Simmonds is facing a fight for survival

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN THE final weekend of 2023 – and we’re almost at the halfway point of the Top 14...

I’m honoured, says Sir Dicky with NY award

Cornish Pirates owner Sir Richard ‘Dicky’ Evans says he is ‘surprised’ and ‘honoured’ to be awarded a knighthood in the New...

Symes looking to impress in Wales

By BEN JAYCOCK After excelling in Australia, tyro fly-half Jacob Symes has returned to Wales to link up with Welsh Premiership...

Phillips stands down as Merthyr coach

FORMER Wales women’s coach Rowland Phillips has left his position as Merthyr head coach with immediate effect. Phillips was due to...

What’s in The Rugby Paper: 31/12/23

Harlequins host Gloucester in their annual ‘Big Game’ at Twickenham on Saturday, part of extensive coverage from the Premiership and the...

Premiership previews: Round ten

Round 10 of the Premiership promises to deliver riveting clashes amidst an electric festive atmosphere. Bristol look set for their biggest...

Tuilagi to miss start of Six Nations with groin problem

England centre Manu Tuilagi will miss the start of the 2024 Six Nations with a groin problem that he suffered for...

Slot machines at Red Dog online casino

One of the most popular entertainment in both virtual and real casinos – slot machines. They attract most visitors due to...

Agree new PGP deal quickly, urge DoRs

By PAUL REES Premiership clubs expect the details of the new Professional Game Partnership (PGP) with the RFU to be agreed...

Gloucester close in on deal for Atkinson

By NEIL FISSLER Gloucester are in talks to do a deal that will see them sign former Wasps fly-half Charlie Atkinson...

Easter urges RFU not to divide National One

By LUKE JARMYN Nick Easter fears that RFU plans to split National One in two, with a north and south divide,...

Warr: It’s special to learn from the best

By LUKE JARMYN Sale Sharks Gus Warr believes that time spent rubbing shoulders and working with the likes of double World...

Unlucky Quirke ruled out with foot injury

Raffi Quirke’s dismal luck with injuries continued when a foot injury he picked up at Leinster last weekend that was initially...

Newcastle sign Holgate

NEWCASTLE have signed Championship winner Jordan Holgate on a deal until the end of the season after his previous club Jersey...

Goodman takes over

LEINSTER assistant coach Andrew Goodman will replace Mike Catt as Ireland’s backs coach at the end of the season. The 41-year-old...

Big Game is next in line for upbeat Dombrandt

By PAUL REES Alex Dombrandt will enjoy a rare break over Christmas before returning to drive Harlequins’ twin assaults on the...

Codling: This is the toughest run I have had as a coach

By PAUL REES Newcastle may have had a challenging start to the season, but Alex Codling believes there are several reasons...

Dowson praise for Radford turnaround

By JON NEWCOMBE Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson has paid tribute to new defence coach Lee Radford and his players...

Chiefs ace Tom set for Hanazono

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Tom Hendrickson has signed a deal with Osaka-based Japanese League One side Hanazono Kintetsu Liners...

Everitt in talks at Edinburgh

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER EDINBURGH have opened talks with Sean Everitt about extending his stay in the Scottish capital...

Saracens in hunt for big name wing

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER  Saracens have held informal talks with England wingers Jonny May and Joe Cokanasiga about a...

Quins offer Care new contract

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Danny Care has been offered the chance to extend his contract with Harlequins until after...

Glasgow keen for Hastings return

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Scotland international Adam Hastings has been speaking to Glasgow Warriors about a return north of...

Dream Team with Damian Welch

The former Exeter Chiefs, Llanelli, Scarlets, Cardiff & Pontypridd second row, chooses the best XV he has played with or against......

I can see why Dupont has gold in his sights

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK IT is very hard to think of France without Antoine Dupont as a driving...

Cokanasiga shows his England quality

By ADAM HATHAWAY Bath .................................... 25pts Tries: Cokanasiga 1, 47; Stooke 42, Reid 74 Conversion: Russell 49 Penalties: Russell 33 Harlequins...

‘There’s more to come from Joe’

Johann van Graan, the Bath head coach, revealed Steve Borthwick has been keeping an eye on Joe Cokanasiga and insists there...

Leicester suffer as Chiefs put on a show

By MARK STEVENS Exeter Chiefs .................. 29pts Tries: Vermeulen 7, Penalty 10, Slade 39, Tuima 80 Conversions: Slade 7, 40 Penalty:...

McKellar unhappy with poor first half

LEICESTER head coach Dan McKellar bemoaned a dismal first half that saw the visitors trail 21-0. “It was a poor start...

Agony for Hastings as Saints hold on

By PAUL REES Gloucester ....................... 29pts Tries: Clarke 27, Harris 40, Alemanno 47, Carreras 52 Conversions: Hastings, 28, 40, 53 Penalties:...

A good win but not a great performance, says Dowson

NORTHAMPTON moved to third in the table with a sixth Premiership victory in seven, but director of rugby Phil Dowson was...

Sharks keep it tight to hold off Saracens

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Sale Sharks ..................... 22pts Tries: Creevy 17, Roebuck 43, Cowan-Dickie 48 Conversions: Ford 18, 48 Penalty: Ford 64...

Tuilagi injury worry for Sale

ALEX Sanderson, with concerns about Manu Tuilagi’s first-half exit, hailed his pack’s performance for giving his side the edge. “Our set-piece...

Energetic Vakatawa puts Bears in charge

By LUKE JARMYN Newcastle Falcons........ 13pts Tries: McCallum 80+2 Conversions: Jennings 80+3 Penalties: Johnson 40+2, Jennings 48 Bristol Bears .................... 21pts...

Codling delighted by crowd support

DESPITE suffering an 11th straight defeat in all competitions, Newcastle boss Alex Codling praised his side’s effort and the Falcons’ hard...

Here’s my England squad for Six Nations

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK There will have been times when the honeymoon period predicted for Steve Borthwick’s...

Sweeney’s words causing deep anger

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK There is something radically wrong when the chief executive of the RFU –...

It’s been incredible to be here for so long

Jon Newcombe catches up with Saracens DoR Mark McCall, who has been the boss since 2011 With his 13th calendar year...

Toulouse are the most entrancing side of them all

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED Dupont or no Dupont, Ntamack or no Ntamack, this latest edition of the Champions Cup may well...

Gorging on a Christmas feast of non-stop rugby

CHRIS HEWETT Rugby has always been a game of Big Ideas: Carwyn James, the patron saint of Stradey Park, was a...

The French out in front? That’s not how it looks

With 12 victories in 16 games, Paul Rees reflects on a promising start by English clubs in the Champions Cup It...

Being called to the bar was my proudest day

MY LIFEIN RUGBY THE FORMER WORCESTER AND HARLEQUINS SECOND ROW TURNED NFL PLAYER CHRISTIAN SCOTLAND-WILLIAMSON Crashing home: Scotland-Williamson scoring for Worcester...

Time of goodwill to all (well, nearly all)

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER hands out his Christmas goodies... HO HO HO. I’m normally more of a scrooge than a Santa...

Derby day double act for regions

By BEN JAYCOCK Fixtures: Tuesday December 26: Cardiff v Dragons, Kick-off 3pm Scarlets v Ospreys, Kick-off 5.15pm Boxing Day action sees...

Glasgow claim the bragging rights

By BRYN PALMER Glasgow............22pts Tries: Rowe 17, Matthews 66, Miller 73 Conversions: Horne 67, 74 Penalty: Thompson 6 Edinburgh......... 10pts Try:...

Cooney leads the revenge party

By JOHN FALLON Ulster .................20pts Tries: Warwick 2, Timoney 19 Conversions: Cooney 3, 20 Penalties: Cooney 51, 66 Connacht ..........19pts Josh...

Stormers ……..26 Bulls …………….20

THE Stormers recorded a seventh successive victory over the Bulls in front of 42,000 at the DHL Stadium. The Bulls scored...

Zebre ………….. 24 Benetton ……..31

FORMER Wasps wing Paolo Odogwu was the star of the show as Benetton secured their sixth victory of the season and...

Day when the tears flowed for Devereux

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW THE Brewery Field in Bridgend last Wednesday night offered more than a few...

Dreadful night for Scarlets

When they drank Llanelli dry the day the Scarlets beat New Zealand 51 years ago, the public houses to run out...