The good, bad and the ugly…

BRENDAN GALLAGHER RECALLS THE MOST TUMULTUOUS TOUR BY NEW ZEALAND EVER IN 1972-73 Brendan Gallagher looks back at the highs and...

The mystery of Keith Murdoch, sent home early only to become a nomad

THE fate of Keith Murdoch has always captivated the rugby world but when he died in 2018 many questions were left...

Racing 92 confirm Le Garrec is leaving

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN On the move: Scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec will be joining La Rochelle PICTURE: Getty Images YES, it’s...

Mehrtens reported to lead group out to buy Beziers

JAMES HARRINGTON LESS than two weeks before the new ProD2 season kicks off, overseas buyers have officially submitted a bid to...

Champions set to take on Leicester in opener

By SAM JACKSON GLOUCESTER-Hartpury will open their title defence at home to Leicester Tigers on the opening weekend of the Premiership...

Women aiming to hit 100,000 mark by World Cup

By BEN JAYCOCK ENGLAND women returned to their roots, visiting local clubs across the country with Alex Teas-dale, executive director of...

Potent Rawlins helps England U18s bounce back with victory over Georgia

England overcame a shaky first half to score 17 unanswered second half points to beat an impressive Georgia 27-20 as Jonathan...

2024 Six Nations Look Back and What’s To Come!

The 2024 Six Nations showcased the best of European rugby from the opening match to the final whistle.  Whether you’re a...

The Role of Mental Health Support in Professional Rugby

In the realm of professional sports, where physical prowess and athletic excellence are celebrated, the often-overlooked aspect of mental health has...

Why choose 7bet?

If you want a unique and reliable online gambling platform, 7bet is among the best choices. It is a simple place...

Scoring Big: Advanced Strategies for Dominating Rugby Video Games

Rugby video games provide a thrilling challenge for gamers looking to immerse themselves in the intense and strategic world of rugby....

Game Plan Excellence: Harnessing the Power of Digital Planners in Rugby

Discover how integrating digital planners can transform the strategic and logistical aspects of rugby, enhancing both team performance and fan engagement....

Halliday: I’m proud of united approach

EXCLUSIVE By JON NEWCOMBE SIMON Halliday has left his role as chairman of the Championship Clubs’ board both proud and frustrated...

We must all share the blame -Youngs

By ADAM HATHAWAY BEN Youngs insists Leicester’s players only have themselves to blame for last season’s flop and not Dan McKellar...

Follow The Rugby Paper online…

Follow us at: @therugbypaper Follow us at: therugbypaper Follow us at: @therugbypaper Keep in touch with The Rugby Paper wherever you...

Easter ‘appalled’ by Prem Cup exclusion

By JON NEWCOMBE NICK Easter has described the decision to exclude his Chinnor side and Cambridge from next season’s Premiership Cup...

Sweeney defends change

CHIEF executive Bill Sweeney says the RFU has not “sold out” by renaming Twickenham in a sponsorship deal worth more than...

Chapman moves up at Northampton

PREMIERSHIP champions Northampton have appointed Julia Chapman as Mark Darbon’s successor as chief executive. She will begin her new role in...

Matthews stepping into Pellegrini shoes

By BEN JAYCOCK REPLACING World Cup star Pat Pellegrini could be perceived as a daunting prospect but Coventry new signing Tommy...

Don’t put Marcus in a box, warns Mo’unga

By SAM JACKSON RICHIE Mo’unga says England must not put Marcus Smith in a ‘box’ if they are to get the...

Walters leaves England for Irish challenge

By SAM JACKSON ALED Walters has left his role as England’s head of strength and conditioning to take up a position...

I’m at Tigers for the long haul – Cheika

By ADAM HATHAWAY Hard-nosed: George Martin on the attack for Leicester PICTURES: Getty Images TROUBLE-shooter Michael Cheika has told Leicester fans...

Summerhill in hunt for a new deal

By SIMON THOMAS Moving on: Aled Summerhill in action for Cardiff PICTURE: Getty Images AS he comes to terms with being...

LETTER: Macclesfield shows RFU doesn’t care about players

I strongly feel that the RFU is killing our rugby clubs as they have shown a serious lack of care towards...

LETTER: World Rugby made the game too complicated, attritional

This is a follow on from Raymond Howell’s letter in last weekend’s Rugby Paper about rugby's loss of wide appeal.

LETTER: RFU not helping English rugby

Steve Borthwick is doing a great job in charge of the national side as are his players and our recent U20...

Diamond: We’ll be fit and raring to go

By JON NERWCOMBE STEVE Diamond insists Newcastle Falcons will be fit for purpose when they kick off the new Premiership season...

DREAM TEAM

STUART CORSAR, THE FORMER SCOTLAND A, GLASGOW, ROTHERHAM & DONCASTER PROP, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST......

Itoje has chance to captain the Lions

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK THERE will be a special edge to the coming season because of the 2025...

Erasmus: We didn’t cherish ball and look after it like gold

AFTER easing past Australia with a phenomenal all-court game in Brisbane, South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus is expecting a reaction...

Springboks open box of tricks as they leave Wallabies at the gate

By PAUL REES Australia.............................. 7pts Tries: Paisami 76 Conversions: Lynagh 77 South Africa .................... 33pts Tries: Kolisi 10, du Toit 24,...

Whisper it, but these Boks may deserve our love

BRENDAN GALLAGHER THERE are many of you out there, often to be found in the noisy corner of X, who don’t...

Savea: We need to get it right next time

NEW Zealand captain Ar-die Savea admitted their performance wasn’t “up to All Black standard” and hopes the pain of just their...

Argentina grab their chance to stun New Zealand

■ By BEN JAYCOCK New Zealand ………………..30pts Tries: Darry 15, Lienert-Brown 35, Tele’a 52 Conversions: McKenzie 16, 36, 53 Penalties: McKenzie...

Creevy & Co show England how it’s done

BRENDAN GALLAGHER ANEW Pumas generation is beginning to flex their muscles, but it was the veteran Gus Creevy, 40 next birthday,...

A sporting heritage that needs protection

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK WHAT’S in a name? A huge amount if you consider what Wembley means...

RFU must learn from Olympic gold rush

Triumph: Antoine Dupont with his Olympic gold medal PICTURE: Getty Images THE Paris Olympics should have rammed home an urgent reminder...

FANTASY RUGBY 2024/25

PRIZE MONEY WINNER £500 SECOND £250 THIRD £125 LAST £250 MANAGER OF THE MONTH £25 SECOND £10 THIRD £5 LAST £10...

Back injury forces Dragons hooker Roberts to retire

Highlight: Bradley Roberts scoring for Wales against France during the 2023 Six Nations PICTURES: Getty Images WALES and Dragons hooker Bradley...

Former Wales star Carter dies aged 59

NEWS EXTRA FORMER Wales flanker Alun Carter died last week while out on a walk at the age of 59. Carter...

Skinner hits a hat-trick for Newport

Pre-season action By MO SHER AFTER what seems a shorter summer break than ever before, the community game resumed with a...

Seven-try Pirates put Redruth to the sword

By MIKE SINCLAIR Cornish Pirates....47pts Redruth..................... 5pts THE full-timers of Cornish Pirates proved too strong for their National 2 West neighbours...

What counts is how the money is spent

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED IT WAS a close-run thing but, after crunching the numbers harder than a caffeine-fuelled psephologist on election...

20-minute reds will add more confusion

LIKE most of Woody Allen’s great lines, it was meant as a joke. “I was thrown out of college for cheating...

Attack is becoming the new defence…

PAUL REES LOOKS AT HOW LAWMAKERS ARE TRYING TO MAKE THE GAME FASTER -AND CREATE MORE SPACE ON THE PITCH Class...

JUNIOR KPOKU

YOUNG GUNS RACING 92 & ENGLAND U20 LOCK Junior Kpoku is learning from some of the biggest stars in rugby at...

Youngsters ready to make their mark

Ben Jaycock talks to England head coach Jonathan Pendlebury ahead of the U18s tour to South Africa ENGLAND U18 SQUAD FORWARDS...

SHORTEST INTERNATIONAL CAREERS

90 seconds: Alexandre Albouy (France v Italy, Paris 2002) 2 minutes: Chris Pennell (England v New Zealand, Auckland, 2011); Ollie Griffiths...

Berry’s briefest of brief encounters…

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW TEN summer Olympiads have come and all but gone since Marty Berry went...

There’s little for Ulster to cheer

ULSTER can lay justifiable claim to supplying the Lions with a trio of all-time greats: Mike Gibson, Syd Millar and Willie-John...