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...

My Life in Rugby: Tom Shanklin – former London Welsh, Saracens, Cardiff and Wales centre

When I was 20 Clive Woodward tried to poach me for England and it actually led to my first Wales call-up....

Injured Ollie Phillips turns tide on a round the world quest

Sevens star Ollie Phillips starts his road to Rio today by sailing the Seven Seas – it’s far to say his...

Dream Team: Dan Hipkiss – former Leicester, Bath and England centre

1. Graham Rowntree – Growing up in the Leicester Academy he was the most professional of all. Has a dry sense...

2013-2014 England U20s squad named

Nick Walshe and Ian Peel have named their England Under 20s squad for the new season The 32-man group, which include...

Moment in Time: Sharks show class to rip chunks out of the Tigers

Leicester and Wasps had dominated English rugby for seven years. The Tigers, under Dean Richards, had claimed four consecutive league titles...

London Wasps sign Carlo Festuccia

Experienced Italian Carlo Festuccia has joined London Wasps from Pro12 side Zebre, it was announced today. Starting his career with L’Aquila...

Room 101: Paul Arnold – Fylde player/coach

1. Relegation from the Premiership Controversial, I know, but as a massive fan of the type of expansive rugby you get...

Brendan Gallagher gets the inside track on how England’s academies are producing players to progress on the international pathway

Until this June, England – despite its vast player resources – had never won the IRB U20 World Championship or indeed...

Jeff Probyn: Proposed Heineken deal leaves Rabo with peanuts

I often wonder if Premiership Rugby chief executive Mark McCafferty is living in the real world or one that is dominated...

England have found their new Billy Whizz in Christian Wade says Andy Robinson

Former national head coach Andy Robinson believes England have finally unearthed Jason Robinson’s successor in Christian Wade. Andy Robinson’s ill-fated reign...

Young Gun: Josh Peters – Northampton lock

It’s a country renowned for tiki-taka rather than rucks and mauls but after honing his skills with the oval ball in...

Peter Jackson: Groundhog Day, and Gav blinks back into the light

During the course of fox-trotting his way into five clubs over 20 months, Gavin Henson has danced to the same old...

Nick Cain talks to Mike Ford about his vision for the revitalisation of Bath

Mike Ford is not promising miracles. Bath‘s new head coach has been around too long to fall into that trap, notably...

Ambitious Nick Kennedy has Stooped to conquer

Turning your back on the superstar lifestyle at galactico-laden Toulon might appear to be mad. But Nick Kennedy insists he is...

20 Questions: Glen Townson – Bristol lock

Back into pre-season early, weren’t you? We started on May 23! It’s been good, though, because they gave us some time off during...

Mike Brown signs on with Quins

Mike Brown has re-signed with Harlequins until the end of the 2015-2016 season. The fullback, who is a Harlequins Academy graduate,...

Jeremy Guscott: Time these All Blacks saw some yellow cards, ref!

It is early days for Ewen McKenzie, the newly appointed Wallaby head coach. I don’t believe he thought the job would...

Nick Cain: Joubert shows refs can’t rule the scrum

Brett Gosper came up with some marketing waffle this week which illustrates how the International Rugby Board have earned a reputation...

Craig Mitchell: Shame of my ‘Lions’ punch-up

Craig Mitchell has spoken candidly about the horrific long-haul flight home from Australia in June when he feared his rugby career...

My Life in Rugby: Andy Nicol – Former Bath, Glasgow & Scotland scrum-half

I am very lucky that there are two games that define my career. There is no doubt the greatest achievement was...

Nigel Melville in talks over US-based Premiership games

England‘s Premiership clubs are to hold imminent talks with American power-brokers aimed at ‘opening up’ the trans-Atlantic market. USA Rugby’s top...

VIDEO: Tom Varndell – “It was amazing to have the Red Rose on my chest again”

In an exclusive production by The Rugby Paper, London Wasps winger Tom Varndell talks about the season ahead with Wasps as...

Dream Team: Olly Kohn – former Harlequins lock

1. Joe Marler – Has really developed his scrummaging over the years and to have a haircut like that you need...

Sanderson and his Quins have a day to remember

This was a remarkable cup final victory on so many levels. For starters, Harlequins had endured a shocking Premiership campaign, winning...

VIDEO: James Hudson – “The new scrum rules have an impact on the locks”

In an exclusive production by The Rugby Paper, Gloucester lock James Hudson talks about the impacts of the scrum laws changes...

Tom Savage named Gloucester captain

Gloucester Rugby have confirmed that Tom Savage will succeed Jim Hamilton as the club’s new captain for the upcoming season. Set...

Brendan Gallagher: Pomposity overload? Cure it with my minnows

It might surprise you to learn that 131 of the scheduled 184 qualifying games for Rugby World Cup 2015 have already...

Jeff Probyn: Maybe the IRB have got the scrum right at last

Crouch, Touch, Set and off we go as the latest incarnation of the scrum engagement is rolled out across the game....