This funding train could hit the buffers

IT’S bonkers. First, we have an agreement between the RFU and the Premiership where an eight-year PGP deal signed in late...

New Zealand 18-43 South Africa: Ruthless Springboks demolish All Blacks

Following claims they were over their hill after two losses in their last three, with a shaky win over Australia in...

Australia 26-28 Argentina: Hotshot Santiago Carreras on target to keep Aussies at bay

Bath signing Santiago Carreras scored 23 points as Argentina held on to secure a tense victory over Australia in Sydney.

Lam likes what he sees on LRZ debut

By ROSS HEPPENSTALL Sale ..................................24pts Tries: O’Flaherty 29, Jibulu 51, Hanson 55, Davies 75 Conversions: Curtis 52, 56 Bristol ...............................15pts Tries:...

Gloucester take their time to get past spirited Exeter

By ROGER PANTING Gloucester .......29pts Tries: Ludlow 21, Llewellyn 35, Edwards-Giraud 55, Innard 62 Conversions: Byrne 21, 35, 62 Penalty: Barton...

Chris Hewett: Ollie Lawrence looks a good fit for 13 shirt

Nearly there. Ollie Lawrence, the talented Bath and England centre, is within touching distance of a return to competitive rugby after...

French leap to defence of game’s honour

IT SHOULD be a high old time for the union game. The pool stage of the Women’s World Cup may have...

Tigers smash Saracens but Parling wants more

By GARY FITZGERALD Leicester ...............20pts Tries: Liebenberg 33, Blamire 55, Ilione 64, Wand 73 Saracens .................7pts Try: Michelow 4 Conversion: Johnson...

Mafi hits the ground running as Red Bulls take charge

By BEN JAYCOCK Newcastle ........26pts Tries: McGuigan 15, McCallum 41, Spencer 53, Hearle 62 Conversions: Connon 16, 42, 54 Harlequins .......14pts...

Brendan Gallagher: In my book, you’re a beauty, Beauden Barrett

I nearly choked on my coffee the other morning when watching the All Blacks against South Africa at Eden Park.

Give a boost to South America

FOR those of you at the back not paying attention, Uruguay qualified for their sixth appearance in the World Cup Finals...

With Salut, post-match parties lasted until Tuesday

SO farewell Jean Salut – Monsieur Jean in French Rugby circles – who passed away this month aged 82. The original...

Pirates in control as Chiefs get runaround

■ By MIKE SINCLAIR Cornish Pirates ...............61pts Tries: Ward 3, Nelson 6, 24; Cambriani 25, Petch 37, Robson 43, Agbongbon 53,...

Westwood hat-trick gives Dragons fire

■ By SIMON THOMAS Dragons .............33pts Tries: O’Brien, Westwood (3), Beddall Conversions: De Beer (4) Scarlets ............28pts Tries: Plumtree, Mee, Blacker,...

Ampthill …..12pts Worcester .54pts

By OLIVER A RETURNING Worcester Warriors made an emphatic start to their first pre-season campaign since 2022, running in eight tries...

Chinnor …… 34pts Ealing ……….59pts

■By JOHN CLEMENCE TRAILFINDERS began their pre-season campaign with a free-flowing victory over Champ rivals Chinnor on Friday. Captain Scott Buckley...

Cambridge .33pts Ulster ………..36pts

■ By SOPHIE JONES IN a pulsating contest, Cambridge narrowly missed out on a famous victory, going down narrowly to a...

Coventry….61pts Caldy ………..26pts

■By GEOFF STIMPSON COVENTRY concluded their pre-season campaign in emphatic style, running in nine tries to crush Caldy at Butts Park...

Lawrence getting back in old routine

Munster...........28 Bath...................28 ■ By ALFIE ROSE OLLIE Lawrence made his return after six months out with an Achiles injury to play...

McKay strikes killer blow for Glasgow

Glasgow...........40 Northampton..31 ■ By JAY BENTLEY NORTHAMPTON’S unbeaten start to pre-season came to an end on Friday as they slipped to...

Cardiff take command over Leinster

Leinster............ 10 Cardiff..............31 ■ By JOHN EVANS CARDIFF rounded off their pre-season preparations in commanding fashion with victory over a youthful...

FANTASY RUGBY 2025/26

PRIZE MONEY MANAGER OF THE WINNER £500 SECOND £250 THIRD £125 LAST £250 MONTH £25 SECOND £10 THIRD £5 LAST £10...

Peter Jackson: Rhys Patchell – I knew it was time to bow out

Rhys Patchell tells a story from a time long gone when family members would inquire about what he wanted from life...

Aussie Lord would be laughing at R360’s problems

ANYONE disturbed by the sound of a celestial giggle from up yonder, need not be alarmed. It will probably be David...

North’s concussion crusade

PAUL REES LOOKS AT THE PROBLEMS THE WELSH STAR HAD WITH HEAD INJURIES AND HOW THE GAME IS DEALING WITH THE...

Dogs are taken for a walk by Tigers at the Park

Sedgley Park .27 Sale FC..............22 ■ By Joe Barnes-Taylor SEDGLEY Park Tigers hosted Sale FC in a Manchester derby at Park...

Lions show their teeth in a mauling

B Moseley ..............49 Leicester Lions .... 21 ■By JON MEADOWS THE hosts totally dominated the second half, scoring six tries to...

From zero to hero for Club’s Dunford

Blackheath ............33 Bishop’s S ............... 31 ■By GRAHAM COX ED Dunford won’t mark this down as one of his better goal-kicking...

Titans deliver emphatic rout to claim derby joy

■By ANDREW SMITH Rotherham T ...52pts Tries: Povey 4, Veness 26, Maguire 29, Okafor 44, Hayes 57, Cole 66, Shaw 71,...

Ten-try Albion dismantle Clifton to set early pace

Plymouth A ............62 Clifton ........................ 5 ■By PADDY MARSH PLYMOUTH Albion continued their excellent start to the season with a ten-try...

Rams run riot as Crusader collapse

Rams.........................73 Dings Crusaders...24 ■By RICHARD ASHTON RAMS racked up their highest-ever National League score with an exhilarating rout. The visitors took...

Park just edge out TJs in a tight affair

Tonbridge J............22 Rosslyn Park..........29 ■By GARETH WITHERS A fantastic game of National 1 rugby at the Slade went to the wire...

Bicknell hoping for international honours after move to Rams

■By CHRIS COLLYER WILLO Bicknell is excited to have made the step up to National One and is determined to flourish...

First-half blitz does all the damage for Dale

Darlington MP.38 Tynedale......... 48 ■By COILIN DUFFY TYNEDALE claimed a bonus-point victory over Darlington Mowden Park in their first National League...

Comeback win is all down to Myers

Billingham.............. 21 Wharfedale............ 16 ■By MIKE BROWN BILLINGHAM produced a stirring second-half display to overturn Wharfedale and claim a valuable victory....

Heroic half-backs provide the delight

Preston G.................20 Fylde.........................24 ■By LUKE JARMYN LANCASHIRE U20s star Gabriel Maguire showed why he’s one of the county’s best young scrum-halves...

Ionians celebrate top derby triumph

Hull Ionians......35pts Hull......................19pts ■By BRIAN NORMAN THE skill set and team work of Hull Ionians earned a bonus-point victory over the...

Howard’s way inspires Otley to a half-century

Otley..........................59 Scunthorpe............... 8 ■By NICK DOYLE AFTER Lewis Talbot scored for Scunthorpe in the ninth minute, Otley raced away, scoring nine...

Harry’s the hero in thrilling encounter

By JOSH THOMAS Rossendale ............41 Macclesfield .........53 MACCLESFIELD produced a brilliant second-half display to maintain their perfect start to their season....

Poole unstoppable in Sheffield battle

By CHRIS BRADSHAW Sheffield Tigers ..... 9 Sheffield .................29 SHEFFIELD Tigers pushed Sheffield in a gritty performance and showed their tenacity...

Super star Greg loving new bond of the brothers

By BEN JAYCOCK Lewis Double act: Greg Minikin AFTER hanging up his boots in rugby league at the end of last...

There’s no doubting Thomas as Dewi impresses

By HANNAH BURTON Exeter Uni........ 48 Barnstaple.......26 EXETER University were able to celebrate a solid success over Barnstaple. The hosts started...

Lilley leads Lymm to hard-fought win

By COILIN DUFFY Lymm........................27 Chester.....................24 LYMM secured back-to-back victories with a hard-fought win over Chester. The hosts dominated the opening half,...

Late brace from Bowyer is enough

By VICKY MACQUEEN Hinckley..................38 Loughborough S....26 HINCKLEY RFC secured a first home win against a strong Loughborough Students side. Hinckley started...

Sam’s a main man for Cam as rivals downed

By BILL HOOPER Camborne..........38pts Redruth..............17pts On the run: Jamie Prisk of Redruth makes a break Harry Larkins dives over to score...

Sheppard leads Hornets flock to top success

By WILLIAM BULL Hornets.....................57 Taunton Titans.....22 THE Hornets secured a resounding victory over their locals rivals. From the opening whistle, Hornets...

McMahon’s late points seal triumph

By ADAM CLEARY Old Redcliffians....29 Cinderford...............34 CINDERFORD made it two league wins from two after a comeback-win against Old Redcliffians. The...

Ben is the Link to victory for visitors

By LYDIA HASTINGS Syston......................34 Luctonians..............50 BEN LINK’S hat-trick helped Luctonians pick up their first league win of the season. The visitors...

Grimes is on the Luc-out for far more patience…

By BEN JAYCOCK Solid: Luctonians full-back Charlie Grimes LUCTONIANS full-back Charlie Grimes insists patience and consistency will be the key ingredients...

Yellow cards are so costly for sorry Islanders

By MO SHER Guernsey..........22 Dorking..............39 DORKING maintained their excellent start to the new campaign with a bonus-point win in the Channel...