Why the Breakdown Has Become Rugby’s Most Decisive Battleground

Once upon a time, the breakdown was treated as rugby’s necessary pause — a moment to reset before the next phase...

Bath 33-26 Exeter Chiefs: Ecstasy for the Prem champions as Arthur Green snatches it

Hell hath no fury than Bath outscored. A week after losing their home record to Northampton Saints, they tore the tightest...

Northampton Saints 66-21 Harlequins: Splendid Saints go back to the top of pile

Northampton Saints swept back to the top of the Prem table last night thanks to some outstanding spells of attacking rugby...

Aaron Wainwright heading to Leicester Tigers as Welsh exodus continues

Wales back row Aaron Wainwright will become the latest star to leave Welsh rugby, with the Dragons player set to join...

Alex Sanderson: Champions Cup is no distraction for Sale Sharks

Alex Sanderson admits it would “take something special” for Sale Sharks to rule Europe, but that’s not stopping him from having...

Chris Hewett: We must guard our friends in the north

There are a mere 320 miles of road separating Exeter from Newcastle, the geographical poles of top-flight rugby in England, and...

Leicester Tigers back rower Olly Cracknell would love to keep his Wales place

Olly Cracknell will never forget 2025, the year when he finally realised his ambition of playing international rugby, having feared it...

Brendan Gallagher: It’s no surprise Harlequins are finding the going tough

I’m surprised that so many people are surprised at Harlequins’ travails this season. It was always going to happen.

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Gloucester chief George Skivington keen to bring in new blood

Gloucester director of rugby George Skivington has made it clear he fully supports plans to strengthen the club’s coaching and management...

New Year Honours for England’s World Cup winners

Following the Red Roses’ victory at the Women’s Rugby World Cup, second row and captain Zoe Aldcroft, flanker Marlie Packer and...

Bath flanker Guy Pepper – I’m on an incredible journey

Guy Pepper is relishing a huge start to 2026 with eyes on potential European club success and also keeping a firm...

Holding back the years: Martin Offiah reaches 60 in style

Andy Farrell and Jason Robinson were among the rugby royalty at Martin Offiah’s star-studded 60th birthday bash last weekend.

Josh Kemeny to stay at Northampton Saints after signing contract extension

Josh Kemeny has signed a contract extension at Northampton Saints.

Josh Hodge agrees three-year Newcastle Red Bulls deal

Newcastle Red Bulls have re-signed England A full-back Josh Hodge from Exeter Chiefs on a three-year contract.

Harry Randall ready to fight for England Six Nations spot

Harry Randall returned earlier than expected from a hamstring injury that required surgery and is looking to put himself in contention...

Fisilau can go all the way – Walder

EXETER attack coach Dave Walder is backing No.8 Greg Fisilau for an England call-up for the Six Nations. The 22-year-old impressed...

Jeremy Guscott: Tommy Freeman adds to England’s options

The good news for England going into the New Year, and the 2026 Six Nations, is that their centre stocks are...

DREAM TEAM

RICKY DAVIES, THE FORMER SCARLETS, BORDEAUX BEGLES, BIRMINGHAM & SOLIHULL AND WALES U19 PROP, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED...

Coaches are to blame

Letters INSTEAD of publicly criticising the players which is bad for morale, Harlequins boss Jason Gilmore should look closer to home...

Wales need to take risks

IN light of the mauling by South Africa and last season’s under-powered debacle against England, Wales should go big for the...

Synchronise your watches, please

WHY are games played in the Championship not using synchronised time keeping with the referee as in the Premiership. I’ve attended...

Saints, the entertainers

NORTHAMPTON’S constant search for space was a pleasure to watch last week – it ran the legs off the Bath pack...

Barbeary: We were fired up after loss

ALFIE Barbeary said Bath’s players were fired up after losing a home match in the Premiership for the first time in...

Dowson: We must keep on driving

SAINTS boss Phil Dowson demanded his team kept their “foot on the throttle” after this impressive win. “We’ve won nothing yet...

Bristol Bears 19-17 Sale Sharks: Kalatevi Ravouvou leaves it late to sink Alex Sanderson’s side

Sale Sharks narrowly failed in their bid to win at Ashton Gate against Bristol Bears for the fourth consecutive season and...

Lam: We’re decimated by injuries but carved out a winner

BRISTOL director of rugby Pat Lam hailed his team’s spirit to overcome their continual injury problems. “We set out to treat...

Newcastle Red Bulls 25-19 Gloucester: At last! Alan Dickens’ side find their wings

Newcastle Red Bulls, the team that had forgotten how to win, remembered just in time as they clung on against Gloucester...

Dickens: We’ve waited a long time

NEWCASTLE head coach Alan Dickens was a relieved man at full-time and urged his Red Bulls to develop their killer instinct....

Leicester Tigers vs Saracens: Jack van Poortvliet back in starting line-up

Jack van Poortvliet returns to Leicester Tigers’ starting XV to face Saracens today for the first time since the visit to...

Dan Cole quits Leicester Tigers for ‘personal reasons’

Dan Cole will leave Leicester Tigers after 18 years due to personal reasons.

Nick Cain: England can bank on speed merchants

Speed could be England’s greatest asset as the Red Rose squad contemplate a New Year in which a Six Nations Grand...

Munster left at gate by Ulster

■ By SAM JACKSON Ulster ..............28 Munster ............ 3 ULSTER dominated the second half to run away with a resounding victory....

Edinburgh hold on to deny Benetton

■ By BILL WRIGHT Benetton ........14 Edinburgh .......15 EDINBURGH held on for a gritty win at Stadio Monigo to ease the...

Weir signs off with a win for Warriors

■ By DOMINIC HUNTER Glasgow ........ 47 Zebre ................ 10 GLASGOW Warriors moved second in the United Rugby Championship with a...

Dragons 28-5 Scarlets: There’s no stopping Filo Tiatia’s resurgent side

Having not won a single game in 13 months, resurgent Dragons have now won three games in less than three weeks,...

Ospreys stung into action as they power up table

■ By SIMON THOMAS Ospreys .............33pts Tries: Giles 14, Hardy 25, 51; Parry 42, Hopkins 69 Conversions: Edwards 15, 43, 52,...

Leinster 52-17 Connacht: Leo Cullen’s side turn on the style to dispatch Connacht

Leinster ran in seven tries to destroy Connacht and make it a clean sweep in their festive derbies.

Mchunu lands killer blow

Stormers .........13 Bulls ................... 8 A LATE try from replacement prop Ntuthuko Mchunu sealed victory for the Stormers – their eighth...

Pead snatches it for Lions

Sharks .............22 Lions.................23 HAASHIM Pead pounced from close range to snatch victory for the Lions in Durban. After racing into a...

Paul Rees: Battle of the airways puts coaches in the cross-fire

Paul Rees looks at how one law tweak by the game’s authorities can have unintended consequences.

Bordeaux-Begles will be a tough test says Northampton Saints prop Emmanuel Iyogun

Northampton Saints face a repeat of last season’s Champions Cup final when they travel to Bordeaux-Begles next Sunday, with Emmanuel Iyogun...

Kyle Hatherell insists promotion is still Ealing Trailfinders’ goal

Back row Kyle Hatherell insists Ealing Trailfinders feels like a Premiership club day-to-day and are pushing hard to make that a...

Townson moves in at Chiefs

EXETER Chiefs have appointed Glen Townson as their assistant forwards coach. The 39-year-old former second row left his role as Bristol’s...

Lloyd signs new deal at Ospreys

PROMISING hooker Lewis Lloyd has signed a contract extension to remain with Ospreys beyond the season. The 22-year-old has signed on...

Augustus ruled out by ankle injury

ULSTER’S Springbok back row Juarno Augustus will be sidelined “for a number of weeks” because of the ankle ligament injury he...

But you’re part of the problem, Beirne

CHRIS HEWETT TADHG Beirne is one of the quiet marvels of the rugby age, so it is worth listening especially hard...

Bellamy on target to make sure for Scottish

■ By CÓILÍN DUFFY Richmond .........26pts Tries: Jones 32, Goffey 56, 74; Schmid 66 Conversions: Grieve 32, 66, 74 L Scottish...

Ealing Trailfinders 34-33 Worcester Warriors: Craig Hampson comes to the rescue

In a thrilling one-point match, Ealing Trailfinders extended their unbeaten league streak to 19 matches against a battling Worcester Warriors side...

Battling Pirates can’t stop Coventry marching on

■ By CÓILÍN DUFFY Coventry ...........41pts Tries: Ferrie 2, 57; Sullivan 13, Benz-Salomon 32, Nayalo 40, Baker 80 Conversions: Thomas 3,...