WORLD

Italy go on a second-half rampage to floor Scots

10 March 2024 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON Italy U20 ………. 47pts Tries: Gritti 7, 50; Gasperini 55, 59; Belloni 62, Scalabrin 77, De Villiers 80 Conversions: Pucciarello 8, 51, […]

McNicholl goes home

10 March 2024 0 comments

Wales back Johnny McNicholl has rejoined Crusaders for the remainder of the season after leaving Scarlets to return to New Zealand. McNicholl, 33, who has […]

Battling U20s still have a lot to learn

10 March 2024 0 comments

England U20s entertaining 32-32 draw with Ireland in Bath on Friday night was pure curate’s egg. The good part was that they had the scrummaging […]

En garde, England

10 March 2024 0 comments

World rugby’s absurd international residency qualification of just three years should put the RFU on its guard that England will not be facing some of […]

It’s a long walk but Wales on right road

10 March 2024 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT We’ve all heard it: “You don’t beat Wales at rugby – you just score more points than them.” Like many sporting quips masquerading […]

Come on, Joe! Time to pay attention

10 March 2024 0 comments

JOE Schmidt, the recently-appointed coach of a Wallaby vintage who wear the same colours as Matthew Burke, David Campese, Tim Horan and John Eales but […]

Red Roses: Gloucester-Hartpury back row Sarah Beckett

10 March 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Birthplace: Liverpool Date of birth: 14/02/99 Community club: Firwood Waterloo RFC Red Roses debut: vs USA November 2018 Caps: 34 Why I […]

Players or gladiators? Why the game is struggling to find the right balance

10 March 2024 0 comments

Paul Rees reports on World Rugby’s attempts to broaden the sport’s appeal but can see problems ahead It has become an annual event this decade […]

We are going to miss you guys a lot

10 March 2024 0 comments

All career-ending injuries are to be mourned but the last couple of weeks or so have been hard to digest for Italy fans and indeed […]

Slick Drua continue Penney’s nightmare

10 March 2024 0 comments

Super Rugby Pacific round-up By TOM JEFFREYS Crusaders’ miserable start to their new era continued with a third straight defeat as Fijian Drua picked up […]

At last! England find reason to be cheerful

10 March 2024 0 comments

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME We were waiting and hoping for a game that will define how far England have developed […]

Mapletoft’s tyros hope to continue their Grand Slam quest

8 March 2024 0 comments

England U20s will hope to inflict Ireland’s first loss in the Six Nations since July 2021 and take a giant step towards a Grand Slam. […]

Episode 100! Previewing England vs Ireland with Jonny Bell

6 March 2024 0 comments

This week, the Rugby Paper Podcast brings up 100 episodes! A huge thank you to all those who support and continue to follow the podcast […]

“I’ve loved every minute of it” – Cunningham-South on move to England

5 March 2024 0 comments

For a 20-year-old, Chandler Cunningham-South has lived quite a life. Born in England, he moved to New Zealand at the age of four, only to […]

Super Rugby Americas week three review

5 March 2024 0 comments

Round Three of the Super Rugby Americas season kicked off with a convincing 37-7 victory for defending champions, Peñarol over American Raptors on Friday night. […]

Martin relishing playing with pals

4 March 2024 0 comments

George Martin is a familiar name to English rugby fans, but the man behind the player is still very much a mystery. The towering Leicester […]

I’m still getting stick over Hill, says rookie

3 March 2024 0 comments

By ADAM HATHAWAY England new boy Chandler Cunningham-South is still paying the price for not recognising 2003 legend Richard Hill. World Cup winner Hill, in […]

Moody fears an Ireland onslaught

3 March 2024 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD Lewis Moody fears “unstoppable” Ireland will deliver further bad news for England when they arrive at Twickenham. Andy Farrell’s side go into […]

Pearson grabs chance to show his potential

3 March 2024 0 comments

By MARK STEVENS In terms of an on-field audition, Northampton’s Tom Pearson could not have done much more to impress watching England head coach, Steve […]

Paterson: Ref right not to re-set shot clock

3 March 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Scotland’s record points scorer Chris Paterson has defended referee Christophe Ridley’s decision to not re-set the shot clock in the dramatic finale […]

There’s plenty of talent on its way through – Skivington

3 March 2024 0 comments

By MARK STEVENS George Skivington insists the future is bright in terms of the talent coming through within the English rugby set-up. Handed the perfect […]

Hodge on his way back to fast lane

3 March 2024 0 comments

By MARK STEVENS Josh Hodge has set his sights on an exciting end to the season after making an impressive return to action following injury. […]

‘Big Mac’ has his eye on the prize

3 March 2024 0 comments

By ROB COLE The extent of the impact Wales newbie Mackenzie Martin is making this season can be judged in many ways. His club, Cardiff […]

If England cut the errors, they will be in the game

3 March 2024 0 comments

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK ENGLAND will be disappointed with the result at Murrayfield and will look at the Scotland game as a […]

Care merits his century, says Youngs

3 March 2024 0 comments

By PAUL EDDISON BEN Youngs has backed his long-time rival Danny Care to step up on what would be his 100th appearance for England against […]

Borthwick must stop delaying and rebuild

3 March 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK WHEN Steve Borthwick took over from Eddie Jones as England head coach he said that he had […]

Furbank would be central to my team

3 March 2024 0 comments

An English upset against Ireland on Saturday is about as likely as Donald Trump losing his fake tangerine tan. However, witnessing France’s epic no-hoper victory […]

I want to get that England shirt back, says Scarratt

3 March 2024 0 comments

By MARK STEVENS The smiles said it all, after 13 painstaking months on the sidelines, the pure joy of returning to competitive action was evident […]

Browne out to give Scottish an extra edge

3 March 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Upon his return from England U20s camp, London Scottish loanee Harry Browne is determined to help his side stop the rot and […]

Borthwick should put faith in this trio

3 March 2024 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED PETER Winterbottom knows a thing or three about our sport, so you would expect him to make some telling points over […]

Fasogbon’s making most of his seat in the front row

3 March 2024 0 comments

Afolabi Fasogbon says England U20s forwards get excited for scrum time and with the 6ft 4in, 20 stone-plus powerhouse on their side it’s easy to […]

Appleton confident Portugal can meet Spanish challenge

3 March 2024 0 comments

By NICK POWELL PREVIEW… Portugal vSpain Today. Kick-off 3pm, Estadio do Restelo in Lisbon PORTUGAL host Spain in today’s second semi-final looking for a statement […]

Majestic Georgia march on into final

3 March 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Georgia………………………… 43ptsTries: Tabutsadze 4, 37, 75, 80, Modebadze 50, Gorgadze 56, Ivanishvili 64 Conversions: Lobzhanidze 52, Niniashvili 65, Abzhandadze 79, 80 Romania […]

Germany to take on Dutch for fifth place

3 March 2024 0 comments

Play-offs round-up GERMANY and the Netherlands will contest the fifth-place final. Poland have been relegated to the Rugby Europe Trophy after their heavy 54-7 loss […]

How one player really can make a team tick

3 March 2024 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER WHY have France fallen off a cliff ?Can it really all be […]

It’s time for take – off, England

3 March 2024 0 comments

Paul Rees says that, with Ireland at home and France away to come, Borthwick’s men must become relentless IT WAS three years ago last weekend […]

The flying Scot who still leads the field

3 March 2024 0 comments

PETER JACKSON Until Scotland’s converted Junior Springbok struck last weekend, England had not been hit by a Five or Six Nations’ hat-trick since Maurice Richards’ […]

Waratahs prove too strong for Crusaders

3 March 2024 0 comments

Super Rugby Pacific round-up By BEN JAYCOCK The Crusaders suffered back-to-back defeats to begin their title defence after the impressive Waratahs secured a stunning 37-24 […]

Wigglesworth: Major changes not answer

3 March 2024 0 comments

By LOUIS CHAPMAN-COOMBE England assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth insists widespread change isn’t the solution to their attacking woes following last weekend’s Calcutta Cup disaster. England’s […]

Second Barbarian chance for Mercer

3 March 2024 0 comments

Zach Mercer will pull on the famous Barbarians jersey again this summer in the Killik Cup clash against Fiji. Mercer, 26, joins England’s most-capped men’s […]

Appleton expected to beat Wales at Rugby World Cup

29 February 2024 0 comments

Portugal captain Tomás Appleton set his side the goal of beating Wales at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, and feels that “crazy” ambition helped Os Lobos win […]

Super Rugby Americas week two review

27 February 2024 0 comments

The Super Rugby Americas season continued over the weekend as Pampas built upon their thrilling victory in Round One with a dominant performance against American […]

Post denies Italy first Six Nations win in France

25 February 2024 1 comment

By NICK POWELL France…………………………………………..13 Tries: Ollivon 7 Conversions: Ramos 8 Penalties: Ramos 14, 45 Italy…………………………………………………13 Tries: Capuozzo 70 Conversions: Garbisi 71 Penalties: Page-Relo 40+4, Garbisi […]

Murley bags hat-trick as England A thump much-weakened Portugal

25 February 2024 0 comments

By NICK POWELL England A……………………………………………91 Tries: Blamire 3, Pearson 6, Barbeary 14, Tuima 19, Muir 25, Murley 29, 72, 76; Hodge 34, Ojomoh 40+1, Penalty […]

Borthwick: We made too many mistakes

25 February 2024 0 comments

From ADAM HATHAWAY at Murrayfield England boss Steve Borthwick admitted his side got what they deserved after another Murrayfield nightmare in Edinburgh. Borthwick’s men went […]

Farrell pleased with Irish resilience

25 February 2024 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON Wales rattled Ireland in the second half but ultimately fell to their 10th defeat in 11 Six Nations matches in Dublin yesterday […]

Dupont looks sharp at 7s

25 February 2024 0 comments

Antoine Dupont’s Olympic dream got off to a winning start with two victories on his sevens debut for France at the World Sevens event in […]

Hammer of the English is too hot to handle again

25 February 2024 0 comments

By NICK CAIN Scotland ……………………….30pts Tries: van der Merwe 20, 30, 45 Conversions: Russell 21, 31, 47 Penalties: Russell 35, 57, 66 England ………………………… 21pts […]