My main priority is to help Bath win a trophy, says Miles Reid

By Jon Newcombe An in-house club quiz hit home to Bath’s players just how long it has been since the club...

New-boy Jordie Barrett quick to show his worth for Leinster

By Mark Stevens Leinster had a good inkling of what they were getting when they confirmed the signing of Jordie Barrett...

Promotion still needs too much hoop-jumping

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk I’m very pleased to...

Ronan O’Gara keeps on driving La Rochelle

Mark Stevens talks to the former Ireland No.10 about his plans in France - and what could happen next In the...

Hundreds of voices cannot be ignored

FOLLOWING Nick Cain’s TRP articles and others in the national press, and the calls from the three former RFU chairmen for...

Penalise collapsing mauls in open play

THE officiating at the maul needs to be reviewed. When are referees going to penalise collapsing mauls in open play? Twice...

It’s time for Bath to take control

By Jeremy Guscott - Outspoken and unmissable every week... Bath need to make a statement against Benetton at the Stadio Monigo...

Craig Casey blow as Munster hit by injury problems

By Jim Short Castres............... 16pts Tries: Papali’i 12, Walcker 29 Penalties: Fernandez 48, le Brun 72 Munster............. 14pts Tries: Hodnett 37,...

Alex Mitchell is taking Northampton Saints to next level

By Brendan Gallagher Bulls...................................21pts Tries: Coetzee 34, Hanekom 61, 69 Conversions: Goosen 35, 62, 70 Northampton Saints.... 30pts Tries: Hendy 31,...

Mark McCall: There is no margin for error in this format so we have to back up last week

By PAUL REES Match Preview Stade Francais v Saracens Today. Kick-off 1pm, Stadium Mark McCall has warned his Saracens players not...

Phil Dowson relieved Northampton Saints are in the swing of things

Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson believes the win will provide huge relief for his squad following an underwhelming start to...

We had to work hard for that – Jordie Barrett

By John Fallon Leinster.............. 15pts Tries: Ringrose 22, Barrett 26 Conversion: Prendergast 23 Penalty: Prendergast 49 Clermont.............. 7pts Try: Raka 4...

Duncan Weir’s set for Toulon tester

By Ben Jaycock Match Preview Toulon vs Glasgow Today. 3.15pm Duncan Weir feels his Glasgow side must get to grips with...

A bridge too far for us, says John Plumtree

Sharks boss John Plumtree claimed that the demands of the present schedule had created a ‘bridge too far’ for his squad....

Powerful Leicester Tigers take Sharks apart with ease

By Rob Wildman Leicester Tigers............. 56pts Tries: Montoya 10, 25; Hassell-Collins 28, Kata 36, Pollard 40, van Poortvliet 43, Clare 72,...

Alex Dombrandt leads the fight for Harlequins

By Gary Fitzgerald Harlequins .................. 53pts Tries: Murley 12, 64, 66; Care 29, Dombrandt 36, 52, 57; Riley 78 Conversions: Smith...

Roebuck the star as Sale cruise in

By ROSS HEPPENSTALL Sale ................................................................. 29pts Tries: J-L du Preez 19, Roebuck 34, Carpenter 51, Curry 60 Conversions: R du Preez...

Bordeaux score 26 unanswered points to shock Ulster

By Kevin Fallon Ulster ................. 19pts Tries: Izuchukwu 7, Timoney 19, Kok 40 Conversions: Doak 8, 20 Bordeaux ..........40pts Tries: Tatafu...

We’ve got our bite back – Alex Sanderson

Sale DoR Alex Sanderson said after the match: “We just wanted to be on it for longer defensively this week. "We...

French flair is too much for Bristol Bears

By Mark Stevens La Rochelle ................. 35pts Tries: Nowell 17, Latu 28, Botia 51, Seuteni 66, Berjon 79 Conversions: West 18,...

Rob Baxter staying positive ahead of daunting test against Toulouse

Henry Slade returns to steer Exeter from fly-half as one of five changes after being rested for their opening Pool 1...

Slade: We have to be all in this together

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW... Exeter Chiefs v Toulouse Today. Kick-off 5.30pm, Sandy Park THE importance of playing what’s in front of...

Ring fence has made English rugby go soft

By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week The most positive aspect to come out of the opening round...

Calls for change gather support

THE process of convening an SGM of the RFU is a convoluted procedural affair, and this could be a useful ally...

Battling Bath looking to revive cup campaign

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW... Benetton v Bath Today. Kick-off 1pm, Stadio di Monigo Ready for action: Vilikesa Sela and, right, Tommaso...

The global travellers who light up game

By Chris Hewett - Thinking Allowed There is nothing especially funny about short-term memory loss, but it may just have an...

Leinster have got the best in Barrett

FOR reasons best known to themselves, the Irish rugby cognoscenti are still arguing the toss over the whys and wherefores of...

Taulupe Faletau sets the standard

By Roger Panting Cardiff........................... 26pts Tries: Adams 17, 56, Bowen 47, Penalty 68 Conversions: Sheedy 47, 56 Cheetahs....................... 10pts Try: de...

Lions outlast Pau in 80-point thriller

The Lions got off the mark in the Challenge Cup with a win against Section Paloise in a 10-try thriller that...

Lyon edge past Zebre to continue perfect start

Beka Saginadze scored a late try to continue Lyon’s dominant start to their campaign with back-to-back wins. Scrum-half Esteban Gonzalez went...

Cian Prendergast takes reins

By Ben Jaycock PREVIEW... Perpignan v Connacht Today. Kick-off 1pm, Stade Aimé Giral Connacht captain Cian Prendergast returns to lead his...

Off-target Gloucester get lesson in finishing

By Luke Jarmyn Vannes................................ 43pts Tries: Benmegal 2, 46; Ruru 4, 10; Chateau 65, Blanchard 70 Conversions: Lafage 3, 5, 47,...

We were a bit Keystone Kops against Pau – Diamond

By PAUL REES PREVIEW... Newcastle v Dragons Today. Kick-off 3.15pm, Kingston Park NEWCASTLE are aiming for their fifth straight home victory...

Darcy Graham sparks Edinburgh into life

By Luke Jarmyn Edinburgh ........58 Bayonne ........... 12 Darcy Graham showed what Edinburgh missed in their defeat to Gloucester as the...

Ospreys crash to earth

■ By SIMON THOMAS Montpellier ................ 59pts Tries: Martins 11, DuGuid 15, Uelese 29, Coly 37, Akrab 43, Moustin 52, Cadot...

Wales duo out for revenge

■ By BEN JAYCOCK PREVIEW... Scarlets v Black Lion Today. Kick-off 1pm, Parc y Scarlets WALES internationals Sam Costelow and Gareth...

We’re happy to be the hunted, says Sarah Beckett

By Ben Jaycock Sarah Beckett admits Gloucester-Hartpury have made an underwhelming start to their title defence but believes that’s partly due...

Chris Robshaw backs USA to boost 2031 Rugby World Cup

By Paul Rees Chris Robshaw is confident the United States will make a success of hosting the 2031 World Cup and...

Dream Team – Peter Altham

PETER ALTHAM, THE FYLDE, LANCASHIRE AND FORMER WHARFEDALE AND PRESTON GRASSHOPPERS PROP, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR...

Georgia just want a fair chance – Richard Cockerill

By Peter Jackson - The man truly in the know One day soon, Josef Tkemaladze will renew his presidential invitation to...

Old pros who say it like it is

HIGHLIGHTS of the latest round of Champions League football ran for 80 minutes on BBC1 last Wednesday. Contrast that to the...

Murphy’s plan has some holes

ULSTER’S quartet of under-used Ireland forwards – Iain Henderson, Rob Herring, Tom O’Toole and Cameron Izuchukwu – returned from Test duty...

Nottingham purple patch is too good for Chinnor

■ By ROB WILDMAN Nottingham ...... 19pts Tries: Dickinson 42, Williams 52, Chessum 57 Conversions: Parks 42, 52 Chinnor .............. 15pts...

No stopping 15-try Ealing as they go on rampage

■ By WILLIAM GUPWELL Ealing T ............95pts Tries: Cornish 1, 21 Bridge 3, Williams 14, Dykes 26, Bird-Tulloch 27, Wilson 31,...

Pirates on fire as they take control to shock Coventry

■ By MIKE SINCLAIR C Pirates ........................... 46pts Tries: Rice 13, Gibson 19, McNab 25, 35, Moloney 53, Jones 72, Moody...

Knights start well but Caldy fight back to deny bonus point

■ By GUY WILLIAMS Doncaster .........22pts Tries: Olowofela 3, Smith 15, Bennett 28 Conversions: Bennett 3, 28 Penalty: Bennett: 40 Caldy...

Scottish are on the hunt for another surprise win

■ By BEN JAYCOCK PREVIEW... L Scottish v Beford Blues Today. Kick-off 3pm. RAG LONDON Scottish will be hoping to cause...

Farrell looking for answers

ANALYSIS » AS WE PREPARE TO ENTER A LIONS YEAR, PAUL REES CONSIDERS THE OPTIONS WHICH MIGHT COME TOGETHER IN AUSTRALIA...

Heard takes charge to keep out Sarries

By HARRY SCOTT-MUNRO Gloucester-H........47pts Tries: Williams 10, Metcalfe 15, Hunt 32, Sing 42, Muir 52, Jones 68, Carson 71 Conversions: Sing...

Rogers leads the way for Exeter

By OLLIE AUST Trailfinders......22pts Tries: White 2, Evans 21, 43, Meta 80 Conversion: Schell 80 Exeter................. 41pts Tries: Rogers, 12, 26,...