Springboks change eight for New Zealand clash

Heyneke Meyer has made eight changes for South Africa‘s match against the All Blacks this weekend. Of the three changes to...

Melbourne Rebels sign Irish prop Hagan

Super Rugby side Melbourne Rebels have made their second signing of the week by recruiting Irish prop Jamie Hagan. The 28...

My Life in Rugby: John Devereux – Wales dual-code international

I was one of the last crop of players who was capped while still a student at what was then known...

Dream Team: Billy Meakes – Gloucester and former Australia U20s centre

1. Scott Sio – I played with Scott both for Sydney’s Northern Suburbs and Australia U20s. A very good all round...

Rees turns down Worcester to re-sign with Blues

Former Wales captain Matthew Rees will not be signing for Worcester Warriors and has instead agreed a new deal with Cardiff...

Boks made to sweat on Coetzee and Matfield as injury list mounts

The defeated Springboks are waiting on injuries to Marcell Coetzee and Victor Matfield ahead of their clash with New Zealand on...

Melbourne Rebels sign All Black

Former All Black back row Adam Thomson has signed for the Melbourne Rebels for the 2016 Super Rugby campaign. The 33...

Fight to the death will bring best out of Billy Twelvetrees

Billy Twelvetrees insists he is excited rather than daunted by the battle raging around England‘s coveted No.12 jersey as the clock...

Young Gun: Will Allman – England U18s and Northampton openside

Will Allman has already enjoyed two very successful years at U18 level but he is not done yet with a tour...

Peter Jackson’s column: Vernon Pugh was right, we’re playing too many Tests

Fifty years ago, Jack Kyle held the record as the world’s most-capped player with 46 matches for Ireland.  It had taken...

Jeff Probyn’s column: Why do altitude training if it may hinder your speed?

As we approach the Rugby World Cup and hear more and more details of how the teams are preparing, I have...

Versatile Henry Slade is ready to mash the monsters

Henry Slade insists taking on world rugby‘s midfield monsters would not faze him, with the versatile England back saying he would...

Room 101: Tom Catterick – Newcastle fly-half

1. People who say ‘what?’ It gets on my nerves when people say ‘what?’ to every comment you make even though,...

Nick Cain looks at the way Michael Cheika is trying to rebuild the Australian scrum

Australian have traditionally struggled to match South Africa for size and strength, but Michael Cheika is on a mission to change...

Brendan Gallagher’s Rugby Championship preview

In a World Cup year a short sharp Rugby Championship – each of the four teams plays each other just the...

Rugby Championship round 1 teams

New Zealand v Argentina New Zealand: Israel Dagg; Waisake Naholo, Ma’a Nonu, Sonny Bill Williams, Charles Piutau; Daniel Carter, TJ Perenara;...

Flyer Josh Drauniniu on crusade to shake off Dean Ryan rejection

After a season to forget with Worcester Josh Drauniniu returns to London Welsh with one goal, to play rugby again. The...

Calum Clark takes Richie McCaw as his World Cup inspiration

Northampton flanker insists his days of worrying are over and he will let his performances do the talking

20 Questions: Jamie Stevenson – Wasps scrum-half

Started pre-season yet? Yes we did last week. I’m sure it won’t last but I’m very much enjoying it at the...

Yorkshire Carnegie set to face Romania in World Cup warm up game

  As revealed by Jon Newcombe in The Rugby Paper on July 5, Yorkshire Carnegie are set to face the Romania...

Jeremy Guscott’s column: Michael Cheika can bring best out of talented Wallabies

If we know one thing about Australia it’s that they frequently get it right for World Cups. A lot of their...

Nick Cain’s column: Stuart Lancaster’s bubbling cauldron is troubling

There are times when the England selection alchemy seems stacked against players who bring something different to the squad. We had...

Shane Williams’ column: I’m really missing all that freezing and wheezing!

World Cup training camps send a shiver down most players’ spines but I have to admit, I really miss it. It’s...

Six Nations snub made David Strettle decide to go

David Strettle admits his decision to refuse a place in England‘s World Cup training squad might have been different had boss...

My Life in Rugby: Keith Robertson – former Scotland wing

When I began playing, in U19s age group rugby, at Melrose, you had to have boiled white shorts, polished black boots...

Worcester to take on Saracens in pre-season

Worcester will take on Premiership champions Saracens in a pre-season clash on Saturday October 3. Saracens will host the fixture at...

Premiership plans for expansion go on hold

PRL plans to expand and impose a moratorium on promotion and relegation from 2016 are in doubt.

Dream Team: Tyler Hotson – Doncaster and Canada lock

1. Hubert Buydens – The Cow Head as he goes by. This guy always gets over the gain line and rumbles...

Young Gun: Callum Chick – England and Newcastle U18s

Callum Chick started his professional career this week but he has one assignment left as a schoolboy and that is a...

Jeff Probyn’s column: So, is the ‘Old Boys’ Club’ in control of rugby again?

Training camps, past managers views and the World Cup have taken the focus off the biggest decision the game faces in...

England name squad for Denver camp

Stuart Lancaster has named his 45-man England squad that will fly out to Denver tomorrow to continue their World Cup preparations....

Ben Morgan’s reaping rewards of lay-off

Ben Morgan admits he feared for his rugby future before making a Lazarus-like recovery to be included in England‘s World Cup...

Lions announce 2017 tour schedule

The British and Irish Lions have announced the details of their 2017 tour of New Zealand with seven provincial games and...

Room 101: Dave Fairbrother – Fylde back-rower

1. Flies I hate it when a fly touches you out of nowhere and then flies off without you being able...

Botha to lead World XV against South Africa

Bakkies Botha will captain the World XV against South Africa in Cape Town on Saturday. The 35-year-old leads an experienced side...

Brendan Gallagher meets up with Brad Barritt

By my count there are nine players in the current England long squad who could justifiably harbour hopes, albeit some much...

Nick Cain talks to Leicester captain Ed Slater

Ed Slater could be an irresistible catalyst for change. That’s because the Leicester captain’s first two main forays in an England...

Shane Williams’ column: Wales can’t ignore the threat of soccer

Can football overtake rugby union as the national game of Wales? It’s a question I am asking myself more and more...

Matt Kvesic desperate for trip to Denver to show he is the breakdown king

Matt Kvesic accepts he faces a huge battle to break into England‘s World Cup squad ahead of experienced campaigners like Chris...

20 Questions: Tom James – Cardiff Blues and Wales wing

Must be delighted to be back in the Wales camp? Definitely. It’s been five years since my last cap so I’m...

All Blacks overcome Samoa in historic Test

New Zealand had to dig deep to get past a plucky Samoan side overnight but won the historic Test in Apia...

De Villiers named on South Africa bench against World XV

Jean de Villiers will make his return to rugby on Saturday after being named on the bench for South Africa to...

Brendan Gallagher’s feature: A gentle boot-camp and warm-up for the Cup? Tell that to the Marines

The thing about World Cup camps is that the handbrakes come off and, especially among Tier One Nations, the notoriously tight-fisted...

Jeremy Guscott’s column: Treasure this camp, lads – time passes in a blink

The great upside of getting into England training camp early is that the excitement builds from the minute you arrive at...

Nick Cain’s column: Bad referees must pay the price in World Cup

It doesn’t matter if you don’t penalise crooked feeds, or if you stuff up monumentally as a 2015 World Cup referee,...

George Lowe backs Jamie Roberts to hit heights at Harlequins

Harlequins centre George Lowe is desperate to hook-up with new signing Jamie Roberts, whose impending arrival he describes as a “massive...

My life in Rugby: Ben Skirving – former Bristol, Saracens, Bath and England lock

If I was asked to pick a standout moment in my rugby career I’d be hard pushed to name just one,...

EXCLUSIVE: Brian Mujati joins Sale Sharks

by NEIL FISSLER Brian Mujati is heading back to the Premiership to join Sale Sharks. The former Northampton Saints prop has been playing for...

EXCLUSIVE: Rory Clegg off to Glasgow Warriors

By NEIL FISSLER Rory Clegg who is leaving Newcastle Falcons this summer has agreed a deal to move to Scotland and...

Fiji and Canada to prepare for World Cup in Stoop clash

Fiji and Canada will play in a World Cup warm-up match at the Stoop on September 6 it was announced today....