Nick Cain talks to Tom Wood about his triumphant return to England’s back row

Tom Wood is the embodiment of the new England. He is a fierce marauder who uses his mobility and work-rate to...

Young Gun: Nathan Fowles – Sale scrum-half

Some players go their whole careers waiting place at Europe’s top table but the Heineken Cup has been a case of...

Jeremy Guscott: Clockwork England show their composure

Remember the great England World Cup-winning side and the management mantra that came from their head coach Sir Clive Woodward, T-CUP,...

20 Questions: Lee Mears – retired Bath hooker

When were you advised to quit playing? On 30 January when the surgeon had all the paperwork in front of him...

Live: Bath v Gloucester

Live running commentary from our man Nick Verdier of the West Country derby as Bath take on Gloucester in the 17th...

Live: Saracens v London Welsh

Live running commentary from our man Nick Verdier as Saracens take on London Welsh in the 17th round of the Aviva...

Nick Cain: Here’s the real reason for Warren Gatland’s outburst

None of the explanations I’ve heard so far for Warren Gatland’s ill-conceived comments about the divisive potential of having too many...

Welcome to hard work, Anthony Allen tells his old pal Ryan Lamb

Leicester centre Anthony Allen believes that Ryan Lamb, a former fellow young pup at Gloucester, will flourish in the Tigers’ dog-eat-dog...

Shane Williams to carry on in Japan

Shane Williams has revealed he will be returning to Japan to play a second season with the Mitsubishi Dynaboars. Talking to...

My Life in Rugby: Spencer Brown – former Richmond, Bristol and England wing

The tour to Hell in 1998 should never have gone ahead. I was due to go only as back-up but ended...

Premiership round 17: teams

Bath v Gloucester (Live) Bath: Abendanon; Agulla, Banahan, Eastmond, Biggs; Heathcote, Stringer; James, Webber, Wilson; Day, Attwood; Louw (Capt.), Fearns, Skirving....

RaboDirect Pro12 round 17: teams

Connacht v Zebre Connacht: Henshaw ; Poolman, Griffin, Murphy, Duffy (Capt.); Parks, Marmion; Wilkinson, Harris-Wright, White; Kearney, Browne; Muldoon, Faloon, McKeon. Replacements:...

Stephen Jones to hang up the boots

After weeks of speculations about his future, Stephen Jones has announced he will retire from professional rugby at the end of...

Peter Jackson: Ryan aware that Welsh armband fits loosely

Wales have changed their captain so often in recent seasons that Ryan Jones is in his ninth spell in charge. In...

Vote for your Harlem Shake Kings

The Harlem Shake craze has invaded the rugby world. Here is a selection of the best videos we have been sent...

Healy wins appeal to play France

Cian Healy will be available to face France on March 9 for the next round of the RBS Six Nations after...

“I Kahn fight for my place”, says Northampton Lee Dickson

Lee Dickson’s starting spot at Franklin’s Gardens will come under considerable threat when Europe’s most sought-after scrum-half Kahn Fotuali’i joins Northampton...

Dream Team: Adam Balding – London Welsh No.8

Drea1. Trevor Woodman – Just as effective with ball in hand as he was taking apart opposition scrums. He epitomised what...

Jeff Probyn: I’m starting to believe in a Grand Slam for England

It has often been said that a week in rugby is a long time. Two weeks ago I sang the praises...

Two-week ban for Chris Hala’ufia

Chris Hala’ufia will miss London Irish‘s trip to Northampton on Saturday after being hit by a two-week ban following the Exiles’...

Andy Robinson: “I could not face Scotland’s fans after failures”

Andy Robinson has revealed the deep-seated sense of frustration that led to him resigning as head coach of Scotland in November....

Win with new Palmer’s cocoa butter formula MEN body & face lotion!

With England hosting the World Cup in 2015, the Lions Tour just around the corner, and the Six Nations having kicked...

Premiership try of the week: round 16

Leicester’s end-to-end wonder try against Saracens on Saturday has been voted Round 16’s Premiership try of the week. With a scrum...

London Welsh to appear before RFU hearing

London Welsh RFC will appear before an RFU Competitions Hearing charged with fielding an ineligible player in a number of Aviva...

Warriors swap for Shark Richie Vernon

Richie Vernon will leave Sale at the end of the season and return to the Glasgow Warriors after signing a three-year...

London Wasps snap up Jack Moates

Very active on the transfer market in recent weeks, London Wasps have signed Jack Moates who will join the Club at the end...

England tell Christian Wade to prove he’s ready

Christian Wade is still waiting for that elusive first England cap but the Wasps flyer revealed Stuart Lancaster has pinpointed exactly...

England v France: highlights

On Saturday, England went a step closer to securing their first Grand Slam in ten years with a 23-13 win over...

Italy v Wales: highlights

On Saturday, Wales kept their hopes of retaining their Six Nations trophy with a 26-9 win over Italy in Rome. Watch...

Patrick Phipps to stay with London Irish

London Irish have signed scrum half Patrick Phibbs on a two year deal. The Australian scrum-half joined the Exiles from Leicester...

Room 101: Mat Evans – Ealing captain

1. Early autobiographies Nothing engrosses me more than reading an insightful autobiography written by a credible individual who has a life...

Huge boost for London Irish with vital win against London Wasps

London Irish have received a huge boost in their relegation battle with a vital 30-19 win against London Wasps at the...

Nick Cain looks at the key areas which will decide today’s battle at the Aviva stadium, Dublin

It is a decade since England last won in Dublin in the Six Nations. In the interim there have been heartache...

Young Gun: Harry Sloan – Harlequins and England U20 centre

A year ago Harry Sloan was battling hard to earn a contract at Harlequins – fast-forward 12 months and he has...

Jeremy Guscott: BOD magic captured in a move from the matrix

The best centre I have seen play in the last decade is Brian O’Driscoll. That’s not forgetting my favourites, Philippe Sella,...

Live: London Irish v London Wasps

Live running commentary from our man Nick Verdier as London Irish take on London Wasps in the 16th round of the...

Live: Gloucester v Worcester

Live running commentary from our man Nick Verdier as Gloucester take on Worcester in the 16th round of the Aviva Premiership...

20 Questions: George Chuter – Leicester hooker

How’s Leicester‘s season looking? We’ve not fired on all cylinders yet but we’re in the Heineken quarters and putting ourselves in...

“We expect to beat England,” France captain Thierry Dusautoir

France might be outsiders ahead of their clash with England at Twickenham tomorrow but captain Thierry Dusautoir is adamant they are...

Premiership round 16: teams

Exeter v London Welsh Exeter: L. Arscott; Nowell, Naqelevuki, Shoemark, Jess; Steenson, Thomas; Rimmer, Yeandle, Tui; Hayes (Capt.), Mumm; White, Scaysbrook,...

Scotland v Ireland: teams

Geoff Cross has been named in Scotland‘s starting XV ahead of their clash with Ireland at Murrayfield on Sunday for the...

Italy v Wales: teams

Sam Warburton and Alun-Wyn Jones have been named on Wales‘ bench as they take on Italy in the Six Nations in...

RaboDirect Pro12 round 16: teams

Cardiff Blues v Connacht Blues: Czekaj; O. Williams, Smith, Evans (Capt.), Robinson; Patchell, Jones; Filise, Dacey, Bourrust; Cook, Down; Paterson, Watts-Jones,...

Nick Cain: Yes to bonus points, no to TV-driven fixture lists

There are so many contradictory knee-jerk spoutings about the Six Nations that you sometimes wonder whether Glenda Slagg has taken up...

England v France: teams

Manu Tuilagi has been recalled to the England starting line-up to face France at Twickenham on Saturday. The Leicester powerhouse missed...

Joe Carlisle joins London Wasps

As rumoured for a number of weeks now, Worcester Warriors fly-half Joe Carlisle will be wearing the London Wasps jersey next...

New contracts for Sharks Miller and Braid

Rob Miller and Dan Braid have signed new contracts with Premiership Sale Sharks, it was announced today. Last year Premiership top...

Imanol Harinordoquy: “Billy Twelvetrees’ vision is bigger threat than Tuilagi’s power”

France No.8 Imanol Harinordoquy says Billy Twelvetrees is the man Les Bleus have to stop on Saturday, insisting the two-cap centre...

My Life in Rugby: Geordan Murphy – Leicester and former Lions and Ireland full-back

It doesn’t get much more nerve-wracking than standing under the posts as Stephen Jones takes a kick to deny you the...

Peter Jackson: Rowlands remains Top Cat of the lineout

The 50th anniversary of perhaps the strangest of all Wales matches has come and gone with scarcely a mention. Admittedly it...