Latest News

This is where you will find all of The Rugby Paper’s Latest News, interviews, reports, opinion and other content.

British and Irish Lions will face indigenous and Pacific team on Australian tour

20 March 2025 0 comments

The British and Irish Lions will face a team with indigenous and Pacific heritage during their 2025 tour, Rugby Australia has confirmed. The match against […]

PODCAST (S4, E27): Six Nations 2025 Review and picking our British & Irish Lions XV

18 March 2025 0 comments

What a Super Saturday to close what’s been a truly fantastic edition of the Six Nations! Drama, superb tries and headlines typified what’s been two […]

Who has improved or decreased their British and Irish Lions tour chances after the Six Nations?

18 March 2025 0 comments

Now that the dust has settled on the Six Nations and club rugby is back, it is time to set our international focus to the […]

Super Rugby Americas: Round Five Review

18 March 2025 0 comments

Joe Santamaria reviews the fifth round of the SRA, in which Selknam outgunned Tarucas in an entertaining encounter Pampas 19-7 Yacare Pampas managed to subdue […]

Six Nations 2025: Each nation’s grade relative to expectations

17 March 2025 0 comments

There are always some surprises in the Six Nations. This year, it was the fact that Ireland didn’t win it again, with France pipping them to the […]

Six Nations 2025: Team of the Tournament

17 March 2025 0 comments

France have been confirmed as Six Nations champions after their win against Scotland at the Stade de France, but that doesn’t tell the whole story of a […]

Six Nations: England’s demolition crew roar like Lions

16 March 2025 0 comments

Adam Hathaway in Cardiff England head coach Steve Borthwick saw Maro Itoje lead from the front in this 68-14 demolition of Wales – then tipped […]

New free-to-air deal sees England on ITV for Six Nations

16 March 2025 0 comments

By Sam Jackson The BBC and ITV have agreed a new four-year deal for the Men’s Six Nations to remain on free-to-air TV until 2029. […]

Cambridge’s steep learning curve

16 March 2025 0 comments

By Ben Jaycock Cambridge have endured problems on and off the pitch this term, with COO Rowland Winter revealing they can’t rely on any income […]

Tom Curry urges George Martin to avoid the phone

16 March 2025 0 comments

By Adam Hathaway Tom Curry has told sidelined George Martin to stay off his phone as the Leicester lock bids to return to fitness and […]

Ex-Aussie flanker Rocky Elsom faces jail in France

16 March 2025 0 comments

By Sam Jackson Former Australia flanker Rocky Elsom has been sentenced to two years in prison after a French court found him guilty of misusing […]

Six Nations: Rampant England find new ways to impress against Wales

16 March 2025 0 comments

By Nick Cain Wales …………………………….14pts Tries: B Thomas 31, 77 Conversions: Anscombe 32, J Evans 77 Tries: Itoje 3, Roebuck 10, Freeman 34, Cunningham-South 38, […]

England’s three-card trick comes up trumps in Six Nations finale

16 March 2025 0 comments

Paul Rees England have long been advised to use their heads and how they did as they turned what was expected to be a cauldron […]

Wales all washed up with nowhere to go…

16 March 2025 0 comments

By Peter Jackson Every living English Grand Slam captain, from Sir Bill Beaumont to Dylan Hartley via Will Carling and Martin Johnson, shares another common […]

Six Nations: Battling Italy make it tough for Ireland

16 March 2025 0 comments

By Brendan Gallagher Italy ………………………………. 17pts Tries: Ioane 12, Varney 63 Conversions: Allan 13, 65 Penalty: Allan 33 Ireland…………………………. 22pts Tries: Keenan 24, Sheehan 40, […]

That was closer than it should have been, admits Simon Easterby

16 March 2025 0 comments

Ireland head coach Simon Easterby was pleased to sign off with another bonus but said it was closer than it should have been. “There’s a […]

U20s Six Nations: Opening blitz gives Italians vital edge over Ireland

16 March 2025 0 comments

By Ben Jaycock Italy ……………….. 15pts Tries: Drago 7, Caiolo-Serra 12 Conversion: Celi 13 Penalty: Celi 2 Ireland…………… 12pts Tries: Walker 47, Wood 62 Conversion: […]

U20s Six Nations: Tempers flare as England fail to get better of dogged Wales

16 March 2025 0 comments

By George Wellbelove Wales …………………………. 23pts Tries: Emanuel 34, Rees-Weldon 41 Conversions: Wilde 34, 42 Penalties: Wilde 18, 30, 69 England ……………………….13pts Try: McEachran 2 […]

U20s Six Nations: France take title after Scotland push them all the way

16 March 2025 0 comments

By Ethan Bents France……………… 45pts Tries: Daunivucu 1, Akrab 12, Tilloles 19, Cowie 22, Echegaray 33, 45 Cotarmanac’h 58 Conversions: Cotarmanac’h 1, 12, 23, 34, […]

U20s Six Nations: Defeat has fuelled World Cup desire for England

16 March 2025 0 comments

Tom Burrow – England U20 Captain We’re all pretty gutted, that’s the biggest loss a lot of us have had to take in our careers […]

Northampton Saints boss calls for salary cap to be lowered

16 March 2025 0 comments

Northampton Saints chief executive Julia Chapman says the Premiership’s salary cap must be lowered again if the game is to become profitable. The cap – […]

Fans wil get chance to invest in London Irish

16 March 2025 0 comments

By Sam Jackson London Irish plan to return to competitive rugby under a fan ownership model in September 2026 – ruling them out of the […]

Gareth Anscombe eyes 2027 World Cup

16 March 2025 0 comments

Wales fly-half Gareth Anscombe wants to play at the 2027 World Cup having returned to the side during this year’s Six Nations. Former head coach […]

PWR Final Preview: Sean Lynn’s hoping for fantastic farewell with Gloucester-Hartpury

16 March 2025 0 comments

By Ben Jaycock Gloucester–Hartpury have the chance to send boss Sean Lynn off with a perfect farewell as they chase an unprecedented hat-trick of consecutive […]

Oscar Jegou shows the All Blacks how it’s done

16 March 2025 0 comments

By Chris Hewett – Thinking Allowed All the talk down New Zealand way is of “Succession”. No, they haven’t made a unilateral declaration of insubordination […]

Let me tell you a secret (…but keep it quiet)

16 March 2025 0 comments

HISTORIC! Momentous! Unique! Extraordinary! You know it’s a British and Irish Lions year when the word “extraordinary” fails to secure a place on the podium […]

Rob Farrar: Ealing Trailfinders can take on the best

16 March 2025 0 comments

By Mark Stevens Ealing Trailfinders captain Rob Farrar believes his side have what it takes to compete with the very best in English rugby having […]

Waisea Nayacalevu hits the right notes as he prepares for battle with Ospreys

16 March 2025 0 comments

By Simon Thomas Waisea Nayacalevu is yet to play for the Ospreys, but the Fiji captain has already made his presence felt with his new […]

British and Irish Lions’ support team keeps on growing

16 March 2025 0 comments

By Peter Jackson – The man truly in the know The 1974 Lions took off from Heathrow with a management team of two. No specialist […]

Rassie Erasmus still has faith in Deon Fourie

16 March 2025 0 comments

Deon Fourie began the week back on Springbok duty, at 38 going on 39 still refusing to abandon hope of socking it to Father Time […]

Final laps for the Premiership wacky races

16 March 2025 0 comments

Paul Rees says that player welfare is taking a back seat as the Premiership prepares to resume this weekend So much for player welfare. Six […]

If you lose all five in the Six Nations, then you should be bottom

16 March 2025 0 comments

The Six Nations eventually acted when it was pointed out that a team could win the Grand Slam but not the title. Five victories without […]

Time to talk about the 1995 you-know-what

16 March 2025 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER IT’S ODD how some Grand Slams get lost in the mists of […]

No Grand Slam is good for the British and Irish Lions

16 March 2025 0 comments

No Grand Slam for anybody this year … but that might be a decent omen for the Lions. In the last 50 years there have […]

Sorry, Benhard, but stick with the Springboks

16 March 2025 0 comments

I WISH Benhard Janse van Rensburg no ill, in fact I thoroughly enjoy watching him play for Bristol and I admire his retro mullet, but […]

Scotland Women’s Six Nations Preview: Bryan Easson’s impressed by strength in depth

16 March 2025 0 comments

Scotland Preview Scotland head coach Bryan Easson believes for the first time he’s been awarded the luxury of leaving good players out of his squad […]

Ireland Women’s Six Nations Preview: Celtic Challenge stars get chance

16 March 2025 0 comments

Ireland Preview Having taken notable scalps in 2024, a much-improved Ireland go into this year’s tournament without talismanic skipper Sam Monaghan. The Gloucester-Hartpury PWR winner, […]

Women’s Six Nations: Red Roses want to make it seven in a row – John Mitchell

16 March 2025 0 comments

England Preview England head coach John Mitchell has had to prepare for his title defence without players in the PWR final. Mitchell called up 12 […]

Wales Women Six Nations Preview: Sean Lynn plans to bring calm to troubled waters

16 March 2025 0 comments

Wales Preview Sean Lynn’s first week in charge of Wales sees him instantly thrown into the coalface as his side take on Scotland amidst controversy […]

France Women Six Nations Preview: Manae Feleu – We just need to get back to basics

16 March 2025 0 comments

France Preview France will be desperate to end England’s grip on the Six Nations and win a first Championship since 2018. Last year’s runners-up, who […]

Italy Women Six Nations Preview: Fabio Roselli excited as she gets ready for debut

16 March 2025 0 comments

Italy Preview Fabio Roselli takes charge for the first time next weekend as her Italy side visit serial winners England. Roselli took over at the […]

Strength in numbers is proving key for Plymouth Albion

16 March 2025 0 comments

By Ciara Fearn Plymouth Albion captain Jack Oulton believes his side has what it takes to challenge for promotion this season, with squad depth and […]

Samir feeling the love as Bury backs Algeria dream

16 March 2025 0 comments

By CHRIS COLLYER Looking forward: Samir Kharbouch BURY St Edmunds inside centre Samir Kharbouch’s passion and abilities are not limited to the rugby field; they […]

Russell keeping it positive for struggling Port

16 March 2025 0 comments

By TOM KELLY SITTING bottom of the table can be tough, but Devonport Services head coach Ben Russell is trying to reflect on the positives […]

Loughborough take title in their stride

16 March 2025 0 comments

By TOM JEFFREYS LOUGHBOROUGH hammered Swansea to reclaim the BUCS Super Rugby title, despite intense pressure from Hartpury. It was one of the most thrilling […]

Hawkins signs for Scarlets

16 March 2025 0 comments

JOE Hawkins will be able to resume his Test career after signing for Scarlets from Exeter. The 22-year-old Wales centre, who can also play at […]

England’s defence too good for Italy

16 March 2025 0 comments

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME Out on his own: Marcus Smith breaks clear to score England’s fourth try against Italy PICTURES: […]

Liam Belcher: Cardiff are heading in the right direction

16 March 2025 0 comments

By Simon Thomas By his own admission, it’s been a nightmare season for Liam Belcher so far, but now the Cardiff skipper is looking to […]

Dom Waldouck – You need a clear sense of purpose

16 March 2025 0 comments

Steve Hill talks to Dom Waldouck, the defence coach at Gloucester Rugby Tell us about your rugby playing career and how you transitioned into coaching. […]

Chiefs are too good for Blues in thriller

16 March 2025 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Hat-trick man: Len Ititau on the attack for Brumbies PICTURES: Getty Images IN a repeat of last season’s final, the Chiefs beat […]

Latest News

Recent Posts

Search