United Rugby Championship

Club Rugby
/ 3 years ago

Fans left at the bottom of the pile when it comes to kick-off times

PETER JACKSON A summer of sorrow over Llanelli draws towards a close, leaving the Scarlets to prepare for their 150th anniversary...

By The Rugby Paper Team
United Rugby Championship
/ 3 years ago

Franco Smith appointed as new Glasgow boss

Former Italy boss Franco Smith has been appointed Glasgow Warriors head coach on a two-year deal. Smith, 50, joins the URC...

By Ben Jaycock
Latest News
/ 3 years ago

URC fixtures open up with Welsh derby

The fixtures for the 2022/23 United Rugby Championship have been confirmed as the Scarlets and Ospreys meet on the opening weekend...

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

Italians not playing ball with Warriors in Franco battle

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Wanted: Franco Smith Glasgow Warriors are battling to name Franco Smith as their new head...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Club Rugby
/ 3 years ago

Why Wales should let Reffell stay at Leicester

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW As a Welshman thriving in the English Premiership, Tommy Reffell knows that a...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Challenge Cup
/ 4 years ago

Champions Cup and Challenge Cup fixture lists: Premiership sides set to head to South Africa

The round-by-round fixtures for the 2022/23 Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup tournament have been announced. Teams were split...

By Ben Jaycock
Club Rugby
/ 4 years ago

Wales Sevens call for Ospreys silver star Cross

Olympic silver medallist Sam Cross has been included in Wales Sevens’ 13-man squad for the upcoming Commonwealth Games. The Sevens will...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Latest News
/ 4 years ago

Roberts calls it a day

Wales and British and Irish Lions centre Jamie Roberts has retired at the age of 35. Roberts won 94 Wales caps...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Blindside - rugby transfers
/ 4 years ago

Now Racing 92 turn attention to Lancaster

ON THE BLINDSIDE In demand: Leinster coach Stuart Lancaster FORMER England coach Stuart Lancaster is on the radar of French giants...

By The Rugby Paper Team
International Rugby
/ 4 years ago

Welsh resurgence all about mindset

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER My experience over many decades is that Welsh rugby is rarely in as bad a state as...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Club Rugby
/ 4 years ago

Chief Kirsten relishing his return to Pretoria

■By PAUL REES When Jannes Kirsten left the Bulls five years ago, he never imagined he would be facing his former...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Latest News
/ 4 years ago

We must protect this jewel in club rugby

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ is common-sense wisdom that should apply...

By The Rugby Paper Team
United Rugby Championship
/ 4 years ago

‘New era’ dawns for re-named Dragons RFC

Newport-based Dragons are to rebrand as "Dragons RFC", in a move to designed to build the identity of the club. Dragons,...

By Nick Powell
Latest News
/ 4 years ago

Four Irishmen join the South African all-stars

By BEN JAYCOCK THE Stormers lifted the inaugural United Rugby Championship as they saw off the Bulls 18-13 in an all-South...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Latest News
/ 4 years ago

European sides need to rise to the SA challenge

BY NEIL DE KOCK If you had said after the first six weeks of the competition that the Stormers would be...

By The Rugby Paper Team
International Rugby
/ 4 years ago

Thompson hoping Scottish summer can re-ignite form after Warriors woes

Glasgow Warriors fly-half Ross Thompson is hoping that Scotland’s tour to South America can re-ignite his early season form, after a...

By Nick Powell
United Rugby Championship
/ 4 years ago

Leinster scrum-half Nick McCarthy comes out as gay

Leinster scrum-half Nick McCarthy has come out as gay in an interview with the club’s official website. Former Ireland U20 international...

By Nick Powell
Features
/ 4 years ago

All-South African final is a turn-off for Celtic fans

COLIN BOAG When the PRO14 organisers, desperately trying to breathe some life into things, decided to change its name to the...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Latest News
/ 4 years ago

Stormers secure fightback victory

By JOHN FALLON Stormers............18pts Tries: Roos 45, Venter 57 Conversions: Libbok 46 Penalties: Libbok 43 Drop goals: Libbok 74 Bulls ..................13pts...

By The Rugby Paper Team
International Rugby
/ 4 years ago

Ulster and Ireland flyer misses New Zealand tour

Ulster winger Robert Baloucoune has been ruled out of Ireland‘s tour of New Zealand through injury as Andy Farrell reveals his...

By Ben Jaycock
Latest News
/ 4 years ago

Boks have raised the bar -Cullen

By JOHN FALLON Leinster ............26pts Tries: Sheehan 9, Henshaw 33, O’Loughlin 72, Healy 82 Conversions: Byrne 10, 33, Sexton 82 Bulls....................27pts...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Latest News
/ 4 years ago

Omitted Conbeer can yet kick on, says Peel

NEWS EXTRA By STEFFAN THOMAS DWAYNE Peel believes inform Scarlets wing Ryan Conbeer was unlucky to miss out on Wales’ summer...

By The Rugby Paper Team
United Rugby Championship
/ 4 years ago

Glasgow Warriors sack head coach Danny Wilson

Glasgow Warriors have sacked head coach Danny Wilson in the wake of their 76-14 United Rugby Championship quarter-final defeat to Leinster....

By Ben Redwood
Latest News
/ 4 years ago

Van Graan’s time ends with five-try defeat in Ulster

By JOHN FALLON Ulster ......................36 Munster ..................17 JOHANN van Graan said this was a bitterly disappointing way to end his four...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Latest News
/ 4 years ago

Dreadful Warriors collapse in Dublin

By JOHN FALLON Leinster ............76pts Tries: Sheehan 15, 39; Larmour 19, 64, McCarthy 29, Doris 43, Ala’atoa 49, Gibson-Park 54, Ringrose...

By The Rugby Paper Team
United Rugby Championship
/ 4 years ago

Wales flanker Dan Lydiate signs Ospreys contract extension

Ospreys flanker Dan Lydiate has agreed a new deal to stay at the Welsh region for another season. The Wales flanker...

By Ben Redwood
United Rugby Championship
/ 4 years ago

Dragons hunt for new head coach

By STEFFAN THOMAS THE DRAGONS are pondering a shake-up of their backroom team with a new head coach set to be...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Latest News
/ 4 years ago

Luke’s late show is silver lining for the Ospreys

By STEFFAN THOMAS Ospreys ............31pts Tries: J Morgan 38, L Morgan 57, 79, Parry 78 Conversions: Anscombe 38, 58, 78, 80...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Latest News
/ 4 years ago

Stormers edge it but Peel hails his troops

By STEFFAN THOMAS Scarlets ..........21pts Tries: J Williams 7, Conbeer 71 Conversions: Costelow 8 Penalties: Costelow 4, 17, 28 Stormers ........26pts...

By The Rugby Paper Team
United Rugby Championship
/ 4 years ago

Out-of-puff Dragons fail to find home comfort

By DELME PARFITT Dragons ..............11pts Tries: Dyer 25 Penalties: Reed 37, 40 Lions ..................21pts Tries: Van der Merwe 34, Venter...

By The Rugby Paper Team
United Rugby Championship
/ 4 years ago

George North surprised but ‘chuffed’ to get Wales call after long injury lay-off

George North says he was surprised by his Wales call-up after playing just two hours of rugby following a 12-month injury...

By Ben Redwood
Latest News
/ 4 years ago

Wales prop Rob Evans to swap Scarlets for Dragons

Wales prop Rob Evans will move to Dragons from Scarlets at the end of the season. The 30-year-old has made over...

By Ben Redwood
Premiership
/ 4 years ago

Newcastle Falcons sign Josh Thomas

Newcastle Falcons have signed Ospreys fly-half Josh Thomas for next season on a two-year contract. The 21-year-old can also play at...

By Ben Jaycock
United Rugby Championship
/ 4 years ago

Scotland centre Huw Jones to rejoin Glasgow in the summer

Scotland centre Huw Jones will rejoin Glasgow at the end of the season. Last summer, the 28-year-old joined Harlequins from Glasgow...

By Ben Redwood
Latest News
/ 4 years ago

Cardiff scrape home in fiery Welsh derby

By ROGER PANTING Dragons..............18pts Tries: Griffiths 39, Dixon 63 Conversions: S Davies 39 Penalties: Reed 24, 74 Cardiff ................19pts Tries: Williams...

By The Rugby Paper Team
United Rugby Championship
/ 4 years ago

The Sharks strengthen with signing of powerful prop Carlu Sadie

Lately, the Sharks have been actively signing contracts. They announced on social media pages that Janse van Rensburg has joined them,...

By Ben Redwood
United Rugby Championship
/ 4 years ago

Welsh rugby ‘laughing stock’ and should reduce to three teams – says former WRU chief David Moffett

Former Welsh Rugby Union chief executive David Moffett feels that Wales’ four professional teams should be replaced by three teams. Last...

By Ben Redwood
United Rugby Championship
/ 4 years ago

Stephen Myler signs Ospreys contract extension to take him into his twentieth professional season

Ospreys fly-half Stephen Myler has signed a one-year contract extension at Ospreys. Myler was Head coach Toby Booth’s first player signing...

By Ben Redwood
Latest News
/ 4 years ago

Angus O’Brien to return to Dragons

Scarlets back Angus O’Brien will return home to Dragons Rugby at the end of the season. Caerleon-born O’Brien came through the...

By Ben Redwood
Premiership
/ 4 years ago

Van Rensburg trades Sharks

Springbok centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg will be heading back to South Africa as he signs for URC side the Sharks....

By Ben Jaycock
United Rugby Championship
/ 4 years ago

Ospreys sign Exeter fly-half Jack Walsh

The Ospreys have completed a deal to sign talented fly-half Jack Walsh from Exeter Chiefs. America-born, the 22-year-old has penned a...

By Ben Redwood
United Rugby Championship
/ 4 years ago

Good news for Wales as George roars back

By STEFFAN THOMAS Ospreys ............54pts Tries: Smith 16, Morris 27, Lake 49, 54; Collins 59, Watkin 69, Parry 79 Conversions: Anscombe...

By The Rugby Paper Team
United Rugby Championship
/ 4 years ago

Jonathan Davies signs new contract at Scarlets

Scarlets captain Jonathan Davies has signed a new contract with the URC side. The Wales and British and Irish Lions centre...

By Ben Redwood
United Rugby Championship
/ 4 years ago

Tyro back row Kendellen leads Munster charge

By JOHN FALLON Ulster ......................17 Munster ................24 ACADEMY back rower Alex Kendellen led the way as Munster powered to their first...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Latest News
/ 4 years ago

250 up! AWJ gets it right this time

By ROB COLE Cardiff ..................6pts Tries: Priestland 28, 44 Ospreys ............22pts Tries: Lake 54, Webb 61, Parry 66 Conversions: Anscombe 55,...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Latest News
/ 4 years ago

Lousi stars as Scarlets hit Dragons for six

By STEFFAN THOMAS Dragons..............19pts Tries: Dixon 35, J Williams 50, Warren 61 Conversions: S Davies 35, 62 Scarlets ............38pts Tries: Lousi...

By The Rugby Paper Team
Latest News
/ 4 years ago

Dragons announce signing of versatile New Zealand back Sio Tomkinson

Dragons have announced the signing of versatile New Zealand back Sio Tomkinson. Known for his hard-tackling and range of skills, Tomkinson...

By Ben Redwood
United Rugby Championship
/ 4 years ago

Ospreys prop Tom Botha signs two-year contract extension

Ospreys prop Tom Botha has signed a two-year contract extension at the region. The South African-born tighthead prop joined the Ospreys...

By Ben Redwood
United Rugby Championship
/ 4 years ago

Keelan Giles signs contract extension at Ospreys

Ospreys winger Keelan Giles has signed a new two-year contract to stay with the club. The 24-year-old has made 58 Ospreys...

By Ben Jaycock
United Rugby Championship
/ 4 years ago

Dixon fires Dragons to Scarlets success

By STEFFAN THOMAS Scarlets ............27pts Tries: Kalamafoni 26, Williams 40, Williams 54, Hardy 60 Conversions: Costelow 27, O’Brien 55, Penalties: Costelow...

By The Rugby Paper Team