The La Liga News: Top 5 English Football Players

Soccer is one of the most popular sports. It captures the attention of millions of fans who enjoy the match in...

Saracens sweat on Farrell for Euro clash

By PAUL REES England captain Owen Farrell is a doubt for Saracens in the last 16 of the Heineken Champions Cup...

Anscombe offered a £100,000 cut in pay

By PETER JACKSON Ospreys have offered Gareth Anscombe a reduced contract for next season amounting to a pay cut of around...

Give refs more latitude on cards – Skivington

By PAUL REES George Skivington believes referees should be given more latitude over challenges that involve head contact following Freddie Steward’s...

Lewies: Don’t rule out England shock

By PAUL REES Stephan Lewies expects England to be a contender for this year’s World Cup despite a third successive Six...

Benson, Holmes take the plaudits at HQ

Jamie Benson scored two tries as he notched all Cambridge’s points and steered the Light Blues to a 15-10 Varsity Match...

Dallaglio calls on Borthwick to pick a leader from pack

By GARY FITZGERALD England head coach Steve Borthwick has been urged to change his position over the England captaincy and give...

Kay: Fitness guru is key for England

Steve Borthwick still has “an ace” up his sleeve in his determined bid to transform England into realistic World Cup contenders....

Hammond commits to Quins

HARLEQUINS second row George Hammond, 22, has signed a contract extension with the club, becoming the 17th player, and 12th from...

Redshaw to Falcons

NEWCASTLE have confirmed the signing of England U18s star Ben Redshaw on a two-year deal. A native of Leeds, the utility...

Laycock: We’ll finish strongly

By PAUL REES Mark Laycock is confident Newcastle will finish the campaign strongly after becoming the third person to take charge...

British and Irish League can breathe new life into game

TIME has come for everyone to stop kidding themselves. We all know that since season 1995/96 and the dawn of professional...

Not sure Shane saw same Wales as me

THE Shane Williams column is always an interesting read, if not for the reasons he might wish. To read his most...

Laws have become too complicated

IT IS often a sure sign of common sense flying out of the window when we become obsessed with the literal...

Regionalised system not way forward

I DISAGREE with your correspondents Derek Gilbert and Jeff Gage in last week’s paper regarding regionalised teams and ring-fencing. Having attended...

Eddie’s to blame! He wasted too much time

ENGLAND’S effort against Ireland was an improvement, but the “guiding lights” at Twickenham need a massive kick up the backside for...

Dream Team with Andrew Foster

The Doncaster Knights and former Leeds and Newcastle Prop, chooses the best XV he's played with or against... 1. Conor Davidson...

England look far too set in their ways

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK Attacking rugby is an art. It’s the ultimate match within a match, and there’s...

55,000 see Saracens secure top-two finish

By PAUL REES Saracens .......................... 36pts Tries: Lozowski 7, Tompkins 12, Christie 36, Maitland 56, Itoje 65 Conversions: Farrell 8, 13,...

Vunipola: We just want to get better

Billy Vunipola says Saracens are focused on getting better after their victory against Harlequins ensured they would be at home in...

Leicester muscle too much for Bears

By ROB WILDMAN Leicester .......................... 46pts Tries: Youngs 15, Watson 29, Montoya 53, 59, Pollard 67, Clare 80 Conversions: Pollard 15,...

Lam: We must put blame on ourselves

Bristol boss Pat Lam was frustrated by injuries and poor discipline for a defeat which leaves his team struggling to make...

Peerless Pearson lifts Irish into fourth

By GARY FITZGERALD London Irish .................... 37pts Tries: Fa’aso’o 7, Pearson 17, Loader 42, Munga 64 Conversions: Jackson 8, 18, 43,...

We were chasing shadows in the second half, admits Dowson

Phil Dowson bemoaned his side's costly mistakes as Saints came out decidedly second best against Irish in Brentford. Director of Rugby...

England need to be fit for purpose

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK  ONE of the crosses that Steve Borthwick’s England team are going to have...

10-minute window to make the correct call

NICK CAIN Freddie Steward’s red card being overturned by a Six Nations disciplinary panel was the right outcome because the decision...

14-man Newcastle dig deep to secure victory

By LUKE JARMYN Newcastle.........................17pts Tries: Radwan 12, Obatoyinbo 63 Conversions: Connon 13, 64 Penalties: Connon 40 Gloucester ........................12pts Tries: Blake 6,...

Strong start, but poor finish

After a strong start to their campaign, defeat to Newcastle ended injury-ridden Gloucester’s play-off chances. They had two tries disallowed in...

Leicester SOS for new lock

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Leicester Tigers have sent out an emergency appeal for a lock to cover for Ollie...

Irish out to replace Simmons

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER London Irish are searching for someone to replace veteran Wallaby star Rob Simmons who is...

Ford Snr takes over

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Former Bath boss Mike Ford, the father of England fly-half George Ford, has been unveiled...

Cowan-Dickie deal still expected to go ahead

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEILFISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler Luke Cowan-Dickie is still expected to join French giants Montpellier this...

Now Watson is thinking about move to France

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Anthony Watson is mulling over joining the exodus of England players playing in France next...

Falcons lining up swoop for Blackett

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Newcastle Falcons are the latest club to be linked with a move for former Wasps...

Time we showed some pride – Dunn

By PAUL REES Bath v Exeter PREVIEW... Today. Kick-off 3pm, The Recreation Ground Tom Dunn says that the time for Bath...

Baxter calls on Chiefs to win the 10-pointers

Rob Baxter says every match is a virtual cup final for Exeter as they look to make the Premiership play-offs and...

Georgians to be left out in the cold again

CHRIS HEWETT You have to hand it to our lords and masters at World Rugby, the non-governing governing body: they never...

Unfair on Steward – and on ref Peyper

CHRIS HEWETT The trouble with the refereeing profession? Ninety-eight per cent of its members give the rest a bad name. Okay,...

Robson hoping for a double delight

By LUKE JARMYN Welsh fly-half Arwel Robson is dreaming of a special double in May, with his first child due on...

Orrell out to leave tough times behind

By JON NEWCOMBE Not even a club with as proud a heritage as Orrell is immune to the participation crisis affecting...

Blackheath upbeat – and now back in business!

By LUKE JARMYN Blackheath director of rugby James Shanahan believes Club are building a long-term ‘renaissance’ after securing the National 2...

Changes threaten smaller nations

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND Here we go again! No global season, but a new inter-hemisphere international tournament set to...

Tuipulotu powers Wales past poor Irish

By JAMES SKELDON Wales..... 31pts Tries: Callender, 4, Bevan 13, Harries 22, Jones 32, Tuipulotu 46 Conversions: Bevan 13, 23, 33...

Hunter bids farewell as England march on

By BEN JAYCOCK England .............58pts Tries: MacDonald 9, 24, Cokayne 18, 31, Heard 27, Cleall 42, Kabeya 50, M Packer 58,...

New coaches in charge as Italy prepare for French test

By BEN JAYCOCK PREVIEW... Italy v France Today. Kick-off 8pm, Stade Charles-Mathon Italy welcome France to Parma’s Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi today...

‘I picked up a ball when I was nine. I love playing’

By PAUL REES When Sarah Hunter last week announced that she would be retiring after Sunday’s Six Nations clash between England...

Stewart hat-trick in Ulster fightback

By KEVIN FALLON Ulster ..............32 Bulls .................23 Ulster hooker Tom Stewart said this hard-earned win over the Bulls at Kingspan Stadium...

Costelow on target to help Scarlets to season’s best

By ROGER PANTING Scarlets ...........32pts Tries: Evans 8, 45 Conversions: Costelow 8, 45 Penalties: Costelow 14, 22, 52, 55, 71, 76...

Alun Wyn shows his worth one more time

By ROGER PANTING Ospreys ...............37pts Tries: Smith 9, Lydiate 36, Morris 43, Hopkins 50, Williams 56 Conversions: Walsh 9, Scully 43,...

Sweet relief for Young as Cardiff cling on

By MATT LLOYD Zebre..................30pts Tries: Gesi 3, Krumov 29, Trulla 68, Kvesic 73 Conversions: Prisciantelli 3, 68 Penalties: Prisciantelli 39, 44...