Malins is looking to shine at Bristol

By PAUL REES IT WAS typical of fate that Max Malins’s first start for Bristol since signing for them permanently came...

Hunt and Wyrwas awarded contracts

NATASHA ‘Mo’ Hunt and Ella Wyrwas have been awarded England women’s contracts before next year’s Six Nations. The duo will compete...

Townsend is glad to be back

By MARK STEVENS STUART Townsend says he’s aiming to make up for lost time after he returned to the Exeter first...

Lawes delays decision on his future until Six Nations

By JON NEWCOMBE Courtney Lawes will make a decision on his Northampton future during the Six Nations window in February. Lawes...

Farrell set to remain Sarries marquee man

Saracens are closing in on agreeing terms to a new contract with skipper Owen Farrell, below, who is out of contract...

Bulls have Sharks lock in their sights

Sale Sharks lock Cobus Wiese has been targeted by the Bulls, who are offering him around £300,000 a year to return...

Bears step up hunt for new tighthead

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Bristol Bears have stepped up their search for a tighthead as they face up to...

Wiese likely to stay at Leicester

JASPER Wiese has turned down the chance of moving to Stade Francais and is close to agreeing to a new long-term...

Top flight bosses demand answers

Premiership bosses are set to attend a Christmas crisis summit meeting after growing restless that there is no clear direction over...

Dream Team with Leo Fielding

Leo Fielding, the Blackheath and former London Scottish and Cinderford centre/full-back, chooses the Best XV he has played with or against......

Good on Farrell for putting his family first

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK Owen Farrell’s decision to step away from England duty was a surprise, but almost...

Barbeary double has Bath in joyful mood

BY MARK STEVENS Bath .....................................41pts Tries: Barbeary 7, 66; Redpath 21, Spencer 43, Cokanasiga 63, Butt 71 Conversions: Russell 22, 64, 67,...

Baxter: We lose direction quickly

Rob Baxter insisted his young side will need to address on-field discipline if they are to keep pace with the frontrunners...

Battling Saints too strong for Saracens

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Saracens ........................... 12pts Tries: Parton 59, Lewington 72 Conversion: Vunipola 73 Northampton Saints...... 18pts Tries: Sleightholme 51, Mitchell...

Dogged defence delights Dowson

Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson was proud of how his side managed to boss the breakdown while maintaining discipline. He...

Bears hit 50 to leave Gloucester in a heap

By ROGER PANTING Bristol Bears ....................51pts Tries: Malins 10, Genge 19, Randall 25, 41; Harding 30, Batley 48, Thacker 71 Conversions:...

‘We have lost some of our ferocity’

Following this latest defeat, Gloucester coach George Skivington believes his side needed a reset. He said: “For most of last season...

Itoje is the best man to captain England

NICK CAIN - READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK Maro Itoje should be England’s next captain following Owen Farrell’s decision to...

Don’t confuse hatred on social media with responsible debate

NO-ONE in their right mind wanted to see Owen Farrell exit the international stage after announcing this week that he wants...

We are getting better at the basics, says coach Millard

Harlequins boss Billy Millard explained that improved fundamentals were key to Quins finding their groove as they bounced back from consecutive...

Smith calls shots as Quins put on a show

By NICK POWELL Harlequins ....................... 36pts Tries: Green 9, Care 43, Riley 51, Joseph 59, 72 Conversions: Smith 11, 44, 61;...

Falcons are trapped with nowhere to go

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED IT WAS a clear-cut case of “capitalism gone mad” as the loadsamoney class snapped up English club...

Exodus of talent isn’t always a disaster

Sabbaticals are all the rage. Sam Cane, the New Zealand captain who chased gold at the recent World Cup but ended...

Cross is determined to keep Reffell quiet

By JON NEWCOMBE In-form Newcastle flanker Sam Cross returns to the scene of his first professional game confident the Premiership’s bottom...

Winger who is learning new tricks with Tigers

By PAUL REES PREVIEW... Leicester Tigers v Newcastle Falcons Today. Kick-off 3pm, Welford Road Ollie Hassell-Collins appeared to be in for...

John was the first to sidestep celebrity

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW OWEN Farrell‘s maternal grandfather had only just begun creating the ultimate Anglo-Irish dynasty...

Nos Da, Dennis, my lovely boy

Dennis Gethin would have been highly amused had someone told him that his 12-year presidential reign on this side of the...

Cane is on message as a Goliath

Sam Cane made sure of saying all the right things about the Japanese League on his arrival in the Land of...

Red Roses: Natasha Hunt

GLOUCESTER-HARTPURY SCRUM-HALF Birthplace: Gloucester, Date of Birth: 21/03/89 Community Club: Drybrook RFC, Red Roses Debut: 2011 vs USA, Caps: 67 Why...

Dominant Saracens get ready for lift-off

By EDDIE MCATEER Harlequins ........................0pts Saracens .........................31pts Tries: Campbell 25, Packer 38, Farries 59, 78; Penalty 65 Conversions: De Goede 26,...

Jones looking forward to Tigers’ double header

By BEN JAYCOCK First try: Meg Jones scoring against Gloucester PREVIEW... Leicester Tigers v Loughborough Today. 5.30pm AS well as competing...

Beckett and Sing secure the spoils in derby clash

By STEWART MCCULLOGH Bristol Bears ..... 0pts Gloucester-H ... 12pts Tries: Beckett 5, Sing 54 Conversions: Sing 5 GLOUCESTER-Hartpury head coach...

Quite right, Jerry Time to cut subs

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk JEREMY Guscott was absolutely...

Game is bigger than RFU Board and Premiership

THE more I learn of the dire situation English rugby finds itself in, the more I worry that our government is...

Don’t give lifelines

IF Wasps, Worcester, and London Irish are gifted lifelines, then it would be an absolute disgrace – surely it can never...

Oghre enjoying life with Bristol

By PAUL REES Gabriel Oghre was one of a number of players who last season found themselves having to pick up...

Matavesi happy he is back home in Cornwall

By MARK STEVENS Among the quaint villages and historic towns that dot the local landscape, Josh Matavesi has once again discovered...

Coach to Coach with Taff Gwilliam

Steve Hill speaks to Taff Gwilliam who last season lead Kent to their first County Championship title since 1927 and is...

A case of third time lucky for Neville

RUGBY MATTERS - A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER Sport is full of sliding doors moments,...

Time to enforce law on quick tapped penalties

RUGBY MATTERS I can't remember the last time I saw a quick tapped penalty taken correctly yet refs and assistant refs...

Heartbreak for Ospreys as Benetton snatch it

By ROB COLE Benetton ........... 18pts Tries: Bernasconi 16, Da Re 76 Conversions: Umaga 17 Penalties: Umaga 65, 69 Ospreys ................

Six-try Bulls gear up for Saracens

By BEN JAYCOCK Bulls ............... 44 Sharks ............ 10 THE Bulls showed their quality with a six-try thrashing of the Sharks...

Stormers start to show some form

By SAM JACKSON Stormers ........31 Zebre .................7 THEY are not looking like the URC champions they once were but the Stormers’...

14-man Lions too good for Dragons

By HAMISH Lions.................. 49pts Tries: van Wyck 11, Horn 28, 70; van der Merwe 43, 77; van der Berg 57 Conversions:...

Frawley runs home late winner

By KEVIN FALLON Connacht ........22 Leinster .......... 24 CIARAN Frawley was the hero for Leinster as he struck for a match-winning...

Ritchie earns Everitt praise

By JOHN FALLON Ulster .............. 24 Edinburgh .......27 EDINBURGH coach Sean Everitt said they were good value for their first win...

Rowntree: We need to get better

By JOHN FALLON Munster ..........40 Glasgow ..........29 GLASGOW coach Franco Smith said they could have few complaints about the outcome at...

Big clubs ready to rumble

Paul Rees looks forward to the Champions Cup, kicking off this weekend THE Champions Cup returns this week with a tweaked...

Georgia happy to be joining the party

The Challenge Cup is being used to widen boundaries. A Georgian side, Black Lion which will play its home matches in...

Iosefa-Scott happy he took chance with Chiefs

By PAUL REES Josh Iosefa-Scott was stunned when Exeter contacted his agent two years ago. The 22st England qualified prop was...