Geoff Parling: Champions Cup should revert to the old system

Leicester Tigers boss Geoff Parling reckons European chiefs should turn back time to revive the Champions Cup and revert to their...

Superb Sharks demolish Clermont

■ By SAM JACKSON Off to a flyer: Tom O’Flaherty gets the first try for Sale in their impressive win at...

Dowson: I’d love to keep Furbank at club

■ By PAUL REES PHIL Dowson thought long and hard before signing a new contract at Northampton and believes players should...

Return to the Prem still our goal, say Warriors

WORCESTER Warriors insist they are determined to meet their “financial business plan objectives … and be promoted to the Prem at...

Carreras: I’ll play where I’m needed

■ By PAUL REES Great balance: Santi Carreras in action for Bath PICTURES: Getty Images SANTI Carreras has settled in quickly...

Wade sets sights on Ashton record

■ By SAM JACKSON CHRISTIAN Wade is back and hungry to chase down Chris Ashton’s record as the all-time leading try-scorer...

To be the best, you must play the best

JOHN Rowlands does have the benefit of hindsight with his comments about the Wales v South Africa game in the letters...

Scrum laws need to be looked at

HAVING read the article in which Sale boss Alex Sanderson talked about “devaluing the scrum” in last week’s paper, I await...

Who will pay for stadium costs?

THE RFU annual report 2025 was published recently showing a small profit for the year. There are many references to a...

Coles out to seize chance

■ By PAUL REES ALEX Coles has enjoyed a stand-out year with club and country but is not getting ahead of...

Martin will not be the last, says McCall

SARACENS boss Mark McCall says there will be more big signings after confirming the arrival of England lock George Martin for...

DREAM TEAM

LEWIS GJALTEMA, THE FORMER HARLEQUINS AND BLUES SCRUM-HALF WHO NOW PLAYS FOR TONBRIDGE JUDDIANS, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED...

Jeremy Guscott: Bath will need the big boys to shine

Bath have got a squad now which, when at full strength, and at home, can take on anyone, whether it’s in...

Clermont 14-35 Sale Sharks: Alex Sanderson’s side turn on the power to topple European giants

Alex Sanderson saw his Sale Sharks dismantle European giants Clermont in their own backyard and kick-start their latest European crusade in...

Glasgow Warriors 28-21 Toulouse: Rampaging Warriors fight back to stun Antoine Dupont & co

A stunning second-half comeback from 21-0 down saw Glasgow Warriors topple six-time European champions Toulouse in a thunderous Champions Cup encounter...

Sharks 28-23 Saracens: Sarries looking good but fail to take chances

This was a game Saracens could and should have won despite travelling to Durban with a much-changed team after putting Clermont...

Toulon vs Bath: Billy Sela handed Will Stuart role as Johann van Graan’s side take on French flyers

Billy Sela has been tasked with locking out the Bath scrum against Toulon in the absence of the injured Will Stuart.

Munster take time to dispatch Gloucester

■ By PAUL REES Munster .................31pts Tries: Kelly 20, Haley 51, Quinn 68, T Farrell 72, Beirne 75 Gloucester ..............3pts Conversions:...

Everitt banking on youth in Castres citadel

PREVIEW... Castres v Edinburgh Today. Kick-off 1pm, Stade Pierre-Fabre EDINBURGH have opted to rest several big names with youth given its...

This farce could rip the game to pieces

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK Top dogs: Matas Jurevicius on the charge for Ealing who are flying at...

Happier hunting ground for Prem

THE opening round of the European Cup was notable for far fewer complaints by Prem clubs that they are always on...

Harlequins vs Bayonne: Oscar Beard – I want to test myself against the best out there

Marcus Smith returns against Bayonne as Harlequins look to build on an impressive display against Leinster at the Aviva Stadium.

Radwan told to force England to pick him

■ By ROB WILDMAN Leicester Tigers ...15pts Tries: Gibson-Park 50, Sheehan 72 Penalty: Searle 19 Tries: Radwan 21, Leinster.................. 23pts Hassell-Collins...

La Rochelle swept aside by Stormers

■ By SAM JACKSON Stormers .......... 42pts Tries: Maart 3, 53; Zas 8, Venter 46, Gelant 57, Theunissen 71 Conversions: Feinberg-Mngomezulu...

Glad we were spared Gianni’s sycophancy

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED JUST for once, we must congratulate World Rugby on getting it right. Their staging of the pool...

So, what IS going to happen next year?

BEFORE long, the start of next season will be closer in time than the beginning of this one. Not that it...

Jalibert hits high notes as Scarlets show heart

■ By BEN JAYCOCK Bordeaux ..........50pts Tries: Jalibert 11, 26; Poirot 14, Barlot 20, Jacobs 39, Uberti 60, Mousques 67, Bielle-Biarrey...

Northampton Saints vs Pretoria Bulls: We’re ready for a battle, says George Hendy

Buoyed by their impressive win in Pau last Sunday, Northampton Saints boss Phil Dowson has made only two changes to the...

Bristol Bears vs Pau: Pat Lam says victory would be huge for his side

Bristol Bears director of rugby Pat Lam has named a strong team for today’s clash against French high-flyers Pau, saying a...

The Big Brekky feeding the soul as well as body

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW ON THE filthiest of winter mornings last Tuesday when the squalls rattled everybody...

You’ve still got a few more years to go yet, Leigh

Veteran: Leigh Halfpenny playing for Cardiff last night PICTURE: Getty Images JIMMY Gopperth went to within a fortnight or so of...

Sheedy hits the mark to snatch it for Cardiff

■ By ROGER PANTING Cardiff ...............29pts Tries: Nott 7, Bowen 12, Southworth 65, Thomas 75 Conversions: Halfpenny 8, Sheedy 65, 75...

It’s two in a row for battling Red Bulls

■ By LUKE JARMYN Newcastle ..........14pts Tries: Hearle 13, McCallum 78 Conversions: Chamberlain 14, Connon 79 Lions..................... 10pts Try: Davids 4...

Racing 92 vs Exeter Chiefs: Rob Baxter urges Chiefs to step up to the plate in Racing challenge

Exeter Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter has thrown down the gauntlet to his emerging talent, challenging them to “step up...

Walsh on target to put Ospreys on top

■By SIMON THOMAS Montauban .....22pts Tries: Maurouard 35, Tuculet 56, Kanika 84 Conversion: Fortunel 57, Castel 85 Penalty: Fortunel 2 Ospreys...

Dragons looking to end poor run

Preview ■ By SAM JACKSON Dragons v Lyon Today. 3.15pm. Rodney Parade DRAGONS believe today’s clash with Lyon can act as...

Connacht hit 50 to slay the Lions

■By GEORGE LAWRENCE Connacht .......52 Black Lion ....... 0 A RAMPANT Connacht got their Challenge Cup campaign back on track with...

Odogwu leads the way for Benetton

Round-up BENETTON secured back-to-back victories to start their campaign in style, outscoring Perpignan 44–31. The Italian side were sharp from the...

Nottingham so close to ending Ealing’s run

■ By LUKE JARMYN Nottingham ......14pts Tries: Green 20, Yarnell 42 Conversions: Parks 21, 43 E Trailfinders ..17pts Tries: Bailey 38,...

Caldy run out of steam to put Coventry in the clear

■By JOHN LYON Caldy .................22pts Tries: Barlow 13, Higginson 25, C Wilkinson 60 Conversions K Wilkinson 13, 26 Penalty: K Wilkinson...

Warriors in control to make it six of the best

■ By TOM EVANS Worcester .........................31pts Tries: Reed 24, Anstee 30, Zheng 34, Spandler 43, Short 69 Conversions: Eden 24, 30,...

Maisey steps up to snatch it for Bedford

■By MIKE SINCLAIR C Pirates ...........26pts Tries: Nelson 19, Relton 30, Rice 48, Yates 69 Conversions: Robson 19, 30, 48 Penalty:...

Chinnor race home to leave Cambridge in doghouse

By STEVE Cambridge ......15pts Tries: Timpson 14, Doorey-Palmer 17 Conversion: Annand 15 Penalty: Annand 36 Chinnor .............55pts Tries: Hanks 3, Cousins...

Keylock has final say as Doncaster crash again

■ By GUY Doncaster .........30pts Tries: Davidson 12, Veainu 17, Kerr 48, Viliamu 58 Conversions: Bunting 17, 58 Penalty: Bunting 69...

Stuttering Hartpury too sharp for Scottish

■ By BLUEBELL NICHOLLS L Scottish ........ 24pts Tries: Clayton 10, Hyde 27, 35; Ransom 49 Conversions: Wilstead 28, 36 Hartpury...

Laflin leads way to keep Trailfinders on track

■ By JOSEPH TERRY Trailfinders .............. 57 Leicester Tigers ......10 TRAILFINDERS comfortably beat strugglers Leicester Tigers to boost their points difference...

Saracens maintain pressure at the top

■ By CÓILÍN DUFFY Exeter Chiefs ............14 Saracens ...................24 SARACENS strengthened their position near the top of the table with a...

Quins fight back to get the better of Sharks

■ By THOMAS SCOTT Harlequins ................ 22 Sale Sharks ...............17 HARLEQUINS Women showed their resilience as they battled back to beat...

PREVIEW Bristol Bears v Loughborough L

Today. 3pm. Shaftesbury Park EARLY season strugglers Bristol welcome Loughborough Lightning to Shaftesbury Park today with both sides keen to assert...

I fear the worst in RWC mismatches

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER RUGBY’S obsession with micro-management long ago became a...