Top 14

Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 3 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
/ 3 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
/ 3 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
/ 3 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
/ 3 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
/ 3 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
/ 3 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
/ 3 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
/ 3 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
/ 3 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
/ 3 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
/ 3 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
/ 3 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
/ 3 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
/ 3 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
/ 3 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
/ 3 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
/ 3 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
/ 3 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
/ 3 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
Premiership
/ 3 years ago

Now Racing get ready to tempt Ford

BY NEIL FISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler George Ford is the latest England star to interest Top 14 giants Racing...

By The Rugby Paper Team
James Harrington
/ 3 years ago

Anger as Biarritz sign up Haouas

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN TWO weeks ago, the long-awaited sale of ProD2 side Biarritz fell apart, affecting the immediate and longer-term...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Top 14
/ 3 years ago

French surprise as AWJ signs for Toulon

Alun Wyn Jones has joined French club Toulon as cover during the World Cup. The former Wales and British and Irish...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 3 years ago

Racing 92 rule out move for Smith

ON THE BLINDSIDE Marcus Smith staying with Harlequins beyond the final year of his contract, which ends next summer, moved a...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 3 years ago

French to keep eye on hooker

ON THE BLINDSIDE | Neil Fissler French Top 14 sides will monitor Luke Cowan-Dickie’s progress with Sale Sharks with interest after...

By The Rugby Paper Team
James Harrington
/ 3 years ago

90 players in search of a new club

JAMES HARRINGTON | FRENCH COLUMN What links 16 props, 12 hookers, 10 second rows, 15 back rowers, 13 scrum-halves, 11 wingers,...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Olympic & Commonwealth Games
/ 3 years ago

Dupont is looking to take a sabbatical

Antoine Dupont could take a sabbatical year after the 2024 Olympic Games, reports in France suggest. The France captain, 26, is...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Latest News
/ 3 years ago

Montpellier U-turn blocks Thomas from playing in Wales

By PETER JACKSON Montpellier have done a U-turn on Henry Thomas, slamming the door on the former England prop playing in...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 3 years ago

Arundell’s deal a blow for England

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler Henry Arundell, one of England’s most exciting talents, could be...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 3 years ago

Biarritz to keep on spending

Biarritz Olympique are poised to step in and continue the spending splurge that their president Jean-Baptiste Aldigé had planned for Agen...

By The Rugby Paper Team
James Harrington
/ 3 years ago

Biarritz are left sweating on future

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN By the time you read this, ProD2 side Biarritz were supposed to be under new management after...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 3 years ago

Agen on the trail of top Welsh trio

By NEIL FISSLER French ProD2 outfit Agen, who are in the middle of a takeover battle, are courting a trio of...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Top 14
/ 3 years ago

Toulouse duo use trophy to ride the waves

Toulouse playmakers Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack took their Top 14 title celebrations to the beach this week, attempting to use...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 3 years ago

Willis: I’d never have left Wasps

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER England back row Jack Willis admits that he would never have left Wasps if they...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 3 years ago

Witty looks set to sign for Rouen

ON THE BLINDSIDE Former Newcastle Falcons and Exeter Chiefs lock Will Witty is set for another move this summer with a...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 3 years ago

Toulon have No.9 White in their sights

ON THE BLINDSIDE Top 14 giants Toulon are courting a move for Scotland scrum-half Ben White, who has been looking for...

By The Rugby Paper Team
James Harrington
/ 3 years ago

Team of the season is packed with brilliance

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN The 2022/23 Top 14 season is done. Toulouse are champions for the 22nd time, after pipping ambitious...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 3 years ago

Teague keen to be heading home

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler Former England attack guru Rory Teague, below, is ready to...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 3 years ago

Borthwick’s plea for Irish boys to stay

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER England boss Steve Borthwick hit the phones last week in a plea to stop London...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 3 years ago

Racing trying to tempt Marcus

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Racing 92 have made England and Harlequins fly-half Marcus Smith an offer of around €500,000...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Top 14
/ 3 years ago

Abendanon: French rugby is far more fun

By NICK POWELL Former England full-back Nick Abendanon says that the Premiership is not entertaining enough to compete with the French...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Peter Jackson
/ 3 years ago

There’s no stopping Ramos

PETER JACKSON Thomas Ramos is en route to finishing the season 100 or so points clear of his nearest challenger across...

By The Rugby Paper Team
James Harrington
/ 3 years ago

Top two get set to put on the glitz

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN It's the final the Top 14 wanted and needed. Toulouse and La Rochelle – the two best...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Latest News
/ 3 years ago

Series 2, Episode 22: Nick Abendanon on his career and French vs English domestic rugby, tributes to David Emery

In April earlier this year Bath and Clermont legend Nick Abendanon called time on a stellar 17-year career. Nick joins host...

By Nick Powell
James Harrington
/ 3 years ago

Kremer’s red gives Racing easy ride

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Argentinian back-row Marcos Kremer’s last act for Stade Francais was to get sent off - for the...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 3 years ago

Now Stade eye Cowan-Dickie

England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie could still play in France next season despite the recent collapse of his move to Montpellier, with...

By The Rugby Paper Team
James Harrington
/ 3 years ago

Toulouse look set to take top spot

JAMES HARRINGTON Tonight, more than 24 hours after both the Premiership and URC celebrated their champions for the 2022/23 campaign, the...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 3 years ago

Moneybags Racing keen to sign Smith

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Racing 92 are serious about tempting Marcus Smith to quit south-west London for a move...

By The Rugby Paper Team
James Harrington
/ 3 years ago

Galthie’s message of hope to top 100

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Top 14 coaches, pundits and fans have had the calculators, slide rules and computer modelling programmes out...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Latest News
/ 3 years ago

Salary cap hurting, not helping – Biggar

By BEN JAYCOCK Dan Biggar feels the Premiership’s exodus of players to France is a result of the league’s reduced salary...

By The Rugby Paper Team