Fit-again Curtis Langdon chasing international honours

By Ben Jaycock Curtis Langdon is desperate for another crack with England having missed the summer tour after injuring his shoulder...

England is still my target – Ben Spencer

By Jon Newcombe Ben Spencer will continue to put his best foot forward – either his left or his right, it...

Phil Dowson: Fin Smith will cement place in Steve Borthwick’s Autumn Internationals squad

By Mark Stevens Northampton playmaker Fin Smith is firmly on the radar of England head coach Steve Borthwick, so says Saints’...

I’d be happy to step up at 12 – Seb Atkinson

By Ben Jaycock Gloucester's Seb Atkinson aims to show he can be the solution to England’s problem at No.12. Atkinson was...

ITV deal to cover seven live matches

Premiership Rugby has agreed a two-year extension with ITV for a selection of free-to-air matches and a highlights show. The deal...

Clubs block Morrow deal

PREMIERSHIP clubs have blocked Saracens’ head of performance Phil Morrow from joining the England set-up following meetings this week. England boss...

Danny Wilson credits Jason Gilmore with improving Quins’ defence

By Adam Hathaway Harlequins head coach Danny Wilson has zeroed in on the influence of Jason Gilmore as the Londoners bid...

Scrums are at the heart of the game

SCRUMMAGING is one of the pillars of this great game – remove them and we’re in dangerous territory. I do empathise...

Time to add Japan and Fiji to Rugby Championship

THE endless mistreatment of Fiji as a second rate rugby nation is another disastrous admin blunder in the sport’s professional era....

With promotion, clubs might invest

IN The Rugby Paper’s letters page (Sept 29), Neil Edwards describes how Championship clubs’ crowds are too low to allow serious...

Omar Mouneimne beefs up Exeter Chiefs defence

By Mark Stevens In a rugby world where there is plenty of chatter around different aspects of attack, Omar Mouneimne is...

Dream Team – Kyle Dench

Kyle Dench, the Otley head coach and former player, who also played centre for Harrogate, Yorkshire & England Counties, chooses the...

Time for Marcus Smith and Ben Spencer to link up

By Jeremy Guscott - Outspoken and unmissable every week... There's speculation that Alex Mitchell and George Ford are unlikely to feature...

Second-best Bath trumped by Bristol Bears

By Roger Panting Bath .................................... 26pts Tries: Harris 11, Butt 55, Molony 58, Lawrence 76 Conversions: Russell 11, 55, 58 Bristol...

Pat Lam: We were heroic in defence

Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam says doing their best against Bath is “not negotiable as it’s all about the community...

Leicester Tigers too strong for floundering Newcastle Falcons

By Brendan Gallagher Newcastle Falcons ........ 10pts Try: Chick 51 Conversion: Grayson 52 Penalty: Grayson 7 Leicester Tigers ............ 42pts Tries:...

Ollie Chessum: We were ruthless out there

Leicester skipper Ollie Chessum was proud of his team after last week’s home defeat to Bath. “We said we wanted to...

Ace Fin Smith has Northampton Saints back on right road

By Ben Jaycock Northampton Saints ..... 33pts Tries: Iyogun 4, Sleightholme 22, 62; Penalty 42, Graham 55 Conversions: Smith 5, 23,...

We were just blown away in second half, admits Danny Wilson

Harlequins head coach Danny Wilson was disappointed that his side let their eight-point half-time lead slip. He said: “First half we...

Lively Arron Reed lights the spark to ignite Sale Sharks

By Luke Jarmyn Sale Sharks ...................... 31pts Tries: Roebuck 18, 47, Warr 36, Cowan-Dickie 63, 71 Conversions: R du Preez 19,...

This was acid test, admits George Skivington

Gloucester boss George Skivington defended his side’s attack minded game-plan, labelling this an “acid-test”. He said: “It was always going to...

There’s no team we’d rather beat, says Rob Baxter

By Jon Newcombe PREVIEW... Saracens v Exeter Chiefs Today. Kick-off 3pm, StoneX Stadium Players may have come and gone but the...

Andy Onyeama-Christie’s explosive start has Saracens motoring

By Sam Jackson Andy Onyeama-Christie’s explosive start to the season has seen him nominated for Premiership player of the month. The...

Steve Borthwick should call up these young props

By Nick Cain - Read his expert opinion every week It was surprising that neither of England’s U20 world champion props,...

Unfair restrictions to block promotion

ROTTEN Borough’ politics have turned English rugby’s once showcase top league into one which is showing signs of serious decay. The...

Appleby: We are missing too many players

By SAM JACKSON EXETER head coach Susie Appleby is unhappy that the Premiership Women’s Rugby season has started while her top...

Cattle wants to make Mennaye Field a fortress

By CHRIS COLLYER CORNISH Pirates have their sights set on the development of new players and making Mennaye Field a formidable...

I can take the pressure at No. 10, says Ben Thomas

By Simon Thomas Much is made about the difference between club and international rugby and it’s something Ben Thomas is able...

Dorothy would have had final word

HERE’S a thought: if Dorothy Parker had played rugby, she’d have run rings around Rieko Ioane, Johnny Sexton, Brodie Retallick, Peter...

Wallace Sititi is following in father’s footsteps, but for how long?

By Chris Hewett - Thinking Allowed Cast your minds back, those of you who are sufficiently long in the tooth, to...

Ulster blown away in Pretoria

By THOMAS DANIELS Bulls ................ 47 Ulster ............... 21 Last season’s finalists the Bulls secured backto-back wins by scoring seven tries...

Tuipulotu’s power is too much for Cardiff

By SIMON THOMAS Cardiff .................36pts Glasgow ..............52pts Tries: D Thomas 12, Winnett 20, Byrne 47, Martin 53, Donnell 68 Conversions: Sheedy...

Davies double not enough for Scarlets

By ROGER PANTING Scarlets ............23pts Tries: Davies 22, 30 Conversions: Costelow 22, 30 Penalties: Costelow 42, 73; Lloyd 52 Connacht ............

Ospreys can do nothing to stop Munster taking charge

■By JOHN FALLON Munster ...........23pts Tries: McCarthy 1, Farrell 26, Nash 40, O’Donoghue 64. Penalty: Crowley 9 Ospreys .............. 0pts IRISH...

Leinster top with perfect 15 pts

By SAM JACKSON Benetton .......... 5 Leinster ...........35 LEINSTER maintained their perfect start to the season with a bonus point victory...

Heartbreak for Dragons as Sharks snatch win

By SIMON THOMAS Dragons ............. 30pts Tries: Basham 18, Coleman 27, Williams 38, Carter 55 Conversions: Evans 19, 39 Penalties: Evans...

Three defeats in a row for sorry Edinburgh

By BRYN PALMER Lions ................55 Edinburgh ......21 EDINBURGH suffered a savage mauling by a rampant Lions outfit to leave their ambitions...

Matavesi in time to put Blues back on course

■By MICK JACOBS Bedford .............35pts Tries: Titherington 13, Day 23, 35; Howard 58, Matavesi 75 Conversions: Maisey 14, 24, 36, 59,...

Chinnor up the tempo to break their home duck

By JOHN VAUGHAN Chinnor ............. 31pts Tries: Hardwick 1, 23, Wharton 26, Goss 40, Passman 80 Conversions: Slevin 1, 23, 80...

Olowofela the star as Doncaster take glory

By WILLIAM GUPWELL Ealing Trailfinders ........ 35pts Tries: Smid 3, Holgate 20, Moore 27, Cornish 38 Conversions: Jones 4, 21, 28...

Scottish turn up the . heat to stun Pirates

By MO SHER L Scottish .........26pts Tries: Hammond 15, Ransom 25, Friday 29, Riley 50 Conversions: Lloyd-Seed 16, 26, 30 C...

Cambridge make it tough for Coventry

By STEVE Cambridge ....... 19pts Tries: Lennon 12, Adams 63, Jones 77 Conversions: Grimoldby 64, 78 Coventry ...........36pts Tries: Hutler 1,...

Archers hit Mob for six to go top – for a few hours

By GEORGE Nottingham .....38pts Tries: D Williams 17, 67; Myall 37, Manz 46, Graham 56, Arden 64 Conversions: Arden 37, 46,...

Stars line up to play in charity match

DANNY Cipriani, Billy Twelvetrees and Tom Youngs have signed up for a cross-code match at Headingley next month to raise funds...

Boffelli out ‘for months’

EDINBURGH will be without Argentina fullback Emiliano Boffelli for another long stint because of the recurrence of a back issue. Boffelli...

Cov’s easy win over Bedford no surprise to Rae

By PAUL SMITH COVENTRY head coach Alex Rae said last weekend’s 45-7 demolition of old rivals Bedford Blues came as no...

I’m happy to play anywhere – Mason Grady

By Simon Thomas How best to utilise the talents of Mason Grady is one of the big debates in Welsh rugby....

Yes, a star is born, but just not on the rugby field

A STAR is born? Well yes and no... This is a young unknown, fresh faced, clean shaven Kris Kristofferson early in...

Antoine Dupont & Co need to take on the very best

Rugby Matters By Brendan Gallagher - A weekly look at the game's other talking points I think we established long ago...

Scotland set up Aussie showdown

WXV2 By BEN JAYCOCK Japan ............... 13 Scotland .........19 SCOTLAND’S hopes of retaining their WXV2 title were boosted with a gritty...