Champ teams deserve better

IT IS time counties like Cornwall and clubs like Camborne, Cornish Pirates, Redruth, Ealing, Bedford and Coventry made their voices heard....

Support for Red Roses was superb

HOW marvellous that the Red Roses could attract more than 77,000 fans to Twickenham last week for their win against Ireland....

Slade shows his worth

HENRY Slade proved once again last week what a top player he is for Exeter in their win against Benetton. He’s...

Don’t forget Newent RFC

CONGRATULATIONS to North Ribblesdale RUFC on their achievement of securing a third consecutive promotion, to Regional 1 North West (level 5)....

It’s time to limit all this ‘trench warfare’

LIKE many fans, we have recently enjoyed a thrilling men’s Six Nations Championship. What a great advert for the modern game...

DREAMTEAM

ALED JENKINS, THE FORMER OSPREYS, WALES SEVENS, CARDIFF MET AND EALING TRAILFINDERS CENTRE, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH...

Season’s still in our hands – Baxter

EXETER Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter insisted his side’s Premiership fate remains firmly in their own hands despite this heartbreaking...

Nick Cain: When it comes to self-harm, rugby union’s in a league of its own

Anyone in doubt about the magical properties promotion-relegation can have in galvanising a sport need look no further than the sensational...

Bath 48-15 Harlequins: Jason Gilmore’s side find Santi Carreras is too hot to handle

Santi Carreras led the way as Bath put eight tries on hapless Harlequins and continued their pursuit of Northampton Saints at...

Growing injury list worries Gilmore

HARLEQUINS head coach Jason Gilmore fears he will struggle to get a team together for next weekend’s Prem clash with Sale...

Islands in the sun are left to suffer

THE sorry collapse of the Super Rugby franchise Moana Pasifika – entirely predictable, but no less depressing for that – is...

Lam: We looked more like ourselves

BRISTOL Bears director of rugby Pat Lam was glad to achieve the objective to keep alive their play-off hopes. He said:...

Sale Sharks vs Saracens: Olly Hartley urges Sarries to make a statement against Sharks

Olly Hartley is under no illusions about the significance of Saracens’ return to Prem action today against Sale Sharks.

Bristol Bears 53-12 Gloucester: Fitz Harding directs a demolition derby

Bristol Bears breathed life back into their faltering Premiership campaign with a record victory over West Country rivals Gloucester, whose abysmal...

I should have had six, says winger

GABRIEL Hamer-Webb might have scored five tries but he still got stick afterwards for missing out on a sixth. “I’m going...

Leicester Tigers 62-3 Newcastle Red Bulls: Gabriel Hamer-Webb puts on a five-star show

Leicester Tigers wing Gabriel Hamer-Webb raced in for five tries against Newcastle Red Bulls on a memorable afternoon for the much-travelled...

Bulls turn on the power to halt Dragons momentum

■By ROGER PANTING Dragons ..............7pts Try: Inisi 22 Conversion: Evans 22 Bulls ................. 47pts Tries: Papier 10, Grobbelaar 37, Coetze 43,...

Ospreys hold their nerve to keep the pressure up

■By JOHN CLEMENCE Ospreys .............21pts Tries: Edwards 11, J Morgan 33, Phillips 55 Conversions: Edwards 12, 33, 55 Sharks ...............17pts Tries:...

Scarlets 24-28 Cardiff: Javar Sebastian late show stuns Dwayne Peel’s side

Javar Sebastian was the unlikely hero as Cardiff staged a remarkable comeback against Scarlets to keep their hopes alive of a...

Leinster quell Ulster revival

■By GEORGE LAWRENCE Leinster ...........29 Ulster ..............21 LEINSTER climbed to third in the table after holding off a spirited Ulster comeback...

Glasgow suffer a Lions mauling

■By PETER GOODMAN Lions ............... 54 Glasgow ..........12 LIONS produced a devastating attacking display to thrash Glasgow at Ellis Park, scoring...

Munster stay cool to down Benetton

■By PHIL RILEY Benetton ........ 10 Munster ......... 43 MUNSTER kept their play-off push on track with a ruthless victory at...

Stormers stunned by feisty Connacht

■By BRIAN KELLY Stormers ........ 24 Connacht .........33 CONNACHT clinched a thriller in Cape Town with three tries in the final...

Hotshot Scott kills off Zebre

■By SAM JACKSON Edinburgh ......31 Zebre ................30 REPLACEMENT prop Boan Venter’s late try, converted by Cammy Scott, sealed a thrilling victory...

Adamson on hand to keep up Bedford’s momentum

■By TIM FORRESTER Richmond ........33pts Tries: Hocking 7, 50; Nugent 56, Goffey 78, Savaiinaea 80 Conversions: Grieve 8, 51, 56, 80...

Hartpury 52-19 Nottingham: Harry Bazalgette calls the shots as Mark Cornwell’s side waltz home

Fly-half Harry Bazalgette put in a scintillating performance as Hartpury hammered Nottingham, orchestrating the game perfectly and getting a full house...

Seven-up! Ealing keep Pirates at bay keep Pirates at bay

■By HENRY OLLIS-BROWN Ealing T .............41pts Tries: Cousins 4, 76; Collins 60, Oliver 64, Lonsdale 68, Willemse 70, Bridge 80 Conversions:...

Chinnor pay tribute to former CEO with style

■By CÓILÍN DUFFY Chinnor ..............32pts Tries: Walker 8, Bourton 20, Hughes 26, Pascoe 53 Conversions: Chamberlain 21, 27, 54 Penalties: Chamberlain...

Ampthill turn on the power to give Caldy the runaround

By BEN WHITE Ampthill .......... 64 pts Tries: Va’enuku 16, 51, 64; Sylvester 30, Jones 37, Mapapalangi 56, 60; Keylock 74,...

Kerr flies in to lift up dominant Doncaster

■By GEORGE WELLBELOVE Doncaster ........ 34p ts Tries: Chapman 26, Kerr 32, 50, 56; Veainu 48, Dolly 66 Conversions: Dolly 27,...

Coventry winger to join his brother at Sale

Go: David Opoku-Fordjour COVENTRY winger David Opoku-Fordjour has earned a move to Sale Sharks this summer. The 22-year-old, brother of Sale’s...

Tries galore as ruthless Cov tune up for Pirates

■By PAUL SMITH Coventry ...........77pts Tries: Ferrie 13, 63; Maunder 17, Bavadra 30, 45; Strong 39, 79; Reeves 48, 71; Green...

Sale FC 29-26 Plymouth Albion: Electric Mark Dixon brings the second spark for the Dogs

Mark Dixon hit a second-half double to spur Sale FC to an impressive win over Plymouth Albion, who were eluded by...

Tighter grip holds Titans spot at top

■By TOM MARKHAM Sedgley Park .......... 7 Rotherham T .........68 ROTHERHAM TITANS tightened their grip on the table’s top spot with...

Crusaders spears are shaken in Gwilliam’s tragic play

■By JEAN BULL Leicester L ...... 21 Dings C..............63 DINGS CRUSADERS ran out deserved winners, after a ruthless show which saw...

More late drama sees Bennett lift Clifton’s saddle

■By ROGER OPIE Clifton ......................42 B Moseley ..............36 JACK BENNETT’s late try saw Clifton claim a nail-biting victory from under the...

Seva Kava keeps calm to carry Storftord

By Rob Walker Bishop’s S ...............37 Tonbridge J ...........24 Seve Kava grabbed a brace of tries to help his Bishop’s Stortford...

Club open up gap after Tykes victory

■By BEN CROPPER sLeeds Tykes .......... 19 Blackheath ............43 BLACKHEATH added to their promotion push with a commanding win over Leeds...

Rams fall but Park break new ground

■By RICHARD ASHTON Rams ........................ 19 Rosslyn Park .........36 ROSSLYN Park secured a historic maiden victory at the Rams. The Londoners...

Defeat adds to Hull’s growing fears

By RICHARD GORE Sheffield T.......35 Hull..................... 19 HULL failed to capitalise on a tremendous second-half revival to falter in the last...

Exeter Chiefs 28-35 Northampton Saints: Fin Smith sinks dagger into Chiefs’ hopes

Northampton Saints tightened their grip on a home Premiership semi-final with a breathtaking late win at Sandy Park, where Fin Smith...

Robinson heroics prove to be in vain

By RORY MORROW Scunthorpe.............43 WILLIAM Robinson’s hat-trick for Scunthorpe proved in vain as Wharfedale’s wonderful first half was enough for them...

Tynedale shine to boost play-off bid

By MIKE BROWN Billingham.............. 19 Tynedale.................62 TYNEDALE delivered a ruthless attacking display to overpower Billingham in a high-scoring encounter, strengthening their...

Freeman fires happy Hoppers to top home finale

By LOUIS JEFFERSON Preston G.................53 Hull Ionians............ 17 THE final home game of the season couldn’t have gone any better for...

Samson has strength to lead Macc to victory

By TOM BARRY Macc lads: Manu Shute takes on the Otley defence and, right, Kyle Smith makes a break PICTURES: Pete...

Dale undone by late Fylde charge

By DAVID GRAHAM Fylde ........................ 31 Rossendale ............24 ROSSENDALE‘S big battle to stay in the National Leagues will go to their...

Beer feels glass is still half full for Chester

By BEN JAYCOCK Looking up: Chester wing Louis Beer LOUIS Beer believes Chester have shown enough quality this season to prove...

Destroyer Drennan is too hot for Park

By ANDREW SMITH Sheffield .................52 Darlington MP .......19 SHEFFIELD put last week’s disappointment of defeat well behind them with an eight-try...

Luctonians 41-34 Camborne: It’s not the usual win, but Tom Jones is Lucs’ man

Tom Jones bagged tries in both halves, despite conversion difficulties, to guide Luctonians to a somewhat unusual victory over title-winners Camborne.

Johnson’s early start opens the gates for host party

nBy ADAM CLEARY Barnstaple.......57 Syston...............14 HOSTS BARNSTAPLE condemned basement boys Syston to a fourth consecutive defeat, with a comfortable win sparked...