Suspected broken cheek bone for Henson

Gavin Henson suffered a suspected broken cheek bone in London Welsh‘s defeat to the Scarlets earlier this afternoon. He was stretched...

Pre-season friendly games results

Most of the teams were playing friendly games a week away from the start of the season. Here are some of...

New Zealand 22 Australia 0

New Zealand have retained the Bledisloe Cup with a convincing 22-0 over the Wallabies in Auckland for the second round of...

Scarlets sign Adriaanse

The Scarlets have finalised contracts with South African tight head prop Jacobie Adriaanse for the next three years adding more strength...

Pre-season friendlies: results

With just a week to go before the start of the season, a string of pre-season friendlies took place tonight. Here...

Saracens Andy Saull working to build same power as Jacques Burger

English rugby has been crying out for a classic openside who can link play in the loose, turn over the ball...

Leicester v Nottingham: teams

Leicester Tigers have announced their squads for tomorrow’s friendly at Welford Road (KO 3pm). New signings Rob Andrew, Richard Thorpe, Pat...

Saints terminate Sharman’s contract

Brett Sharman has been released by Northampton a day after his club announced it would be taking disciplinary action against him...

Scarlets v Welsh: teams

The Scarlets and London Welsh have announced their team for the first ever fixture between the two teams. New signings Kristian Philips...

Gloucester v Doncaster: teams

Gloucester and Doncaster have both named what looks like their strongest side for their final warm-up game before the start of...

Falcons have strength in depth to make a quick return says Glen Delaney

With the honourable exception of Bedford’s Mike Rayer, there is no coach with more experience of English rugby’s second tier than...

Howlett named Munster captain

Munster announced today that Doug Howlett will captain the Irish side for the coming season. The 33-year-old takes over from Paul...

Scotland’s Hogg out for two months

Glasgow Warrior Stuart Hogg is set to be sidelined for up to eight weeks after the Scotland full-back underwent surgery on...

Lions agree to Gatland’s two-week release

British and Irish Lions coach to be Warren Gatland has revealed that he agreed to terms with the Lions and will...

Sanchez replaces the injured Hernandez

Bordeaux-Begles fly-half Nicolas Sanchez has been drafted in Argentina‘s staring line-up to gace South Africa tomorrow following the injury to Juan...

New Exeter signing Ian Whitten is out to prove he’s not just a stop-gap

Ian Whitten spent last season stepping in whenever needed at Ulster – now at Exeter he intends to make himself part...

Glasgow 6 Exeter Chiefs 15

Exeter have secured a 15-6 over Glasgow in Ayr for their last pre-season game before the start of their Premiership campaign...

ERC “dismayed” over Anglo-French threats.

As exclusively revealed by Peter Jackson in The Rugby Paper on May 6th, English and French clubs have given an ultimatum...

Watch out, London Irish Topsy Ojo warns Chris Ashton

Topsy Ojo said he had unfinished business with England as he warned wing rival Chris Ashton: “I’m after your place!” Four...

Young Gun: Tom Baldwin – Bath flanker

A double try-scoring performance in only his fourth senior rugby game set Bath‘s Tom Baldwin’s career off on the right foot...

Ulster v Newcastle: teams

After impressive performances against Leicester last Saturday, Jared Payne, Michael Allen and Chris Farell retain their starting positions in the Ulster...

Cipriani handed first Sharks start

Danny Cipriani will start the for the first time in the Sale Sharks jersey when they face Leinster in their new...

Two more years for Quins’ Dickson

Harlequins scrum-half Karl Dickson has signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him with the Premiership champions until the end...

Gloucester announce Fiji fixture in November

Gloucester have confirmed that Fiji will face the Cherry and Whites at Kingsholm on Tuesday, November 13. The likes of Australia,...

New Zealand v Australia preview: Cooper returns, Beale out

Mercurial fly-half Quade Cooper has been named in Australia‘s starting XV for Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup clash against New Zealand in Auckland....

Argentina v South Africa preview: Hernandez out of historic match

Juan Martin Hernandez will miss the historic fixture in Mendoza after he had to withdraw with a groin injury suffered at...

Wales’ captain Sam Warburton on starting blocks for Lions tour

Last year Sam Warburton got the needle – now he is aiming for an injury-free season to fulfil his Lions dream....

Jeremy Guscott: New slimline Banahan can be lethal but has to stay fit

Matt Banahan came onto the scene in a big way four seasons ago for a number of reasons – the first...

Age is no worry for new Esher coach Ollie Smith

Having made his Leicester debut a few months after leaving school and toured with the Lions, aged 22, Ollie Smith’s appointment...

Two changes for the Springboks to face the Pumas

Adriaan Strauss and Jacques Pogieter have been named in the South African team to face the Pumas in Mendoza. Strauss replaces...

“Chris Robshaw’s done well, but Tom Croft must play”, says Lewis Moody

Sir Ian McGeechan insists a specialist openside is the key to a great team, but former England skipper Lewis Moody says...

Saints team announced for Moseley’s friendly

Northampton Saints have announced their team to face Moseley tomorrow. Tom May, Noah Cato and Scott Armstrong – who were among...

Internationals return for Warriors’ friendly

Glasgow Warriors will be boosted by the return of six international players to the starting line-up when they face Exeter Chiefs...

Prop stars give Worcester’s Matt Mullan best of both worlds

Mentored by Phil Vickery at Worcester and Graham Rowntree with England – Matt Mullan doesn’t have to look too far for...

20 Questions: Marco Wentzel – London Wasps Lock

Does it feel like a fresh start at Wasps? Definitely. It’s good to have lot of new faces, guys who want...

Cooper back for the Wallabies?

Following their 27-19 defeat to New Zealand in Sydney for the Rugby Championship opener, Australia are thinking about calling back mercurial...

New funding deal for Championship clubs revealed

As revealed in our The Rugby Paper on August 5th, the RFU has unveiled today a new four-year funding deal for...

Rodriguez starts at full-back for the Pumas

Martin Rodriguez will start at full-back for Argentina‘s Rugby Championship rematch against South Africa in Medoza. Rodríguez comes in for Lucas...

“I’ve come South to toughen myself up,” says Scotland giant Richie Gray

Richie Gray wants to emulate boyhood hero Martin Johnson and become a master of the dark arts of forward play following...

Nick Cain talks to Neil Back about Lions, Tigers and Woodward

Neil Back identifies strongly with the team GB athletes who have lifted the country with their performances at the London Olympics...

Nick Cain: All Blacks on top with or without Williams

If the Six Nations are playing catch up with the Southern Hemisphere powers, then the new Rugby Championship will be about...

Dragons’ Ian Nimmo causing a ruck by launching betting website

Newport Gwent Dragons lock Ian Nimmo has laid bare what he calls the gambling culture at the heart of rugby dressing...

“Don’t write me off yet,” says Wales scrum-half Dwayne Peel

Dwayne Peel, frozen out of international rugby for the last 18 months, starts the new season with a defiant message for...

Sarries name team for Stade Francais friendly

Saracens have named their team to face Stade Francais at the Honourable Artillery Company ground on Thursday. Owen Farrell and Schalk...

My Life in Rugby: David Flatman – Bath and England prop

When I was at Saracens I was ten times more scared of going to training than I was of playing –...

Three more years at Quins for Care

Danny Care has signed a three-year contract extension with Harlequins that will keep him with the Premiership champions until the end...

Pocock out for three months

Australia captain David Pocock will be out for up to three months after undergoing keyhole surgery today The Wallabies‘ skipper damaged...

Peter Jackson: It’s a riot in Paris as Olympic rugby champs are crowned

Of all the foregone conclusions at the London Olympics, one stands out above Usian Bolt, Michael Phelps, Bradley Wiggins and the...

Man Behind the Match: Jon Callard and the 1998 Heineken Cup final

Bath were not given much of a chance of becoming the first British and Irish side to win the Heineken Cup....

Du Plessis ruled out of Rugby Championship

Springboks hooker Bismarck du Plessis will miss the rest of The Rugby Championship due to a knee injury. He sustained the...