Ewels off to Bulls

England lock Charlie Ewels has joined South African URC side the Bulls for the remainder of the season before returning to...

New deal for Willis

Flanker Jack Willis has signed a new three-year deal with Toulouse, potentially putting his England future in doubt. Willis joined Toulouse...

MacLeod to depart Falcons

Alex Codling is set to make sweeping changes to the Kingston Park coaching staff following his appointment as Newcastle head coach....

Gloucester in pole for Robinson

Gloucester are in pole position to snap up Ed Robinson to spearhead their attack coaching next season. Robinson, 29, has been...

Saracens lead hunt for Wales prop Smith

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Saracens have held talks with Wales loosehead Nicky Smith about a switch to the Premiership...

Abendanon joins Bayonne

Former England full-back Nick Abendanon continues to climb the coaching ladder in France and will join a new-look coaching team at...

Exeter’s O’Brien signs for Munster

The exodus from Exeter shows no sign of abating, with centre Sean O’Brien set to become the next player through the...

Dream Team with Billy Searle

Billy Searle, the former Worcester, Bath, Wasps, Bristol & Plymouth fly-half, chooses the best XV he has played with or against...

All Blacks have what it takes to go all way

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK The decision by New Zealand to announce a new coach of the All Blacks...

Saints go fourth in battle for play-offs

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Northampton Saints..... 38pts Tries: Moon 15, Ludlam 21, Freeman 38, Hutchinson 42, Smith 49, Dingwall 63 Conversions: Smith...

Dowson: Patience was key for us

Phil Dowson was pleased that patience prevailed in the second half and Saints got their reward. “We were a little nervous...

Retaining the status quo threatens to split game

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK Club rugby in England is crying out for a new start, based on...

Meafou must miss out this time

NICK CAIN Emmanuel Meafou is a one-man army at 6ft 8ins and 22 stone, and with that sort of physical firepower...

Quins find their feet to finish job in style

By GARY FITZGERALD Harlequins ....................... 48pts Tries: Esterhuizen 36, Lynagh 40, Bassett 49, Dombrandt 52, 69; Lamb 73, Marchant 76, Baxter...

Matson delight as Evans confirms he’s staying at The Stoop

Tabai Matson spoke of his joy that attack coach Nick Evans will be staying at Harlequins despite England‘s attempt to lure...

Reid finds the fire to lead Bath fightback

By ROGER PANTING Gloucester ....................... 24pts Tries: Varney 6, Carreras 27, Atkinson 45 Conversions: Carreras 6, 27, 45 Penalties: Carreras 12...

Van Graan delight as attack gets into gear

Bath director of rugby Johan van Graan was overjoyed as his side secured a victory to remember. He said: “We missed...

When familiarity is the key to success

CHRIS HEWETT As feats of the imagination go, the idea that Ireland might be heading towards a first World Cup final...

Politicians should give sport wide berth

CHRIS HEWETT The current US President and leader of the free world (so it says on the press release) is almost...

Curry brothers put the heat on Bristol

By BEN JAYCOCK Bristol Bears ....................20pts Tries: Naulago 39, Ibitoye 73 Conversions: MacGinty 40, 73 Penalties: MacGinty 9, Williams 24 Sale...

Lam: We gave Ford too many chances

Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam conceded that his side were second best and foolishly gave George Ford opportunities to chip...

Tall poppy syndrome or a case to answer?

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER For all sorts of reasons, all conquering Leinster...

Last-chance saloon for title hopes – Baxter

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW... Leicester Tigers v Exeter Chiefs Today. Kick-off 3pm, Welford Road Focused: Aidon Davis and, inset, Jasper Wiese...

Steward: We want to help Ashy get to that century

Retiring: Chris Ashton MIKE Brown has been left out of Tigers’ matchday 23 for the visit of Exeter today, with Freddie...

How I’d cut down on a blight in modern game

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND What is happening to our game? There were plenty of cheers for Ulster hooker Tom...

D’Inca grabs try double to leave Irish rock bottom

By BEN JAYCOCK Italy.................. 24pts Tries: Stefan 28, D’Inca 41, 77 Conversions: Sillari 29, 42, 78 Penalties: Sillari 63 Ireland................7pts Tries:...

Red Roses go on rampage to leave Wales on the ropes

By JAMES SKELDON Wales.................... 3pts Penalties: Bevan 14 England..............59pts Tries: L Packer 26, Heard 36, Dow 40, Aitchison 45, Breach 50,...

Scotland eager to spring a surprise

Preview France v Scotland Today. 3.15pm WINLESS Scotland have made three changes ahead of today’s match at Grand Slam-hunting France. Lisa...

England hit back with win over Italy

By BEN JAYCOCK England got their U18s Six Nations Festival back on track with a 26-10 victory over Italy. Jonathan Pendlebury’s...

France claim second victory

Women’s U20 France 40  England 31 FRANCE secured backto-back victories over England and their 20th win in 23 meetings as they...

Stewart sets try record as Ulster move up to second

By JOHN FALLON Ulster .................40pts Tries: Stewart 30, 38, 49; McCann 8, Timoney 68, Penalty 79 Conversions: Cooney 9, 39, 50,...

Do or die now for Ospreys as Edinburgh hit top gear

By BRYN PALMER Edinburgh.......... 45pts Tries: Conversions: Vellacott 4, Cherry 8, Skinner 17, Boffelli 19, Watson 40, Graham 58, 72 Boffelli...

Aki leads the charge for Connacht

By JOHN FALLON Connacht ..........38pts Tries: Kilgallen 13, Tierney-Martin 18, Oliver 28, Hansen 37, Penalty 45, Marmion 76 Conversions: Carty 14,...

Record-breaking Bulls maul Zebre to boost play-off push

Bulls .............78 Zebre ............ 12 The Bulls recorded the most points ever scored in a URC fixture as they poured in...

Sharks win ding-dong battle to seal quarter-final spot

Sharks .........43 Benetton .....33 The Sharks made tough work of it but at the end of a helter-skelter evening at the...

Fagerson-led Warriors fight back to book home play-off

By CAM STEPHENS Glasgow...........12pts Tries: Vailanu 35, Brown 54 Conversions: Jordan 55 Scarlets .............9pts Penalties: Jones 5, 12, 49 Glasgow battled...

Debutant Prendergast inspires Leinster victory

By KEVIN FALLON Lions ................36 Leinster ..........39 Leinster's most promising young star Sam Prendergast said it was an honour to make...

Munster put an end to Stormers’ 21-game run

By TOM SHEEDY Stormers ....... 24 Munster .........26 Graham Rowntree’s Munster got their URC knockout hopes and Champions Cup qualification back...

Chiefs bridge the big budget gap

Paul Rees looks at how Exeter defied the odds to make it to the last four in the Heineken Champions Cup...

My Life in Rugby with Phil Boulton: ‘It was a real honour to lead Cov to promotion’

The former Leicester, Rotherham, Bedford & Coventry prop talks about his life in the game Growing up in North Lincolnshire, Leicester Tigers...

Case of the lesser spotted Test stars

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Nobody takes a bigger bashing from Test rugby than the Welsh regions which...

Sorry, Rob, but there’s a price to pay for indiscipline

PETER JACKSON So Rob Baxter wishes to obliterate the deterrent effect of the red card by allowing sent-off players to be...

When Lewis made history for the Lions

At home in his adopted Yorkshire the other day, Lewis Jones answered the phone with a cheerful response to being wished...

Olowofela in fine form as Ampthill blown away

By ROB WILDMAN CRAIG Hammond was a beaming head coach after his Nottingham team had posted a victory by six tries...

Ealing run in 11 tries to stay clear at top of table

By XANDER CHEVALLIER Ealing were able to right the wrongs of their shock defeat to Caldy earlier in the season, as...

Reds get ready for battle of big two

By LUKE JARMYN Bedford Blues.................19pts Tries: Conway 4, Uru 37, Adamson 55 Conversions: Maisey 38, 56 Jersey Reds......................26pts Tries: Owen 14, 48; Clarke...

Coventry keep calm to quell Richmond

By TIM FORRESTER Eight places separate these teams in the table but Richmond pushed Coventry all the way. Having led for...

Charalambous times it right to make sure for Scottish

By LUKE JARMYN Debutant prop Rhys Charalambous charged down and scored in the final minutes to secure a nail-biting win for...

Dolly goes close but Pirates find a way home

By GUY WILLIAMS Doncaster continue to struggle at Castle Park where they lost for the third time in succession in the...

‘Ice cool’ Hodgson the hero in Vikings safety bid

By BEN JAYCOCK North Walsham head coach Ryan Oakes believes fly-half and captain Matt Hodgson may be one of the best...