Painter looking forward to ‘exciting’ Exeter challenge

Exeter confirmed the signing of prop Ehren Painter from Northampton Saints, as revealed in last week’s TRP. The 24-year-old tighthead comes...

Townsend poised to carry on

Gregor Townsend expects his future as Scotland head coach to be decided “soon” after revealing he has held initial talks about...

A party for the ages as Sexton brings Grand Slam joy to Ireland

By NICK CAIN Ireland…………………………. 29pts Tries: Sheehan 33, 68; Robbie Henshaw 62, Herring 77 Conversions: Sexton 35, 63, 70 Penalties: Sexton...

Better, yes, but there’s still a long way to go…

PAUL REES A red letter day for Ireland who achieved a first Grand Slam victory in Dublin after a red card...

A small, self-serving elite which bars all others from access

BEFORE the creation of club leagues in 1987, a group of around 24 self-appointed leading clubs played against each other (plus...

Money problems hit England and Wales

WITNESSING the gulf in abilities between England and France had me thinking of the issues going on in the WRU and...

You can’t build team without cohesion

I WATCHED the postmatch interviews with Steve Borthwick and Ellis Genge after last week’s defeat to France and I have a...

Au revoir! French requiem for old warrior

By PETER JACKSON France……………………………41pts Tries: Penaud 10, 77; Danty 34, Atonio 44, Fickou 49 Conversions: Ramos 12, 35, 45, 50, 78...

Standing tall as we finish on a high

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND What a brilliant start by Wales at Stade de France and what an encouraging performance...

Scotland finish as best of the rest

By BRYN PALMER Scotland ........................... 26pts Tries: van der Merwe 13, Kinghorn 30, 44, 80+1 Conversions: Kinghorn 31, 46, 80+2 Italy.....................................14pts...

Ritchie: I was never worried

Captain Jamie Ritchie insisted he wasn’t worried about defeat despite Italy being camped in their 22 late on. “We were confident...

Gloucester duo set to join Ealing

Championship leaders Ealing are close to pulling off a double swoop on Gloucester for former England international Billy Twelvetrees and former...

Bedford set to land Saints hooker Fish

Northampton hooker James Fish is set to drop down into the Championship next season to join Bedford, and started for them...

Chiefs lead chase for lock star Williams

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Rising star: Cardiff lock Teddy Williams is wanted in Exeter PICTURE: Getty Images Follow me...

Diamond could be man for Bath

Steve Diamond starts work at Edinburgh on Monday after being appointed a consultant on a contract until the end of the...

Bears in hunt for Walder’s services

Dave Walder was placed on gardening leave by Newcastle on Thursday, but it appears he is already being lined up for...

Dream Team with Philipa Tuttiett

The former Wales and Cardiff Winger, and captain of Wales 7s, chooses the best players she has played with and against......

This French side have the quality to go all the way

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK WHERE France make hay and run through a team is if you allow them...

Young Guns: Leicester & England U20s second row Rob Carmichael

Rob Carmichael has come a long way since first discovering rugby in Hong Kong, but is hoping his “adaptability” will help...

Winless Wales know they will have to be at their best

By SAM JACKSON PREVIEW... France v Wales Today. Kick-off 8pm, Stade Charles-Mathon France enter their final Six Nations fixture in a...

England on a mission to wreck Irish party

By CAM STEPHENS Ireland v England PREVIEW... Today. Kick-off 5pm, Musgrave Park Ireland have the chance to become the first U20s...

We need to cut out the basic errors, says Murray

By CAM STEPHENS PREVIEW... Scotland v Italy Today. Kick-off 2pm, Scotstoun Starter at 10: Scotland fly-half Richie Simpson Bragging rights are...

Cooke: Last year’s defeat driving us on

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW... London Irish v Exeter Today. Kick-off 2pm, Gtech Community Stadium Jack Cooke says the memory of last...

This group of players will fight for each other -Pellow

■By PAUL REES Starter: Christ Tshiunza EXETER are set on a third Premiership Rugby Cup success when they take on London...

RFU needs to harness the top coaches

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK Why is it that England’s best coaches are currently inspiring Ireland and France,...

Time for big guns to make amends

The RFU/Premiership/ Championship panel charged with restructuring the English club leagues is in place, and is trying to grip with the...

Nottigham give Ealing some food for thought

By ROB WILDMAN Nottingham...... 21pts Tries: K Olowofela 2, T Olowofela 46, Neville 71 Conversions: Hollingsworth 3, 47, 72 Ealing.................41pts Tries:...

Brave Exiles show fighting spirit but can’t catch Pirates

By DAVID CHALLIS L Scottish ........ 31pts Tries: Anderson 29, Mehson 33, 63, 79; Wara 52 Conversions: Scott 30, 34; Chamberlain...

Pellegrini shines as Coventry march on

By ANDY MITCHELL Coventry ........................... 48pts Tries: Conversions: Pellegrini 15, Rigg 21, 32, 61; Thomas 40+6, Ball 44, Lane 75, James...

Turner delighted by ‘great performance’

By LUKE JARMYN Ampthill ............ 31pts Tries: Sproston 14, Bacon 27, Dawkins 40, 60 Ryan 52 Conversions: Hardwick 15, 53, 61...

Reds close up shop after Lewis flies in for hat-trick

By TOM INNES Jersey .............36pts Tries: Lewis 7, 11, 32; O’Connor 16, B Owen 41, Woollett 64 Conversions: Bennett 11, 16,...

High five as Bedford end Richmond’s dominance

By DAVID INNES Bedford .............39pts Tries: French 3, Frost 21, Matavesi 31, Uru 54, Hughes 67 Conversions: Grimoldby 4, 22, 32;...

England go from springboard to falling through a trap door

Paul Rees says the game in England is drifting and it's time for the RFU to exert greater control Acute vision:...

Women’s Six Nations Team-by-Team Previews, Ireland: Irish in search of redemption

Ireland will be itching to rectify their World Cup omission in this year’s Six Nations campaign. It was a disaster for...

Women’s Six Nations Team-by-Team Previews, Scotland: Scots Looking to shift mindsets

By Cameron Stephens Scotland are hoping to put their ‘morbid story’ behind them and turn a new leaf in this Six...

Women’s Six Nations Team-by-Team Previews, England: Red Roses are still the team to beat

Once again, we enter a Women’s Six Nations with the same question on everyone’s mind. Can anybody topple the unrelenting England...

Women’s Six Nations Team-by-Team Previews, Wales: Jones confident Welsh can start to close the gap

Wales captain Hannah Jones believes her side can close the gap to England and France. Since the introduction of professional contracts,...

Women’s Six Nations Team-by-Team previews, France: Forlani eager to prove her worth

France are desperate to shake their runners-up tag but will have to contend with losing a wealth of experience. Les Bleues...

Women’s Six Nations Team-by-Team Previews, Italy: New faces are exciting for Turani

By Cameron Stephens It is the beginning of a new Italian era as Le Azzure must navigate the tournament without some...

11-try Saracens give Wasps a finishing lesson

By HARRY SCOTT-MUNRO Wasps .............13 Saracens ...........73 Saracens secured an Allianz Cup semi-final berth in stunning fashion, as they handed Wasps...

Lark sticks with Bears

NEWS EXTRA ENGLAND hooker Lark Davies has signed a new contract with Bristol to stay for the 2023-24 season. The 28-year-old...

New deal for Thorley

NEWS EXTRA GLOUCESTER winger Ollie Thorley, 26, has extended his contract. He won his first - and so far only -England...

Cracknell fears for his old friends

By PAUL REES Olly Cracknell fears for the future of former team-mates at the Ospreys as the contract uncertainty in Wales,...

My Life in Rugby with Andy Booth: ‘I’ve got every cap bar the senior one’

The former Neath, Swansea, Cardiff, Cambridge University and Wales B scrum-half talks about his life in the game I played back...

McKinney will donate his brain to science

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Stewart McKinney’s name will forever be enshrined in the Lions pantheon alongside the...

Bob Burrows, the man who opened door for Living with Lions

PETER JACKSON Bob Burrows joined the BBC from Fleet Street via the Yorkshire Post during the heady days of late summer...

Benny’s charity gets off to a flier

PETER JACKSON Phil Bennett would not have believed it possible that a dinner to mark the launch of a charity in...

Trinity stunned as Oakham seal first title for 20 years

SCHOOLS CUP FINALS DAY By NICK POWELL Oakham secured a first Schools Cup title since 2003 as they stunned Trinity 31-24...

Star man Milner is key for visitors

By TIM THORLEY Harrogate......... 12 Huddersfield... 21 Huddersfield ran out winners to push Harrogate closer to the relegation trapdoor. The visitors...

Collins on song as the Tigers dominate

By MALCOLM KNOWLES Hull Ionians...... 19pts Sedgley Park...30pts Sedgley Park took another step towards the title with a hard-fought victory over...