Champions stunned by basement boys

By SAM JACKSON CONNACHT suffered a shock defeat to Zebre in Parma yesterday in what was only the Italians’ second win...

Cardiff ace eyes Wales tour to cap his season

By ALEX BYWATER STEVEN Shingler wants to end his impressive first season with Cardiff Blues by earning a place on Wales’...

Cracked jaw small price to pay for a spot in the cup final!

I GOT a lot of stick for playing for Amman United last weekend, but even though we won, it didn’t all...

Warburton still the pick of captaincy candidates

The clock is ticking in the run up to Warren Gatland’s Lions squad announcement, but for me there’s only one man...

Biggar: Play like last week and we’ll be in trouble

By ALEX BYWATER STAR fly-half Dan Biggar has revealed the Ospreys have had a few home truths spoken as they prepare...

Top 14 high-fliers soft early tries

Rochelle replacement prop Lekso Kaulashvili picked up a yellow card and Edinburgh replacement Duncan Weir kicked the resulting penalty to bring...

Twelvetrees fires reminder to Eddie

By GARY FITZGERALD BILLY Twelvetrees produced the kind of inspired display that helped win him 19 England caps as Gloucester set...

Edinburgh crash out of the race after gifting

By GARY HEATLY EDINBURGHwere left to rue a dreadful start once again as they were bundled out of the Challenge Cup...

’Butcher’ Taulupe brings in the bacon

WITH Lions selection looming, Bath No.8 Taulupe Faletau produced a perfectly timed effort. WITH Lions selection looming, Bath No.8 Taulupe Faletau...

Bath bury humiliation as Faletau roars back like a Lion

By NEALE HARVEY TAULUPE Faletau hammered out a statement to Lions boss Warren Gatland with a man-of-the-match display as Bath exorcised...

Watch out for Retiere

LA ROCHELLE showed in their 32-22 Challenge Cup victory over Edinburgh why they are top of the Top 14. Unlike so...

Maestri could use a history lesson

YOANN Maestri’s £26,000 fine for bringing the game into disrepute after criticising English referee Wayne Barnes for his handling of the...

Solomona is quality, but don’t pick him

THAT Denny Solomona has had a phenomenal start to his Rugby Union career, with 11 tries in 11 matches for Sale...

Rowan relishing chance to realise potential

JACOB Rowan says he owes departed head coach Laurie Fisher a debt of gratitude after ousting Matt Kvesic from Gloucester’s No.7...

’Vunipola gives you go-forward like no other in world rugby’

BEFORE he heads home to Australia, former Gloucester head coach Laurie Fisher has been casting his eye over England’s line-up and...

Cohen comes out fighting in defence of Mauger axe

By NEALE HARVEY LEICESTER chief executive Simon Cohen has defended the sackings of Richard Cockerill and Aaron Mauger, claiming both decisions...

McCall: Don’t let rugby go same way as county cricket

MARK McCall has deep misgivings about the new 11 month season that has been foisted on Northern Hemisphere clubs, and as...

We know it’s going to be physical says pack ace Harley

In the thick of it: Rob Harley of Glasgow tackles Edinburgh’s Damien Hoyland ROB HARLEY has been there and done it...

Mighty Mako can put the frighteners on the Warriors

Nick Cain talks to Saracens prop Mako Vunipola ahead of today’s clash Nick Cain PREVIEW… Saracens v Glasgow Today. Kick-off 1pm....

Halfpenny demands improvement ahead of showdown

By NICK VERDIER Hungry: Leigh Halfpenny LEIGH Halpfenny has urged his teammates to snap out of their travel sickness for the...

Saracens’ success made me sick… now it’s my turn

Neale Harvey talks to Dave Strettle about his quest to emulate his old Sarries mates PREVIEW… Clermont v Toulon Today. Kick-off...

Ryan: We stood up to pack onslaught

STAR man John Ryan admitted the scoreline flattered his team after being made to work hard for the victory. “It was...

French giants no match for runaway Red Army

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Munster 41pts Tries: Ryan 5, Stander 48, Sweetnam 76, Conway 80 Conversions: Bleyendaal 5, 76, 80 Penalties: Bleyendaal...

Wales will veto cut to 6 Nations

WALES will take a stand in Dublin this week against England’s call for the Six Nations schedule to be shortened by...

Frustrated Fisher tells Gloucester to get real

By NEALE HARVEY LAURIE Fisher says Gloucester have a long way to go before they can be considered a powerhouse of...

Young Gun: Dominic Morris – England U20s

Being injured at the start of the season, Dominic Morris would not have expected to have made his Saracens debut, won...

The all new Middlesex 7s festival

The Middlesex 7s Festival is returning to Richmond Athletic Ground Sunday April 30th and this year it promises to be bigger...

Nick Cain: O’Connor had better watch his back at Leicester

The knives are out at Welford Road – again – with Matt O’Connor on his way back in as Leicester‘s head...

Lions watch: scrum-halves

Given the influence that Conor Murray had on the 2013 Lions series victory in Australia, and on Ireland‘s progress since then,...

Jeff Probyn: Stop whinging Rob, you’re ignoring player welfare!

Rob Howley should remember that nobody likes a bad loser as he struggles to justify a poor Six Nations‘ performance by...

Farrell would make a great leader of Lions says Mako

Mako Vunipola reckons ‘world-class’  Owen Farrell would make a fantastic job of captaining the British & Irish Lions in New Zealand...

Super Rugby? I’d rather watch European game, says Mitchell

Former All Blacks coach John Mitchell has bemoaned the demise of Super Rugby and has called on organisers to take a...

Room 101: Paul Privey – Rosslyn Park lock

1. Economy class flights I’m 6ft 5ins and the seats in economy class are never big enough and it costs too...

Shane Williams: Wales backs and pack must get it together

When I look back on Wales‘ Six Nations campaign, my overriding emotion is confusion. How can we play with width and...

Brendan Gallagher: Eurostars who can earn chance to make a late check-in for the Lions

European Cup quarter-final weekend is right up there with the very best rugby weekends of the season but doubly so this...

Peter Jackson: Warren so wrong on Sam’s loss as skipper

Warren Gatland has found the oldest scapegoat under the sun for Sam Warburton losing the Wales captaincy before their worst Six...

Nick Cain picks his English lions as Eddie Jones reaches a watershed

Whichever way you look at it, the manner in which England’s clean sweep and world record was slammed in Dublin was...

Pressure almost led me to suicide admits Leicester star

Leicester scrum-half Jono Kitto is spearheading a campaign aimed at persuading players to open up about mental health issues after revealing...

Tait one of four to pen new Leicester deal

Mathew Tait, Harry Thacker, Harry Wells and Michele Rizzo have all extended their Leicester contracts to stay at Welford road. Tait...

20 Questions: Steve Boden – Yorkshire Carnegie coach

How has your week been up in Leeds? We had a good training with a lot of players coming back to...

Jeremy Guscott: O’Mahony had a hunger England never showed

There are as many questions after the Six Nations as there were before it in terms of selection for the 2017...

Solomona eligible for England and the Lions

Sale Sharks flying winger Denny Solomona is now eligible to play for England after receiving notification from the RFU. Being English-qualified...

Twickenham rout ‘will cost Scots their Lions places’

Former Scotland lock Jim Hamilton fears his countrymen’s 62-21 Six Nations thrashing by England has dashed any hope of significant Lions...

Heem banned for two weeks for challenge on Le Roux

Bryce Heem has received a two-week ban for his challenge in the air on Willie le Roux on Sunday. The Worcester...

REVEALED: Champions Cup semi-final venues

BT Murrayfield in Edinburgh, Dublin’s Aviva Stadium and Franklin’s Gardens in Northampton, as well as three French stadiums – the Allianz...

Lions ban clubs from using their branding

The Lions are not making friends among the broader rugby community as their commercial team prevent other clubs from ‘unofficial’ use...

Bath sign Welsh fly-half

Bath have secured the signing of fly-half Josh Lewis from Ebbw Vale ahead of next season. The 25-year-old’s form in Ebbw...

My Life in Rugby: Scott Hamilton – former All Blacks and Leicetser wing

The main reason I made the All Blacks team in 2006 was because I was in such a great Crusaders team....

Dream Team: Topsy Ojo – London Irish wing

1. Clarke Dermody – It can’t be bad when your prop has hands like a centre as well as being able...

Deano: Yes, put Chris on the plane

RIVAL coaches John Kingston and Dean Richards were united in respectfully suggesting Warren Gatland seriously considers Chris Robshaw for the Lions...