Top 14

James Harrington
/ 2 years ago

Olympics causing financial headache

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN The new cycle of French senior men’s rugby starts here – a month-and-a-half after the 2023 Rugby...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

Bears step up hunt for new tighthead

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Bristol Bears have stepped up their search for a tighthead as they face up to...

By The Rugby Paper Team
James Harrington
/ 2 years ago

Laporte & Co hit the panic button

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN A week after ripping out their coaching set-up and employing an Etch-a-Sketch style reset to their season,...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

Ludlam closing in on move to Toulon

Northampton Saints back row Lewis Ludlam’s highly anticipated move to Toulon, first rumoured in The Rugby Paper’s Blindside Column in early...

By Nick Powell
Jeremy Guscott
/ 2 years ago

Fearing players going abroad is a false storm

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK WORLD Cups provide rugby union with an opportunity to reset, and the actions taken...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Premiership
/ 2 years ago

McKellar: We will keep hold of Jasper

Dan McKellar is confident Leicester will hold on to their World Cup winning No.8 Jasper Wiese who has attracted the attention...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Peter Jackson
/ 2 years ago

Cockerill off to the guillotine

When it comes to sacking those in charge of losing teams, French rugby has beaten English football to the punch. While...

By The Rugby Paper Team
James Harrington
/ 2 years ago

Cockerill goes out, Collazo comes in

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN TIME was very firmly called on Richard Cockerill’s brief run as Montpellier manager six days ago, after...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

Stooke heading back to Bath

Elliot Stooke’s return to Bath has been confirmed by the club a month after it was foreseen by The Rugby Paper’s...

By Nick Powell
Premiership
/ 2 years ago

Carreras on way to Bayonne

Argentina wing Mateo Carreras will leave Newcastle Falcons at the end of the season to join Top 14 side Bayonne. Carreras...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

Lyon put marker down for Itoje

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Lyon have emerged as a potential shock destination for England and Lions lock Maro Itoje,...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

French pair to battle for Rees-Zammit

ON THE BLINDSIDE Gloucester wing Louis Rees-Zammit is being lined up for a money-spinning move to France at the end of...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

Grace fights back

ON THE BLINDSIDE Former Super League star Regan Grace is set to train with Bath while he bids to regain...

By The Rugby Paper Team
James Harrington
/ 2 years ago

Welsh warrior bows out in style

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Rugby – even thoroughly modern professional rugby – sometimes proves it still has at least a little...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

Toulon turning their attention to Kinghorn

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Toulon's bid to sign England forwards Lewis Ludlam and Kyle Sinckler is hanging by a...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

Falcons losing Carreras to France

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Newcastle Falcons have suffered a blow for next season after Argentina winger Mateo Carreras completed...

By The Rugby Paper Team
James Harrington
/ 2 years ago

Stade set bar high in bid for new start

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN The Laurent Labit-Karim Ghezal era at Stade Francais officially starts here – and the talk around Stade...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

Toulon have prop Sinckler in their sights

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Toulon have launched a double raid on Steve Borthwick’s World Cup squad to lure Kyle...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

French taking an interest in Underhill

ON THE BLINDSIDE England backrow Sam Underhill has been attracting interest from French Top 14 giants Racing 92 and Bordeaux, who...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

Castres in move for Collier

ON THE BLINDSIDE Castres Olympique have moved to lure long-serving Harlequins tighthead prop Will Collier, who was called into Steve Borthwick’s...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

Stooke in line for return to Rec

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler Former Bath lock Elliott Stooke, below, could return to The...

By The Rugby Paper Team
James Harrington
/ 2 years ago

I’m going nowhere, promises Galthie

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN "I have a contract that runs until June 2028, so no.” That was France head coach Fabien...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

England’s big names to get new offer

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER England stars are poised to be offered guaranteed payments of between £100,000 to £150,000 by...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

Grace aiming to get back in game

ON THE BLINDSIDE Regan Grace looks set to stay in Rugby Union after turning down approaches from several Super League clubs,...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

Sutherland on way to Oyonnax

ON THE BLINDSIDE Scotland and Lions star Rory Sutherland has joined Top 14 new boys Oyonnax, who have had a tough...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

Itoje is too expensive for French

French clubs have gone cold on signing England and Lions lock Maro Itoje when his contract with Premiership champions Saracens runs...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

Racing 92 will fight to keep Arundell

BY NEIL FISSLER Racing 92 will fight any attempts by Gloucester and Bath to lure England international Henry Arundell back to...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

Biarritz offer deal to Petch

Former Exeter and Northampton tighthead Alfie Petch is heading to France after joining Biarritz as a medical joker on a contract...

By The Rugby Paper Team
James Harrington
/ 2 years ago

Kolbe move to Toulon in the spotlight

JAMES HARRINGTON The pre-season period of summer 2021 was fairly humdrum in France. Not that most players, coaches, or journalists for...

By The Rugby Paper Team
James Harrington
/ 2 years ago

Galthie joy as France’s wait for Meafou is nearly over

Expect to see New Zealand-born, Australia-raised Emmanuel Meafou in a France squad as early as next year in time for the start...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

Webb’s fighting to save his career

Rhys Webb returned to Wales after being left in limbo after requesting a B-sample be tested after returning a positive result...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Top 14
/ 2 years ago

Young Guns: Montpellier and Scotland U18s second row Charlie Moss

Having been made redundant at both Wasps and London Irish in a matter of weeks, Charlie Moss decided to move to...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

French keen to recruit yet more

The exodus of players from England and Wales to France is set to continue next summer, with one source claiming as...

By The Rugby Paper Team
James Harrington
/ 2 years ago

Toulouse enjoy a taste of America

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN THE World Cup break in the Top 14 season has given club coaches plenty to think about....

By The Rugby Paper Team
James Harrington
/ 2 years ago

Former referees are now the ‘must-haves’ for clubs

To have one referee on staff may be considered sensible. To have two – could that be excessive? France’s professional clubs...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

Bonjour a tous, je m’appelle Steve Diamond

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Steve Diamond is taking intensive French lessons as he eyes up a move across the...

By The Rugby Paper Team
James Harrington
/ 2 years ago

Vannes fail to keep out Beziers

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN AWAY from the bright lights of the World Cup, domestic rugby in France has, mostly, continued. The...

By The Rugby Paper Team
James Harrington
/ 2 years ago

Racing ramp up interest in Ford

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN In July, The Rugby Paper reported that ‘grand’ Top 14 side Racing 92 had Sale and England...

By The Rugby Paper Team
James Harrington
/ 2 years ago

Oyonnax are worth place at top table

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Promoted ProD2 champions Oyonnax demonstrated – if there was still any doubt after last weekend’s impressive opening...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Latest News
/ 2 years ago

Webb tests positive for growth hormone

By Ben Jaycock Former Wales international Rhys Webb has tested positive for a growth hormone following an unexpected check by the...

By Nick Powell
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

Beziers keen to bring in Wilson

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler Former Scotland back row Ryan Wilson is wanted by French...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

Decision time for Sutherland

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler Scotland loosehead Rory Sutherland wants to sort out his future...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

Volavola chosen ahead of Grayson

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEILFISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler Northampton Saints fly-half James Grayson was a target for French ProD2...

By The Rugby Paper Team
James Harrington
/ 2 years ago

Lyon take the heat to topple Toulon

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN A "heat dome" settled over France last weekend to send temperatures soaring as the new Top 14...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

Top 14 clubs keen to bring in Carreras

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler Mateo Carreras’s red-hot performances for Argentina in the Rugby Championship...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

Searle to join Biarritz after World Cup

Former Worcester Warriors and Wasps playmaker Billy Searle has signed a three-year deal to become the 28th player to join big-spending...

By The Rugby Paper Team
James Harrington
/ 2 years ago

Playing numbers game at Castres

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN "Guys, you’re trying to replace Giambi. I told you we can’t do it. Now, what we might...

By The Rugby Paper Team
James Harrington
/ 2 years ago

Fans left in dark as Viaplay row back

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN THE future of live Top 14 – and United Rugby Championship – rugby coverage in the UK...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Top 14
/ 2 years ago

Delighted Searle on his way to Toulouse

By JON NEWCOMBE EXCLUSIVE Billy Searle’s patience has finally been rewarded with a dream move to European aristocrats Toulouse, and the...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 2 years ago

Following in father’s footsteps

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Lewis Noon, the Newcastle-born son of former England centre Jamie, was part of the France...

By The Rugby Paper Team