Six Nations

Townsend stunned by TMO decision

11 February 2024 0 comments

By BRYN PALMER AT MURRAYFIELD Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend vented his frustration after his side were denied what he felt should have been a […]

Williams sets his sights on Wales return

11 February 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Liam Williams has left the door open on a return to the Test scene for Wales’ summer tour of Australia but faces […]

Once again, England escape to victory

11 February 2024 0 comments

SIX NATIONS 2024 By NICK CAIN at Twickenham England ………………………… 16pts Tries: Earl 20, Dingwall 63 Penalties: Ford 48, 72 Wales…………………………….14pts Tries: Penalty 17, Mann […]

Are England in transition? Not really, and they should be kicking on purposefully

11 February 2024 0 comments

BRENDAN GALLAGHER Two very average teams produced a pretty sub par Test match in front of an intermittently mute Twickenham crowd with the volume only […]

Scotland heartbreak after TMO has the final word in late drama

11 February 2024 0 comments

SIX NATIONS 2024 By BRYN PALMER Scotland ………………………. 16pts Tries: White 7 Conversions: Russell 9 Penalties: Russell 22, 30, 58 France……………………………20pts Tries: Fickou 31, Bielle-Biarrey […]

Russell: For me, that was a try at the end

11 February 2024 0 comments

Finn Russell felt Scotland were on the end of a wrong decision at the death of their defeat to France, but refused to directly criticise […]

That was a try – but the record will not reflect it

11 February 2024 0 comments

SIX NATIONS 2024 BRENDAN GALLAGHER THERE is a three-volume book to be written on false dawns, shattered dreams and broken hearts in Scottish rugby and […]

This Irish dynasty will keep on going

11 February 2024 0 comments

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK WAS the speed of the Irish recovery after the World Cup surprising? No, because I don’t call it […]

Italy need to stay in the game – if they can

11 February 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES PREVIEW…Ireland vs Italy (Today. Kick-off 3pm, Aviva Stadium) DUBLIN has been anything other than a fair city for Italy in the last […]

Enough! No more ref chat

11 February 2024 0 comments

When is the incessant yapping between players and referees going to end? These appeals and “consultations” are becoming a blight at the professional end of […]

Reynolds: It’s fantastic to see George with England

11 February 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Rams director of rugby Seb Reynolds has praised England U20 head coach Mark Mapletoft for his “refreshing” decision to pick George Makepeace-Cubitt […]

Short-term ban means Willemse is evading natural justice

11 February 2024 0 comments

Natural justice is conspicuous by its absence in the union game. Think of the relegation-free protectionism of the Six Nations and the Premiership, or the […]

Farrell’s England career is not over – Hartley

11 February 2024 0 comments

Dylan Hartley believes his successor as England captain Owen Farrell will come back from France a better player and does not think his international career […]

Now watch Dyer take off, says Thomas

11 February 2024 0 comments

By MEGAN ARMITAGE Gareth Thomas is backing Rio Dyer to fill the void left by Louis Rees-Zammit’s shock departure from rugby. The former Wales and […]

England stick, Wales twist for Twickenham test

8 February 2024 0 comments

Preview: England vs Wales (Saturday, 4:45pm) Wales have made seven alterations with England unchanged for Satuday’s crucial contest at Twickenham. The hosts stick with an […]

Scotland call in Darge for defining game against France

8 February 2024 0 comments

Preview: Scotland vs France (Saturday, 2:15pm) Scotland have brought in Rory Darge to start ahead of the dropped Jamie Ritchie as they look to set […]

Series 3, Episode 23: Six Nations latest and remembering Barry John with Jonathan Davies

7 February 2024 0 comments

The opening round of the 2024 Six Nations threw the script out the window as Scotland almost let a 27-point lead slip against Wales, Ireland […]

George demands England front up

4 February 2024 0 comments

From ADAM HATHAWAY at Stadio Olimpico New England skipper Jamie George laid down the law after England stumbled to a 27-24 win in Italy – […]

Russell relief as Scotland hold on to keep Wales at bay

4 February 2024 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING at Principality Stadium Scotland captain Finn Russell was hugely disappointed with his side’s second-half performance yesterday after Wales nearly pulled off an […]

Dallaglio urges England to win more matches than they lose

4 February 2024 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD Lawrence Dallaglio has challenged England to “get some credit” back in the bank by winning more games than they lose in this […]

At last! Freeman and Roots give Borthwick reasons to be cheerful

4 February 2024 0 comments

SIX NATIONS 2024 By NICK CAIN Italy………………………………. 24pts Tries: A Garbisi 11, Allan 26, Ioane 85 Conversions: Allan 13, 27; P Garbisi 86 Penalties: Allan […]

England look ready to throw off the chains

4 February 2024 0 comments

SIX NATIONS 2024 PAUL REES CLOSE yet comfortable summed up a contradictory England performance. Exposed in defence at times, they smothered Italy after the interval, […]

It wasn’t quite Bazball but George’s men did enough to get the job done

4 February 2024 0 comments

BRENDAN GALLAGHER WELL, it wasn’t quite the ‘Bazball’ rugby that Jamie George apparently aspires to – did we really expect things to change overnight? – […]

Scotland hold off amazing Wales revival

4 February 2024 0 comments

SIX NATIONS 2024 By PETER JACKSON Wales…………………………… 26pts Tries: Botham 47, Dyer 53, Wainwright 60, Mann 68 Conversions: Lloyd 54, 61, 69 Scotland ……………………… 27pts […]

Why you don’t give up on your dreams

4 February 2024 0 comments

SIX NATIONS 2024 BRENDAN GALLAGHER It’s been said before but needs reiterating on a regular basis but there is no sporting tournament quite like the […]

RFU double standards alive and well

4 February 2024 0 comments

Surprise, surprise, double standards are alive and well at the RFU. The latest example is the decision is to give a dispensation to Junior Kpoku, […]

France can only watch as Irish put on a show

4 February 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES France……………………………17pts Tries: Penaud 40, Gabrillagues 53 Conversions: Ramos 42, 53 Penalties: Ramos 27 Ireland…………………………. 38pts Tries: Gibson-Park 16, Beirne 30, Nash 46, […]

That was a must-watch match of real quality

4 February 2024 0 comments

JEREMY GUSCOTT SIX NATIONS 2024 THE Six Nations opener in Marseille between France and Ireland was a really good game of rugby in which the […]

Confident Crowley shows why he deserves the keys to No.10

4 February 2024 0 comments

BRENDAN GALLAGHER SIX NATIONS 2024 Regular readers of The Rugby Paper will recall that I told you a very long time ago that Jack Crowley […]

I didn’t see that coming! France as flat as a crepe…

4 February 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN Ireland’s trouncing of France in Marseille – a record Irish win on French soil – trashed most pundits prediction of a Gallic Grand […]

Colossus following in family tradition

4 February 2024 0 comments

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW A teenaged colossus introduced himself to the Six Nations late on Friday night in the mayhem of […]

Ojomoh delight as England call up his boy Max

4 February 2024 0 comments

By EDDIE McATEER Former England back row Steve Ojomoh is thrilled that his son Max has been called into the England squad and is eager […]

Carnduff learns the Leicester way

4 February 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Finn Carnduff is honoured to join an illustrious list of England U20 captains and made it four of their past five age-grade […]

Why Six Nations is pinnacle of game

4 February 2024 0 comments

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME HERE we are at the start of another Six Nations with everything to play for as […]

The Six Nations round one unavailable XV

1 February 2024 0 comments

As the first Six Nations campaign of the new World Cup cycle draws nearer, the respective international coaches will be praying their major stars are […]

“Those days are long gone” – Mapletoft not underestimating Italian job

1 February 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Preview: Italy U20s vs England U20s (Friday, 7:15pm) England U20s are chomping at the bit ahead of their clash with an Italy […]

Five uncapped players in Borthwick’s England squad for Italy

1 February 2024 0 comments

Preview: Italy vs England (Saturday, 2:15pm) Ethan Roots makes his debut up front with Fraser Dingwall getting his first cap in the backs as a […]

North and Kinghorn miss out on Cardiff clash

1 February 2024 0 comments

Preview: Wales vs Scotland (Saturday, 4:45pm) Wales’ George North and Scotland’s Blair Kinghorn will both be absent from the two countries’ opening game of the […]

Slammers France and Ireland clash in seismic opener

31 January 2024 0 comments

Preview: France vs Ireland (Friday, 8pm) The highly anticipated 2024 Six Nations gets underway as the two tournament favourites, France and Ireland, clash in Marseille on […]

France vs Ireland will be game of the tournament – Ashton

30 January 2024 0 comments

Former England winger Chris Ashton says Friday’s clash between France and Ireland is the match he is most looking forward to in this year’s Six […]

George: We need fast start

28 January 2024 0 comments

By ADAM HATHAWAY Jamie George has cracked the whip and urged his England side not to get stuck in the stalls like they have in […]

Van Graan delighted by Spencer’s recall

28 January 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Bath boss Johann van Graan has hailed Ben Spencer’s England return as a triumph of perseverance after his captain and scrum-half was […]

Christie glad to be back in Scotland fold

28 January 2024 0 comments

By BRYN PALMER For all the fresh faces in Scotland’s Six Nations squad, their starting XV to face Wales in Cardiff next Saturday is likely […]

Thomas backing his boys

28 January 2024 0 comments

By ROB COLE Gareth Thomas says new-look Wales won’t be a soft touch up front when they take on Scotland in their Six Nations opener […]

Enjoy it, says veteran Marler

28 January 2024 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD Joe Marler has urged England’s fresh faces to “embrace the historical” Six Nations stage and show off their “super strengths”. The veteran […]

Tier Two deserve a fair shake of the dice

28 January 2024 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED YOU don’t have to be a marketing genius of Steve Jobs magnitude to dream up a better name for Rugby Europe’s […]

Clouds of confusion hang over Evans

28 January 2024 0 comments

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW At the end of a week when the clouds of confusion thickened over Wales, one victim of […]

It’s time for Borthwick to ignite the backline

28 January 2024 0 comments

ADAM HATHAWAY Steve Borthwick has done the easy bit in picking a 36-man squad for the Six Nations, the hard bit is naming his 23 […]

Cool cat Crowley has to prove his worth

28 January 2024 0 comments

Six Nations team-by-team previews: Ireland Brendan Gallagher says coach Andy Farrell is spoilt for choice in nearly every position on the park THE time for […]