Joe Hawkins linked with Wales move

By Paul Rees Exeter have yet to open talks with Joe Hawkins over a new contract as speculation mounts that the...

Saints are looking to kick-start campaign

By PAUL REES Raring to go: Fraser Dingwall in action for Northampton PICTURES: Getty Images Ulster have signed Northampton No.8 Juarno...

I’m still a crazy little man on the pitch, says Callum Sheedy

By Simon Thomas Callum Sheedy has revealed how being his own biggest critic drives him on amid the quest for perfection....

150th party nearly ends in tears for sloppy Irish

By Brendan Gallagher Ireland............................... 22pts Tries: van der Flier 23, Doris 49, G McCarthy 73 Conversions: Prendergast 50, Crowley 74 Penalty:...

Andy Farrell: It can’t be all singing, all dancing all of the time

Head coach Andy Farrell signed off from Ireland duty with another win as he turns his attention to the British and...

Joe Schmidt gets the Aussies bouncing

By Peter Jackson For far too long yesterday, Joe Schmidt threatened to send his protege off on Lions’ business accompanied by...

Springboks going to need a bigger trophy cabinet …

Peter Jackson looks back on a season where, once again, South Africa proved to be the best team on the planet...

Scotland must not waste potential

By Jeremy Guscott - Outspoken and unmissable every week... An assessment of where Scotland and England are after the autumn series,...

Martin Johnson would not have put up with it

Danny Care has alleged in his book that Eddie Jones was a bully, confirming what anybody with a half a brain...

Forbidden fruit is now too tempting

Just when you thought that it couldn’t get any worse at the RFU, CEO Billy Sweeney receives a ‘bonus’ of £358,000,...

Great to see Coventry doing so well

Last Saturday I went to Butts Park Arena to watch Northampton Saints edge out my team Coventry by 19-10 in the...

Don’t be in awe of ‘The System’

AS a long-time England supporter I feel compelled to express my concerns about the performances and results of our team. Much...

Warren Gatland is not the man to blame

As expected, the critics are circling Warren Gatland following the latest Wales defeats. These people, however, often ignore the fact that...

Tough for clubs to get permission for 10,001

I HAVE every sympathy with my old friend Simon Halliday, the outgoing Chairman of the Championship Board, and the Championship clubs...

Wharfedale show the way ahead

Last weekend Wharfedale – currently fifth in National Two North – played league leaders Lymm with 13 homegrown players in the...

It’s time for a root and branch clearout at RFU

By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week In what sort of world does the wage packet of one...

When he was on it, Joe Marler had the lot

Power house: Joe Marler in action for England during 2023 World Cup PICTURE: Getty Images There's a need for big characters...

We can’t compete with the big dogs, admits Steve Diamond

By Paul Rees Steve Diamond will be putting young players on long-term contracts to protect Newcastle from the greater spending power...

Guy Pepper full of praise for Sam Underhill

By Jon Newcombe Sam Underhill was one of Guy Pepper’s idols growing up and he’s now enjoying learning from him in...

Exeter Chiefs fight hard but Bath go back to top

By Paul Rees  Bath...................................... 19pts Tries: Pepper 6, Reid 45, Annett 67 Conversions: Russell 7, 68 Exeter.................................. 15pts Tries: Vermeulen 19,...

Rob Baxter: We can take a lot from that

Exeter's losing Premiership run continued but Rob Baxter took heart from the performance against the leaders. “What pleased me was that...

Santi Carreras class has Northampton Saints on the rack

By Rob Wildman Northampton Saints....... 17pts Tries: Furbank 6, Augustus 48 Conversions: Hutchinson 6, 48 Penalty: Hutchinson 74 Gloucester........................ 25pts Tries:...

Phil Dowson: We didn’t stand up for fight

Northampton boss Phil Dowson admitted Gloucester “had a point to prove” and that his men “didn’t stand up for the fight”....

Pat Lam puts Gabriel Ibitoye in frame for England

By Gary Fitzgerald Harlequins ....................... 24pts Tries: Dombrandt 3, Murley 21, Northmore 26, Green 63 Conversion: Evans 22, 64 Bristol Bears...

I’ve no regrets and I won’t be coming back, says Joe Marler

Joe Marler’s big send off was turned sour by Bristol but he still claimed it was the perfect time to hang...

Newcastle master misfiring Saracens

By Luke Jarmyn Newcastle ......................... 17 Tries: Hearle 22, Radwan 33 Conversions: Connon 23, 34 Penalty: Connon 2 pts Saracens ..............................

We were not good enough – Mark McCall

Saracens boss Mark McCall showed due respect to a Newcastle side who handled the torrid conditions better. McCall admitted having the...

Alex Sanderson: We need to get our bite back

By Paul Rees MATCH PREVIEW Sale v Leicester Today. Kick-off 3.15pm, AJ Bell Stadium Alex Sanderson expects Sale to bear their...

We’ll be locked and loaded for Sale trip -Cheika

■By JON NEWCOMBE WITH wins over Exeter, Newcastle and Saracens, playing away from home in the Premiership currently holds no fears...

Scotland deserve fair share of British & Irish Lions

By Chris Hewett - Thinking Allowed We may be exaggerating here, but not by much: since the wonderful Tom Smith made...

Time for RFU to put those tin hats on

If there has been an unusual amount of activity in one corner of the commodities market over recent days, blame Twickenham,...

Cardiff are too strong for spirited Dragons

■ By ROGER PANTING Cardiff.................................31pts Tries: Mann 31, Millard 39, Sheedy 42, Lee-Lo 50 Conversions: Sheedy 31, 39, 42, 50 Penalties:...

Zebre stun Ospreys to climb off the bottom

By Simon Thomas Zebre..................22pts Tries: Gesi 6, 25, Trulla 43 Conversions: Da Re 7, 44 Penalty: Da Re 57 Ospreys............. 17pts...

Duncan Weir steps up to have final say in tense affair

By Simon Thomas Glasgow............. 17pts Tries: Matthews 36, Venter 50 Conversions: Weir 37, 51 Penalty: Weir 66 Scarlets............. 15pts Tries: Macleod...

Munster end their losing run

By Kevin Fallon Munster........... 17 Lions................. 10 Munster captain Jack O’Donoghue hopes they can build on this win heading into the...

Sharks survive Stormers comeback to take derby victory

Sharks survived a stunning fightback to triumph in Durban. Sharks were cruising going into the final few minutes with a 13-point...

Edinburgh keep Benetton at bay

By Tom Wilson Edinburgh........50 Benetton..........33 Edinburgh survived an enthralling Augustin Creevy-inspired Benetton comeback in the second half to finish on the...

Connacht are blown away by Bulls

By John Fallon Connacht.........14 Bulls..................28 Connacht, down to 14 men for almost three-quarters of the game, were blown away by the...

Leinster make it seven wins in a row

By Jim Short Ulster................20 Leinster............27 Leinster's second string proved far too strong for Ulster to make it seven wins on the...

Cup games were pretty tough on us, admits Cornish Pirates coach Gavin Cattle

By Mark Stevens As clubs across English rugby’s top two divisions return to league action this weekend, questions continue to be...

Jacques Vermeulen excited to visit old friends

By Paul Rees Exeter start their Champions Cup campaign away in South Africa on Saturday, but Jacques Vermeulen will feel very...

My body is telling me to quit, says Rob Evans

By Peter Jackson - The man truly in the know Wales are about to be hit by another loss despite spending...

Let’s hope Newcastle Falcons can keep flying flag

As last season’s final Premiership table confirmed, Northampton and Newcastle could not possibly have been further apart: the Saints sweeping all...

Questions for the All Blacks

Despite following up their World Cup quarter-final win over Ireland last year with another in Dublin a fortnight ago, the All...

Time for big guns to deliver in the Six Nations

PAUL REES ASSESSES THE FORM OF ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, FRANCE, WALES AND ITALY IN THE BUILDUP TO THE SIX NATIONS ENGLAND Result:...

Thomas ready for Edinburgh clash

■By GARY FITZGERALD FRESH from his dream Wales debut, Freddie Thomas has set his sights on helping Gloucester conquer Europe. The...

Several clubs are battered by Storm Bert

By Luke Jarmyn A number of rugby clubs across England and Wales have been left “devastated”, decimated and at risk of...

Dream Team – Grant Hughes

GRANT HUGHES, THE FORMER SCOTLAND SEVENS INTERNATIONAL AND STIRLING COUNTY WING, NOW WITH CHINNOR, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED...

Good to see the Eagles soaring again

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points - By Brendan Gallagher That's a wrap for the autumn...

It’s hard to recall when the RFU was so ineptly run

YOU know something really bad is afoot when an annual report reads like an expensive defence document being presented at the...