Guy Mercer’s rise from Rec super-fan to star man

Home-grown open side talks to Jon Newcombe about his brilliant start to the season.

Dream Team: Tom Varndell – Wasps and former Leicester wing

1. Matt Mullan – One of the fittest players I’ve ever played with. The ultimate professional on and off the pitch...

Aviva Premiership round 5 highlights

Newcastle 29 Exeter 24 Bath 21 Saracens 11 London Irish 12 Northampton 19 Gloucester 33 Leicester 16 Harlequins 52 London Welsh...

Sale and Newcastle beat Wasps and Exeter

Tom Brady scored a late controversial try as Sale recorded a 25-14 win over Wasps at the AJ Bell Stadium on...

London Scottish and Nottingham claim Championship wins

London Scottish ran in ten tries at the Richmond Athletic Ground to thump Plymouth Albion 64-16 in the Greene King IPA...

David’s back on the Paice as hunt starts to replace injured hooker Tom Youngs

London Irish man is the man to solve England’s hooking dilemma, according to forwards coach Glenn Delaney.

Wasps statement on Coventry move

Wasps today released the following statement regarding the rumoured move to Coventry. It reads: “We understand how frustrating the current uncertainty...

Young Gun: Josh Sharp – Loughborough Students fly-half

For the past three years, Josh Sharp had only one goal – to break into the Saracens first team and become...

Peter Jackson: Richard Webster – Man of Iron with knobbled knees  

After nine operations, Richard Webster’s knees are so shot to bits that he cannot run five metres without seizing up.  The...

Aviva Premiership round 5 teams

Bath v Saracens Bath: Gavin Henson; Semesa Rokoduguni, Jonathan Joseph, Kyle Eastmond, Olly Wodburn; George Ford, Chris Cook; Paul James, Rob...

Greene King IPA Championship round 5 teams

Doncaster v Cornish Pirates Doncaster: Paul Jarvis; Dougie Flockhart, Mat Clark, Bevon Armitage, Tyson Lewis; Jamie Lennard, Tomasi Palu; Richard List,...

Guinness Pro12 round 5 teams

Connacht v Cardiff Blues Connacht: Darragh Leader; Niyi Adeolokun, Robbie Henshaw, Craig Ronaldson, Danie Poolman; Jack Carty, Kieran Marmion; Ronan Loughney,...

London Welsh sign Chris Hala’ufia on loan

London Welsh have signed Scarlets No.8 Chris Hala’ufia on a two-week loan basis. Hala’ufia, 35, joined the Welsh region last summer...

Chiefs’ new Brat pack have eyes on England

Time is running out but buccaneering back rower vows to bust a gut to attract the attention of Stuart Lancaster.

Room 101: Rupert Cooper – Nottingham flanker

1. Queuing I think queuing, whether it’s in traffic or supermarkets, is completely unnecessary and painful. I know we’re supposed to...

20 Questions: Andrew Fenby – London Irish wing

Good to get that first win at Newcastle? It was much needed. Our opening few fixtures are pretty intimidating so to...

Burgess captains England Sevens on Gold Coast

Former Cornish Pirates flanker Phil Burgess will captain England Sevens in the opening leg of the HSBC Sevens World Series on...

Jeremy Guscott: Welcome back Danny Cipriani, you can be the boy again

What we’ve all got to be pleased about as rugby fans is when a player with undoubted talent lets that talent...

Jeff Probyn: Sadly, loyalty seems to be a one-way street for IRB

What price loyalty in rugby? That’s a question that is not as easy to answer as you may think. Back in...

Nick Cain: VCs are for our military heroes not rugby lads 

An essential part of the well-being of any professional (or amateur) sport is having strong and profitable relationships with commercial and...

Danny Cipriani’s high profile for the right reasons says Steve Diamond

Sale boss Steve Diamond tol hold contract talks with star fly-half at the end of next month.

My Life in Rugby: Ian Hunter – former England full-back

When I started playing for England, in 1991/92, I was seen as a big full-back – 6ft 2in and just shy...

Brendan Gallagher and boot camps

It is difficult to be precise about these things but the first whiff of a training camp – or something out...

Nick Cain talks to World Cup winner Neil Back about England’s back-row

Neil Back wants to accentuate the positives for England in the week that the 2015 World Cup countdown began in earnest....

Dream Team: Alex Rieder – Rotherham and former Leeds No.8

1. Mike McDonald – The former Leeds man is the most capped American international for a reason. He is very strong...

Charlie Hodgson: Stephen Myler can put the pressure on Owen Farrell

Farrell could become “one of the greats of the game" but ex-England maestro is tipping Myler to pose the biggest threat...

Corbisiero and Parling out of England internationals

Northampton Saints prop Alex Corbisiero and Leicester Tigers lock Geoff Parling have been rulled out of England‘s internationals next month because...

England coaches sign new deal

Stuart Lancaster and his assistants has signed a new contract with the RFU that will keep him in them in charge...

Andrew Sheridan confirms retirement

As reveled on August 1, Andrew Sheridan today confirmed he has been forced to retire from professional rugby on medical ground....

England U20s announce 2015 Six Nations venues

England U20s will kick off their home 2015 Six Nations campaign at Plymouth Albion RFC against Italy on February 13. The...

Aviva Premiership round 4 highlights

London Welsh 10 Gloucester 46 Saracens 40 Sale Sharks 19 Northampton Saints 31 Bath 24 Leicester Tigers 19 London Irish 22...

Exeter and Wasps claim Sunday wins

Exeter Chiefs claimed their first home win of the season beating Harlequins 36-13 at Sandy park yesterday. A convincing first-half from...

Doncaster and Cornish Pirates secure bonus-point win

Doncaster continued their good start to the season by claiming the derby against the Yorkshire Carnegie 32-23 at Headingley. A penalty...

Ben Kay joins Leicester Tigers board of directors

Leicester Tigers today announced the addition of World Cup winner Ben Kay MBE to the club’s board of directors. After joining...

Versatile Henry Slade can take Toby Flood path to top

Exeter backs coach Ali Hepher believes Slade's ability to play anywhere in the backline can only enhance his Test prospects.

Young Gun: Beno Obano – Bath prop

Beno Obano was a superstar on the school circuit in 2013 when his rampaging runs for Dulwich were feared all over...

Brendan Gallagher: One hundred years on…the Varsity heroes are honoured

It was a Cambridge man, and a half decent rugby player to boot, who famously mused that should he die there...

Aviva Premiership round 4 teams

Exeter v Harlequins Exeter: Phil Dollman; Jack Nowell, Henry Slade, Sam Hill, Matt Jess; Gareth Steenson, Will Chudley; Ben Moon, Jack...

Greene King IPA Championship round 4 teams

Bristol v London Scottish Bristol: Auguy Slowik; Andy Short, Gareth Maule, Ben Mosses, David Lemi; Matthew Morgan, Dwayne Peel (Capt.); Jack...

Guinness Pro12 round 4 teams

Edinburgh v Scarlets Edinburgh: Greig Tonks; Jack Cuthbert, Sam Beard, Andries Strauss, Tim Visser; Tom Heathcote, Sean Kennedy; Alasdair Dickinson, Ross...

New-found grit puts Wasps in contention

Chris Bell insists his side are no longer push-overs with squad capable of slugging it out against the best.

Room 101: Matthew Tait – Leicester full-back

1. Wasting food I get really annoyed when my wife orders online shopping and then five days later half of it...

Nick Cain talks to Stephen Myler – the fly-half driving Northampton’s challenge to retain their Championship

Stephen Myler is the Stuart Lancaster’s most experienced fly-half and, on the evidence of the last six months, offers a mix...

Jeff Probyn: Referee the mark and straight feed and scrums will be fine

Here we are just two weeks into the season and already my old front row partner Brian Moore is banging on...

Rugby Championship preview

Teboho “Oupa” Mohoje makes his first Test start for the Springboks in Cape Town on Saturday against Australia in the fifth...

Aussie Kieran Longbottom pledges his allegiance to England

Playing for England would be an “absolute honour” for Australian prop.

20 Questions: Sam Smith – Worcester winger

First impressions of Worcester? Really enjoying it. Love the club, love the city and I’m getting stuck into the lifestyle. I’m...

Northampton Saints sends condolences to Ghaut family

Northampton Saints today issued the following statement, following the news of Luis Ghaut’s death this week. “Everyone at Northampton Saints –...

Five points deduction for National League Two side

Shelford have been deducted 5 championship points for playing an ineligible player. The offence took place in the opening round of...

Nick Cain: Europe’s suddenly got a lot tougher for the Irish

Soon after Brian O’Driscoll had been revealed as the latest jewel in BT Sport’s ever-expanding crown of former international pundits he...