Bath claim Amlin top seed and teams

Bath will go into the Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-finals as the top seed following their 54-13 demolition of Bordeaux-Begles at The...

Owen Williams ready to fight for Toby Flood’s No.10 shirt

Freddie Burns’ expected arrival at Welford Road has Tigers fans purring but he should not expect to walk into the No.10...

Room 101: David Rose – Aviva Premiership referee

1. Pundits Whatever the sport I get annoyed when so-called “experts” try to be clever by using slow motion replays to...

VIDEO: Know your Bro with Danny Care & Nick Evans

In the lead up to the Heineken Rugby Show hosted at The Cabbage Patch in Twickenham on Monday, former England captain...

Jeff Probyn: Just 20 games to go for Stuart Lancaster to get it right

With last week’s additions to the Elite Player Squad, Stuart Lancaster gets his one and only chance to choose the players...

Nick Cain: It’s not all tickety-boo as debenture holders revolt

Imagine paying £7,000 for a debenture seat which is meant to guarantee you the right to buy a face-value ticket for...

Sean O’Brien agrees to stay with Leinster

Sean O’Brien has decided to stay on with three-times Heineken Cup winners Leinster rejecting an offer from the current European Champions...

Boy George Ford will man-up for England says Peter Stringer

Stuart Lancaster has challenged George Ford to show he can handle the international stage – but the Bath prodigy has already...

20 Questions: Charlie Mulchrone – Rotherham scrum-half

Rotherham flying high… must be enjoying it? Absolutely loving it! We’ve exceeded expectation a bit, we are enjoying each other’s company...

Nick Cain takes a look at Stuart Lancaster’s Six Nations squads and likes what he sees

If England can show the sort of staying power that Stuart Lancaster demonstrated at Twickenham last Thursday then it will hold...

Top14 sign new €355M TV deal

The Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) has announced a new exclusive five-year deal with broadcaster Canal+ for the Top 14 TV...

Sale confirm Henry Thomas and James Gaskell departures

As revealed by Neil Fissler in The Rugby Paper on December 22, Henry Thomas and James Gaskell will leave Sale at...

Now David Moffett flies back ‘to end war’ in Wales

David Moffett launches his one-man crusade to save Welsh rugby this week with a mighty declaration of intent: “I will end...

Wales call on experience for Six Nations

Wales Head Coach Warren Gatland has named an experienced 32-man squad to defend their 6 Nations title. Led by British &...

My Life in Rugby: Phil Christophers – former Bristol, Brive and England wing

After spending a year away from rugby I realised I didn’t want to finish my career on injuries. It was definitely...

No excuses for failure at Warriors blasts Richard Hill

Worcester should be achieving far better results than they have managed under Dean Ryan, says former Sixways boss Richard Hill.

Gloucester confirm Freddie Burns’ exit

Gloucester confirmed today that England fly-half Freddie Burns will leave Kingsholm at the end of the season. It was one of...

Dream Team: Nathan Thomas – former Wales, Bath and Llanelli back row

1. Iestyn Thomas – No frills or nonsense, a great player who would consistently get on with his job and lived...

Young Gun: Cory Hill – NG Dragons lock

As Wales’ brightest talents spark an exodus from the Valleys it’s surprising to see one of their hottest prospects heading the...

Peter Jackson: Let’s spare a thought for Toggie and Tanky

Freddy ‘Tanky’ Turner captained Scotland one hundred years ago, a Liverpudlian by birth who worked in the family printing business and...

Delon Armitage: Toulon will release us for England

Delon Armitage has described England’s refusal to pick France-based players as a “big opportunity missed”, insisting he and brother Steffon are...

Room 101: Dominic Moon – Preston Grasshoppers No.8

1. Bad taste tattoos I’ve got a three-quarter sleeve tattoo and a dodgy one on my ankle from a holiday in...

George Ford called up by England as Toby Flood is dropped

George Ford has been called up by England ahead of the Six Nations as Stuart Lancaster named his new EPS and...

Brendan Gallagher: Georgia on my mind as the cosy club stick together

Lacking a degree in applied mathematics I only look at the IRB world rankings once a year and that is in...

Jeff Probyn: Why I’m backing the WRU in showdown with regions

As if the Greek tragedy of the European Cup was not enough we now have a Welsh suicide pact that seems...

Management team step in to rescue Nottingham

Nottingham has today announced that the club is under new ownership as a management-led team completed the purchase of the club...

British and Irish option is Heineken alternative

A fresh attempt is being made to salvage a substitute tournament from the wreckage of Europe – a revised British and...

20 Questions: Rob Webber – Bath hooker

Good season so far? Really good. Everyone’s working hard and we’ve been getting some good results. We just want to keep...

Dragons sign Lee Byrne and Aled Brew

The Newport-Gwent Dragons‘ desire to become Wales‘ top region has been boosted by the signing of internationals Lee Byrne and Aled...

Nick Cain urges England to look at some new faces in the World Cup build up

The seemingly routine announcement of amendments to the England elite squad on Thursday at Twickenham is the exact opposite. It is...

Jeremy Guscott: Backs must stop game being just about size and power

One of my New Year resolutions for 2014 would be for the backs in all teams bar New Zealand and Australia...

Nick Cain: This Anglo-Welsh decoy shouldn’t be discounted

Is the golden handshake across the Severn, binding the four Welsh regions to the English clubs, the solution it is being...

Brendan Gallagher: RFU Championship clubs face a vital strategy meeting

Later this month the chairmen and owners of the 12 RFU Championship clubs will lock themselves away in a Birmingham Hotel...

Dave Ward wins Gatorade Game Changer award

Dave Ward has been voted December’s Gatorade Game Changer following his man-of-the-match display against Exeter in Big Game 6 at Twickenham...

Championship clubs’ rage over Anglo-Welsh proposals

Championship chair- man Geoff Irvine believes it is highly unlikely the Rugby Football Union will sanction a 16-team Anglo-Welsh league, describing...

My Life in Rugby: Don Caskie – former London Scottish & Gloucester centre and Moseley & Georgia head coach

After my playing career I coached Georgia for the World Cup in New Zealand – an outstanding experience all-round. It is...

IRB scrap “yes nine” scrum call

As revealed by Jon Newcombe in The Rugby Paper on December 29, referees will now use non-verbal communication to indicate to...

Bristol sign Dwayne Peel and Anthony Perenise

Bristol have made two major coups in their quest for promotion from the Championship with the arrival of Sale scrum-half Dwayne...

Agent Tom Beattie recovers from “freak condition”

The end of the year is a busy period for agents as clubs look to build their squad for the following...

WRU ‘will move their top stars to England’

The Welsh Rugby Union is proposing to sign six players and loan them to English clubs as a consequence of the...

Dream Team: Junior Paramore – former Bedford, Gloucester and Samoa No.8

1. Rodrigo Roncero – Roddy is such a committed player, you know you can rely on him. Quiet, but once he’s...

Andy Goode drops Wasps to victory

Andy Goode slotted a monstrous last-gasp drop goal to see London Wasps claim a 19-16 win over Exeter at Adams Park...

Jamie Gibson salvage draw for Leicester

Jamie Gibson scored a try on the last play of the game as Leicester salvaged a 27-27 draw against Bath at...

Young Gun: Sam Olver – Northampton fly-half

Labelled a ‘softie in the backs’ by his dad, a former England hooker, Northampton Saints fly-half Sam Olver is already plotting...

Worcester sign Andries Pretorius

Worcester Warriors have signed Wales international Andries Pretorius ahead of next season. The Cardiff Blues No.8, who has two caps, joins...

Aviva Premiership round 12 teams

Gloucester v Saracens Gloucester: Rob Cook; Charlie Sharples, Mike Tindall, Billy Twelvetrees (Capt.), Jonny May; Freddie Burns, Jimmy Cowan; Nick Wood, Huia...

Peter Jackson: Cliff was out of this world, but Barry was untouchable!

New Year gongs will be all the rage all too soon, a good enough excuse to enter the festive spirit and...

Jeff Probyn: Why didn’t BT deal with the other leagues as well?

As the European row still rumbles along with a myriad of possible outcomes, it’s time to reflect on what started it....

RaboDirect Pro12 round 12 teams

Connacht v Leinster Connacht: Darragh Leader; Fionn Carr, Robbie Henshaw, Eoin Griffin, Matt Healy; Jack Carty, Kieran Marmion; Brett Wilkinson, Jason Harris-Wright,...

Greene King IPA Championship round 12 teams

Greene King IPA Championship round 13 Jersey v London Welsh Jersey: Jack Burroughs; Grant Pointer, Drew Locke, David Bishop, Mark Foster; Niall...