Mike Blair keen to make his mark in Premiership

Mike Blair is counting down the days until he samples Premiership rugby at first hand for the first time with Newcastle....

Young Gun: Scott Steele – Leicester scrum-half

It’s never easy to make your breakthrough at Leicester Tigers – just ask Billy Twelvetrees – but in Ben Youngs, scrum-half...

Brendan Gallagher meets the modest architect of Wasps greatness

Rob Smith never sought the limelight as a player, coach or indeed guru to some of England‘s most promising youngsters, so...

Paul Sackey joins Harlequins

Harlequins announced today that Paul Sackey has joined the club as injury dispensation cover for Ross Chisholm who tore his anterior cruciate...

No frills as Dave Attwood batters his way back

Stuart Lancaster is regarded as a coach of considerable subtlety, but his advice to the recalled Dave Attwood has no frills:...

20 Questions: Will Fraser – Saracens flanker

Been anywhere nice this summer? No, I was in the physio room every day after having surgery on my latissimus dorsi...

Quins name World Club 7s squad

Harlequins have announced their squad ahead of the inaugural World Club 7s at Twickenham Stadium this weekend. The 2011 Premiership champions...

Nine or ten? Northampton Saints can count on me, says Kahn Fotuali’i

Northampton new boy Kahn Fotuali’i admits he will not be the fly-half that Saints fans have craved ever since Carlos Spencer’s...

My Life in Rugby: Leon Lloyd – former Leicester, Gloucester & England back

I got my first England cap in 2000 in Pretoria against South Africa.  At the start of the tour I was...

Gloucester announce squad for World Club 7s

Gloucester Rugby have kept faith with the young squad that secured silverware in the J P Morgan Premiership Sevens and have...

French giants can lure Adam Jones with £350k

Toulouse and Clermont will head the queue in response to Adam Jones declaring his interest in moving to France at the...

Canterbury launches a ‘boot for every position’

Leading international rugby brand Canterbury has unveiled a new boot range ahead of the 2013-14 season. Channelling the experience that comes...

Man behind the Match: Wilkinson comes back – with a record of course!

It was like he had never been away. Exactly 1,148 days since his last England appearance – you might remember that...

Dream Team: Rory Jenkins – former Quins, Wasps & England flanker

1. Jason Leonard – You can’t beat a rock like him on and off the pitch. He is a larger-than-life character...

Moment in Time: Day it all came right for the Cherry and Whites

Whether they like it or not, Gloucester‘s 2002-3 campaign will always be defined by two stunning defeats: the 6-33 reverse at...

Quade Cooper recalled by Wallabies

Quade Cooper will make his return to Test rugby after being named in Ewen McKenzie’s 30-man squad for the Rugby Championship....

Peter Jackson: Kohn’s time turns out to be tweet and short

A new contender has emerged for the shortest international career on record, one whose claims had been lost amid the substitution...

Jeff Probyn: Merv…the O’Driscoll axe lacked respect

I had to laugh when I read the comments posted by ‘Merv’ following my article about Brian O’ Driscoll being left...

Mike Forshaw talks tough to Danny Cipriani and Co

As a Rugby League international as well as former Iron Man competitor, Sale‘s new defence coach Mike Forshaw is clearly not...

Nick Cain: Sevens title could be fool’s gold in Brazil

The suggestion that Sonny Bill Williams and Benji Marshall, two of Rugby League’s biggest stars, could be chasing Sevens gold for...

Alex Corbisiero: I had to leave London Irish to achieve my goals

George North will light up the Premiership with Northampton Saints this season, according to Lions colleague Alex Corbisiero. The pair clock...

Rory Lawson retires

Newcastle Falcons scrum-half Rory Lawson is to retire from professional rugby on medical advice The 32-year-old Scotland international, who joined the...

Jeremy Guscott: Lancaster must take England brake off

Stuart Lancaster has real talent to work with and develop, judging by his EPS selection this week, but the big question...

Nick Cain gives his expert assessment of England’s latest elite squads

Stuart Lancaster‘s EPS selection for the new season reveals that England have just a single option in one of the most...

Tim Stimpson rates the new Matthew Tait No.1 at 15

He’s back in the England fold after a three-year absence and it should be just a matter of time before Mathew...

Squads for JP Morgan’s 7s finals announced

Leicester, Gloucester, Worcester, Newcastle and Harlequins have announced their squad for the JP Morgan Sevens finals at the Rec on Friday....

Premiership clubs link up with USA giants of grid-iron

England‘s Premiership clubs have opened talks with four American football franchises over a ground-breaking trans- Atlantic venture. In an ambitious attempt...

Room 101: Ollie Thomas – Moseley utility back

1. Diving/play acting in football Don’t get me wrong I love watching football, although I’m more of an armchair fan than...

Young Gun: Will Bigley – London Wasps prop

He may not be a Wasps regular just yet, but with the tutorage of a former All Black captain 21-year-old Will...

20 Questions: Gordon Rosss – London Welsh player-coach

Been anywhere nice on holiday? Not yet. I got married in June and the fortnight before was pretty manic. We’ve not...

Richard Cockerill fails to get ban reduced

LEICESTER Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill has failed to reduce his nine-game suspension at a Rugby Football Union disciplinary hearing. But...

John Plumtree named Ireland forwards coach

IRELAND have appointed John Plumtree as their new forwards coach, with the Kiwi starting work in September. Plumtree has been Natal...

My Life in Rugby: Nnamdi Ezulike – former Leicester, London Irish, Worcester and England Sevens wing

Rugby was just one of the sports I was interested in and to be honest when I started out at Leicester...

Man behind the match: Prince of Pace ensured England wore the crown

There are just five days to go before England are due to step foot in Murrayfield for the first ever Rugby...

Moment in Time: Elvis is the hero as Bath battle back to avoid drop

Ten years ago, Bath Rugby stood on the precipice. A hostile takeover bid from Bristol owner Malcolm Pearce had driven supporters...

Dream Team: Gordon Bulloch – former Scotland and Lions hooker

1. Tom Smith – Underrated because of his size, but Tom was a very powerful scrummager. He was very quiet but...

No frills on Jon Mills as he swims with the Sale Sharks

In his heart he’ll always be a Dragon, but Jon Mills is now prepared to do whatever it takes to stoke...

Young Gun: Zach Kibirige – Newcastle winger

The Newcastle production line appears to have hit the buffers in recent years but with the Falcons ready to unleash flyer...

Jeff Probyn: Axed Pollock pays price for Lions’ lack of Plan B

It may be over and finished but the Lions tour is still reverberating throughout the game – and not in a...

Peter Jackson: World Cup is a fitting finale for Hair Bear

PeOnly one prop has lasted long enough to win four Grand Slams – Jason Leonard over a period spanning the last...

‘Nerd’ Dom Barrow has passion to learn with Newcastle Falcons

He might have been one of the most sought-after players in the Championship but Newcastle Falcons new boy Dom Barrow is...

Stuart Lancaster must dare to dream, says Brian Ashton

Brian Ashton hopes that England‘s new-found attacking style will be no passing ‘fad’. A young England team destroyed Argentina with some...

Room 101: Will Skinner – former Harlequins flanker

1. Lazy trolley operators I really can’t stand people who can’t be bothered to put supermarket shopping trolleys away properly after...

Nick Cain looks ahead to the 2015 World Cup showdown between England, Wales and Australia

We are six months closer to the 2015 World Cup Pool of Pain, and the Lions victory over Australia provides a...

Mike Catt input can steer me to top says Luther Burrell

Luther Burrell racked up a Premiership final appearance and an England debut in his first season with Northampton – but the...

20 Questions: Chris Pennell – Worcester full-back

Been anywhere decent on holiday? My wife, Jo, and I went for a week in Crete, which was lovely. We stayed...

Nick Cain: North star needs help to twinkle for Saints

When it comes to buying marquee players for the new season no one in the Premiership has done a better job...

Jeremy Guscott: Time for Lancaster to get ruthless with selection

Stuart Lancaster must know by now that the biggest job he has as England head coach is selection. England are two...

Why Charlie Sharples may be on fast-track for recall

England discard Charlie Sharples has put the pain of rejection behind him and wants to prove the selectors wrong by starring...

My Life in Rugby: Dan Hipkiss – former England, Bath and Leicester centre

Scoring the winning try for Leicester in the 2010 Premiership final is something I will never forget – you just see...