22 teams raring to go in new-look Cup

By BEN JAYCOCK THE Premiership Cup returns on Friday in the new-look format involving Championship clubs for the first time. Exeter...

Premiership Cup fixtures

The semi-finals will be held on the weekend of February 16-18 and the final on the weekend of March 15-17 ......

My Life in Rugby with Duncan Hodge: ‘It was great to score all 19 points v England’

The former Scotland, Edinburgh, Leeds and Watsonians fly-half talks about his life in the game I WAS a mad-keen cricketer growing...

Healy sorry to be joining Crocks XV

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW After 14 years at the sharp end of Test combat, Cian Healy never...

Springboks flick the power switch

South Africa beat everyone to the punch by having the nerve to turn their substitute bench into virtually a complete auxiliary...

Teague’s TV block

Mike Teague, a Lion among Lions during the series victory in Australia, says he has no intention of watching the World...

When Deans & Co enjoyed free beer

When the Scottish and Welsh pioneers landed in New Zealand for the first World Cup, they saw an advertisement that made...

Ice cool Warren seals win for super Sedge

By JOE BARNES-TAYLOR Sedgley P ........32 Richmond ........ 31 NEWLY-PROMOTED Sedgley Tigers hosted recently-relegated Richmond in what turned out to be...

Winfield wins it with vital late kick

By JOHN ALLANSON Bishop’s S...............28 Cinderford.............. 30 CINDERFORD were quicker in thought and action for much of the first half and,...

Issy so busy in big back row battle

By JOHN VAUGHAN Chinnor....................22 Darlington MP....... 10 THIS was a contest which emerged into a battle between two strong back-rows. Among...

Koroiyadi powers over to give promoted Lions a dream start

By MALCOLM WRIGHT Leicester L .......23pts Tries: Stubbs 17, Koroiyadi 76 Conversions: Lewis 18, 77 Penalties: Lewis 27, 51, 56 Sale...

Late Rams blitz seals victory in

By RICHARD ASHTON Rams ........................ 50 B Moseley ..............36 THE impressive Rams weathered an early storm before coming back to beat...

2023 WORLD CUP

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Miracle worker Capuozzo can make difference

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER ITALY Coach: Kieran Crowley Captain: Michele Lamaro Resurgent Italy may have landed the toughest of groups but they...

Dupont’s in mood to prove he is the best

By JAMES HARRINGTON FRANCE Coach: Fabien Galthie Captain: Antoine Dupont Fly-half Romain Ntamack, loosehead Cyril Baille, centre Jonathan Danty and, now,...

Los Teros will be looking to add to their famous victory over Fiji

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER URUGUAY Coach: Esteban Meneses Captain: Andres Vilaseca Uruguay are beginning to shed upstart status. This will be their...

Welwitschias still looking for their first win

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER NAMIBIA Coach: Allister Coetzee Captain: Johan Deysel INDEPENDENCE from South Africa, in 1990, came a little too late...

All Blacks are still the team to beat

By PAUL REES NEW ZEALAND Coach: Ian Foster Captain: Sam Cane This year’s World Cup is unusual in a number of...

Millions set to enjoy all of the razzmatazz

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK RUGBY World Cups are an exciting time because they are the biggest shop-window for...

Cotter hopes the Oaks will not be easy to cut down

By BEN JAYCOCK ROMANIA Coach: Eugen Apjok Captain: Christian-Marian Chirica ROMANIA return to the World Cup after missing out four years...

Farrell’s men on edge of history

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER IRELAND Coach: Andy Farrell Captain: Johnny Sexton IF not now, when? Not only are Ireland the number one...

Darge: We’ve got to down the big dogs

By BRYN PALMER SCOTLAND Coach: Gregor Townsend Captain: Finn Russell IF Scotland are to cause a sensation on the opening weekend...

Kefu building a side set to battle out of the group

By BEN JAYCOCK TONGA Coach: Toutai Kefu Captain: Sonatane Takulua TONGA are one of the biggest benefactors out of the change...

Holders looking good for a repeat

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER SOUTH AFRICA Coach: Jacques Nienaber Captain: Siya Kolisi The bookies may still marginally favour hosts France and Rugby...

Jones is backing his young bucks

By PAUL REES AUSTRALIA Coach: Eddie Jones Captain: Will Skelton EDDIE Jones does not stay down for long. England’s former head...

Raiwalui’s men chasing third quarter-final spot

By BEN JAYCOCK Coach: Simon Raiwalui Captain: Waisea Nayacalevu After stunning Twickenham last weekend, Fiji will be confident of making their...

Gatland has another chance to prove his final credentials

By PAUL REES WALES Coach: Warren Gatland Co-captains: Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake One of the more interested spectators at England’s...

Niniashvili and Tabutsadze are poised to hit the ground running

By BRENDAN GALLGHER GGEORGIA Coach: Levan Maisashvili Captain: Merab Sharikadze Georgia have become a permanent fixture at the Rugby World Cup...

Lagisquet’s speedsters ready to fire

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER PORTUGAL Coach: Patrice Lagisquet Captain: Tomas Appleton AS you might expect from a team coached by the Bayonne...

Wales must be at their best to take on Fiji

SHANE WILLIAMS THERE will be a few nervous players from the Home Unions getting on planes and heading to France today....

Pumas in prime position to give big guns a run for their money

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER ARGENTINA Coach: Michael Cheika Captain: Julian Montoya Conventional wisdom has it that the Pumas, at least in modern...

Los Condores are on a hiding to nothing but will fight hard

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER CHILE Coach: Pablo Lemoine Captain: Martin Sigren RUGBY can be a game of soaring highs and lows, especially...

Time to seize the moment and aim high

By PAUL REES ENGLAND Coach: Steve Borthwick Captain: Owen Farrell Never mind swinging low, those steering England’s chariot are aiming low...

Islanders keen to make some noise

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER SAMOA Coach: Seilala Mapusua Co-captains: Chris Vui and Michael Ala’alatoa ARE SAMOA about to make some noise again?...

Brave Blossoms are facing a ‘massive challenge’

By BEN JAYCOCK JAPAN Coach: Jamie Joseph Captain: Michael Leitch Japan are appearing at their 11th tournament, with their best ever...

Cinderford star Jerrum ready to lead his side by example

■ By BEN JAYCOCK ‘BORN leader’ Tyler Jerrum has taken over the captaincy at Cinderford and says he’ll be at the...

thrilling contest

Max Hayman, on his 50th appearance for the club, put Rams in front and wrapped up the bonus-point. But a second...

Addams inspires Park to a top start

Rosslyn Park..........39 Plymouth A.............36 ■ By RHYS STRATTON ROSSLYN Park kicked off their campaign in style with a hard-fought, bonus-point win....

Blackheath edge hosts in close call

Taunton T................33 Blackheath.............36 ■ By MIKE AMOS TWO tries and four conversions were not enough for star man Frankie Diaz-Dart to...

Hayes the hero as lively Titans run riot

Rotherham T...52 Billingham...... 24 ■ By DAVID BEDDOWS LLOYD HAYES led the way as Rotherham saw off Billingham in a thoroughly...

Red-hot Redfern earns Tigers draw

Fylde.........................26 Sheffield Tigers....26 ■ By STUART MCCRACKEN FYLDE and Sheffield Tigers had to settle for a draw on the opening day...

Fofie floors Field with last-gasp try

Huddersfield.......... 31 Hull Ionians............39 ■ By ANDREW SMITH A RELIEVED Hull Ionians claimed their first bonus-point victory of the campaign in...

Tykes off to a flying start in Steel City

Sheffield............35pts Leeds Tykes.....40pts ■ By ADAM DICKINSON LEEDS Tykes got their National League 2 campaign off to a winning start against...

Davidson breaks Lymm hearts with late strike

Lymm........................ 21 Wharfedale............22 ■ By RICK JOHNSON NATIONAL Two North newcomers Lymm were denied an opening day win as Wharfedale fly-half...

Happy Hull leave it late to get rare win

Otley..........................27 Hull............................32 ■ By NICK DOYLE HULL left it late to clinch victory in the dying moments. They took an early...

Oliver hat-trick is is vain for hosts

Tynedale.................38 Preston G.................43 ■ By NATHAN EDWARDS PRESTON Grasshoppers overcame a sloppy start to pick up a deserved away win to...

Billingham boys here to spring some big surprises

■ By BEN JAYCOCK Talisman: Luke Wilson scored 18 tries last season BILLINGHAM don’t have the funds to pay any of...

Perry the penalty king has measure of Cams

Camborne......... 17 Dings C..............27 ■ By TOM BARRY LEAGUE newcomers Camborne offered up a strong account against Crusaders, giving a 500-strong...

Exeter rally past physical Chester

Chester.....................32 Exeter Uni................ 41 ■ By DESMOND HICKIE FANS were treated to an enthralling ten-try contest to start the league season,...

Link does the trick to see off Dudley

Dudley K................... 21 Luctonians.............. 31 ■ By CHRIS EVANS A BEN Link hat-trick ensured Luctonians dampened Dudley Kingswinford’s first National League...