Woeful was right…

HAVING read Nick Cain’s comments on the England’s performance last Saturday and seeing the ‘player watch’ by Paul Rees, I’ve concluded...

Global ambitions take some planning

Yes: Fiji celebrate victory at Twickenham in 2023 IS the recent announcement that Fiji will play their home games for the...

We just can’t stick with the status quo

WHEN the franchise system for England’s pro clubs is introduced, it will formally reinforce the existing practical gulf between the small...

England can’t take pressure

MY first inclination was not to heap more misery on arguably England’s worst-ever performance last weekend. However amid all the soul...

DREAMTEAM

ROBIN HISLOP, THE EDINBURGH AND FORMER ROTHERHAM TITANS, DONCASTER KNIGHTS, SARACENS AND WASPS PROP, SELECTS THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED...

Chris Hewett: Difficult choices in the game of survival

There is no shortcut to anywhere worth going, as rugby discovered to its acute discomfort following the fumbled embrace of professionalism...

England numbers fall short at No.9

CHRIS HEWETT IT remains perfectly possible that England will beat the French in Paris in the final round of Six Nations...

Ulster have no answer as Ospreys take charge

By ROGER PANTING Ospreys .............21pts Tries: Foley 3, Ratti 68, Kasende 77 Conversions: Walsh 4, 69, 78 Ulster ................. 10pts Tries:...

Edinburgh launch quick fightback to sink Scarlets

By SIMON THOMAS Edinburgh ....... 24pts Tries: Vellacott 30, 49; Bradbury 46, Paterson 69 Conversions: Thompson 31, 47 Scarlets ...........19pts Tries:...

Impressive Cardiff overpower Leinster

By ROGER PANTING Try: Davies 54 Penalty: Sheedy 18 Cardiff ................. 8pts Leinster ............... 7pts Try: McGrath 67 Conversion: Tector 67...

Bulls ………….41 Sharks ……… 12

THE Bulls secured a commanding victory over the Sharks in a one-sided South African derby at Loftus Versfeld to move up...

Lions ………….24 Stormers ….. 10

THE Lions claimed a deserved victory over the Stormers to move up to seventh and strengthen their playoff push. Stormers lost...

Connacht stun leaders Glasgow

By GEORGE LAWRENCE Connacht ........15 Glasgow ......... 10 CONNACHT stunned leaders Glasgow Warriors with a dramatic last-gasp victory at Dexcom Stadium...

Munster forced to work hard by Zebre

By SAM JACKSON Munster ..........21 Zebre ................. 7 MUNSTER returned to winning ways at Thomond Park with a hard-earned victory over...

Ward: It’s a pity there will be no promotion

By GUY WILLIAMS Doncaster ........... 7pts Try: Kerr 79 Conversion: Bunting 79 E Trailfinders ..29pts Tries: Montgomery 5, Jones 15, Gwynn...

Hard-working Blues hang on to move up to second

By JOHN LYON Caldy .................19pts Tries: Tudor 8, Hyde 16, Olyott 56 Conversions: K Wilkinson 8, 16 Bedford ............23pts Tries: Evans,11...

It’s honours even in battle of mudlarks

By OLLY DARCY Hartpury .............. 7pts Try: Gealy 18 Conversion: Bazalgette 18 Richmond ........... 7pts Try: Goffey 3 Conversion: Burrage 3...

‘Long Dog’ makes it hard work for Pirates

By STEVE JACKSON Cambridge .......21pts Tries: Eckersley 5, Penalty 36, Sorrell 58 Conversions: Dawson 6, Thompson 59 C Pirates .......... 49pts...

Davidson has the power to snatch it for Coventry

By BEN WHITE Ampthill ...........36pts Tries: Barton 7, Auvaa 19, Wilson 42, 53; Heslop 67 Conversions: Barton 8, 43, 54, 68...

Parks gives Nottingham extra push in the mud

By CÓILÍN DUFFY Nottingham ......22pts Tries: Rokomoce 6, Cherry 66, Graham 77 Conversions: Parks 66, 77 Penalty: Parks 40 Worcester .............

England U20 full-back James Pater makes an immediate impact for club & country

Paul Eddison catches up with Northampton Saints and England U20 full-back James Pater, who is also playing games for Cambridge.

Peter Jackson: Memories of All Black legend going under the hammer

In the bad old days when too many referees turned a blind eye to all manner of mayhem, Kevin Skinner built...

Only 18 standing in the 6N National

ON a foggy day at Aintree 98 years ago, Tipperary Tim, a horse bred by former Ireland back row forward Jack...

King Cole merry as sole score for Titans leads side

■By DAVID BEDDOWS Rotherham ......33 B Moseley ......... 7 LUKE COLE marked his 100th Rotherham appearance with a try, as the...

Tykes hit Park out to land home win

■By BEN CROPPER Leeds Tykes ..........45 Rosslyn Park .........38 LEEDS TYKES boosted their survival chances, coming out with a one-score win,...

Sea of tries sees Sale on the seven

■By GARETH DANIELS Sale FC.....................47 Dings Crusaders .. 12 SEVEN-TRY Sale FC sailed to a spectacular three-points, leaving Dings Crusaders still...

TJs wrap up points with Kendrick name on drama

■By JOE BARNES TAYLOR Sedgley Park ........28 Tonbridge J ........... 31 TOM KENDRICK’S second-half brace helped Tonbridge Juddians to a nail-biting...

Lavender & Blacks laugh last at Lions

■By ROGER OPIE Clifton ......................54 Leicester Lions ....40 CLIFTON produced eight tries in a breathless encounter, to secure a crucial five-point...

Stortford ramp up their survival fight

■By RICHARD ASHTON Rams ........................ 31 Bishop’s S ...............36 BISHOP’S STORTFORD all but secured their National League 1 survival with a...

Lloyd Williams: Worcester Warriors will still want a place in the Prem

Promotion to the Prem will be scrapped from next season, leaving ambitious clubs like Worcester Warriors desperate to restore their long-term...

Paul Rees’ Six Nations 2026 analysis – Nothing beyond liberated France

France may be out in front in the race for the Six Nations crown, but the championship has had enough twists...

Only fight will do for Ionians in tight-end for Otley

■By BRIAN NORMAN Hull Ionians.....29 Otley...................27 HULL IONIANS were forced to work for their bonus-point win, against an Otley side pushing...

Tyne turn Hull on side as hosts sink

■By RICHARD GORE Hull............................25 Tynedale.................35 HULL’S BLISTERING start was overturned by visitors Tynedale, in a contest which was truly turned on...

Sheff half-century unrolls thrifty Bills

■By MIKE BROWN Billingham................ 7 Sheffield..................52 FORM side Sheffield underlined their title credentials with a dominant eight-try win at Billingham. The...

Gilliland grows on Fylde in three-flowing fill of tries

■By WILL JUDD Touchdown: Adam Lanigan scores for Fylde and, right, Oli Riddiough on the attack for Wharfedale PICTURES: Mike Inkley...

Magician Freeman tricks Mowden as Browne stars

■By LOUIS JEFFERSON Preston G.................66 Darlington MP........26 SAM FREEMAN pulled the strings for Preston Grasshoppers, as Jacob Browne’s hat-trick display helped...

Secret Dale bond suits Rogers more

By HARVEY ALLEN Rossendale ............29 Sheffield Tigers ...22 FINN ROGERS’ tally of 19-points helped bottom-placed Rossendale pick up only their fourth...

Macc sparked by Inverdale invitation

By JEAN BULL Macclesfield .........50 Scunthorpe ............ 19 MACCLESFIELD sure entertained their guest, NRL chairman John Inverdale, with a thumping of...

Noah hopes The Club can Sloot for their hopeful stars

By BEN JAYCOCK Ever-present: Blackheath flanker Noah Sloot BLACKHEATH flanker Noah Sloot believes the Club’s new recruits have injected the hunger...

Super-sub Thomas steps up to save Redruth

By AVUYILE SAWULA Barnstaple.......21 Redruth.............21 BARNSTAPLE and Redruth shared the spoils in a highly entertaining Devon derby draw at Potting-ton Road....

Pitcher this! Lymm owe win to James

By KIT DAVIES Exeter Uni................33 Lymm........................42 LYMM emerged victorious after taking control through clinical finishing and consistent goal-kicking. The visitors struck...

Struggling Syston stun their hosts

By WILLIAM BULL Old Redcliffians.... 31 Syston......................38 OLD Redcliffians surrendered a commanding half-time lead as bottom side Syston produced a stunning...

Ruthless Hinckley hailed by coaches

By VICKY MACQUEEN Hinckley............36pts Luctonians.......... 0pts THE was a huge win for Hinckley, which proved defence wins games! The hosts started...

Polledri to the four as Cinderford savour success

By JACK BEARD Cinderford...............47 Chester.....................40 CINDERFORD emerged as victors over Chester in a 13-try thriller. The visitors were first to score...

Camborne stung by shock defeat

By HUW GRIFFIN Hornets ....................40 Camborne ............... 17 LEADERS Camborne headed to Hornets looking to maintain their excellent form this season...

It’s tries aplenty as Titans take spoils

By MIKE JAMOS Taunton Titans ....56 Loughborough S ...29 A 14-TRY bonanza with the Titans scoring nine and the Students five...

Sam James expects Redruth young guns to aim for biggest finish

Redruth inside centre Sam James relishes the challenge of the tightness of the National Two West table and reckons his side’s...

Thomas tees up Raiders for top triumph

By SAMANTHA EMMA Guernsey..........36 Havant...............26 GUERNSEY produced a strong second-half display to secure a 10-point home victory over Havant. The visitors...

Will shows the way for buoyant Barnes

By RICH FENECH Barnes......................47 Westcombe Park..24 WILLIAM NICHOLSON helped inspire Barnes to victory over Westcombe Park. Ewan Murphy stormed through the...

In-form Bury turn on promotion style

By MARK WILKIN-JONES London Welsh........22 Bury St Edmunds..64 BURY St Edmunds are firmly in the promotion hunt after a 10-try demolition...