Mercer ruled out until New Year

GLOUCESTER No.8 Zach Mercer will be out for a “few months” after having an operation on an ankle injury. Mercer joined...

Wiese set for France

LEICESTER Tigers’ World Cup-winning No.8 Jasper Wiese says his focus is on “giving my all” for the club amid speculation he...

Welsh record £4.3m loss

THE Welsh Rugby Union recorded a £4.3m loss with a turnover of £101.3m for the year ending June 2023. Former chief...

Bath move for Owen

BATH have signed former Jersey Reds fullback Brendan Owen on a short-term contract. The 27-year-old South African joined the Championship side...

Springboks blueprint is way forward -Kay

By GARY FITZGERALD STEVE Borthwick will carry on using the “South Africa blueprint” to ensure England repeat their World Cup success...

Moody Jnr wins first cap… in soccer

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER  DYLAN Moody has followed in the footsteps of his famous father, former Leicester, England...

Conway forced to call time

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER IRELAND and Munster wing Andrew Conway has retrired from the game aged 32 because...

Bath chasing England U18 flyer Offiah

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEILFISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler Signing on: Max Ojomoh is close to agreeing a new...

Howley ready for new challenge

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER ROB Howley is set to leave his job as senior assistant coach with Canada...

Grayson to join Delaney in Japan

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Off: James Grayson MITSUBISHI Dynaboars will announce this week the signing of Northampton Saints...

DREAM TEAM

ALLAN JACOBSEN, THE FORMER SCOTLAND AND EDINBURGH PROP, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST... 1. Massimo Cuttitta...

My best XV attacking players on the planet

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK THIS is a World XV from the 2023 World Cup with a difference, because...

Five-star Harlequins land late knockout

By ROB WILDMAN Leicester .......................... 25pts Tries: Liebenberg 20, Steward 33, 47 Conversions: Pollard 33, 47 Penalties: Pollard 8, 66 Harlequins...

McKellar frustrated by Tigers mistakes

TIGERS boss Dan McKellar described himself as “incredibly frustrated” after watching a fourth defeat in a row for his new team....

Sharks go on attack with Ford in control

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Bristol .................................13pts Tries: Caulfield 9 Conversions: Sheedy 10 Penalties: Sheedy 42, 53 Sale .................................... 27pts Tries: Reed 24,...

‘Plenty of effort but too many mistakes’

BEARS director of rugby Pat Lam said his side were guilty of overcomplicating matters. “There was plenty of effort, but we...

Bath find their flow to hit Gloucester for six

By ROGER PANTING Gloucester ....................... 27pts Tries: Harris 17, Carreras 27, Alemanno 68 Conversions: Barton 17, 27, 68 Penalties: Barton 6,...

‘Fantastic advert for Prem Rugby’

BATH head coach Johann van Graan believed the game was a fantastic advertisement for Premiership rugby. He said: “The second half...

Angus glad to hold his own in back row battle

By PAUL REES PREVIEW... Northampton v Exeter Today. Kick-off 3pm, Franklin’s Gardens ANGUS Scott-Young relishes a battle and there are few...

Huge challenge awaits for Baxter’s resurgent Chiefs

IT WAS expected to be a season of rebuilding for Exeter following the loss of a core group of players who...

Codling can sense change is in the air

Premiership By PAUL REES PREVIEW... Newcastle v Saracens Today. Kick-off 3pm, Kingston Park THE last time Newcastle defeated Saracens in the...

McCall pleased to see Saracens rediscover identity

By JON NEWCOMBE REVITALSED by the return of their large international contingent, Saracens head to Newcastle today on the back of...

Game in England is heading for a storm

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK THE return of England A – the national second team known as the...

For once, ‘Hugh Bacardi’ was speechless…

NICK CAIN HUGH McHardy is one of those irrepressible, generous characters who give such vibrancy to the social and playing fabric...

Domestic structure in need of review

LETTERS MANY seem to believe reaching the semi-finals was sufficient, but given the resources available, England should be consistently in the...

Leal right to enforce the laws

SURELY it up to the players to know the laws of the game and the referee to enforce them. Therefore, referee...

Probyn for the top job!

WHAT a brilliant and pertinent article written by Jeff Probyn in last week’s issue. Absolutely spot on! Oh that we had...

Saracens still top dogs but Chiefs look hungry

By BEN JAYCOCK LAWRENCE Dallaglio believes reigning champions Saracens are the blueprint for any English professional side and sees them as...

Bath hope new dance floor will let their talent shine

By JON NEWCOMBE BATH defence coach JP Ferreira hopes that the playing surface at The Rec will be much improved following...

Change of culture is needed to compete

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED A slippery subject, rugby culture, and easily misrepresented in its narrowest sense. Across great swathes of the...

It’s better late than never to pick Zach

CHRIS HEWETT IF we’re being harsh – and heaven knows, the Cherry and White flock who congregate on the steps of...

Heartbreak for Scarlets as Van Wyk try steals it

By SIMON THOMAS Scarlets ............23pts Tries: Rogers 17, Elias 68 Conversions: Lloyd 18, 69 Penalties: Lloyd 3, 48, 54 Lions.................. 24pts...

Zebre claim first win in 29 games

By BEN JAYCOCK Zebre ............... 12 Sharks ............ 10 Zebre secured their first win since April 2022 as they narrowly saw...

Umaga kick kills off the Stormers

■By SAM JACKSON Benetton ........20 Stormers ........ 17 THE travel woes of South African teams continued as the Stormers stumbled to...

Ospreys fall just short as Dell gets late winner

■By ROGER PANTING Ospreys ............................. 23pts Tries: Williams 5, Morgan-Williams 67 Conversions: Walsh 5, 57 Penalties: Walsh 25, 55, 73 Glasgow..............................31pts...

Cardiff left to count cost of their errors

■By SIMON THOMAS Cardiff ............... 12pts Tries: Grady 23, Lee Lo 53 Conversions: De Beer 53 Bulls ................... 18pts Tries: Papier...

Healy puts boot into Connacht

■By JOHN FALLON Edinburgh .......25 Connacht ........22 BEN Healy broke Connacht’s hearts with a drop goal in the final play of...

Ulster end Munster’s run

■By JOHN FALLON Ulster ............... 21 Munster ..........14 CAPTAIN Tom Stewart paid tribute to recordbreaker Rob Herring on his 230th appearance...

Dragons call on Wales cavalry

■By BEN JAYCOCK Preview: Dragons v Leinster Today. Kick-off 1.15pm DRAGONS head coach Dai Flanagan has made nine changes ahead of...

New season set

Ben Jaycock looks at contenders ahead of next weekend’s kick-off to the Women’s Premiership season With just nine teams but a...

Hat-trick for Adamson as Blues find rhythm

■By LUKE JARMYN Bedford .............53pts Tries: Day 21, French 31, Adamson 34, 56, 69; Onojaife 43, Conway 60, 79 Conversions: Grimoldby...

Ampthill aim for top four after Cov win

■By BEN JAYCOCK AMPTHILL’S ever-present No.8 Morgan Strong has been a key figure in the club’s fast start this season and...

COACH TO COACH

FORMER RICHMOND DIRECTOR OF RUGBY STEVE HILL, FAR LEFT, TALKS TO GISELLE MATHER, DIRECTOR OF WOMEN’S RUGBY AT EALING TRAILFINDERS Giselle...

The Beast of Bezier broke the mould

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER A weekly look at the game’s other talking points French rugby said goodbye this week to the...

This diminished Premiership is benefiting no-one

RUGBY MATTERS TIME waits for no man. As the World Cup recedes in the rear-view mirror and we concentrate on the...

Uni links are vital to make-up of clubs

RUGBY MATTERS CLOSE match-ups with local University sides are nothing particularly new. The great Coventry sides back in the day enjoyed...

Tackling an age old problem

ANALYSIS >> PAUL REES SAYS RECENT MEASURES BROUGHT IN TO IMPROVE PLAYER SAFETY ARE ALREADY MAKING A DIFFERENCE Sam Cane last...

Wallabies on downward spiral, warns Campese

By BEN JAYCOCK AUSTRALIA legend David Campese has called out the lack of instinctive flair in rugby union and believes the...

Litterick learned prop trade through Jones

By SIMON THOMAS Rising star: Rhys Litterick AS a young tighthead learning the ropes, new Cardiff Rugby prop Rhys Litterick could...

Exiles travel globe to find new homes

PETER JACKSON PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Relocated: London Irish player of the year Tom Pearson is now...