Bulls put in a late run to keep out battling Pau

■By BEN JAYCOCK Pau ..................... 24pts Tries: Delhommel 10, 41; Maximin 33 Conversions: Mondinat 11; Souverbie 34, 42 Penalty: Souverbie 49...

Peter Jackson: Blizzard of points is obscuring the view

The Champions Cup, a misnomer if ever there was one, gorged itself last weekend on a feast of tries: 107 at...

A frozen farce with no hint of an apology

THE credibility of European Professional Club Rugby Ltd took another bashing last weekend over a botched attempt to stage the Cheetahs-Ulster...

Baxter sets sights on a home draw in last 16

■ By BEN JAYCOCK PREVIEW... Exeter Cardiff Chiefs v Today. Kick-off 1pm, Sandy Park EXETER Chiefs head into today’s final pool...

Montpellier claim top spot as Ospreys comeback falls short

■ By SIMON THOMAS Ospreys .............26pts Tries: Watkin 11, Lloyd 40, 52; Moriarty 58 Conversions: Walsh 12, 41, 53 Montpellier .....31pts...

Stade go close but Ulster hold on

■ By JIM STEVENS Ulster ................26 Stade .................19 RELIEF poured out of Ravenhill at full-time after the hosts’ 26-0 half-time lead,...

11-try Connacht secure home tie

Connacht .......75 Montauban ...14 ■ By MARK WILLIAMS CONNACHT produced a ruthless display to book a home tie in the last...

PREVIEW…Lyon v Benetton

Today. Kick-off 1pm, Matmut Stadium de Gerland LAST season’s finalists Lyon face a do or die clash against pool leaders Benetton...

PREVIEW…Racing v Cheetahs

Today. Kick-off 5.30pm, La Defense Arena ONLY pride is at stake in this matchup with both Racing 92 and Cheetahs out...

Perpignan through but Lions are sent packing

Round-up ■ By SAM JACKSON A DRAMATIC Challenge Cup clash at Stade Aimé Giral ended all square as Perpignan and the...

Nick Cain’s column should be hung in Sweeney’s office

NICK Cain’s column last week should be cut out, framed and hung on the wall of Bill Sweeney’s office as it...

Worrying direction of travel

A SUCCESSFUL enterprise is usually built on firm foundations. I wish that I could see this in rugby union with a...

Classy Chinnor stun Bedford

The Champ ■ By WILLIAM BULL Chinnor ..............27pts Tries: Smith 15, Rukhadze 22, Hanks 58 Conversions: Chamberlain 16, 23, 59 Penalties:...

Reduce numbers to raise standard

THE European Cup still throws up some fantastic matches – Bulls against Bristol last week was crazy – but too many...

DREAM TEAM

JACOB ATKINS, FORMER LONDON IRISH AND ROVIGO CENTRE, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH TAILORED NOT FOR PACKED STADIUMS,...

Brendan Gallagher: European Champions Cup is still in dire need of an overhaul

The European Champions Cup which, after this weekend, goes back into hibernation for the best part of three months, remains in...

100 years ago when Scots missed the Slam

THE one that got away is a staple in sport – indeed life – and for Scotland the one that got...

McCrae enjoyed hitting heights

NOT many senior careers span four decades but that was the longevity displayed by former Scotland scrum-half Ian McCrae who died...

Paul Rees: Rampaging Baby Rhino Ellis Genge in the form of his life

Paul Rees on how Ellis Genge is driving Bristol Bears - and England - in the right direction.

Buchanan echoes the thoughts of many

WALES have not beaten England in the Six Nations at Twickenham since 2012. If they will not be going into next...

Leaders Albion dull the roar of the Lions

Leicester L ......17 Plymouth A .... 47 By MALCOLM WRIGHT FORM side Plymouth Albion tightened their position at the summit, with...

Down-stream TJs flooded by Rams

Tonbridge J ...........33 Rams ........................35 By GARETH WITHERS WHEN IT RAINS it clearly pours at Tonbridge Juddians’ Slade home, after an...

Titans capitalise in tantalising taunt

Bishop’s S ...............27 Rotherham T .........35 By JOHN ALLANSON ILL-DISCIPLINE was the key factor that let Bishop’s Stortford down, after travelling...

Park shine to abandon Blackheath in darkness

By CHARLIE WHITE Rosslyn Park ...36pts Tries: Stanton 22, King 37, Digby 43, Piper 63, Smith 79 Conversions: Johnston 23, 38,...

Lavender and Blacks gather at the back to battle on

Clifton ......................24 Sedgley Park ........ 10 By ROGER OPIE HOSTS CLIFTON displayed a defensive determination to keep Sedgley Park at bay,...

Longstaff seals it at the end for Sale

Leeds Tykes ..........14 Sale FC..................... 19 By MARK DOCHERTY KILLER INSTINCT was the difference as Sale FC overcame strugglers Leeds Tykes,...

Crusaders keep on going until end

Dings Crusaders ..25 B Moseley .............. 19 By LILLEE O’CALLAGHAN DINGS CRUSADERS secured a slim victory over Birmingham Moseley, in a...

Prop’s script is flipped to help author Albion’s Pullinger prize

By BEN JAYCOCK PLYMOUTH Albion prop Dan Pullinger admits it feels odd seeing his beloved club sit top of National League...

Hull hold on to see off Fylde in a true nail-biter

Hull.....................27 Fylde..................26 By RICHARD GORE THIS was a close game which went down to the final seconds and won by a...

Caudle deserves defensive Oscar!

Tynedale.................14 Sheffield Tigers...... 7 By BRIAN TILLEY FREEZING conditions produced a treacherous surface and a slippery ball, but Tynedale somehow managed...

By George! Dale owe it to Hedgley

Wharfedale............32 Otley..........................14 By EDWIN WILLIAMS A LARGE crowd was treated to cracking, entertaining rugby, with the home team dominating for long...

Kieran is so cool as Dale edge key clash

Scunthorpe......... 7pts Rossendale......13pts By GARETH LYONS Well held: Jonny Leota is stopped short KIERAN Tyrer kept his nerve with two second-half...

Double delight for Darlington as rivals stumble

Darlington MP.......45 Billingham..............35 By IAN MORRIS DARLINGTON Mowden Park overcame a sluggish start to complete the season double over local rivals...

Macc are worked hard by Hoppers

Macclesfield .........38 Preston G ................26 By JEAN BULL GIVEN the two teams’ respective runs and positions in the league you could...

Hooper helps the leaders ease home

Sheffield .................26 Hull Ionians ........... 17 By TOM BARRY SHEFFIELD kept their impressive form from 2025 on track with another bonus-point...

Mike eyes Mel of a finish as Ionians show defensive steel

By BEN JAYCOCK FOR Hull Ionians stalwart Mike Mel, the past few months have been as testing mentally as they have...

Re-Borne Cam find second storm to nick win

Camborne.........36 Hinckley...........26 By BILL HOOPER AFTER TRAILING at half-time, Camborne posted 24 unanswered points during a dominant second half to maintain...

Semester starts but Lymm second best

Loughborough S....38 Lymm........................24 By FYNLEE HATELEY LESSONS WERE learned for home side Loughborough Students, who controlled affairs to silence Lymm and...

Lucs leave it late in Exeter’s excitement

Luctonians..............40 Exeter Uni................ 31 By GEOFF VICKRESS SIX-SCORE Luctonians left it late to settle the scoreline as Exeter University served up...

Whitlock’s wit grabs it in final seconds for Titans

Barnstaple....... 24pts Taunton T..........31pts By COILIN DUFFY All action: Scott Gibson runs through to score Taunton’s first try and, REFEREE: J....

Old heads teach the Blues how to swing away!

Chester.....................29 Old Redcliffians....36 By HARVEY ALLEN OLD REDCLIFFIANS bagged their second away win of the season over Chester, who were hoping...

Smith has winning song on his mind!

Cinderford ..............29 Hornets ...................... 7 By NIGEL WILCE CINDERFORD gelled together to a victory over the Hornets, with Sam Smith leading...

Reds’ scrum rides hard to race away

Redruth ...................33 Syston ....................... 5 By AMELIA LINE RUTHLESS REDRUTH rallied to a textbook home romp, right from a clean-sweep first...

Hornets man Ramshaw is sure there’s more to come

By BEN JAYCOCK Hopeful: Hinckley lock Jack Ramshaw JACK Ramshaw feels the turning point in Hinckley’s season came not with a...

Honours are even in the tightest of tussles

Dorking..............13 Henley...............13 By KEVIN BEAL A HEAVY pitch, two well-drilled defensive set-ups and a plethora of penalties coupled with unforced errors...

Teenage star Theo is the Oundle hero

Oundle......................35 Guernsey................. 17 By PETER CROOT THE dark skies cleared and Oundle produced a bright display to beat the Raiders. A...

Reynolds makes all the difference

Westcombe Park..12 Canterbury.............. 21 By JOHN VALLELY CANTERBURY’S slick and powerful midfield masterminded by star player Frank Reynolds maintained the Kent...

Happy Havant led by Shepherd

By STEPHEN FITZMAURICE Main men: Havant’s Tom Gwither on the attack and, below, Jacob Knight goes over for Havant PICTURES: Dave...

Penfold paves the way as Bury show their class

Esher......................... 19 Bury St Edmunds..47 By AMELIE CLAYDON PROMOTION-CHASING Bury St Edmunds recovered from an early scare and showed their class...

Leaders battle all the way to victory

Old Albanians .......28 Barnes .....................22 ■By JAMES LOGAN LEAGUE leaders Old Albanians extended the gap at the top of the National...