Top 14
This is where you will find all of The Rugby Paper’s Top 14 news, interviews, reports, opinion and other content.
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James Harrington
/ 2 years agoBiarritz’s future is back in its hands
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN To the relief of fans, white smoke was finally seen over the stand tops of Biarritz’s Parc...
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Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years agoMontpellier lead chase for Munster ace Frisch
Montpellier are leading the chase for Munster centre Antoine Frisch, who has declared his allegiance to France over Ireland. Born in...
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Rugby World Cup
/ 2 years ago‘Immortal’ Whitelock to retire
By SAM JACKSON NEW Zealand’s mostcapped player Sam Whitelock will retire at the end of the French club season in June....
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James Harrington
/ 2 years agoTV deal to break €500m barrier
FRENCH COLUMN - JAMES HARRINGTON France's Ligue Nationale de Rugby hopes to pocket more than half-a-billion euros, after launching a call...
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Top 14
/ 2 years agoToulon will have to wait for Carbonel
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN LOUIS Carbonel’s immediate Top 14 future is in Montpellier. The question is: for how long? The Toulon-born...
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Premiership
/ 2 years agoLam: I understand Sinckler decision
By PAUL REES Pat Lam understands Kyle Sinckler’s decision to turn his back on England and join the exodus to France...
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Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years agoSlade: I’m happy to stay a Chief
ON THE BLINDSIDE By MARK STEVENS Henry Slade is set to reject the advances of clubs on the other side of...
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Chris Hewett
/ 2 years agoIt’s time to consider talent, not geography
If everyone is heading to French club rugby, including the England centurion Courtney Lawes, it makes Courtney Lawes right: rival unions...
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James Harrington
/ 2 years agoToulon heading in right direction
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN TOULON coach Pierre Mignoni earned something of a reprieve this weekend, as his side’s 54-7 win over...
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Premiership
/ 2 years agoFiji star Nayacalevu signs for Sale
Sale have signed Fiji captain Waisea Nayacalevu from French Top 14 side Toulon on a one-year contract with an option for...
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James Harrington
/ 2 years agoToulouse and Stade in line for a race to glory
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN The top two tiers of French domestic rugby have been on hiatus this weekend, giving fans a...
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Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years agoFrench setting sights on Tuilagi
Perpignan and Montpellier are chasing the signature of England centre Manu Tuilagi. Tuilagi would join up with his nephew Posolo Tuilagi...
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James Harrington
/ 2 years agoOyonnax have to keep on believing
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Oyonnax manager Joe El-Abd promised last week that his side would ‘fight to the end’ following their...
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Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years agoNowell extends deal to stay at La Rochelle
ON THE BLINDSIDE By MARK STEVENS Jack Nowell’s French connection is set to go on for a few more years yet,...
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James Harrington
/ 2 years agoBig clubs are hit by ‘doublon’ clashes
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN We always knew the World Cup would play havoc with the Top 14 season – as soon...
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Latest News
/ 2 years agoBig two leading charge
JAMES HARRINGTON STADE Francais and reigning champions Toulouse look set to continue their twohorse race for top spot with both victorious...
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Latest News
/ 2 years ago“Time feels right” to make Racing move – Farrell
Owen Farrell admits that leaving Saracens was a “difficult decision” but that he is ready to “experience something different” by moving...
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Latest News
/ 2 years agoCollazo may risk all to beat the drop
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN It is a truth universally accepted in French domestic rugby that the side propping up the Top...
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James Harrington
/ 2 years agoToulon need to win over the critics
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Sometimes it’s not immediately obvious whether a side is in good shape or not. A simple look...
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Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years agoLudlam has his sights set on Toulon
ENGLAND flanker Lewis Ludlam will leave Northampton at the end of the season, with Toulon understood to be his destination. The...
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James Harrington
/ 2 years agoCalvet’s likely to step in at Agen
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN France Under-20s coach Sebastien Calvet has emerged as favourite to replace Bernard Goutta on the conveyor-belt of...
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Premiership
/ 2 years agoBrive line up move for Lawes
Courtney Lawes is set to leave Northampton this summer to join Brive. According to reports in France, the former England back...
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Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years agoKennedy wanted in France
ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Top 14 giants LA Rochelle and Racing 92 are both eyeing up a move for...
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Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years agoMarchant will see out deal at Stade
ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Stade Francais are expecting former England centre Joe Marchant, who only moved to the French...
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James Harrington
/ 2 years agoDavidson relief as Castres stop rot
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN The afternoon after the Friday-night chastening Six Nations defeat in Marseille before, a subdued French rugby audience...
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Latest News
/ 2 years agoSinckler may head to France after England snub
By PAUL REES Pat Lam accepts that Kyle Sinckler may be more tempted to leave Bristol for France after being left...
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Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years agoHill’s move to Lyon hangs in the balance
ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Lyon’s move for England lock Jonny Hill appears to be on the brink of collapse...
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Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years agoEsterhuizen says no to Toulon
ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Harlequins centre Andre Esterhuizen is on the shopping list for several clubs in Japan after...
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Brendan Gallagher
/ 2 years agoFarrell’s jumping from fire…into fire
RUGBY MATTERS I don't know about you but it’s occasionally been a bit of a torture watching Owen Farrell struggle with...
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James Harrington
/ 2 years agoLyon get it right against Perpignan
JAMES HARRINGTON In a league featuring the likes of Racing 92 and Toulouse, Toulon and La Rochelle, Bordeaux and Stade Francais,...
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Latest News
/ 2 years agoFarrell Racing switch confirmed
Owen Farrell’s much-rumoured move to Racing 92 has been confirmed, ending his 15-year career at English champions Saracens. Farrell, 32, captained...
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Six Nations
/ 2 years agoAlldritt to captain France
La Rochelle captain Gregory Alldritt will lead France in the absence of Antoine Dupont, who will miss the Six Nations to...
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Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years agoNow Slade holds talks with Stade
ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Exeter Chiefs centre Henry Slade, who is out of contract at the end of the...
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Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years agoHarrison happy at Provence
ON THE BLINDSIDE Former England back row Teimana Harrison has pledged his future to ProD2 promotion hopefuls Provence for at least...
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Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years agoWillis rules himself out of England
England won’t have Jack Willis available for selection for at least another two years after he activated a one-year option in...
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James Harrington
/ 2 years agoLucu the man to replace Dupont
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN An email drop and social media flurry confirmed the line-up of France’s 34-player training squad for the...
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Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years agoBordeaux deal for van Rensburg
Former Sale centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg will be on the move again at the end of the season after signing...
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Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years agoFarrell will cost Racing £500k transfer fee
ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Saracens have put a €600,000 (£515,000) price tag on England’s World Cup skipper, Owen Farrell,...
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Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years agoPay me what I’m worth – Lawes
Courtney Lawes has sent a warning to Northampton and told the club, “I’ve got to be paid what I’m worth,” after...
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James Harrington
/ 2 years agoNo rush to get Tuilagi involved
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Something of a big deal was made last week about the fact that, a matter of days...
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Latest News
/ 2 years agoMcCall: I wouldn’t blame Farrell
By ROB WILDMAN Saracens boss Mark McCall did little last night to dampen the speculation that England captain Owen Farrell is...
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Latest News
/ 2 years agoLawes looks like leaving
Northampton are struggling to hold on to Courtney Lawes. The 34-year-old former England flanker, who retired from international rugby after the...
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Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years agoLyon set to swoop for pair of Sharks
ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Lyon are eyeing up a double raid on Sale Sharks to take their England and...
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James Harrington
/ 2 years agoFarrell’s future the only talk in town…
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Fabien Galthie will have a reduced training squad for the 2024 Six Nations after a player release...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 years agoLaunchbury’s impressed by French fitness
TRP Podcast By NICK POWELL Joe Launchbury feels giant Toulouse lock Emmanuel Meafou’s form reflects a growing trend of Top 14...
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James Harrington
/ 2 years agoSimmonds is facing a fight for survival
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN THE final weekend of 2023 – and we’re almost at the halfway point of the Top 14...
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Champions Cup
/ 2 years agoToulouse are the most entrancing side of them all
CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED Dupont or no Dupont, Ntamack or no Ntamack, this latest edition of the Champions Cup may well...
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James Harrington
/ 2 years agoO’Gara’s problems keep on coming
JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Australian hooker Tolu Latu went straight into La Rochelle’s matchday squad for pre-Christmas trip to Stade Francais,...
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Jeremy Guscott
/ 2 years agoHenry’s French leave won’t hold him back
JEREMY GUSCOTT IT’S time for the RFU/Premiership to wake up and go, ‘Wow, what’s wrong with us that a young player...
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Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years agoSkinner staying at Edinburgh
Scotland lock Sam Skinner has agreed to sign on at Edinburgh for another two years, opting for loyalty rather than a...












