Premiership round 7: preview and predictions

Premiership round 7: preview and predictions Bath v Exeter Bath will be looking to push on from their last-gasp win over...

RaboDirect Pro12 round 7: preview and predictions

Dragons v Ulster The Dragons have only made two changes from the side that lost to Bayonne last week. Adam Jones...

My Life in Rugby: Matt Perry – former Bath, England and Lions full-back

I squeezed every last drop out of my body for England which is probably why I played my last international match...

14 weeks suspension for Andy Hazell

Gloucester flanker Andy Hazell has been suspended for 14 weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing in Dublin today. Hazell was shown...

Lions greatest XV: No.8

The position in the middle of the back row is tactically one of the most influential on the pitch, because the...

Peter Jackson: Davies still pitches in to help his village club

John Davies put his neck into more than a thousand scrums over the course of 17 seasons and survived with nothing...

Saracens Mako Vunipola gets England call

Mako Vunipola and Tom Youngs are set to earn their first Test cap after the duo was named in the 32-man...

Jet-setter Francois Louw enjoys a happy landing at Bath

Francois Louw admits he’s feeling the strain of racking up as many air miles as dadedevil skydiver Felix Baumgartner going between...

Dream Team: Tyson Keats – London Welsh and former Crusaders scrum-half

1. Jason Ryan – I know Jason from Canterbury back in New Zealand. Technically perfect and very strong – he  is...

‘Brilliant’ Bedford Blues have Newcastle Falcons in their sights

James Pritchard believes Bedford can do the Championship a favour and knock leaders Newcastle off their perch, when the Falcons visit...

Jeff Probyn: Lack of rugby stadiums means shortage of legacy

The announcement of the cut down list of potential venues for the Rugby World Cup has cast a worrying shadow over...

Redruth move fast in race abuse row

The RFU have praised Redruth’s handling of an incident of suspected racial abuse which involved a visiting black player being  jeered...

Booming attendances for Premiership

Premiership Rugby revealed today that there has been a 14.2% rise in attendances year-on-year to an average of 11,950 over the...

Warriors land Crusaders flyer

Glasgow Warriors have today pulled off another major signing coup, landing Canterbury Crusaders flyer Sean Maitland, subject to medical and visa....

Stephen Jones set for golden thankyou from Wales

Stephen Jones is to be granted a testimonial by the Welsh Rugby Union in recognition of his status as their most-capped...

Bedford Blues’ attacking style pays off for Ben Ransom

Ben Ransom says there is no better place to be than Bedford Blues as he awaits his Saracens first-team chance. Full-back...

Dussautoir blow for France

France have been dealt a huge blow as captain Thierry Dusautoir will miss the November Test series with a knee injury....

Tigers roar again with superb win over Ospreys

Three tries in a frantic last ten minutes helped Leicester to a crucial 39-22 bonus-point win over the Ospreys at Welford...

Room 101: Nick Mullins – ESPN lead commentator

1. The man who abolished proper tours We all know why good, old-fashioned tours became the kind of historical footnotes you...

Jonny’s boots hand Toulon vital away win in Cardiff

A second half try from Steffon Armitage and a kicking lesson from Jonny Wilkinson helped Toulon to their second win in...

Nick Cain looks at the TV sub-plot beneath this season’s Heineken Cup

If the English clubs want clout when it comes to the future of the European Cup, as in bargaining power, then...

Young Gun: Scott Wilson – Newcastle Prop

When London 2012 Olympian Lawrence Okoye hit the headlines for opting to remain in the discus circle rather than a rugby...

Jeremy Guscott: The Toulouse test will show Tigers where they stand

There’s been a lot of talk about the BT Vision contract signed by the Premiership clubs, and a potential English and...

Patient Ulster get the goods in rainy Glasgow

A second half try from flanker Chris Henry helped Ulster to a 19-8 win over Glasgow to put the Irish in...

20 Questions: Nick Abendanon – Bath full-back

Pleased with your form this season? Pretty pleased. Coming off the back of scoring a hat-trick for England‘s mid- week side...

“It will be hard but we’re a different team now,” – Chris Robshaw

Tomorrow, Harlequins are travelling back to Galway to face Connacht, the exact same place their dream of reaching the Heineken Cup...

Heineken Cup round 2: preview and predictions

Pool 1 Munster v Edinburgh Munster will be disappointed they did not close the game out last Racing Metro last week,...

Amlin Challenge Cup round 2: preview and predictions

Dragons v Bayonne Tonderai Chavhanga returns for the Dragons as they face Bayonne following their defeat at Wasps last week. The...

“We can’t afford to go backwards now, “ – Sailosi Tagicakibau

London Irish will look to build on their bonus point win over Bordeaux-Begles last week when they take on Mont de...

Nick Cain: Jonny for the Lions? His form says Yes

Jonny Wilkinson’s statement this week that  there’s no way he could say no to an invitation to be part of the...

Geordan Murphy is still the role model for Leicester’s Niall Morris

Niall Morris has no doubt about his place in the full-back pecking order at Leicester: ‘Geordan Murphy is still  Number One.’...

Gloucester get the five points but worry over injuries

Four first half tries handed Gloucester a 25-13 bonus-point win over Bordeaux-Begles at Kingsholm tonight. However, the game may be costly...

My Life in Rugby: Tom Voyce – former Wasps, Gloucester and England wing

I played a lot of finals at Wasps but the game that I remember most vividly was when we beat Munster...

Mealamu to get 100th All Black cap

New Zealand hooker Keven Mealamu will become the third All Black to win 100 Test caps as New Zealand travel to...

Peter Jackson: Be positive Danny, and learn from Mad Dog

Danny Lydiate may have spent most of the week in hospital but he is still a long way from matching the...

“Let’s keep the momentum before the Premiership resumes,” – Jim Hamilton

Gloucester host Bordeaux-Begles tonight in a bid to keep the pressure on London Irish at the top of their Amlin Cup...

Missile Joe Launchbury is for lift-off, says Wasps head coach Dai Young

Joe Launchbury is not one for the future, according to Wasps chief Dai Young, because the flanker-cum-lock has arrived already! Young,...

Neck injury forces Richard Birkett to retire

London Wasps lock Richard Birkett has been forced to retire from rugby as a result of a neck injury. The 33-year-old,...

Dream Team: Will Green – Former Wasps, Leinster and England prop

1. Craig Dowd – I’m picking Craig purely because he can squat while standing on a tennis ball one-legged. He’s amazingly...

Jeff Probyn: Team GB face so many problems on road to Rio

When I first read Clive Woodward’s call for the 2016 Team GB Sevens squad to be playing together for two years...

Rob Cook makes up for lost time with Mike Tindall help at Gloucester

Gloucester full-back Rob Cook has waited a lifetime to get his chance at the top level of elite sport and now...

Andy Hazell cited following Amlin Cup red card

Gloucester flanker Andy Hazell will appear before an ERC disciplinary hearing following the red card he received against Mont de Marsan...

Ospreys signs international front row

The Ospreys have signed Moldovan international front row Dimitri Arhipa in a bid to increase their front row options ahead of...

France call on rising star for November Tests

Philippe Saint-Andre has included Toulouse rising star Gael Fickou in his 33-man squad ahead of the November Test series. 18-year-old Fickou...

Baa-Baas welcome Dean Richards back as coach

Dean Richards has been short-listed for a return to the big stage as coach of the Barbarians. The renowned touring club...

Room 101: Mark Nelson – Fylde head-coach

1. 1996 (the Game going ‘open’) It didn’t take long for me to feel the negative effects of professionalism. Fresh from...

Lions greatest XV: Fergus Slattery (1974) – openside

There is a body of opinion that the role of the openside flanker has changed significantly in the 41 years since...

Nick Cain looks at the lack of back-up for Stuart Lancaster’s penalty takers

When there is enough footage of goal-kickers winning big matches to pave the M4 corridor between Twickenham and the Millennium Stadium,...

Young Gun: Ben Howard – Worcester full-back

Ben Howard has not followed the traditional path into the international ranks having failed to even make a Midlands representative team...

Jeremy Guscott: Sharples injury jinx may give Wade his chance

With Ben Foden’s injury more serious than first thought, Stuart Lancaster has said he will be seeking a back three replacement...