Sad to hear laughter over Traore incident

PETER JACKSON WHEN those at the ‘Secret Santa’ party hosted by the Benetton squad laughed at Cherif Traore unwrapping an over-ripe...

Doddie and Benny lead list of heroes we have lost

Brendan Gallagher remembers those the game has lost over the last 12 months Phil Bennett (Felinfoel, Llanelli, Wales, Barbarians, British and...

Hill: It’s biggest game of season

Preview Richmond v London Scottish December 31. Kick-off 2.30pm RICHMOND director of rugby Steve Hill says the showdown with local rivals...

Trailfinders hit six for perfect 10 out of 10

By BEN JAYCOCK Ealing................ 43pts Tries: Bird-Tulloch 3, Kelleher 19, Hampson 30, 47; Kane 65, Willis 74 Conversions: Willis 3, 30,...

Knights demolition job

Doncaster................. 52 Caldy .......................... 14 DONCASTER demolished Championship new boys Caldy in the first ever meeting between the sides. The Knights...

Coventry in cruise control

Nottingham.............. 17 Coventry ...................45 COVENTRY secured back to back wins with a dominant eight-try performance at Nottingham. Nottingham scored the opening...

It’s derby delight for delirious Blues

Bedford ..................38 Ampthill .................. 14 BEDFORD claimed the drby spoils in front of a sold-out Goldington Road to continue their unbeaten...

Hartpury make it three on the spin

Hartpury..................22 Cornish Pirates .... 16 HARTPURY sealed a third consecutive win to down the Pirates in tricky conditions. Hartpury came out...

Young Guns: Cardiff Met University lock Brandon Harvey

American second row Brandon Harvey was hurt by his country of birth’s failure to qualify for the 2023 World Cup but...

No stopping the Baa-Baas’ game

MOMENT IN TIME SPECIAL REPORT BY NEIL FISSLER LEICESTER vs THE BARBARIANS, 1973  Where are they now? BACK ROW Chalky White:...

Borthwick facing a tough start to the year

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME Happy New Year and let’s hope it’s a good one. What a...

Harlequins star Brown ends career on a high

By BEN JAYCOCK Harlequins ................ 48pts Tries: Cokayne 7, 17, 38; Konkel 23, Cleall 31, Edwards 44, Kildunne 72, Mckenzie 80...

Wales centre Allen, 29, calls time

NEWS EXTRA FORMER Wales centre Cory Allen has retired from professional rugby at the age of 29 because of injury. Allen,...

Lewis hit with injury

CARDIFF prop Dillon Lewis faces a race to prove his fitness ahead of Wales' Six Nations opener against Ireland on February...

BRITISH RUGBY RESULTS AND FIXTURES

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Convicted Laporte ‘suspends himself’

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN PICTURE: Getty Images AS 2022 gives way to 2023, and about three weeks after he was convicted...

Forthcoming fixtures

It is advisable to check matches and kick-off times with the clubs ... Continue reading... Access all our premium content from...

Who is Steve Borthwick, and what does this mean for England?

With the appointment of Steve Borthwick as England‘s new head coach and Kevin Sinfield as their new defence coach, a new...

Host Cities Guide: Rugby World Cup 2023 locations

If you’re attending the 2023 rugby world cup it is set to be an absolute corker. The best bookmaker bonuses are...

Courageous Bears end losing run at The Stoop

Harlequins 12-15 Bristol Bears Bristol Bears produced an impressive defensive display to win a first game in eight as Harlequins missed...

2023 Rugby World Cup Pool Stages Preview

With the final pool stages being confirmed for the 2023 Rugby Union World Cup, betting sites around the globe have started...

RFU right to get rid of Jones – Cotton

By PETER JACKSON One of England’s all-time greats has backed the RFU over Eddie Jones with one reservation – that they...

Young fears Wales exodus

Some of Wales’ brightest stars are being allowed to fall through the cracks, while the WRU has leant heavily on player...

Bow: ‘P share’ model needs to be scrapped

By LUKE JARMYN Premiership Rugby’s ‘P share’ ownership model must be scrapped if reforms to the top tier are to have...

Signing Russell isn’t reckless, insist Bath

By JON NEWCOMBE BATH CEO Tarquin McDonald has defended Bath’s signing of Finn Russell as not only being good for the...

Cueto sure Borthwick will do a brilliant job

By GARY FITZGERALD In charge: Steve Borthwick coaching Steve Borthwick used to spend his England training breaks sat in an office...

Baxter: We change the game at our peril

By PAUL REES Rob Baxter says Premiership Rugby needs to be careful as it plots a relaunch of the league from...

Scots short up front after Fagerson injury

By BRYN PALMER Big loss: Injured Scotland prop Zander Fagerson Zander Fagerson’s likely absence for the start of Scotland’s Six Nations...

‘South Africa a step from Six Nations’

By PAUL REES South Africa’s involvement in the Heineken Champions Cup this season is a step to the Springboks joining the...

Please listen to Peter’s proposal

PETER Jackson may have given rugby the best possible Christmas present it could receive with his advocacy of a British and...

Privileged clubs are abusing their position

PREMIERSHIP clubs are given the privilege of representing English rugby in Europe, yet some abuse that privilege by fielding weakened sides....

How could Ramos call for knock on?

WITH the change from Premiership to European Cup games we get the problem of having to suffer poor french referees. How...

Lewington’s loving the new style at Saracens

By GARY FITZGERALD Alex Lewington has come to terms with being one of Saracens’ elder statesmen these days and having to...

Dream Team with Scott Van Breda

The Jersey Reds and former Eastern Province, Western Province, Stormers, Southern Kings and Worcester utility back, chooses the best XV he...

Steward is everyone’s pick at 15 for England

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK You get a good measure of a player in their day-to-day club environment, and...

Bath in the mood to face Exeter challenge

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW... Exeter v Bath Saturday December 24. Kick-off 3pm Vision: Bath coach Johann van Graan Johann Van Graan...

Baxter enjoying life to the full after swapping sides

By PAUL REES PREVIEW... Harlequins v Bristol Tuesday December 27. Kick-off 3pm, The Stoop Happy: Fin Baxter FIN Baxter made his...

Selection maze the big test for Borthwick

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK STEVE Borthwick’s brave new world, launched on Monday when he was confirmed as...

Falling player numbers the real issue

BURIED deep in the RFU website is its “2022- 23 – Targets”, which is a woefully inadequate document because it fails...

No Borthwick but Tigers will still be fierce – Skivington

By PAUL REES PREVIEW... Leicester v Gloucester Saturday December 24. Kick-off 3pm Learning fast: Skivington George Skivington does not expect the...

Pearson’s eager to impress new boss

By PAUL REES PREVIEW... London Irish v Saracens Friday December 23. Kick-off 7.45pm It may not have been a year to...

Billy’s the kid when it comes to resistance

CHRIS HEWETT GUEST COLUMN Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings,” says the doctor to his patient, “but you have...

Barmiest fixture list that makes no sense

YOU don’t get to be Jake White if you’re wrong more often than you’re right. The South African, currently in charge...

Wasps are staying in Midlands for the long run

■ By BEN JAYCOCK NEW Wasps CEO Andy Scott has ruled out a return to London and says that the club...

Messi has Falcons Pumas flying high

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW... Newcastle v Sale Friday Decemeber 23. Kick-off 8pm, Kingston Park Brett Connon is hoping for some Messi-like...

Ospreys win points to happier New Year

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND Christmas certainly has come early in Welsh rugby. Firstly, Warren Gatland rides in on Santa’s...

Representative body for match officials

THE first representative body for international high-performance match officials launched this week. Supported by World Rugby and led by Wayne Barnes,...

Japanese interested in taking Williams back

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEILFISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler Former Wales fly-half Owen Williams is a target for Japanese...

Gatland likely to target Gustard

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Former Harlequins boss Paul Gustard has emerged as a target for Wales chief Warren Gatland...

Lawes considers options and may head abroad

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEILFISSLER Courtney Lawes is mulling over his future after revealing that he has got an escape clause...