Proving the doubters wrong fuels Vermeulen

By PAUL REES PREVIEW... Saracens v Exeter Today. Kick-off 3pm, StoneX Stadium EXETER have played in the last six Premiership finals,...

Shake up tired Six Nations fixture list

NICK CAIN THE Six Nations chief executive, Ben Morel, is not slow to pat himself on the back, over-hyping the last...

‘Yellow card cost us two scores’

NEWCASTLE d irector of rugby Dean Richards said the firsthalf yellow card changed the game. He said: “They scored twice during...

Six-try Exiles keep play-off dream alive

By BEN JAYCOCK Newcastle ........14pts Tries: Robinson 19, Stevenson 40 Conversions: Hodgson 20, 40 London Irish ....42pts Tries: Rowe 16, Tuisue...

Bristol deliver on Lam’s call to action

PAT Lam revealed he held a mass club meeting ahead of the derby in order to instill passion in a season...

Gloucester denied by Fricker’s late double

By TOM BRADSHAW Bristol ................29pts Tries: Thacker 3, Uren 7, Fricker 68, 79 Conversions: Sheedy 4, 8, 69 Penalties: Sheedy 11...

We’ll be going flat out in every single game, says Blackett

WASPS boss Lee Blackett firmly believes his squad can still claim end-ofseason glory. “We’ve got two competitions and we will be...

Atkinson’s style puts Wasps on right road

By ROB WILDMAN Wasps ................41pts Tries: West 4, Bassett 31, Stooke 53, Oghre 63, 79, T Willis 80 Conversions: Gopperth 4,...

Lions trio fighting to save their careers

By PETER JACKSON WALES must wait another six months to discover whether three of their all time greats can save their...

Adopt NFL model at elite level – Haskell

By PAUL REES RUGBY should look to American football and make the professional game self-contained with an emphasis on quality and...

What to find in Sunday’s The Rugby Paper

The Rugby Paper returns this Sunday as we turn our focus to the Premiership run-in as the race for the play-offs...

Young English players who could break into the national team before the 2023 World Cup

The 2023 World Cup is now less than 18 months away, and after a lacklustre Six Nations performance, England head coach...

Ealing withdraw Premiership appeal

Ealing Trailfinders have withdrawn their appeal of the RFU‘s decision to not grant them promotion to the Gallagher Premiership. The RFU...

Beno Obano’s latest documentary – “Prep To Win: Harlequins”

Ahead of his latest Amazon Prime documentary “Prep To Win: Harlequins”, Beno Obano believes it is crucial content around the sport...

Newcastle Falcons v London Irish: Philip van der Walt returns for Falcons

Philip van der Walt returns from injury as Newcastle Falcons make six changes for Friday’s visit of London Irish in the...

Bristol Bears v Gloucester: Bears make six changes to starting XV

Steven Luatua returns to captain the Bristol Bears in Friday night’s West Country derby clash with Gloucester. Gloucester coach George Skivington...

Dragons announce signing of versatile New Zealand back Sio Tomkinson

Dragons have announced the signing of versatile New Zealand back Sio Tomkinson. Known for his hard-tackling and range of skills, Tomkinson...

Ospreys prop Tom Botha signs two-year contract extension

Ospreys prop Tom Botha has signed a two-year contract extension at the region. The South African-born tighthead prop joined the Ospreys...

The Premiership returns with a big match on Sunday

So, after a long break for the Eurocups, the Premiership returns to stadiums and TV screens. The tournament kicks off on...

I’d change the remit that water-carriers have, says RFU referee Craig Maxwell-Keys

RFU referee Craig Maxwell-Keys has said that the one thing he would change in the game at the moment would be...

Welsh-qualified second row George Nott to swap London Irish for Dragons

Welsh-qualified second row George Nott will swap London Irish for Dragons at the end of the season. Born in Bodelwyddan, the...

The Rugby Paper Podcast: Episode Twelve with Craig Maxwell-Keys

In Episode Twelve of The Rugby Paper Podcast, RFU referee Craig Maxwell-Keys joins host Oliver Little and The Rugby Paper regular...

Bristol dealt crucial blow as star centre faces surgery

Bristol Bears superstar Semi Radradra’s season is over after Pat Lam confirmed the Fijian will have an operation on his knee...

Phillip van der Walt signs three-year contract extension at Newcastle Falcons

Newcastle Falcons forward Philip van der Walt has signed a three-year contract extension at the club. The 31-year-old has made 32...

Munster to play Toulouse at Aviva Stadium due to Ed Sheeran concerts

Munster have confirmed their Champions Cup quarter-final against Toulouse will be played at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin as thier home...

Dean Richards steps down as DOR of Newcastle

Newcastle director of rugby Dean Richards is negotiating an alternative role at the club following reports he is stepping down from...

Keelan Giles signs contract extension at Ospreys

Ospreys winger Keelan Giles has signed a new two-year contract to stay with the club. The 24-year-old has made 58 Ospreys...

Max Malins stars as Saracens overcome spirited Cardiff side to set up quarter-final with Gloucester

Saracens......40 Cardiff..........33 Max Malins starred as Saracens overcame a spirited Cardiff fightback in an entertaining game at the StoneX Stadium. The...

Too slow to get going – Baxter

ROB Baxter said that Munster’s dominance at the breakdown was the key factor in their Thomond Park victory which sent Exeter...

Racing look to take the Paris honours

PREVIEW... Racing 92 v Stade Francais Today. Kick-off 3.30pm, La Defense Arena RACING 92 head into their Round of 16 second...

O’Mahony the star as Exeter fall short

By JOHN FALLON Munster ............26pts Tries: Carbery 26, De Allende 72 Conversions: Carbery 26, 74 Penalties: Carbery 6, 17, 60, 65...

Matson: Now we go for the Prem

QUINS head coach Tabai Matson backed his side to bounce back at Leicester next week. “Marcus will be disappointed like all...

Smith’s miss leaves Quins a point short

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER   Harlequins ........33pts Tries: Jones 1, Dombrandt 16, Marchant 29, Lynagh 38, 75 Conversions: Smith 2, 17, 30,...

Why France must find right cover for Dupont

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK ANTOINE Dupont is captain of Toulouse for a reason, and as stand-in captain of...

Teams in play-off race need clarity

COLIN BOAG Added spice: Worcester and Gloucester will clash in the Premiership Cup semi-final PICTURE: Getty Images It’s over three weeks...

Jamison deserved red

JAMISON Gibson-Park’s yellow card in the Heineken Cup last weekend has to be the most blatent disregard of the head-contact laws...

Incentivise schools to help broaden the player pool

LAST week’s TRP included Jeff Probyn’s interesting piece, contesting Brian Moore’s claim that payments to players should be banned in all...

Review foul play in 20 minute window

ON the discussion about the 20-minute red card experiment, I understand the concerns that a permanent dismissal has the potential to...

Return to real rugby

I RECENTLY attended the game between Canterbury and Clifton, in the National League 2 South. What a pleasure it was. It was...

Spiteful slight of Caldy had no merit

I WAS dismayed to read Mr Warren’s spiteful letter last week, which without foundation attacked the competence of the referee and...

Rowntree gets the top job at Munster

GRAHAM Rowntree will replace Johann van Graan as Munster head coach in July. The former England prop, who is currently forwards...

Prem clubs eye Cov No.8 Betteridge

By BEN JAYCOCK COVENTRY’S Fred Betteridge has impressed in his breakthrough year at the club and is attracting interest from Saracens...

Kelly has his head down to pass test for Eddie

By JON NEWCOMBE DAN Kelly hopes the distribution skills he’s layering onto his defensive work will see him go to Australia...

Will swaps Newcastle for Wasps

FLY-HALF Will Haydon-Wood will join Wasps from Newcastle next season. The former England U20 international, 21, has appeared 13 times for...

Chiefs fancy their chances in knock-out season finale

By PAUL REES EXETER are preparing for three knock-out matches in their last three Premiership rounds, knowing that one defeat could...

Forthcoming fixtures

It is advisable to check matches and kick-off times with the clubs Week beginning Sunday, April 17, 2022 ... Continue reading......

Black Ferns boss Moore steps down

NEW Zealand women’s head coach Glenn Moore has resigned after allegations against him prompted a team culture review. Hooker Te Kura...

Champpions Stockport on course for perfect season

By BEN JAYCOCK STOCKPORT are one game away from completing a perfect season and chairman Mike Drew says the club are...

Toulon must do their maths to avoid points deduction

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN TOULON’S end-ofseason run-in – and their points total for next season – may be complicated by JIFF...

No respite as the race for play-offs ramps up

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN The rugby season in Europe’s top three leagues gets confused at this time of year, as we...