Leinster dominate top player shortlist

THREE Leinster players have made the five-man shortlist for for the 2022 European Player of the Year award. Back row pair...

Law makers should read Nick’s column

NICK Cain’s comprehensive argument about laws (May 15) enabling high scoring hookers should be read by all of rugby’s law makers....

Sorry Joe, TV viewing figures say different

JOE Marler recently spoke out in an interview suggesting that rugby is shrinking but I don’t really see where he’s coming...

Prem Cup must stay

I CANNOT understand why there are calls for the Premiership Cup to be ended, this season’s competition has been fantastic! The...

European mediocrity is a price worth paying

COLIN BOAG There won’t be any English representation in either of the European finals, and I’m not overly-bothered about that. It...

DREAM TEAM

JOSH SKELCEY, THE AMPTHILL AND FORMER NORTHAMPTON, BIRMINGHAM MOSELEY AND PLYMOUTH WINGER, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR...

Only way is up for Bath, but culture must change

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK ANYONE coming into Bath in a senior management or coaching role at the moment...

Marchant seals it for the comeback kings

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Harlequins ........28pts Tries: Dombrandt 17, Marchant 49, 60; Murley 70 Conversions: Smith 18, 50, 60, 70 Gloucester........24pts Tries:...

Matson glad to survive ambush

HARLEQUINS senior coach Tabai Matson was impressed by side’s second half display. “Gloucester were way too good for us in the...

Saracens and Saints set fair for semis

By ROGER PANTING Saracens ..........42pts Tries: Tompkins 41, Lewington 45, McFarland 50, 60; Goode 68 Conversions: Farrell 41, 45, 60, 68...

McCall happy to be at home

SARACENS director of rugby Mark McCall said his side needed to bounce back after last Saturday’s European exit at the hands...

Dolly blow as Tigers head for top spot

By ROSS HEPPENSTALL Newcastle ..........5pts Tries: McGuigan 50 Leicester ..........27pts Tries: Nadolo 13, Porter 69, Steward 79 Conversions: Ford 14, 70,...

Borthwick: We had to play for 80 minutes to get that win

STEVE Borthwick paid tribute to his players after they ultimately outclassed Newcastle at Kingston Park. The Falcons, playing in Dean Richards’...

Baxter: We’re well off where we need to be

By BEN JAYCOCK Bristol ................40pts Tries: Sheedy 21, Piutau 32, 48; Leiua 52, Fricker 63, Morahan 77 Conversions: Sheedy 22, 33,...

Six-try Bears showed no fear

BRISTOL D oR Pat Lam was proud that his sixtry Bears played without fear.  He said: “Well done to the boys,...

Bailey calls the shots as Bath subdue Irish

By GARY FITZGERALD Bath ....................27pts Tries: Williams 34, Spencer 36, Muir 64 Conversions: Bailey 35, 37, 65 Penalties: Bailey 57, 74...

Kidney: It’s been tough for the boys

DECLAN Kidney spoke of his disappointment at the end of a tough week losing the Premiership Cup Final and then seeing...

Eddie has to find the answers …and fast

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK IT was Eddie Jones’ first faceto-face press conference with the rugby media for...

Scrappy Sharks keep play-off hopes alive

By ROGER PANTING Wasps ..................7pts Tries: Oghre 24 Conversions: Gopperth 24 Sale ....................16pts Tries: Van der Merwe 46 Conversions: R du...

Blackett: We paid for scrum penalties

WASPS director of rugby Lee Blackett accepted that his side were out-muscled. “It was a frustrating evening as if you don’t...

Leinster are taking Europe to next level

CHRIS HEWETT GUEST COLUMNIST It is often argued, usually by politicians reneging on a manifesto promise, that “the perfect is the...

How Rassie helped pull the plug on water boys

CHRIS HEWETT UNINTENDED consequences? You can’t move for them in the Union game. World Rugby has just announced another of its...

Exeter enter the race for Wade

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEILFISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler Return: Christian Wade EXETER Chiefs have emerged as surprise contenders in...

Warriors keen on Nakawara

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEILFISSLER WORCESTER are in the market for a new second row and Fiji star Leone Nakawara –...

England look to lure flyer Grace into code switch

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEILFISSLER Hot property: St Helens winger Regan Grace ST Helens try-scoring machine Regan Grace is being lined...

Racing change mind on Eddie

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEILFISSLER RACING 92 are no longer considering a move for England coach Eddie Jones when his contract...

Sharks could be in for a fight to buy AJ Bell

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEILFISSLER SALE Sharks’ bid to buy the AJ Bell Stadium, which has stalled in recent months, could...

Simmons has faith Irish can bridge gap in consistency

By PAUL REES Test centurion: London Irish lock Rob Simmons ROB Simmons says consistency is the ingredient London Irish need if...

Pivac’s wrong on Jac, but I’m sure he’ll be back

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND Ihave to confess I couldn’t believe it at first when I heard that Wayne Pivac...

Gas, power and guts are key

PAUL REES HEARS ENGLAND COACH EDDIE JONES EXPLAIN WHAT HE EXPECTS TO SEE FROM HIS 36-MAN TRAINING SQUAD England’s team in...

Hosts breeze to 1872 Cup win

By BEN JAYCOCK Edinburgh ......28 Glasgow ..........11 DOMINANT Edinburgh took the honours in a winner-takes-all derby against Glasgow Warriors in the...

Luke’s late show is silver lining for the Ospreys

By STEFFAN THOMAS Ospreys ............31pts Tries: J Morgan 38, L Morgan 57, 79, Parry 78 Conversions: Anscombe 38, 58, 78, 80...

Stormers edge it but Peel hails his troops

By STEFFAN THOMAS Scarlets ..........21pts Tries: J Williams 7, Conbeer 71 Conversions: Costelow 8 Penalties: Costelow 4, 17, 28 Stormers ........26pts...

Out-of-puff Dragons fail to find home comfort

By DELME PARFITT   Dragons ..............11pts Tries: Dyer 25 Penalties: Reed 37, 40 Lions ..................21pts Tries: Van der Merwe 34, Venter...

Ulster survive shark attack

By JOHN FALLON Ulster ......................24 Sharks ....................21 ULSTER coach Dan McFarland was relieved his men survived a late barrage from the...

Larmour shines bright

By KEVIN FALLON Leinster..................35 Munster ................25 A SECOND-STRING Leinster side who were already guaranteed top spot were still too strong for...

‘Scrappy’ win sums up season

By JOHN FALLON Connacht ..............22 Zebre ......................20 MAN of the match Cian Prendergast said the manner of Connacht’s win in their...

Anguish as Cardiff crash to humiliating 10-try defeat

By JOSH EVANS Benetton ..........69pts Tries: L Cannone 13, Albornoz 16, 50; Lamaro 19, Braley 32, 55; Smith 68, 77; Ruzza...

Ealing double up to sink gutsy Cov

By DAVID BALLHEIMER Ealing..................19pts Tries: Gordon 62 Conversions: Shingler 63 Penalties: Shingler 5, 23, 55, Willis 73 Coventry ............13pts Tries: Barton...

Chris Ashton: I’m never satisfied, I want a lot more!

Paul Rees talks to Chris Ashton about his insatiable desire to keep scoring tries Chris Ashton is at an age when...

Roko confirms end to 10-year stay at Bath

BATH confirmed winger Semesa Rokoduguni will leave the club at the end of the season after ten years at the club,...

Cleall returns to bolster Sarries

PREVIEW... Saracens v Harlequins Today, kick-off 2pm SARACENS head coach Alex Asturberry believes today’s semi-final is one of the biggest women’s...

West Country foes meet again

PREVIEW... Exeter v Bristol Today, kick-off 4:30pm JUST eight days on from their fierce contest at Sandy Park, Exeter and Bristol...

Barrett drops in late to deny the Brumbies

By BEN JAYCOCK Winner: Blues star Beauden Barrett celebrates his late drop-goal BEAUDEN Barrett’s 81st minute drop-goal led the Blues to...

Worcester edge dramatic final as Jackson misfires

After extra-time By BEN JAYCOCK London Irish ....25pts Tries: White 33 Conversions: Jackson 34 Penalties: Jackson 4, 28, 37, 48, 57,...

How RWC cooked up pig’s ear of a draw

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Towards the end of the World Cup draw, a celebrated chef stepped forward...

La Rochelle present a tougher test

PETER JACKSON LEO Cullen before last week’s semi-final against Toulouse in Dublin: “It doesn’t get any tougher.’’ Considering that the ex-champions...

Fly-half Billy left the kicks to others

PETER JACKSON BILLY Griffiths rolled off the assembly line at the Welsh fly-half factory in the mid-1950s whereupon he set about...

Championship XV of the season: ‘Buzz’ hits six to bow out in style

Now that the Championship season has run its course, Jon Newcombe canvassed the views of the league’s directors of rugby and...

LOUIE HENNESSEY

YOUNG GUNS WALES U18 CENTRE Louie Hennessey has signed a contract with Bath to go alongside his studies at Bath University...