Fear of drop brought real buzz -Thompson

By LUKE JARMYN FORMER Leicester and Wasps back row Guy Thompson says promotion and relegation between the Premiership and the Championship...

Furbank hopes playoff bid can land him in Oz

By GARY FITZGERALD GEORGE Furbank is keeping his fingers crossed Eddie Jones will grant his wish of a first Test tour...

Falcons swoop in for two Championship stars

By JON NEWCOMBE NEWCASTLE Falcons have added a second Championship player to their ranks for next season by signing Coventry scrum-half,...

I loved it! Taylor the best goal hanger in the league

By BEN JAYCOCK ON the last day of the season, Nathan Taylor – ‘the best goal hanger the league has ever seen’...

Champ Cup isn’t financially viable – Cattle

By BEN JAYCOCK CORNISH Pirates co-head coach Gavin Cattle claims the Championship Cup does not financially work and that it desperately...

Gloucester seek compensation

GLOUCESTER will seek compensation from Worcester for calling off their March Premiership match at short notice. Warriors claimed they could not...

Speedy Segun striving to turn Eddie’s head

By GARY FITZGERALD ROTIMI Segun hopes his emergence as a key component of Saracens insatiable hunger for silverware can result in...

Crucial mission to make game global ramps up as USA get to host party

By PAUL REES WORLD Rugby has stealthily moved from an organisation in which self-interest thrived to one which is now far...

Tyro Welsh No.8 Strong set for Championship

By STEFFAN THOMAS AMPTHILL are set to sign former Wales U20s No.8 Morgan Strong from the Ospreys. Strong is a powerful...

Boks test kicks off Ireland’s autumn

IRELAND will host world champions South Africa in the first of three Autumn Nations Series contests to be played in Dublin...

Battle for survival is the most thilling bit

I GREW up in a football city (Liverpool) and found myself on the Blue side of the loyalty divide which has...

Cup requires stricter rules

THE Premiership Cup is a great vehicle for developing players and it should be written in the rules that it is...

European playing field is not level

I AM a neutral fan, but whilst the likes of Leinster are a very fine side what is grossly underreported in...

High-hit pardons could see referees next in the dock

HAVING attended the Gloucester v Saracens game last Friday I have to say that when will enough poor referee decisions be...

Henry is a rare talent

ENGLAND must cap London Irish full-back Henry Arundell this summer before Wales or Scotland make him an offer he can’t refuse....

Fan prejudices are not always rational

COLIN BOAG Split loyalties: Saracens clash with Gloucester last weekend PICTURE: Getty Images Hate is a word to be avoided, as...

Let Arundell show what he’s got against Australia

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK HENRY Arundell played junior rugby for Bradford-on-Avon, and all I can say after seeing...

Sexton leads the way as Leinster gun for fifth star

By JOHN FALLON Leinster …………40pts Tries: Lowe 15, 50; Van der Flier 20, Keenan 79 Conversions: Sexton 16, 21, 52; Byrne...

Furlong should be fit for final

LEINSTER coach Leo Cullen said the ankle injury which forced his tighthead Tadhg Furlong off in the opening quarter doesn’t appear...

Ground switch ‘unacceptable’ blasts O’Gara

By BEN JAYCOCK PREVIEW... Racing 92 v La Rochelle Today. Kick-off 3pm, Stade Bollaert Delelis LA ROCHELLE head coach Ronan O’Gara...

Wasps left regretting wasted opportunities

By GARY FITZGERALD Lyon ....................20pts Tries: Berdeu 48, Charcosset 53 Conversions: Berdeu 48, 54 Penalties: Berdeu 35, 64 Wasps ................18pts Tries:...

Kpoku chasing dream finish

FORMER Saracens lock Joel Kpoku is dreaming of lifting some silverware with Lyon after a powerful performance in the victory over...

Toulon too strong as Saracens crash out

By SAM JACKSON Toulon ................25pts Tries: Villiere 2, 39; Wainiqolo 60 Conversions: Carbonel 4, 61 Penalties: Carbonel 33, 52 Saracens ..........16pts...

New laws adopted to reduce injuries

NEWS EXTRA FIVE laws aimed at improving player welfare have been officially adopted after successful trials. The laws will be operational...

Hastings treated for cancer

NEWS EXTRA SCOTLAND and Lions legend Scott Hastings revealed that he is being treated for cancer. The 57-year-old has received chemotherapy...

Thomas to state his case for defence

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Gone: Julian Salvi EXETER Chiefs are likely to promote from within to replace defence...

Willis set for contract talks

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER WASPS are looking to tie down highly-rated England international back row Jack Willis, left,...

Gloucester are pack leaders in Mercer chase

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Wanted in West Country: Zach Mercer GLOUCESTER are the early front runners in the...

TV rights could boom after BT Sport merger

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER PREMIERSHIP Rugby could land a massive cash windfall in their next round of television...

Aussie RL ace Smith now open to offers

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Winner: Tony Smith TONY Smith, who is leaving his job as head coach of...

England ace Watson opts for Leicester

By BEN JAYCOCK Heading to Leicester: Anthony Watson LEICESTER have confirmed the signing of Bath and England wing Anthony Watson for...

Puma Lezana signs Scarlets extension

ARGENTINA flanker Tomas Lezana has extended his stay in Wales by signing a new Scarlets contract. The 28-year-old, capped 40 times...

High-scoring hookers not good for the game

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK ONE of the strangest signs of the times is that this season hookers...

Europe’s best too hot for England

NICK CAIN IT took the 2022 European Cup until the quarter-finals before it delivered in terms of the quality and drama...

Matt Garvey: I preferred the game when it was slower!

PAUL REES speaks to Worcester Warriors lock Matt Garvey about why the time is right to step away from rugby Matt...

DREAM TEAM

CORNISH PIRATES AND FORMER NEWCASTLE & SCOTLAND U20s SCRUM-HALF RUARIDH DAWSON CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST......

The Boks are here, there and everywhere

CHRIS HEWETT GUEST COLUMNIST Some things in rugby are so difficult to find, they drive astrophysicists to drink. Scientists operating the Giant...

Now’s the time for the French revolution

CHRIS HEWETT AS a rule of thumb, English teams good enough to fight their way into a Champions Cup final eventually...

Young banks on Timani to be king of collisions

NEWS EXTRA By STEFFAN THOMAS DAI YOUNG insists the signing of former Wallaby Lopeti Timani along with the significant improvement of...

Cardiff scrape home in fiery Welsh derby

By ROGER PANTING Dragons..............18pts Tries: Griffiths 39, Dixon 63 Conversions: S Davies 39 Penalties: Reed 24, 74 Cardiff ................19pts Tries: Williams...

Rhyno gets Benetton charging to victory

By BEN JAYCOCK Benetton ........39 Zebre ................17 RHYNO Smith scored 29 points including a hattrick of tries as Benetton comfortably saw...

Wayne will need all his big guns to battle Boks

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND It is going to be a big week for Wayne Pivac as he emerges from...

No.9’s clock has changed to ruck time

PAUL REES LOOKS AT THE CHANGING FACE OF SCRUM-HALF PLAY SINCE THE 2019 WORLD CUP Adefining feature of the 2019 World...

All eyes are on Arundell after his wonder try

By PAUL REES   PREVIEW... London Irish v Worcester Tuesday, May 17. Kick-off 7.45pm, Stadium EDDIE Jones has been to London...

Cup success can be launchpad for Warriors revival

TED Hill believes winning the Premiership Cup would be the catalyst for Worcester to make a greater impact in the Premiership...

Beer test put Glyn on his way to Widnes

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW The last formality of Glyn Shaw’s transfer from Neath to Widnes took place...

Declining European crowds a cause for concern

PETER JACKSON LA Defense Arena, Racing’s indoor home some six miles west of downtown Paris, offers 30,261 seats for rugby matches....

Taufoou’s late strike clinches win for Lightning

By LILY PATEY Loughborough..22 Harlequins ......17 Vital try: Hallie Taufoou A BUMPER crowd of 1,500 at Franklin’s Gardens went home happy...

Sarries leave it late to edge out spirited Wasps

By BEN HART Saracens ........31 Wasps ..............26 SARACENS pipped Wasps in a London derby thriller at the StoneX to round-off an...

Exeter relieved to secure home semi

By HARRY SCOTT-MUNRO Exeter ................29pts Bristol ................26pts ‘RELIEF’ was the overriding emotion for Exeter Chiefs head coach Susie Appleby as her...