Hougaard’s ‘no’ to Japan

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Former Wasps and Worcester scrum-half Francois Hougaard is set to turn down the chance of...

Irish keen on Cokanasiga’s return

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER London Irish are bidding to re-sign England flyer Joe Cokanasiga from Premiership rivals Bath to replace...

Now Chiefs are fighting to keep Cowan-Dickie

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEILFISSLER Off to France? Luke Cowan-Dickie Below, Jack Nowell Exeter Chiefs are fighting to keep hold of...

George is set to stay a Saracen

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER England hooker Jamie George is set to take up an option to stay with former...

New deals for Radwan & Blamire

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Newcastle are closing in agreeing on new deals with England duo hooker Jamie Blamire, above, and...

England are spoilt for choice with this top trio

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK The RFU have said recently that they would like the next England coach to...

Yes, US do have the athletes but rugby still niche

I READ with interest Peter Sneddon’s letter last week about USA participation in rugby. I was fortunate to be heavily involved...

£174 to watch the big screen

Value for money? England fans at Twickenham PICTURE: Getty Images I AM a president of a rugby club playing in National...

Right call by Smith to settle for draw

THERE has been much chatter on social media as to why Marcus Smith booted the ball out of play in the...

Dream Team with Christian Day

Christian Day, The RPA head of player affairs and former Sale, Stade Francais & Northampton lock chooses the best XV he...

Angry MPs censure ‘shambolic’ leadership

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK It would be reasonable to expect that, by the time RFU chief executive...

Time for RFU to be more proactive

The RFU has a habit of letting the Twickenham grass grow under its feet for too long when it comes to...

Care keeps his head to steer Quins home

By NICK POWELL Harlequins......................... 21pts Tries: Care 7, 37; Lamb 14 Conversions: Allan 8, 15, 37 Gloucester......................... 12pts Tries: Morgan 21,...

‘We are making the same mistakes’

Frustrated Gloucester head coach George Skivington urged his side to stop making the same mistake of giving their opponents an early...

Sanderson on a high as Sharks halt Bears

By LUKE JARMYN Sale..................................... 25pts Tries: R du Preez 10, Roebuck 25, JL du Preez 68 Conversions: R du Preez 26,...

Lam: We created a lot of chances

Bristol's defeat, slipping away from being 20-18 ahead with barely 12 minutes to play, ensures their equal worse run of form...

Falcons keep nerve as Chiefs lose again

By BEN JAYCOCK Newcastle......................... 24pts Tries: McGuigan 6, Carreras 19, Pepper 40 Conversions: Connon 7, 20, 41 Penalties: Connon 61 Exeter.....................................

Walder: Rousing speech set tone

Falcons director of rugby Dave Walder revealed how a rousing speech from club legend Gary Armstrong helped set the tone for...

Bath sink as Exeter weather the storm

By TOM BRADSHAW Exeter................................. 25pts Tries: Tuima 20, Davis 37, 60 Conversions: Jenkins 21, 38 Penalties: Jenkins 6, 18 Bath..................................... 22pts...

Sarries aim to put on a show

Preview Saracens v Tel Aviv Heat Today. Kick-off 12.15pm SARACENS director of rugby Mark McCall has named an exciting 26- man...

Roberts goes in hard, like he always did

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Some ex-internationals looking to reinvent themselves as pundits struggle because they fail to...

Will’s way: This is how you do it, Jase

PETER JACKSON Scoring machine: Will Stuart goes over against New Zealand PICTURE: Getty Images As befitting a man in his position,...

Gone for a Burton! Rugby is struggling for a future

PETER JACKSON Pontrhydyfen is a village in the Afan Valley where a local boy failed to realise his rugby dream and...

Smith gives a lesson in class

By BEN JAYCOCK Benetton ........ 24 Edinburgh........ 17 Edinburgh crashed to defeat despite the Italians playing with 14 men for 70...

Small wins for Ospreys but Bulls march on

By MATT LLOYD Bulls..................... 43pts Tries: Kriel 7, 32; Carr 12, Steenkamp 21, Louw 40+2, Nortje 68, Burger 75 Conversions: Smith...

No stopping Leinster but Smith sees hope

By TOM SHEEDY Leinster..............40pts Glasgow............... 5pts Glasgow Warriors head coach Franco Smith believes his players are improving despite another difficult defeat...

Stewart keeps Ulster going

By RONAN O’NEILL Ulster ...............36 Zebre................. 15 Ulster head coach Dan McFarland says a big improvement is needed if they are...

Munster end run of derby defeats

By DARAGH SMALL Munster ......... 34 Connacht......... 17 Another encouraging URC win continued Munster’s turnaround in fortunes. Connacht left Thomond Park...

Top two in right place to rule at World Cup

Paul Rees sees Ireland and France consolidate their position as leaders of the North Ireland and France were the only two...

Georgia’s triumph shouldn’t be wasted

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER It was bittersweet bordering on intensely frustrating to...

Give me a break! It’s time we had much more clarity on the advantage law

What's happening with the advantage law? It’s even more all over the place than usual this season. Have we missed a...

Collins treble seals win for Northampton

Northampton..........45 Barbarians..............39 A second-half hattrick from Tom Collins helped Northampton edge out the Barbarians in an entertaining exhibition match at Franklin’s...

Van der Flier voted world’s best player

Ireland flanker Josh van der Flier was named men’s player of the year at the World Rugby awards last Sunday. New...

Heroics of Asiedu aids Blood and Sand

By STEVE JACKSON Cambridge....... 31 Chinnor..............27 Cambridge made it 14 games in a row unbeaten at Grantchester Road, but were pushed...

Four-try Taylor has Cinderford jubilant

By NIGEL WILCE Cinderford...............24 Bishop’s S................22 Nathan Taylor denied the visitors a comeback as he scored all four tries for Cinderford....

Tyke That! Leeds hit back at death

By BEN CROPPER Leeds Tykes........... 21 Birmingham M....... 21 Birmingham Moseley were left to rue their ill-discipline as they succumbed to...

Esher deliver thrashing to inflict more Hull woe

By TOM SANSOM Esher.................. 34pts Hull........................ 0pts Tries: Scott 19, Thompson 32, Hamilton 34, Vajner 62 Conversions: Morley 19, 32, 34,...

Stupple marks his landmark feat with gritty win

By PATRICK MARSH Plymouth A............. 13 Rosslyn Park.......... 10 Plymouth Albion made it four home wins on the bounce with a...

Sale show heart to dispatch DMP

By STEPHEN SMITH Sale FC.....................34 Darlington MP....... 31 Sale FC came from behind to beat Darlington. The visitors deservedly opened the...

Titans defeated as Rams shut shop

By MIKE JAMOS Taunton T................24 Rams.........................27 Nearly the upset of the season, although from kick-off it seemed very different as Rams...

Young Guns: Gloucester fly-half and full-back Josh Hathaway

Having recently been lured to Gloucester by head coach George Skivington, playmaker Josh Hathaway made his Premiership Cup debut last weekend...

Blaydon see red in loss to Chester

By DESMOND HICKIE Chester.............. 31 Blaydon............. 19 CHESTER proved too strong for basement side Blaydon as they eased to a home...

Park too strong for battling Field

By ANDREW SMITH Huddersfield..........26 Sedgley Park.........38 SEDGLEY Park maintained their 100 per cent record with a dominant first-half display on the...

We lacked a cutting edge in final third, admits Peel

By STEFFAN THOMAS Stormers...........36pts Tries: Jantjies 14, Zas 18, van Rhyn 22, Dayimani 35, du Plessis 41 Conversions: Wolhuter 15, 19,...

Ionians cling on for Hoppers win

By BEN PIKEATHLY Preston G................. 20 Hull Ionians............ 21 HULL Ionians showed their quality to edge a tight clash against a...

Otley aces call a halt to Titans derby run

By NICK DOYLE Bonus ball: Duncan Darling svcores the fourth try for Otley Below, Otley’s Clark Wells extends their lead PICTURES:...

Turner turns on the style as Fylde topple Sheffield

By FRANK ARTHUR Sheffield.................... 5 Fylde.........................24 BEN Turner scored a beautiful brace as Fylde made it eight wins in nine matches...

Ireland’s on mark in Tigers success

By MO SHER Sheffield Tigers....34 Wharfedale............ 14 A KICKING masterclass from Tigers playmaker Mark Ireland eased Sheffield Tigers to victory over...

Dale oust Gate in low-quality clash

By BRIAN TILLEY Tynedale................. 15 Harrogate.................. 8 THE grim weather at Corbridge was matched by the poor fare served up by...

1 North East

By GEOFF LIGHTFOOT BILLINGHAM increased their lead at the top of the table following a 67-0 win at home to Scunthorpe....