Nick Cain talks to Saracens coach Phil Morrow about the amazing Billy Vunipola

Billy Vunipola is a tank, and at Twickenham two weeks ago London Irish found him virtually unstoppable. The pulverising charges of...

Jeremy Guscott: Referee Poite got it wrong over Du Plessis sending off

The winners of New Zealand versus South Africa were going to be ranked as the No.1 team in the world. For...

A red wave rolls off the Solent to remember Cliff

Towards the end of an inspirational life, Cliff Morgan found himself confronted one day by the question of mortality and his...

My Life in Rugby: Jamie Noon – former Newcastle, Brive and England centre

My defence was always good but my attack was sometimes questioned. But that’s what I did, I was known as a...

BOD named in Joe Schmidt first Ireland squad

Ireland boss Joe Schmidt has included Brian O’Briscoll in his first squad ahead of the Autumn internationals. The 34-year-old veteran is...

FREE Season Guide to the Aviva Premiership & RaboDirect12

The Rugby Paper, the UK’s leading Rugby publication have produced a FREE guide for the start of the upcoming season. To...

Welsh clubs urged: Join Heineken breakaway

The four Welsh regions are being invited to break Celtic ranks and join the Anglo-French plan for a new Europe.

Nick Wood to know his fate tomorrow

Nick Wood will appear in front of a RFU hearing panel tomorrow (Wednesday) following his sending off against Saracens on Sunday....

Dream Team: Leon Lloyd – former Leicester, Gloucester and England centre

1. Graham Rowntree – When I first went to Leicester as a 17-year-old Graham took me under his wing – for...

Young Gun: Ed Hoadley – London Irish scrum-half

There are not many better places to learn your trade as a scrum-half than at London Irish and Ed Hoadley does...

Jeff Probyn: Front rows must discover the lost arts – or perish

I was at Twickenham this week and found myself at a Press conference outlining the new scrum engagement call, along with...

Peter Jackson: Ten years on, Coombs is overnight sensation!

When it comes to recurring rejection in pursuit of a professional career, Andrew Coombs deserves to be out on his own...

Conor O’Shea: Chris Robshaw will see off his England pretenders

Frustrated Quins boss Conor O’Shea has mounted a furious defence of club captain Chris Robshaw and backed him to see off...

Room 101: Andy Goode – Wasps fly-half

1. Wind The first thing I do on the morning of a game is look out of the window to see...

GK IPA Championship round 1: Teams

Cornish Pirates v Bristol Cornish Pirates: C. Holland; J. Tincknell, T. Riley, R. James, M. Evans; K. Hallett, G. Cattle (Capt.);...

RaboDirect Pro12 round 2: Preview

Leinster v Ospreys Leinster: Dave Kearney; Darragh Fanning, Brendan Macken, Gordon D’Arcy, Luke Fitzgerald; Jimmy Gopperth, Eoin Reddan; Jack McGrath, Richardt...

Nick Cain talks to Worcester’s new director of rugby Dean Ryan about the challenges ahead

Dean Ryan is realistic about Worcester’s place in the Premiership pecking order. The Warriors are perched precariously on the lower rungs...

Brendan Gallagher: When Pooler were top dogs, amid the blood, mud and beer

Exactly 30 years ago Pontypool embarked on a season, the likes of which we will never see again in Britain or...

“I had to quit Irish to stay in the picture with England” – Jonathan Joseph

Jonathan Joseph believes any hopes he had of cementing his England spot were on a hiding to nothing as long as...

Tom Varndell out until 2014

Tom Varndell could be out until next year after the London Wasps flyer ruptured his bicep in training yesterday. Last year’s...

Tom Croft out for the rest of the season

Leicester Tigers have been dealt a huge blow as British & Irish Lions Tom Croft will miss the rest of the season...

20 Questions: Matt Thompson – Newcastle hooker

How are Falcons shaping up for the new season? We’re a lot more disciplined. Dean Richards brought in ex-Royal Marine and...

Simon Amor named England Sevens head coach

The RFU today named Simon Amor as the new England Sevens Head Coach. Amor is a former England Sevens captain and...

Nick Cain: Let’s hope England use attack at key word

The pulse always quickens at the start of a new season, and with the Lions’ first triumph for 16 years still...

Jeremy Guscott: McCaw’s a worry…but bring on the Boks. I can’t wait!

We must hope All Blacks coach Steve Hansen is right in his assessment of the injury to his captain Richie McCaw....

Leigh Halfpenny told: Move to France will hurt career

Leigh Halfpenny has been warned about paying ‘a massive price’ for moving to France, even it makes him the highest paid...

ERC meeting to take place in Dublin tomorrow

In a response the statement released by Premiership Rugby earlier today, the ERC has hit back saying the stakeholders are to...

English and French to start discussion over new European competition immediately

In a statement released today, Premiership Rugby confirmed they considered the negotiations over the European Competitions ended and they were to...

My Life in Rugby: Bruce Douglas – Bristol and former Scotland & Worcester prop

They say props peak in their late 20s and early 30s but that was not the case with me. I’m immensely...

Referees in quit threat over RFU’s ‘Big Brother’ plan

Premiership Rugby’s desire to exert increasing influence over referees was behind Ed Morrison’s shock decision to quit his post as head...

Quins v Saints available for all on BT Sports on Friday

TV viewers across the UK will be able to watch this Friday’s top Aviva Premiership Rugby clash between Harlequins and Northampton...

Dream Team: Mark Taylor – former Sale, Scarlets, Wales & Lions centre

1. Gethin Jenkins – Burst onto the scene when I was approaching the end of my career and he’s gone on...

Leicester beat Worcester at Welford Road

Leicester Tigers have began the defence of their Premiership title with a 32-15 bonus-point win over Worcester Warriors at Welford Road.

Great British Bike Ride diary – Day 4

That’s it, 340 of the 350 have been cycled from Land’s End and the riders have made their way back to...

Tickets for Commonwealth Sevens go on sale

Rugby Sevens is one of the Commonwealth Games’ core sports. It’s been a popular inclusion in the programme since it was...

Young Gun: Tom Howe – Wasps and England U18 wing

Wasps wingers are all the rage and their depth of talent doesn’t stop at Christian Wade and Tom Varndell – just...

Nick Cain: My Sevens squad for Rio has no Sevens stars

Imagine a Great Britain Sevens team for Rio 2016 picked, using a similar model to the Lions, from the best rugby...

Brendan Gallagher finds an intriguing cultural exchange occurring at the Stoop

Nick Evans may be on the verge of becoming a British citizen and proud UK passport holder and he has chosen...

Nick Scott backs Justin Burnell to put London Welsh back on top

Justin Burnell’s instant impact as London Welsh rugby director has impressed winger Nick Scott so much that he believes the Exiles...

Great British Bike Ride diary – Day 3

What an eventful day the riders had today! Bar the sun shinning and the stunning views across the New Forest, the...

Room 101: Ian Davies – Cornish Pirates head coach

1. They are LAWS not rules If you speak to any of the players at the Pirates they’ll tell you that...

Jeff Probyn: Why didn’t they consult those who know about the scrum?

With less than a week until the start of the new season we are told that the whole structure of the...

Peter Jackson: Peerless Morgan, a master of all trades

Tony O’Reilly described Cliff Morgan as “the greatest of them all”,  an accolade based on the ketchup king’s appreciation of his...

Henry Thomas got his shot in the dark now he’s ready to shine for Sale

Henry Thomas, as one of the few beacons of light in a dark season for Sale, has been forced to learn...

Great British Bike Ride diary – Day 2

After 100 gruelling miles yesterday on day One of the TNT Great British Bike Ride, we took off from Tavistock at...

20 Questions: Paul Doran-Jones – Harlequins prop

How are you settling in at Quins? I’m really enjoying it. It’s a great environment here, they’re a great bunch of...

Jeremy Guscott previews the 2013-2014 Aviva Premiership season

A new season approaches and I’m really looking forward to a great fight to see who becomes Champions and who avoids...

“I want your Test spot,” Matt Kvesic tells Chris Robshaw

Kvesic excelled on England’s summer tour of Argentina in the openside berth while captain Robshaw was rested – and the 21-year-old...

“… and I’m after your club shirt,” warns Luke Wallace

Luke Wallace has promised to repay Stuart Lancaster‘s faith in him – by ousting England captain Chris Robshaw from the Harlequins...

Great British Bike Ride diary – Day 1

This morning the TNT Great British Bike Ride set off from Land’s as 31 riders raising money for the Wooden Spoon...