South Africa enjoyed fair share of luck, says Venter

By NICK POWELL BRENDAN Venter feels South Africa benefited from huge amounts of good fortune on their way to winning a...

Red Roses: Marlie Packer

BACK ROW, CAPTAIN Birthplace: Yeovil DOB: 02/10/1989 Community Club: Ivel Barbarians, now known as Yeovil RFC Club: Saracens Red Roses Debut:...

Red Roses avenge World Cup final loss

By JAMES REID New Zealand ..........................12pts Tries: Simon 38, Vahaakolo 49 Conversions: Holmes 40 England ...........................33pts Tries: Matthews 4, Atkin-Davies 12,...

Wales waste chance to beat Wallaroos

By LUCY BLITZ Wales....................19 Australia............. 25 Ioan Cunningham rued a golden opportunity missed after Wales’ narrow defeat against Australia. Wales went...

France have plenty of work to do

Canada................. 29 France.................. 20 Joint France head coach Gaelle Mignot admitted there is plenty of work to do ahead of the...

Quesada gets set for his ‘magnificent new adventure’

By PAUL EDDISON Gonzalo Quesada has been coaching for a decade and a half and is confident now is the perfect...

Wales find form to send trio off in style

By ROGER PANTING Wales................................. 49pts Tries: Lake 3, Rogers 30, Costelow 36, Plumtree 56, Wainwright 65, Hardy 79, 80 Conversions: Halfpenny...

Gatland: Everyone benefited from that

WALES head coach Warren Gatland believed everyone benefited from the occasion. He said: “Bearing in mind the age of the side,...

Separated by 28 years – and a whole lot more

The bungled move to professionalism and the turf wars that followed; the “Bloodgate” scandal and the soul-destroying bankruptcies; the player welfare...

Boks greater than sum of their parts

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED THERE was much wailing and gnashing of teeth at the unveiling of the 2023 “supreme” side by...

Kriel hat-trick as Bulls storm home

■By SAM JACKSON Zebre ...............29 Bulls ............... 54 ZEBRE’S search for a URC victory continues after they suffered their 28th consecutive...

Lions hungry to taste first victory

PREVIEW... Benetton v Lions Today. Kick-off 1.30 ■By BEN JKAYCOCK SOUTH African side the Lions are hoping to pick up their...

Cardiff fall Scarlets in away to let for first win

By ROB COLE Scarlets .............................31pts Tries: Craig 19, McNicholl 37, Davies 53, Fifita 65 Conversions: Lloyd 20, 38, 54, 66 Penalties:...

Impressive Ospreys enjoy London life

■By ROGER PANTING Ospreys ............. 19pts AN error-ridden performance from Sharks ensured Ospreys celebrated their first URC visit to London. With...

O’Donoghue delighted to see Munster bounce back

■By KEVIN FALLON Munster ........... 45pts Tries: Nash 23, 74, Scannell 15, Coombes 19, Ahern 48, Casey 54, Gleeson 65 Conversions:...

Osborne keeps Leinster on top

■By TOM SHEEDY Leinster ...........36 Edinburgh .......27 LEINSTER centre Jamie Osborne said they needed to show patience before they got on...

Matthews rolls a double

■ By BEN JAYCOCK Glasgow ..........20 Stormers ........... 9 HOOKER Johnny Matthews’ brace led Glasgow to a comfortable victory at Scotstoun....

Kilgallen try seals fightback win

■ By JOHN FALLON Connacht ........22 Ulster ...............20 CONNACHT flanker Conor Oliver said that his side’s remarkable comeback at the Sportsground...

‘Borthwick needs to find the right balance’

Ben Jaycock talks to former England wing turned TV pundit Topsy Ojo and gets his verdict on World Cup 2023 You...

Like Dr Luyt, the game is still far too one-eyed

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW THE first World Cup dinner after a South Africa-New Zealand final since 1995...

Fond farewells to Griffiths and Gethin

THE hearse carrying Glanmor Griffiths on his final journey made a detour through central Cardiff allowing the cortege to stop outside...

Sedgley Truck tops one club man honours

By JON NEWCOMBE Sedgley Park's Matt Riley became the player with most appearances for a single club either side of the...

Coach to Coach with Armand Roux

Former Richmond director of rugby Steve Hill, above, talks to Dorking director of rugby Armand Roux, below Armand Roux was a...

Marta try was my favourite moment

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER A weekly look at the game’s other talking points SO that’s a wrap and after this final...

Lions of Europe would be a fine team to watch

A long time ago I concluded that the self-interest of the Six Nations runs so deep, and they are so frightened...

Doubles all round as Ealing keep up pressure

By WILLIAM THURTLE Ealing T ............ 64pts Tries: Davidson 4, Smid 14, Montgomery 18, 79, Hardwick 25, 77, Cornish 32, Uzokwe...

Knights recover from slow start to serve up a treble

By GUY WILLIAMS Doncaster Knights .. 30pts Tries: Edwards 23, Wilson 40, Tait 48, Olver 53 Conversions: Olver 40, 53 Penalties:...

Caldy’s pack make the most of poor weather to tame Scots

By JOHN LYON Caldy ..................29pts Tries: Booth 10, Gallagher 20, Wilkinson 57, Hearn 70 Conversions: Rogers 11, 21 Barker 71 Penalties:...

Ampthill take control to keep Cov at arm’s length

By BEN WHITE Ampthill ........... 34pts Tries: Hartley 31, Elliott 38, Michelow 67, Adejemi 78 Conversions: Parks 32, 39: Vunipola 68,...

Joussain on a mission to speak out at Nottingham

By BEN JAYCOCK Frenchman Come Joussain is relishing the environment at Nottingham and the ethos of encouraging every player to speak...

Cambridge sign Owen

CAMBRIDGE have signed prop Huw Owen from former Championship side Jersey Reds, who have withdrawn from the league structure after entering...

Tigers take the spoils as Lions let it slip

By JOE BARNES-TAYLOR Sedgley Park .28 Leicester L ......20 SEDGLEY Tigers got the better of Leicester Lions in a tight contest...

Stedman steers Moseley home

By MO SHER B Moseley ..............22 Sale FC..................... 14 BASEMENT side Sale gave a gutsy performance at Billesley Common, but they...

Too little, too late as Rams fall short

By RICHARD ASHTON Rams ........................36 Darlington MP....... 41 DARLINGTON Mowden Park spoiled James Baker’s 400th game for Rams with a thrilling...

Albion power to victory over battling Club side

By PADDY MARSH Plymouth A ......28pts Tries: Rukhadze 13, Daly 40, 52, Oulton 55 Conversions: Jones 13, 40, 52, 55 Blackheath...

Dead-eye Winfield adds gloss to away triumph

By TIMOTHY FORRESTER Richmond ................. 7 Cinderford..............24 AN avalanche of second-half penalties helped Cinderford press home their advantage at Richmond. After...

Titans reeling as Chinnor hit back

By MIKE AMOS Taunton Titans..... 21 Chinnor.....................53 CHINNOR produced a stunning second-half show to blow away hosts Taunton Titans. Taunton led...

Seven-up Park see off Stortford

By RHYS STRATTON Rosslyn Park..........48 Bishop’s S................22 ROSSLYN Park ran in seven tries at The Rock to secure vistory over Bishop’s...

Richmond still focused on quick return, says Bright

By EDDIE McATEER Richmond are looking to bounce straight back into the Championship following last season’s relegation, but they face stiff...

New boss Lewis off to winning start with the Titans

By DAVID BEDDOWS Rotherham T.. 34 Otley...................32 ROTHERHAM Titans and their new coaching team were given a scare by battling Otley...

Fisher holds his nerve for a point

By BRIAN TILLEY Tynedale................. 19 Sheffield.................. 19 ALTHOUGH under the cosh for much of the game, Tynedale led until deep into...

Goatley hat-trick makes difference

By BEN PITKEATHLY Preston G.................39 Sheffield Tigers.... 41 SHEFFIELD Tigers snatched a late victory over Preston. Tries from Joshua Redfern, William...

Unbeaten Tykes are showing true class

By MIKE BROWN Billingham........ 12pts Leeds Tykes.....29pts IMPRESSIVE Leeds Tykes made it eight games in a row unbeaten at Greenwood Road,...

Inspirational Gregory adds to the misery for Field

By STUART MCCRACKEN Fylde.........................6 2 Huddersfield.......... 19 CAPTAIN Ben Gregory inspired Fylde to their biggest win of the season with a...

Shard on target to edge hosts home

By RORY MORROW Lymm........................ 31 Hull Ionians............ 30 LYMM earned maximum points as a fourtry display edged them past a spirited...

Dazzling Dale on song to win again

By EDWIN WILLIAMS Wharfedale............35 Hull.............................. 6 WHARFEDALE played some scintillating rugby to take the five points against the team one position...

Proud Poole confident Rotherham on the rise

By MATTHEW LUDDINGTON Only two decades ago, Rotherham Titans were competing in the Premiership, and boasting stars like Samoa star Mike...

Borne’s early blitz helps to sink the visitors

By BILL HOOPER Camborne........ 45 O Redcliffians.26 FIVE first-half tries scored before conditions deteriorated put Camborne in the driving seat in...

Exeter claim the student honours

By FREYA COLLINGTON Exeter Uni................40 Loughborough S.... 31 EXETER University beat Loughborough in the battle of the students. Exeter started off...

Late Gamble try seals tense tussle

By GLYN CASTLEDINE Newport (S)............32 Bournville............... 16 NEWPORT just had enough in the end for Bournville. The hosts took the lead...