Andy Farrell: I have never seen a game like that – ever

IRELAND coach Andy Farrell was proud of the fight shown by his side but said a lack of composue in key...

France 48-33 Australia: The French take their time to get into right gear

France took their time getting going, but they put on their best performance of the autumn, condemning Australia to a 10th...

England v Argentina: Richard Wigglesworth urges Steve Borthwick’s men to play to their strengths

Steve Borthwick’s England have found a way of getting out of trouble in the last 12 months and they might need...

Guy Pepper’s impact for England has been an inspiration, says Ben Earl

Ben Earl has hailed the impact of his ‘inspirational’ back row partner Guy Pepper as key to England’s autumn success.

Jeremy Guscott: It’s great to see England carving out a way to win

What impressed me most about England’s victory over New Zealand was the way that they stayed in it in the ebb-and-flow,...

Scotland v Tonga: Gregor Townsend demands Scots get back on track

Scotland will be looking to get back on track today against Tonga having thrown away leads against Argentina and New Zealand...

Flawless Lee hits target to put Japan in charge

Round-up EDDIE Jones’ Japan ended a run of five consecutive defeats with a narrow 25-23 win over Georgia in Tbilisi to...

Samoa deny Belgium to grab final World Cup spot

Samoa survived a fierce onslaught to hold-off Belgium 13-13 and secure the final qualifying spot for Australia 2027 on a night...

Nick Cain: Don’t exaggerate the importance of bench too much

The eight-man bench is not an aspect of the pro game I support, and the lauding of England’s “Pom squad” as...

Let’s hope money is invested wisely

AFTER the upheaval over the £1.1m remuneration paid to RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney in 2023-24, including a £358,000 LTIP bonus...

Exeter Chiefs 22-17 Bristol Bears: Chiefs give Ricky Pellow a display to remember

Ricky Pellow signed off from his Exeter Chiefs coaching career on a high, his players delivering a gritty cup victory over...

Bath 20-0 Sale Sharks: Defending champions leave visitors with nothing to talk about

Reigning champions Bath got their title defence back on track with a dominant victory over Sale Sharks at The Rec.

Saracens 43-0 Newcastle Red Bulls: Sarries power too much for Red Bulls

Ivan van Zyl made a successful try-scoring return from injury against Newcastle Red Bulls to help Saracens run rampant at StoneX...

Quins on front foot as they quash Scarlets

FRIENDLY MATCH ■By SAM JACKSON Harlequins ..... 45 Scarlets ...........19 HARLEQUINS ran out comfortable seven-try winners at The Stoop in their...

Leicester Tigers 34-22 Northampton Saints: Joaquin Moro double gives Tigers extra edge

Joaquin Moro, Leicester Tigers’ latest recruit from Argentina, left his mark against Northampton Saints on another fierce East Midlands derby in...

Chris Hewett: These Flying Fijians deserve place in sun

Few historians of the ancient world put it quite this way, but the Peloponnesian War was won off the bench.

The day of the jackal still in the headlines

THE Obamas – remember them? – had clear ideas about combating the opposition. “When they go low,” said the outgoing president’s...

We’d love to see England highlights

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk I LOOK forward to...

Yorkshire, the great under-achievers

A GENERATION ago, Coventry were the leading club in England, providing a stream of Test players, and providing most of the...

Ford’s proving himself

NEVER been a fan of George Ford over the years but the last few months I am beginning to change my...

Gloucester and England A youngster Ben Redshaw aims to be the whole package

With benches now increasingly loaded with forwards, Gloucester youngster Ben Redshaw knows versatility will be key to him getting game time.

DREAM TEAM

SAM BEDLOW, THE SALE SHARKS AND FORMER PRESTON GRASSHOPPERS, FYLDE AND BRISTOL BEARS CENTRE, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED...

Brendan Gallagher: Awards season has its problems

It’s the awards season and time to issue my annual warning about the vaguely ridiculous nature of awards – remember that...

Belgium must be treated fairly by World Rugby

I AM putting World Rugby on notice. Do not let Belgium rugby wither on the vine like you have so many...

Kessell leading the way to top for Camborne

■ By MARK STEVENS TOM Kessell says there’s a “burning desire” driving Camborne toward promotion this season. After last year’s agonising...

Discipline is key at Ealing Trailfinders – Matt Cornish

Ealing Trailfinders hooker Matt Cornish feels his side’s blistering seven-from-seven start has been built on physicality, simplicity and a ruthless edge...

Wales prop Danny Southworth says working with Gethin Jenkins is awesome

New Wales prop Danny Southworth has revealed how he draws inspiration from loosehead legend Gethin Jenkins.

Peter Jackson: And finally, George Ford puts his nemesis to the sword

During a rare moment of solitude since last weekend, George Ford might have found his mind drifting back to an ancient...

THE STARTING CAST FOR THE 2011 JUNIOR WORLD CUP FINAL

ENGLAND 15 Ben Ransom: Played for Saracens, Bedford and London Irish. Retired at 26 to pursue a career in the City...

Paul Rees: England must keep their eyes on road ahead

England’s victory over New Zealand took them to third in the world rankings, the highest placed Six Nations side.

Rams on the loose as they hunt down the Lions

By MALCOLM WRIGHT Leicester L ..... 24 Rams .................38 RAMS deservedly took the points in a game where their pack proved...

Tykes take step up but TJs take a hike

By GARETH WITHERS Tonbridge J ........... 31 Leeds Tykes ..........38 LEEDS Tykes ultimately took the spoils, as heavy weather conditions restricted...

Hard-sell for Sale in Moseley show

By JON MEADOWS B Moseley .............. 13 Sale FC..................... 15 IT might well have been on the mind of the referee...

Pumped-up Plymouth kick Titans in tight test

By PADDY MARSH Plymouth A ......22pts Try: Cornish 68 Conversion: Jenkins 68 Penalties: Jenkins 13, 32, 39, 59, 80 Rotherham T...

Harding does the hard yards for hardened Heath

By GRAHAM COX Blackheath ............ 31 Sedgley Park .......... 3 BLACKHEATH’S simply sensational second-half show, and a fourth hat-trick of the...

Clifton’s Andersen hands fairytale win

By LUKE JARMYN Dings Crusaders ..24 Clifton ......................35 HOOKER Tom Andersen produced a blistering brace, to help assist his Clifton side...

Blues reign to rain over Park parade

By CHARLIE WHITE Rosslyn Park .........27 Bishop’s S ...............28 RAIN-soaked Rosslyn Park were poured by misery, following their agonising defeat to...

Stubbs on his toes with one eye on the foot of the ladder

By BEN JAYCOCK LEICESTER Lions scrum-half James Stubbs stresses his young side must learn the hard way how to close out...

Cassidy kicks the visitors to tensest of triumphs

By NICK DOYLE Otley...................20 Fylde................. 24 TWO penalty kicks by Danny Cassidy secured the win for Fylde in a close-fought game....

It’s no fluke that Luke was the star

By AVUYILE SAWULA Scunthorpe............. 19 Billingham..............27 BILLINGHAM showed class and composure to seal victory against Scunthorpe. The team from Greenwood Road...

In-form Tigers seal three on the spin

By ANDREW SMITH Sheffield Tigers....36 Preston G................. 12 SHEFFIELD Tigers’ improving form continued with their third win on the bounce in...

Leaders forced to graft by gritty Dale

By BRIAN TILLEY Tynedale............. 8pts Sheffield............14pts BATTLING Tynedale became the first team to deny runaway league leaders Sheffield maximum points this...

Hosts unable to plug a Leake as Dan gets three

By EDWIN WILLIAMS Wharfedale............ 15 Macclesfield..........43 A STRONG Macclesfield side dominated play in the second half and ran out worthy winners,...

Ionians show no mercy in thrashing

By TOM SANSOM Rossendale ...............0 Hull Ionians ...........53 ROSSENDALE were put to the sword by Hull Ionians, as the visitors ran...

Hull denied by a late Ward penalty

By NEIL MORRIS Darlington MP .......27 Hull............................24 DARLINGTON Mowden Park were able to savour a hard-fought home win over Hull. The...

Wilson wants to lead the Billingham rise by example

By BEN JAYCOCK BILLINGHAM’S new skipper Luke Wilson is pleased with their start to the season as they target a long-awaited...

Borne pip the action but Barn identity is thrilling

By BILL HOOPER Camborne........ 34 Barnstaple.......22 CAMBORNE made hard work of their victory over Barnstaple, who threatened dearly for the win...

Foresters luck out but Lough look up

By FYNLEE HATELEY Loughborough S.... 17 Cinderford...............38 CINDERFORD took no prisoners as they inflicted a comprehensive defeat on Loughborough Students, who...

Old Reds hold their heads in nervy end

By RORY MORROW Old Redcliffians....29 Exeter Uni................20 OLD REDCLIFFIANS earned maximum returns as they saw off Exeter University by nine points....

Hearts in Chester stung by Hornets

By DESMOND HICKIE Chester...............26pts Hinckley............55pts AS this scoreline might suggest, Hinckley were simply dominant in this try-fest conquest of well-beaten Chester....