England spring surprise with Danny Care recalled for non-cap international

England have sprung a surprise by naming Danny Care in their training squad for Sunday’s non-cap international against the Barbarians at...

I thought my career was over, says May

By ADAM HATHAWAY JONNY May feared he would never be up to speed for top class rugby when he was sitting...

Brown: Sam’s the right man for Pivac

By STEFFAN THOMAS FORMER Scotland star Kelly Brown believes the brutal nature of Saracens training will stand new Wales prop Sam...

Foden: MLR tarnished by new salary cap row

By JON NEWCOMBE FORMER England international Ben Foden fears Major League Rugby’s hard line stance over what are thought to be...

George: I’m delighted ‘Magic Max’ won award

By JON NEWCOMBE JAMIE GEORGE faces expulsion from the Front Row Union after breaking rank and celebrating the fact a hooker...

Hong Kong skipper lands Nottingham role

New role: Liam Slatem CHAMPIONSHIP side Nottingham have signed Hong Kong captain and scrum-half Liam Slatem as a player-coach. Head coach...

Parisse returns for more – at 38!

LEGENDARY Italian number eight Sergio Parisse has signed up for another year of Top 14 rugby with Toulon – at the...

Mouneimne: Defences will be revitalised next season

By JON NEWCOMBE NEW Exeter Chiefs defence coach Omar Mouneimne is confident the tide will change back in favour of defence...

Our skills let us down -Blackett

By PAUL REES WASPS just failed to qualify for the Heineken Champions Cup, losing out to London Irish on the final...

Saracen Earl claims top player honour

AFTER a stellar campaign in the back row for Saracens, flanker Ben Earl was awarded Player of the Season at the...

Townsend ‘rests’ Hogg and Russell for summer tour

By BEN JAYCOCK SCOTLAND captain Stuart Hogg and fly-half Finn Russell have been left out of Scotland’s 40-man squad for their...

Baa-baas working to Galthie’s Grand Plan

By PETER JACKSON You’re in: Dylan Cretin has received a Baa-baas call THE Barbarians have chosen three more of France’s all-conquering...

Fans will turn their backs on the Boks

I HAVE travelled to most overseas games in the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup in the last 14 years to support...

Time for planning to prevent injuries

IT is now time rugby union stopped turning a Nelsonian blind eye to the game’s unacceptable injury crisis. In last week’s...

We need more from sideline interviews

RUGBY has never been more accessible (for those with deep enough pockets for TV subscriptions), yet I cannot help feeling that...

‘Elite’ may have to be sacrificed for cashflow

COLIN BOAG Last week, Ellis Genge tweeted ‘Nearly 100 Premiership rugby players will now be without a club for the 22/23...

DREAM TEAM

JUAN P ABLO SOCINO, THE LEICESTER TIGERS & FORMER SARACENS, NEWCASTLE, ROTHERHAM & NOTTINGHAM PLAYER, CHOOSES THE BEXT XV HE HAS...

Weight of expectation will not lay heavy on the Welsh

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK IN some ways, Wales have nothing to lose going on a summer tour to...

Boyd’s men let it slip as Ford opens door to final

By ROGER PANTING Leicester ..........27pts Tries: Ford 52, Steward 69 Conversions: Ford 52 Penalties: Ford 22, 33, 64, 79 Drop goals:...

Borthwick: It wasn’t pretty but the guys worked their way through it all

LEICESTER head coach Steve Borthwick admitted it was a tough match but was glad his team are now heading for a...

Sanderson backs his Oz mission to boost Sharks

By BEN JAYCOCK ALEX Sanderson heads down under this month to ensure his Sale side get over the line for a...

Saracens back at the top table as Earl hat-trick sees off Quins

By GARY FITZGERALD Saracens ..........34pts Tries: Earl 21 41 80, Tompkins 35, Davies 52 Conversions: Farrell 35, 41, 80 Penalties: Farrell...

Matson: We did not nail our stuff

TABAI Matson admitted his crestfallen Harlequins stars will not enjoy their summer holidays after failing to secure the chance of retaining...

Consistency key for coach Skivington

By PAUL REES GEORGE Skivington believes continuity will help Gloucester make the step up into the top four next season after...

Solomons has a vision for a bright new future

By PAUL REES ALAN Solomons believes a legacy he has left Worcester will see the Warriors climb the Premiership in the...

Sharks circle round Samoan Nanai

ON THE BLINDSLIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler SALE Sharks are eying up a move for Worcester Warriors...

Clubs to swoop in on Falcon ace Mike

ON THE BLINDSLIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Option: Mike Brown MIKE Brown is still looking to extend his career for at least...

Van Heerden will lead influx of new Chiefs

ON THE BLINDSLIDE BY NEIL FISSLER EXETER Chiefs will announce the arrival of Ruben Van Heerden this week, and he is...

Knights set to land new Bucs starlet

ON THE BLINDSLIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Doncaster Knights are on the verge of completing a deal for Alec Lloyd-Seed, who will...

Warrior Sam eyes big move overseas

ON THE BLINDSLIDE BY NEIL FISSLER SAM Lewis is weighing up moving abroad as he looks for a new club and...

Deano’s role is still a mystery

ON THE BLINDSLIDE BY NEIL FISSLER DEAN Richards, who stood down as Newcastle Falcons director of rugby after the final game...

Write off Cheika’s Pumas at your peril

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK ARGENTINA under Michael Cheika will be as aware as Eddie Jones’ England of...

Heartbreak for Ulster as Stormers steal victory

By JOHN FALLON Stormers ..........17pts Tries: Kotze 4, Roos 14, Gelant 80+5 Conversions: Libbok 80+6 Ulster..................15pts Tries: Baloucoune 19, Moore 28...

Boks have raised the bar -Cullen

By JOHN FALLON Leinster ............26pts Tries: Sheehan 9, Henshaw 33, O’Loughlin 72, Healy 82 Conversions: Byrne 10, 33, Sexton 82 Bulls....................27pts...

It’s time to step up or face being left behind

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND It’s time for a re-think for the founding nations of the URC feast after the...

Hooky’s send-off finally put smiles back on Welsh faces

SHANE WILLIAMS I CAN officially reveal that I am available for motivational speeches, coaching clinics, TV commentary and written media work,...

Global vision for the future takes us into a new dawn

PAUL REES ASSESSES WORLD RUGBY’S PLANS TO MODERNISE THE INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC GAME The prospect of a global season has always...

Bears chief Lam looks to avoid another stuttering start

By PAUL REES PAT LAM is making sure that Bristol hit the ground running next season by arranging three warm-up matches,...

Tigers saddened as Tiffany loses battle

LEICESTER Tigers are “deeply saddened” by the death of Tiffany Youngs this week. Tiffany, the wife of former England and Leicester...

Ben’s back, ready willing and able!

Injury-hit Ben Curry tells Ben Jaycock he can finally dream of a longterm England future Fit again: Sale’s Ben Curry is...

Rennie has a healthy selection headache

CHRIS HEWETT GUEST COLUMNIST History, we are told, is just one damned thing after another. And by way of rubbing it...

Franchise departures remain a mystery…

CHRIS HEWETT DIDN’T take long, did it? Just a few short weeks after World Rugby – the non-governing governing body –...

Le new role for Michael

RUGBY SHORTS MICHAEL Le Bourgeois has rejoined Championship club Bedford Blues in a player-coach role after being released by Wasps. The...

Chiefs nab coach Omar

RUGBY SHORTS EXETER Chiefs have appointed South African Omar Mouneimne as their new defence coach. Mouneimne moves to Exeter after leaving...

Morris will stay a Wasp

RUGBY SHORTS WASPS back-row forward Ben Morris has signed a new contract with the club. “He’s a player who is fully...

Kyle adds to injury list

RUGBY SHORTS BRISTOL Bears prop Kyle Sinckler will miss England’s summer tour of Australia with a back injury. The 29-year-old has...

Wilson axed by Warriors

RUGBY SHORTS DANNY Wilson has been sacked as Glasgow Warriors head coach after a humiliating 76-14 URC quarter-final defeat by Leinster....

Ace Barton is a Falcon

RUGBY SHORTS AS reported in TRP last month, Newcastle Falcons have signed scrum-half Josh Barton from Coventry on a two-year deal....

Inspired Borthwick has given back to Tigers the drive to hit former heights

Paul Rees looks at how Steve Borthwick has re-energised his Welford Road troops When Steve Borthwick took charge of Leicester in...

Knights’ plan is Premier class

NEWS EXTRA By GUY WILLIAMS CHAMPIONSHIP highfliers Doncaster are looking to start on the front foot next seaason, starting with back-to-back...