Club Rugby
This is where you will find all of The Rugby Paper’s Club Rugby news, interviews, reports, opinion and other content.
-
Latest News
/ 1 year agoJohann van Graan – ‘It was a great game of rugby’
Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan hailed the hunger of his side to get past Bristol for another crack at...
-
United Rugby Championship
/ 1 year agoBulls 25-13 Sharks: Bouncing Bulls set up Dublin showdown
David Kriel produced the crucial moment of a pulsating semi-final clash as the outside-centre raced over the try-line to ensure the...
-
United Rugby Championship
/ 1 year agoURC: Leinster have the final word with Glasgow Warriors
Leinster's tortuous quest for a fifth European star continues to cast a shadow, but their season may yet have a silver...
-
Features
/ 1 year agoJacques Vermeulen looking to win trophies with Sale Sharks
Paul Rees catches up with the 29-year-old back rower who is leaving Exeter Chiefs after six years to become a Shark...
-
Latest News
/ 1 year agoSimon Thomas: A few bright sparks to light up the gloom in Welsh Rugby
Simon Thomas assesses the state of the clubs in Wales and predicts more battles with the WRU over what happens next...
-
Latest News
/ 1 year agoJimmy Staples glad to be making a name for himself at Harlequins
For Harlequins hooker Jimmy Staples, the journey to elite rugby began with a twist of fate — when his local football...
-
Features
/ 1 year agoLeon Brown’s Life in Rugby: Named in the Pro 12 Dream Team? Happy days…
It was only when my mate Norm introduced me to rugby that I first became properly aware of the sport as...
-
Latest News
/ 1 year agoHarlequins’ Roma Zheng on the fast road to success
Roma Zheng’s rugby journey has been far from conventional, and he admits it’s had its challenges. The Harlequins winger, who has...
-
Latest News
/ 1 year agoI can’t wait to learn from the best at Harlequins – Aofie Wafer
Six Nations player of the tournament, Ireland star Aoife Wafer, can’t wait to pick the brains of her new back row...
-
Columnists
/ 1 year agoFrench Column: Fabien Galthie prepares to spring surprises for New Zealand tour
White smoke of a sort was spotted this week, heralding FFR and LNR agreement on tweaks to the player release deal...
-
Latest News
/ 1 year agoURC Semi-Finals: Kick-Off times, dates, how to watch
The URC semi-finals will both take place on Saturday, with Leinster hosting Glasgow Warriors and Bulls facing Sharks. Because of the...
-
Premiership
/ 1 year agoCharlie Elliott: Best head-to-head matchups in the Premiership and URC semi-finals
The Premiership and URC semi-finals are taking place this weekend, pitting the best of the best against each other. Bath hosts...
-
Premiership
/ 1 year agoPremiership and URC Semi-Finals Key Talking Points: Sharks without Eben Etzebeth
The Premiership and URC semi-finals are taking place this weekend, with the best of the two leagues battling it out. It...
-
United Rugby Championship
/ 1 year agoLeinster vs Glasgow Warriors Preview – Leo Cullen delivers rallying call
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen is rallying the troops and calling out to all fans to come down to the Aviva...
-
English Championship
/ 1 year ago‘Rugby’s Been a Constant’: The Rise of Morgan Strong from Bridgend to the Championship
“There’s a place I know. There’s magic where the flowers grow and beauty where the rivers flow”. Of course, Scottish singer...
-
United Rugby Championship
/ 1 year agoPete Ryan: Can the Dragons turn things around next season?
It has been a season to forget for the Dragons. The Welsh club finished bottom of the table in the URC....
-
Premiership
/ 1 year agoPremiership Rugby Semi-Finals: Kick-off times, dates, how to watch
The Premiership’s semi-finals have been confirmed with the four highest-ranked teams from the regular season now battling it out to determine the overall...
-
Premiership
/ 1 year agoPremiership Team of the Season: Bath and Sale dominate 2024/25 best XV
The Premiership regular season has finished, and now is the perfect time to reflect on what has been a great season. Bath, Leicester...
-
Latest News
/ 1 year agoBristol Bears set for a Bath showdown in Premiership Play-Offs
Fierce rivals Bath and Bristol will play off at The Rec on Friday as the Bears look to become the first...
-
Latest News
/ 1 year agoOwen Farrell in line for a return to Saracens
Owen Farrell could be on his way back to Saracens after director of rugby Mark McCall confirmed the club has held...
-
Latest News
/ 1 year agoAlex Dombrandt hoping for Harlequins link
Alex Dombrandt would relish the chance to play alongside his team-mates in an all-Harlequins England back row this summer.
-
Latest News
/ 1 year agoTobias Elliott aiming to prove his worth for England
Tobias Elliott is delighted to find himself on England’s radar ahead of an action-packed summer. The 21-year-old Saracens wing has enjoyed...
-
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 1 year agoOwen Farrell looks set for a return to the Premiership
Owen Farrell looks set for a return to the Premiership after expressing a wish to leave Racing 92 one year into...
-
Latest News
/ 1 year agoKevin Sorrell leaves Saracens
Kevin Sorrell is leaving Saracens following a 30-year playing and coaching career at the London club. The 48-year-old defence coach made...
-
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 1 year agoBath tempt Chris Harris from Gloucester
Gloucester star Chris Harris will make the move to rivals Bath next season as medical dispensation for Ollie Lawrence, who suffered...
-
Latest News
/ 1 year agoGeorge Skivington backing for more one-club players
George Skivington believes the tighter finances in the Premiership will lead to more one-club players having reduced the threat of poaching.
-
Latest News
/ 1 year agoRivalry with Kieran Hardy is pushing Reuben Morgan-Williams on
Reuben Morgan-Williams says the competition with fellow Ospreys scrum-half Kieran Hardy has driven the two of them on – a fact...
-
Premiership
/ 1 year agoBristol Bears 52-26 Harlequins: Gabriel Ibitoye makes sure Bears keep control
Bristol Bears ................... 52pts Tries: Kloska 2, Batley 5, Ravouvou 19, Mata 24, Ibitoye 46, 64; Grondona 57, van Rensburg 68...
-
Premiership
/ 1 year agoAJ MacGinty predicts Friday fireworks between Bath and Bristol Bears
AJ MacGinty has predicted there will be fireworks when Bath and Bristol meet in the play off at The Rec. Neither...
-
Premiership
/ 1 year agoJohann van Graan – Bath put on show for the future
Bath director of rugby Johan van Graan saw several reasons to be cheerful after defeat at the StoneX to Saracens. He...
-
Premiership
/ 1 year agoSaracens 36-26 Bath: For once, Sarries miss out on play-off party
Saracens .......................... 36pts Tries: Segun 9, George 19, 47; Daly 30, Dan 53, Burke 59 Conversions: Burke 20, 31, 60 Bath...
-
Premiership
/ 1 year agoWade pulls the curtain down in fine style
■By ROGER PANTING Gloucester ........................41pts Tries: Cotgreave 4, 24, 50; Wade 30, 79; Williams 32, Atkinson 53 Conversions: Carreras 4, 50,...
-
Premiership
/ 1 year agoWe struggled to replace our big names, says Northampton Saints boss PhilDowson
Northampton boss Phil Dowson was left to reflect on an eighth-placed finish in the Premiership. He said: “We wanted to make...
-
Premiership
/ 1 year ago1989: The Lions Return to Australia
A Tour Years in the Making This article is adapted and extracted from the new edition of The British & Irish...
-
Premiership
/ 1 year agoExeter Chiefs 26-30 Sale Sharks: Sharks hold on to set up blockbuster finale
Exeter Chiefs .................. 26pts Tries: Brown-Bampoe 19, Hodge 49, Haydon-Wood 57, Capstick 77 Conversions: Hodge 50, 58, 78 Sale Sharks ......................30pts...
-
Premiership
/ 1 year agoRob Baxter can see shoots of recovery at Exeter Chiefs
Rob Baxter was ‘disappointed’ that his side could not quite overcome Sale in their final game of the season. After a...
-
Latest News
/ 1 year agoNick Cain: This American dream will only end in tears
The Premiership/ RFU’s stampede for money, and the pitfalls that come with it, is reflected in the franchise fix proposed by...
-
Premiership
/ 1 year agoTigers make sure of home comforts
■ By ROB WILDMAN Leicester Tigers ............ 42pts Tries: Liebenberg 18, Bassett 32, Kata 52, Heyes 60, Rogerson 73, Hassell-Collins 77...
-
Premiership
/ 1 year agoMichael Cheika quick to defend Ollie Hassell-Collins
Leicester boss Michael Cheika defended Ollie Hassell-Collins after his try-scoring wing was yellow-carded for a forearm chop on Alex Hearle. “I’m...
-
Champions Cup
/ 1 year agoDamian Penaud and Louis Bielle-Biarrey: A pair of aces who fill our hearts with joy
If the level of mastery is unusually high, the depth of mystery is unfathomable.
-
United Rugby Championship
/ 1 year agoGlasgow Warriors 36-18 Stormers: Champions on course to retain their crown
Glasgow ............36pts Tries: Darge 10, Rowe 15, 45, Venter 28, Horne 51 Conversions: Horne 11, 16, 46, 52 Penalty: Horne 56...
-
United Rugby Championship
/ 1 year agoSharks 24-24 Munster (6-4 AET): Heartbreak for Munster after penalty shoot-out
Sharks .............. 24pts Tries: Hooker 45, Fassi 67, Mbatha 73 Conversions: Jordan Hendrikse 46, 68 74, Penalty: Hendrikse 55 Munster ..............
-
United Rugby Championship
/ 1 year agoIt wasn’t pretty but we made it, says Keenan
By JOHN FALLON Leinster ..............................33pts Tries: Lowe 5, Gibson-Park 10, Osborne 46, Keenan 60 Conversions: Prendergast 11, 47 Penalties: Prendergast 35,...
-
United Rugby Championship
/ 1 year agoBulls 42-33 Edinburgh: South African’s are too good for Edinburgh’s battlers
Bulls .................. 42pts Tries: Hanekom 18, Kriel 32, Vorster 37, Moodie 43, Johannes 46, Nortje 51 Conversions: Johannes 44, 47, 52...
-
Latest News
/ 1 year agoBest yet to come for Bristol Bears, says captain Fitz Harding
Bristol went into Saturday's match against Harlequins having been in the top four all season, but Fitz Harding believes the best...
-
Columnists
/ 1 year agoNorthampton Saints’ Jonny Weimann takes his lead from Alex Mitchell
Northampton's production line shows no sign of slowing down, with Jonny Weimann the latest prospect off the conveyor belt. Henry Pollock,...
-
Champions Cup
/ 1 year agoPeter Jackson: Barmy to downgrade the Champions Cup
According to its promoters, the ‘wonderful’ Champions Cup stands on a pinnacle above everything else as ‘the greatest club competition in...
-
English Championship
/ 1 year agoMemories are made of this, says coach Rae
■By DAVID LAWRENCE DELIGHTED Coventry head coach Alex Rae praised his departing players after they turned on the style to run...
-
English Championship
/ 1 year agoMaisey holds his nerve to snatch it for Bedford
■By CHRIS ROGERS Caldy .................26pts Tries: Robinson 6, 70; Wilkinson 17, 45 Conversions: Barker 7, 18, 46 Bedford ............29pts Tries: Jack...
-
English Championship
/ 1 year agoCattle: We were lucky to hold on to that one
■By MIKE SINCLAIR Cornish Pirates .............. 35pts Tries: Pritchard 12, Ribbons 26, Hallam 51, Yates 53, Hocking 58 Conversions: Houston 12,...
Junior International Rugby
Lucas Friday insists England U20s are ready to take on South Africa challenge
Latest News
Tuima signs for Tigers
Autumn Internationals
Paul Rees: England’s headless chickens end up getting roasted
Junior International Rugby
England U20s ready for Argentina decider in Junior World Cup
The best betting sites
