Nick Cain: Fiji were fab but 7s is a glorious sideshow

Congratulations to Fiji for winning their first medal of any sort at the Olympics, and making it gold by dominating the...

Jeremy Guscott: All Blacks for the title, but Wallabies will come again

This Rugby Championship is the start of a new cycle for the Southern Hemisphere, which leads to Tokyo and the next...

Shane Williams: James Davies proved he is the man for a big occasion

I’m sure I’m not the only person who has been gripped this week by the Olympic Sevens. Any doubts over whether...

Jeff Probyn: Big yes to a Sevens World Cup in between Olympics

As the dust settles on Fiji‘s fantastic Olympic win and World Rugby looks forward to what it believes will be a...

Sam James handed four-year Sale deal

Sam James has become the latest player to pen a four-year deal with Sale Sharks. The 22 year-old, who made his...

Joe Launchbury named Wasps captain

Joe Launchbury has been appointed Wasps captain ahead of the new season. The England lock, who is closing in on a...

Dan Leo’s crusade to improve deal for Pacific Islanders

Dan Leo, founder of Pacific Rugby Players Welfare, reckons the contingent of England players with Island origins will rocket over the...

Greig Tonks to spearhead Irish bid for promotion

London Irish might be down but they are definitely not out and Scotland international Greig Tonks hopes last season’s frustration will...

My Life in Rugby: Craig White – former Lions performance coach

The three years I spent at Wasps, between 2002 and 2005, was an incredible period in my career. Warren Gatland and...

Ground move – London Irish statement

Over the past decade London Irish has been linked with a number of possible stadium developments in London as the club...

Shark Cameron Neild signs four-year deal

Sale Sharks have announced that Cameron Neild has signed a new four-year deal at the club. Neild joined the Sharks academy...

Six Nations will vote on bonus points plan

The Six Nations are planning to introduce bonus points starting next year when England defend their Grand Slam. The first change...

Dream Team: Greig Tonks – London Irish fly-half

1. Alasdair Dickinson – One of the hardest working players I’ve come across and he always delivers whether that’s for Edinburgh...

Pumas centre heading to Franklin’s Gardens

Northampton Saints have confirmed the signing of Juan Pablo Estelles. The 28-year-old Argentina international centre will arrive at Franklin’s Gardens ahead...

Scarlets Statement on behalf of Llanelli RFC

Llanelli RFC, in conjunction with Scarlets Rugby, can today confirm that a decision has been undertaken to convert Llanelli Rugby Club...

Q&A with Saracens backs coach Kevin Sorrell

Kevin Sorrell joined Saracens as a player in 1995 and has been their backs coach since 2012. He tells NEALE HARVEY...

Young Gun: Elias Caven – Bristol wing

Elias Caven spent the end of last season in New Zealand but the flying wing is now back in Bristol ready...

Peter Jackson column: Star-finder Paul Turner can give Wales fresh hope

England’s 45-man training squad this weekend included ten born in the Southern Hemisphere – four in New Zealand, three in Australia,...

Shane Williams column: Steve Tandy and his Ospreys need to get a fast start

We are just a month away from the start of the new Guinness Pro 12 season and one side I expect...

Jeff Probyn: Academy rejects must have a Championship bolthole

As usual, the letters to The Rugby Paper bring up some interesting points that would otherwise be missed and Jeff Gage...

Geordan Murphy: Tigers glad to aid England but the club is first and foremost

Geordan Murphy reckons the selection of seven Leicester players in Eddie Jones’s new 45-man squad nails the myth that his club...

Rory Bartle benefitting from staying English qualified

London Scottish flanker Rory Bartle describes snubbing Wales‘ U20s as “a decision I had to make” as he ramps up his...

Room 101: Jonny Coser – Harrogate flanker

1. Weather moaners This summer’s interchangeable weather has brought out all the people who moan about the weather in their droves....

Brendan Gallagher remembers the 1908 Lions who halted the rise of Rugby League

The 1908 ‘Lions‘ tour of New Zealand was, at first glance, a miserable failure with humiliating drubbings in two of the...

Nick Cain column: Feed the Championship before it dies of neglect

There are very few players in the England squad who have not benefitted from the time they have spent with a...

Marco Mama’s eyes fixed on England’s No.7 shirt

Marco Mama is on a mission this season to establish himself as Worcester’s premier No.7 and push his case for England...

20 Questions: Tom Price – Scarlets lock

How’s pre-season going? I’ve been back since June 15, earlier than most players because I’m on a bulking programme, so it’s...

Achilles injury rules SBW for nine months

Sonny Bill Williams will be out for nine months after partially rupturing his Achilles playing for New Zealand Sevens at the...

Tom Youngs in? Richard Cockerill must have Eddie Jones’ ear

Tom Youngs was a surprise addition to the Provisional England Elite Player Squad of 45 announced last Monday. That’s because when...

Jeremy Guscott: If Todd Blackadder’s ruthless he can transform Bath

Todd Blackadder arrives at Bath with a great playing pedigree and a good coaching CV, although he has not won much...

All Blacks ramp up Test price to £3m

The All Blacks have demanded an unprecedented price for playing England – 50 per cent of Twickenham’s £6m gate. New Zealand‘s...

Sale sign London Irish hooker

Curtis Langdon has revealed he sees joining Sale Sharks as a stepping-stone to getting first team rugby. The young hooker joined...

Newcastle statement – Zach Kibirige

Newcastle Falcons have welcomed the not-guilty verdict in the  trial of Zach Kibirige. The club have been aware of the allegations...

Ben Pienaar named London Welsh captain

London Welsh have named Ben Pienaar as club captain for the upcoming Championship season. Pienaar, 29, joined the Exiles in 2013...

My Life in Rugby: Martin Cooper – former Moseley and England fly-half

If anyone had told me when I was first starting out at Wolverhampton RFC that I’d get 11 caps for England,...

Team GB women finish fourth at Olympics

Team GB women finished fourth at the Olympics after losing both their semi-final and bronze-medal match on Monday. Simon Middleton’s side...

Premiership 7s win is just the start for Wasps

Christian Wade believes victory in the Singha Premiership Rugby 7s Series is just the start for Wasps this season, as the...

Dream Team: Tom Heathcote – Worcester fly-half

1. Val Rapava-Ruskin – He can do things I never saw others props do and I’m certain once he gets his...

Q&A with Wasps forwards coach Andy Titterrell

Two years ago, you turned to strength and conditioning but now you’re a full-time forwards coach. Why the change of direction?...

Cooper Vuna relishing Sixways link with League buddy Ben Te’o

Worcester fans’ favourite Cooper Vuna reckons the arrival of his old Rugby League buddy Ben Te’o will fire the club’s top...

Young Gun: Ehize Ehizode – Wasps lock

It has been a challenging few weeks for Ehize Ehizode, but the highly-rated lock is settling in at Coventry and is...

Shane Williams column: Answers to this Pro12 predicament lie within

Is the world going mad or are the Pro12 administrators really considering sending players to the United States, South Africa or...

Peter Jackson: Misery in Wales has moulded Steve Hansen

As head coach of the All Blacks, Steve Hansen has lost three Test matches in five years.    In the same position...

Saracens primed to emulate Tigers’ long period of dominance

George Kruis is confident Saracens can create a long-lasting legacy by repeating last season’s heroics to become the first Premiership side...

Introducing the reigning Olympic rugby champions

15. Charles Doe (Stanford University): Basketball was his first love but he quickly took to rugby. Vice-captain in Paris in 1924...

Room 101: Alex Lewington – London Irish wing

1. Early starts This is a controversial one as we’ve just started a new programme at London Irish which means we...

McConnochie replaces Davis in Team GB Sevens squad

Alex Davis has been ruled out of the Rio Olympics following an injury to his right ankle and will be replaced...

Brendan Gallagher catches up with Italy boss Conor O’Shea

Conor O’Shea has been moving house this week and barring ferry delays, French customs getting moody and removal vans getting lost...

Jeff Probyn column: Rugby as a whole won’t benefit from this new deal

With the RFU and the Premiership congratulating themselves on reaching an eye-watering £200 million plus funding agreement, there are some voices...

Wasps confirm signing of Willie Le Roux

As revealed by Neil Fissler last Sunday, Wasps have bolstered their already impressive squad by the addition of Springboks full-back Willie...