Healy fear as Ireland battle back

Ireland 17-13 Samoa By GARY FITZGERALD CIAN Healy dealt Andy Farrell a big World Cup blow as the veteran prop sustained...

Rowe confident Chiefs will be back in the black soon

By PAUL REES TONY Rowe is confident Exeter will move back into the black by the end of the season after...

England heading to the Badlands

STEVE Borthwick has taken a fork in the road which has led England into the Badlands of international rugby. With two...

Boks have the clout to retain the crown

South Africa’s record 35-7 blitz of New Zealand at Twickenham on Friday night showed that the reigning world champions have the...

I’d put my faith in Mitchell to spark England

KYRAN BRACKEN NO MATTER what Steve Borthwick does he’s just getting lynched by the public. There’s a certain pool of people...

Saracens still the team to beat

KYRAN BRACKEN The Champions Cup is always a great competition but right now there’s too much of a financial divide for...

Big cats likely to dine on minnows

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED IT MUST be a sobering prospect for the makeweights, travelling to a World Cup with a bunch...

Hansen’s secrets not hard to guess

There has been quite the hue and cry down there in All Black country following the latest twist in trans-Tasman affairs....

Beer talk: Eddie happy to stay in the headlines

Paul Rees on how the Aussie coach is creating the news - again - by talking to his old mate EDDIE...

Elvis to make his return at Taunton

Former Exeter hooker Elvis Taione has joined National 1 outfit Taunton Titans two months after announcing he was retiring from the...

Dream Team with Andy Uren

Andy Uren, The Benetton and former Bristol Bears scrum-half, chooses the best XV he has played with or against... 1. Ellis...

Sarries fight to keep hold of big stars

BY NEIL FISSLER Saracens are looking to head off potential interest in some of their big-name stars out of contract at...

Codling needs more money

Newcastle boss Alex Codling is weighing up asking for an increase in his budget to bring in at least another player...

RFU will honour Watson contract

The RFU are set to continue picking up the tab for Anthony Watson despite the winger being ruled out of the...

Now South Africans are the team to beat

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND THIS may still be the phoney war period, but what a statement the world champion...

Young Guns: Scotland U20 Prop Max Surry

Max Surry has completed his time in Scotland U20s and is now focused on becoming a starter for Cardiff Met University...

Parkin highlights England pathway

By BEN JAYCOCK Will Parkin says the RFU have moved towards a ‘Club England’ with a clear alignment throughout the pathway...

Big beasts need to set the right mood

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER A weekly look at the game’s other talking points SO where did the last four years go?...

Brothers linking arms for Chile

Chile is a minute rugby community compared with many giants of the game and is inevitably centred on geographical pockets of...

Easter’s lads fire warning to Nat 1 rivals

By STEVE JACKSON CHINNOR’S Nick Easter appeared far the happier of the directors of rugby following their five tries to three...

Tapley sparks Bedford to super win over the Saints

By JAMES LOGAN Matt Worley on the attack PICTURES: KeyEyeShoots Try time: Pat Tapley scores for Bedford A BRACE from Pat...

Coventry send 10-try reminder

By PAUL SMITH JIMMY Martin and Will Wand claimed try doubles as Coventry fired a reminder to their Championship rivals of...

Glasse kicks late leveller

Sedgley P .......26 Caldy ................26 By JOE BARNES-TAYLOR OLLIE Glasse’s last minute conversion ensured Sedgley Park secured a well-deserved draw against...

Leicester L …. 45 Hinckley ……… 12

By CHRIS CAMPBELL LIONS took the spoils in a Leicestershire derby which both coaches will have gone away happy with the...

Darlington ….. 45 Hull ………………. 21

By TOM BULMER DARLINGTON MP rounded off their pre-season campaign with a high scoring win over Hull. They led 40-0 at...

Rosslyn P ……..50 Wimbledon …. 12

By RHYS STRATTON ROSSLYN Park capped a successful preseason with a big win at The Rock on Thursday. Park ran in...

Farrell was trying to rip possession

REGARDING Owen Farrell’s red card, I can’t be the only one who noticed him trying to rip the ball from Taine...

Give Tier 2 sides opportunity to take on the best

THE Rugby World Cup is one of the three or four biggest sporting events in the world. As a vehicle for...

Woodward’s right, tear up this script

CLIVE Woodward suggests Steve Borthwick should tear apart the squad and start again. A great idea that I’ve been asking for...

‘I’d signed for Salford day before RFU called’

My Life in Rugby with Peter Williams - The former England, Lancashire and Orrell fly-half talks about his life in the...

Veteran Earls out on his own

Like his native Limerick, there has never been anything flash or fancy about Keith Earls which goes some way to understanding...

Treacherous route for top-ranked team

Before they know it, a pair of sacked England coaches will be back in Paris on World Cup business to oversee...

Top Cat’s rousing farewell journey

Finlay Calder shall never forget how Clive Rowlands stood four-square behind him after the Lions‘ traumatic start to their victorious series...

Fijian Matavesi to turn on style for Camborne

National League Previews - League Two West This season’s National Two West features three new sides but newly promoted Camborne are the...

Richmond in the mood to bounce back into big time

National League Previews: League One National One’s dramatic three-horse title race could only be settled on the final day last season...

Winterbottom sets Esher’s sights on quick promotion

National League Previews - League Two East National Two East gets underway tomorrow with Esher going in as favourites, but multiple...

Leeds Tykes and Hull add heft to battle at the top

National League Previews - League Two North Sedgley Park were runaway winners in National Two North last season but this year’s...

Italy go for ex-Wasps winger Odogwu

FORMER Wasps wing Paolo Odogwu has been named in Italy’s World Cup squad. Odogwu, 26, was named in England’s 28-man squad...

Cardiff stick with Lee-Lo

CARDIFF have re-signed veteran centre Rey Lee-Lo for 2023-24 having released him at the end of last season. The 37-year-old Samoa...

Pivac heads for Japan

FORMER Wales head coach Wayne Pivac is to take charge of Japanese second-tier side NEC Green Rockets in the 2023-24 season....

Ex-All Blacks pack into Tonga squad

Heading to France: Charles Piutau and, inset, Malakai Fekitoa PICTURES: Getty Images FORMER All Blacks Charles Piutau, Vaea Fifita, Malakai Fekitoa...

King keen to prove worth for Bedford

By BEN JAYCOCK Cameron King now sees himself as a settled Championship player and is looking forward to his new adventure...

I still think England could surprise a few

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME SO here we are again, losing a player as a result of...

Oyonnax are worth place at top table

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Promoted ProD2 champions Oyonnax demonstrated – if there was still any doubt after last weekend’s impressive opening...

2025 stadia announced

EIGHT venues have been named across England to host the women’s 2025 World Cup. A mix of rugby and football stadiums...

Ace Snowsill calls time

WALES fly-half Elinor Snowsill has retired from professional rugby. Snowsill, who won 76 caps, played at four World Cups and and...

Scots snap up Banahan

FORMER Bath and England winger Matt Banahan has joined Scotland women as attack coach. Banahan scored four tries in 16 caps...

Skills guru Ryles back with Eddie 

Eddie Jones has turned to another former member of his England coaching staff to link up with the Wallabies for the...

Webb tests positive for growth hormone

By Ben Jaycock Former Wales international Rhys Webb has tested positive for a growth hormone following an unexpected check by the...

In The Rugby Paper this Sunday: 27/08/23

It’s the final weekend of World Cup warm-up matches, and you can find coverage from all of Saturday’s games in The...