward and Hunt both delighted by Mitchell’s impact

16 June 2024 0 comments

By MARK STEVENS With just over a year to go until the start of the Women’s Rugby World Cup, excitement is certainly building up and […]

Borthwick should go with Marcus first up

16 June 2024 0 comments

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK It will be a choice between Harlequins’ Marcus Smith and Northampton’s Fin Smith at fly-half for the first […]

Exeter confirm signing of former Irish prop

16 June 2024 0 comments

EXETER have confirmed the signing of former London Irish prop Will Goodrick-Clarke from Ealing Trailfinders. As revealed in The Rugby Paper in March, the Chiefs […]

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 […]

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. […]

Effort and enterprise the key for Saints

16 June 2024 0 comments

PAUL REES SEES PLENTY OF HIGHLIGHTS BUT WARNS THE GAME MUST SHOW IT CAN PAY FOR ITSELF Northampton’s first Premiership title for 10 years was […]

Sorry, but Obano did not have to do that

16 June 2024 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED The best definition of madness in rugby? There are several contenders: picking a fight with Eben Etzebeth springs immediately to mind, […]

The unexpected revolutionary

16 June 2024 0 comments

Paul Rees says this should be a summer of opportunities for England and head coach Steve Borthwick Steve Borthwick is an unlikely revolutionary. When he […]

I think RFU will bow to Prem clubs

16 June 2024 0 comments

LETTERS SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@ therugbypaper.co.uk ON Friday the RFU, Premiership clubs, […]

It’s a right Lark as Bristol rally

16 June 2024 0 comments

Saracens ……. 21 Bristol ………….29 HOOKER Lark Atkin-Davies’ hat-trick was at the heart of an incredible comeback as Bristol overcame Saracens to book their place […]

Bears bid to hunt down the top dogs

16 June 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK FINAL PREVIEW… Bristol Bears v Gloucester-Hartpury Saturday June 22. Kick-off 3pm, Sandy Park Gloucester-Hartpury will be aiming to secure back-to-back Premiership Women’s […]

Balmain agrees one-year deal with Saracens

16 June 2024 0 comments

NEWS EXTRA GLOUCESTER prop Fraser Balmain has moved to Saracens on a one-year contract. The experienced 32-year-old has played 231 matches for Gloucester and Leicester. […]

Aussie Hewat joins Leicester as attack coach

16 June 2024 0 comments

LEICESTER Tigers have appointed Australian Peter Hewat as attack and backs coach. The 46-year-old leaves his job as head coach of Japanese top-flight side Black […]

Coventry swoop to sign up Morris

16 June 2024 0 comments

OLI Morris has become the latest former Worcester Warrior to sign for Coventry. The 24-year-old centre played 34 games for the collapsed former Premiership club […]

Burrows living the dream with Yorkshire at HQ

16 June 2024 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN FORMER Newcastle and Coventry star Ryan Burrows has spoken of his personal joy at being able to fulfil a boyhood dream in […]

Refs must regain authority on pitch

16 June 2024 0 comments

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME Red card: Beno Obano is sent of by referee Christophe Ridley at Twickenham last weekend PICTURE: […]

Young Guns – Henry Pollock

16 June 2024 0 comments

Feature HENRY POLLOCK NORTHAMPTON & ENGLAND U20 FLANKER Henry Pollock has burst onto the scene at Northampton Saints, with the energetic England U20s flanker eyeing […]

Pirates were one hell of a club to be at for so long

16 June 2024 0 comments

Feature MARLEN WALKER THE NOW-RETIRED CORNISH PIRATES PROP MY LIFE IN RUGBY Beating Saracens when we hadn’t played for almost a year was probably the […]

Bath prop Beno Obano handed four-match ban for dangerous tackle in final defeat

13 June 2024 0 comments

Beno Obano has received a four-match ban for his dangerous tackle in Bath’s defeat by Northampton in the Gallagher Premiership final. Obano was sent off […]

Gus Warr among 10 uncapped players named in Scotland squad for Americas tour

13 June 2024 0 comments

Sale scrum-half Gus Warr is among 10 uncapped players named in Gregor Townsend’s 37-man Scotland squad for the summer tour of the Americas. Nathan McBeth, […]

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 […]

Tom Curry named in England’s summer tour squad despite limited game time

12 June 2024 0 comments

Tom Curry has been included in an England squad that contains seven players from newly crowned Gallagher Premiership champions Northampton. Curry features in the 36-man […]

RFU opens books to Team England Rugby as player contract talks reach key stage

11 June 2024 0 comments

The Rugby Football Union has opened up its books to Team England Rugby Ltd as talks over future player contracts reach a key stage. England […]

Fin Smith sets sights on England fly-half spot as George Ford ruled out of tour

11 June 2024 0 comments

Fin Smith intends on claiming England’s fly-half jersey once he has recovered from Northampton’s Gallagher Premiership title celebrations – a prospect that moved a step […]

England have no issues with taking Tom Curry and Maro Itoje on summer tour

11 June 2024 0 comments

England are comfortable taking Tom Curry and Maro Itoje on their summer tour to Japan and New Zealand after rejecting concerns over their involvement. The […]

Lawes in dreamland

9 June 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK at Twickenham Courtney Lawes was delighted to have a fairytale ending to his 17 years of service at his boyhood club, skippering Northampton […]