Nick Cain: Suddenly the England scrum is Gr-eight again

There were not many No.8 options for England at the start of last season, and it had become another problem position....

Amlin Challenge Cup Round 6 teams

Bath (v Bucharest) Bath: Cuthbert; Agulla, Hipkiss, Williams, Woodburn; Heathcote, McMillan; Beech, Dunn, Perenise; Hooper (capt.), Caldwell; Skuse, Mercer, Koster. Replacements:...

London Wasps win in Wales

London Wasps have secured their place in the Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-finals with a narrow 20-19 win over the Newport-Gwent Dragons...

Rob Baxter and Toby Booth could be called up by England

Rob Baxter and Toby Booth could be helping England in the summer if Stuart Lancaster gets his way. The England head...

Live: Biarritz v Harlequins

Live running commentary from our man Nick Verdier as Biarritz take on Harlequins in the 6th and final round of the...

My Life in Rugby: Tony Diprose – former England Quins and Saracens No.8

Standing in front of nearly 30,000 Australians and having to speak after we had just lost 76-0 was a hugely tough...

Tom Varndell commits to Wasps

Prolific try-scoring winger Tom Varndell has committed his future to London Wasps, signing a new contract extension this week. Premiership leading...

Jamie Heaslip named Ireland captain

Leinster No.8 Jamie Heaslip will skipper Ireland for the forthcoming Six Nations, it was announced today. Declan Kidney revealed his 39-man...

Peter Jackson: Dragons big dilemma – when to cash in on Toby

They say Toby Faletau is not for sale, that those across the border and across the Channel eager to buy him...

“Don’t be nervous, beat that breakdown, lads!” – Shontayne Hape

Get to grips with the breakdown and everything else will fall into place. Those words of wisdom for League converts Kyle...

Dream Team: Martyn Thomas – Gloucester and former Scarlets and Dragons full-back

1. Dan Murphy – I am expecting big things from him. Since joining Gloucester I have been behind a really strong...

Paul Doran-Jones to join Harlequins

Harlequins are thought to have hit straight back to replace James Johnston by signing Northampton‘s Paul Doran-Jones. It was announced earlier...

Wasps name side for Dragons clash

London Wasps have named their team to play Newport-Gwent Dragons in Thursday’s Amlin Challenge Cup game at Rodney Parade. Dai Young‘s...

Jeff Probyn: I didn’t need a letter to know my dad backed me

I think it is fair to say that 2012 was Stuart Lancaster‘s year more than anyone else in rugby, despite no...

Alex Corbisiero joins Northampton Saints

As expected and revealed in The Rugby Paper weeks ago, England prop Alex Corbisiero will join Northampton Saints next season. With...

Exile Ed Williamson brushes up for life after rugby

London Welsh‘s abrasive back row forward Ed Williamson is developing a name for himself off the pitch  – as an artist....

£100,000 each – cost of a Lion in Australia

The Lions have agreed to pay out more than £100,000 for every player chosen to go to Australia at the end...

Wasps did everything to keep Vunipola

Director of Rugby Dai Young revealed London Wasps did everything they could to keep Billy Vunipola at the club but “pressure...

Harlequins confirm James Johnston departure

Harlequins confirmed today that James Johnston will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the current season....

Eli Walker gets Wales call up

Slick-running Ospreys winger Eli Walker has been named in the Wales’ Six nations squad by interim coach Rob Howley today. The...

Saracens snap up Billy Vunipola and James Johnston

As revealed by Neil Fissler in The Rugby Paper back in December, Billy Vunipola will team up with his brother Mako...

Sean Maitland called-up by Scotland

Kiwi-born Sean Maitland has been selected by Scotland ahead of the Six Nations which starts on February 2. The 24-year-old winger...

Geoff Parling stays at Welford Road

England lock Geoff Parling has ended rumours about a potential move away from Welford Road by agreeing terms on a new...

Leicester Tigers set for ‘winner-takes-all’ clash with Toulouse

Leicester Tigers have set themselves for a ‘winner-takes-all’ clash with Toulouse after securing a 15-15 draw against the Ospreys at the...

Room 101: Glenn Delaney – London Irish forwards coach

1. Doorway blockers Health and Safety wouldn’t let you block a fire escape so why are people allowed to stand and...

Live: Ospreys v Leicester

Live running commentary from our man Nick Verdier as Ospreys take on Leicester in the 5th round of the Heineken Cup...

Live: Edinburgh v Munster

Live running commentary from our man Nick Verdier as Edinburgh take on Munster in the 5th round of the Heineken Cup...

Nick Cain talks to Saracens flanker Will Fraser about his ‘inspirational’ brother

Will Fraser goes through a ritual before every match he plays for Saracens. The rugged openside flanker has his wrists and...

Young Gun: Tom Jubb –Saracens lock

With Richard Hill as his academy coach and Steve Borthwick his club captain, Saracens lock Tom Jubb could not be better...

Jeremy Guscott: Lancaster needs a wing man to drive home his bombers

I’ll argue all day long that the key ability in a winger is that when you give them a try-scoring opportunity,...

Gloucester make it five from five in France

Gloucester are still unbeaten and qualified for the Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-finals after their 31-26 win at Bordeaux-Begles tonight. The French...

Sharks thumped at home by Montpellier

Sale suffered an heavy 27-6 loss to the hands of Montpellier at the Salford City Stadium in the fifth round of...

Northampton beat Castres but look set for Amlin future

Northampton Saints are almost out of the Heineken Cup despite a 18-12 win over Castres at Franklin’s Gardens tonight. With Ulster...

20 Questions: Adrian Jarvis – Bristol fly-half

Decent turnaround from Bristol? Pretty good, yes. After a really good pre-season we had a very disappointing start and didn’t get...

Live: Northampton v Castres

Live running commentary from our man Nick Verdier as Northampton take on Castres in the 5th round of the Heineken Cup...

Heineken Cup round 5: teams

Pool 1 Edinburgh v Munster (Live) Edinburgh: Tonks; Fife, Cairns, Scott, T. Visser; Laidlaw (capt.), Rees; Jacobsen, Lawrie, Nel; Gilchrist, Cox;...

Amlin Challenge Cup round 5: teams

Bath (v Agen): Abendanon; Woodburn, Hipkiss, Williams, Agulla; Heathcote, McMillan; James, Mears, Wilson; Attwood, Caldwell; Skuse, Louw (capt.), Koster. Replacements: Dunn,...

Nick Cain: The Gong Show and the Goon Show 2012

It’s the season of awards, from the BBC’s Sports Personality show to the New Year Honours. Gongs are being handed out...

Bryan Habana confirms Toulon switch

As announced on our website on December 18, Bryan Habana will join the Toulon star-studded squad nest season and for the...

Mathieu Bastareaud gets France call-up

Toulon powerhouse centre Mathieu Bastareaud has been called-up by France head-coach Philippe Saint-André for the upcoming RBS Six Nations today. Bastareaud’s...

No end to Dan Caprice’s magical mystery tour

Dan Caprice is not one for letting the grass grow under his feet. Over the past three years he has travelled...

My Life in Rugby: Lewis Moody – former Leicester, Bath, England and Lions flanker

Sitting on the bench in the World Cup final in 2003 I found myself for the first time ever starting to...

Purdy and Sloan added to England U20 for 6 Nations

Henry Purdy and Harry Sloan have been added to the England U20 squad ahead of the Six Nations. The Leicester wing...

Peter Jackson: Magnificent Ospreys put life back into Wales

After the Grand Slam, the Grand Slump as befitting a nation where extreme mood swings tend to be the norm. After...

Vunipola named Game Changer of the month

London Wasps barn-storming No.8 Billy Vunipola has won the Gatorade Game Changer Award for December for his performance against Sale at...

Mont-de Marsan v London Irish teams

Shane Geraghty will captain London Irish tonight when they come up against Mont-de-Marsan in the fifth round of the Amlin Challenge...

Let us help get the refs up to speed, say top clubs

Premiership Rugby want to play a more active role in the recruitment and training of referees in future. At present the...

Dream Team: Kris Chesney – Esher and former Saracens and Toulon lock

1. David Flatman – He was very young at the time, very raw but quite aggressive. He went on to be...

Hendre Fourie ‘not required to leave England’

Ex-England international Hendre Fourie has been told that “he is not required to leave the UK” by the UK Border Agency....

Billy Twelvetress named in England’s Six Nations squad

Billy Twelvetress has been named by Stuart Lancaster in the England Elite Player Squad for the upcoming RBS Six Nations. The...