Alarm as Europe just keeps getting smaller

Europe, as defined by European Professional Club Rugby, is in the process of shrinking almost as alarmingly as the English Premiership....

O’Gara’s touch of Old Big ’Ead

On the face of it, Brian Clough and Ronan O’Gara do not appear to have much in common: different ball games,...

Top two get ready for county showdown

By BEN JAYCOCK PREVIEW... Lancashire v Kent Today. Kick-off 4pm, Twickenham Stadium THE Bill Beaumont County Cup has been overlooked and...

Holders keep on track

Gill Burns Cup Round-up By BEN JAYCOCK LAST Sunday’s action in Division 1 saw wins for Buckinghamshire, Lancashire, Leicestershire and Gloucestershire....

Clark out to do double in Twickenham finale

Gill Burns Cup Final Preview By BEN JAYCOCK Delight: Rocky Clark Buckinghamshire v Lancashire Today. Kick-off 10.30am, Twickenham Stadium ENGLAND legend...

O’Connor leads the way

Division 2 Semi-Finals By MO SHER Dorset & W...... 47 E Midlands...... 24 DORSET and Wilts booked their place in the...

Durham make no mistake

Durham..............22 N Midlands....... 17 By NATHAN EDWARDS A RAMPANT first half from Durham moved them past the North Midlands to progress...

Essex v Oxfordshire

Division 2 final Preview Saturday June 3. Kick-off 1pm, Trailfinders Sports Centre NEXT week’s Division 3 final sees Essex take on...

26-man squad for S Africa

Leader: England U20 captain Lewis Chessam Inset, new head coach Mark Mapletoft PICTURES: Getty Images ENGLAND U18 head coach Jonathan Pendlebury...

Mapletoft gets set for Georgia

By BEN JAYCOCK NEW England U20s head coach Mark Mapletoft named his first squad since taking over from Alan Dickens earlier...

Carter and Kata sign for Tigers

NEWS EXTRA LEICESTER have signed Ulster second row Sam Carter and Tonga centre Solomone Kata, following his release by Exeter. Both...

Miller Mills and Nonleh join Saints

NEWS EXTRA NORTHAMPTON Saints have signed props Elliot Millar Mills and Beltus Nonleh. Millar Mills, 30, impressed during a trial with...

Quartet heading out of Newcastle

NEWS EXTRA SCOTLAND back row Gary Graham, scrum-half Micky Young, lock Greg Peterson and prop Logovi’i Mulipola are among 15 players...

Pirates hunt for £2.5m

NEWS EXTRA CORNISH Pirates owner Dicky Evans is looking to raise £2.5m from crowdfunding to keep the club going for the...

Burns delight as Aitchison blooms

By BEN JAYCOCK Holly Aitchison was nominated for Women’s Six Nations player of the tournament and her former teacher Gill Burns...

Vernier voted best in women’s Six Nations

France centre Gabrielle Vernier was named the Women’s Six Nations player of the championship. The 25-year-old received almost half of the...

Ireland mustn’t copy this breakdown flaw

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER The tumultuous happenings in Dublin last week were...

Let’s hope technology passes trial

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER Be careful for what you wish for! World Rugby are carrying out their promise to trial chip...

Blackheath take lion’s share

THE BEST XV FROM THE 2022-23 SEASON Ben Jaycock canvassed the views of our National Two East reporters to compile The...

Forthcoming fixtures

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Young Guns: Harlequins & England U20 wing Cassius Cleaves

With effervescent characters like Joe Marler and Danny Care, Harlequins from the outside is seen as a fun environment but academy...

Trio complete an incredible journey

Ben Jaycock talks to Ed Jackson, the former Wasps forward who took up mountaineering after hurting his back. Having been forced...

It’s right that Wasps start again from the bottom

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME As I look at the Wasps saga, I can’t help thinking that...

Toulouse look set to take top spot

JAMES HARRINGTON Tonight, more than 24 hours after both the Premiership and URC celebrated their champions for the 2022/23 campaign, the...

Fakatava the star as Highlanders steal it

Super Rugby Pacific round-up By BEN JAYCOCK Folau Fakatava kept the Highlanders play-off hopes alive and sent the club’s inspiration leader...

Llandovery blow away Cardiff to make history

Premiership Final Cardiff RFC......... 8 Llandovery..... 24 LLANDOVERY won the Welsh Premiership for the first time in their history with a...

Sharks gobble up Griffons to reach summit Currie Cup round-up

Natal Sharks moved to the top of the Currie Cup table after beating the Griffons 35-9. Sharks roared back from a...

Waterman pushing for more opportunities for women in rugby

Ex-England 15s and 7s player Danielle Waterman feels that there is more work to be done in growing the women’s game...

Saracen Obinna Nkwocha Signs for Coventry

Second row Obinna Nkwocha will join Coventry Rugby from Premiership finalists Saracens ahead of the 2023/24 season.  The 20-year-old Saracens Academy...

NFL Game Day Rituals: Superstitions and Traditions That Define the Spirit of the Game

The NFL is not just a game; it’s a cultural phenomenon that brings millions of fans together each season. Beyond the...

Kerr-Barlow pines for Eddie

Tawera Kerr-Barlow, probably the second best scrum-half in the world behind you-know-who, would love to do the Southern Hemisphere equivalent of...

Series 2, Episode 20: Gallagher Premiership Final Preview with Alex Lozowski

It was a great weekend in Europe for French rugby with a resounding Challenge Cup win for Toulon and a one-point...

Coventry bolster squad with Kvesic signing

Coventry Rugby have confirmed the signing of highly-experienced former England forward Matt Kvesic. The 31-year-old back-rower joins from Italian side Zebre...

What’s the Role of AI in Predictive Analytics for Sports Betting?

Artificial intelligence systems have improved a lot in the last few years, and while many didn’t know how they worked in...

Baron calls for PGA deal to be scrapped

By NICK CAIN Francis Baron believes that the RFU is in serious financial difficulties which will undermine rugby union in England...

O’Gara breaks Leinster hearts

La Rochelle retained the Champions Cup by breaking Leinster’s hearts for the second year running in a thrilling final in Dublin....

Alun Wyn bows out ahead of RWC axe

By PETER JACKSON Alun Wyn Jones abandoned the last goal of his monumental career amid growing fears of failing to make...

Ealing and Jersey unite in criticism of cup coverage

By LUKE JARMYN Players and coaches from both Ealing and Jersey have criticised the RFU for the lack of coverage of...

Curry’s determined to do it for the fans

By JON NEWCOMBE Tom Curry hopes to inspire the next generation of Northern rugby fans by taking the Premiership trophy back...

Counties complain about selection criteria

By LUKE JARMYN Hundreds of players have missed the chance to represent their shire for the 2023 senior men and U20...

Sarries keen to do it for loyal Jackson

By PAUL REES Saracens are set on giving Jackson Wray a winning send-off as his 14 years at the club come...

Reds should have had a shot at the Prem – Allen

By JON NEWCOMBE Double-winning coach Anthony Allen admits he feels for Jersey after his Cambridge side were allowed to go up...

Clock is ticking as Irish eye takeover

By PAUL REES London Irish have a week to prove they have the funds to keep their place in the Premiership...

Work to do but Bill can meet the challenge

DESPITE efforts to improve the league structures, there are clearly problems that have not been resolved. In restructuring the leagues, the...

Dream Team with Mike Schmid

Mike Schmid, the former Canada and Rotherham No.8 and coach, and Esher DOR, who is the current director of sport at...

RFU must explain why they allowed Prem ring-fence

IN The Rugby Paper last Sunday, a picture alongside the National One Dream Team shows how much winning promotion means to...

Eligibility rules have failed the Pacific Islands

THE decision of former England tighthead Henry Thomas to become a Welshman is a relatively minor example of the Test rugby...

Sharks can give favourites a fright

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK Alex Sanderson is quality, and that is why he has managed to take Sale...

We’ll get over the line some day says Cullen

By BEN JAYCOCK Leinster head coach Leo Cullen feels they just need to continue putting themselves in the positions to win...

Colombe try leaves the Aviva stunned

By PAUL REES Leinster............................. 26pts Tries: Danty 19, Seuteni 37, Colombe 71 Conversions: Hastoy 20, 38, 72 Penalties: Hastoy 42, 49...