Aces pay the price despite big effort

By TIM THORLEY Harrogate......... 10 Hull.....................27 HARROGATE put up a much improved performance against a Hull side packed with semi-professional players...

Remarkable Marples set to bring up 400 at Sheffield

By BEN JAYCOCK TOMMY Marples is set to reach the outstanding feat of 400 games for Sheffield RUFC next Saturday when...

No stroll with Park as Rams dig deep

By RICHARD ASHTON Rams.........................36 Darlington MP.......32 RAMS came from behind to snatch a helter-skelter win in a thrilling 10-try shoot-out. The...

Tom Putts final nail in the Heath coffin

By JOHN BUTCHER Plymouth Albion...24 Blackheath.............22 A LAST-GASP try from replacement hooker Harry Wilkinson and conversion from Tom Putt in the...

Harry Hones his skills to secure thrilling victory

By MIKE AMOS Taunton Titans..... 19 Cinderford............... 30 CINDERFORD held the edge in what proved to be a fantastic game with...

Super start is crucial as visitors Sale to victory!

By JOHN ALLANSON Bishop’s Stort..33pts Sale.....................35pts Tries: Smith 16, Stannard 26 & 38, J Ayrton 49, M Ayrton 58 Conversions: Orchard...

Moseley cling on against strugglers

By BEN CROPPER Leeds Tykes...........27 Moseley................... 30 BIRMINGHAM Moseley clung on to claim a narrow victory, despite a spirited second-half riposte...

Caldy’s joy of six in promotion push

By GARETH WITHERS Tonbridge Judd.... 21 Caldy.........................40 SIX tries from Caldy secured another bonuspoint win in a game they never looked...

Frost far too hot as hosts turn up heat

By STEVE JACKSON Cambridge....... 41 Chinnor................ 3 CAMBRIDGE blew away Chinnor in a superlative second half inspired by star man Kieran...

The RUGBY Paper Podcast

Host Oliver Little is joined by former Wales international Michael Owen, as well as regular TRP columnists Nick Cain and Brendan...

Mistake expanding to 13 clubs says Baxter

By NEIL FISSLER ROB Baxter has taken aim at ring-fencing of the Premiership and has blasted plans to expand it further...

Wing wizard Harry hungry for long spell of success

By PAUL REES HARRY Potter has lived with remarks about his moniker all his life, but the wing is intent on...

Nottingham determined to bag third win a in row

PREVIEW... By BEN JAYCOCK Nottingham v Bedford Today. Kick-off 3pm, Lady Bay @therugbypaper CRAIG Hammond’s Nottingham are looking to build on...

Basement boys blown apart by nine-try Cov

By DAVID LAWRENCE Coventry ..........62pts Tries: Nayalo 27, Barton 28, Peters 38, 40; Stevenson 47, 70; Poole 63, Owen 78, Burrows...

Hartpury made to pay for high penalty count

By ANDREW BEACHAM Hartpury ............20pts Tries: Mathews 23, Tovey 69, Ward 72 Conversions: Williams 24 Penalties: Williams 62 Ampthill ............21pts Tries:...

Knights enjoying view from summit

By JON BATHAM Ealing..................17pts Tries: Johnston 25, Daniels 43, Smid 74 Conversions: Willis 26 Doncaster ........25pts Tries: Holden 12, 39; McBryde...

Keeping Mennaye a fortress is key to Pirates ambitions

PREVIEW... By JON NEWCOMBE Cornish Pirates v Jersey Today. Kick-off 2pm, Mennaye Field Eyes on the prize: Nicolas De Battista is...

Being rubbish is not an offence

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER A FEW weeks ago Shane Williams of this parish was railing against those sneaky goalkickers and those...

Shining a light on the lives of King’s legends

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER DON’T you just love old school team reunions?...

Bears confident for wrestle with the leaders

PREVIEW... By IMOGEN AINSWORTH Bristol Bears v Saracens Today. Kick-off 2.30pm, Shaftesbury Park BRISTOL host Saracens at Shaftesbury Park today in...

Wasps score nine to condemn Sale’s woes

By SAM BYTHEWAY Sale ..................14 Wasps ............53 WASPS gained an important five points in the battle for the Premier 15’s top...

Lightning denied late victory by the upright

By MATT MERRITT Loughborough..19 Gloucester-H ....19 LOUGHBOROUGH saw a late penalty strike the upright to deny them victory. The teams were...

Play-off hunting Exeter blow Worcester away

By HARRY SCOTT-MUNRO Exeter ..............60 Worcester ........7 EXETER Chiefs banished the demons of last weekend’s heart-breaking late defeat to Loughborough, as...

Harlequins keep the pressure on title rivals

By TOM BULMER Darlington MP....5 Harlequins........48 Harlequins ran in eight tries to secure maximum points from their trip to the North...

WOMEN’S GAME IN FOCUS

Sarah Rendell takes a weekly look at some important women players TIANA GORDON THIS WEEK... DMP DURHAM FLANKER DMP Sharks are...

Acid test awaits to see if Eddie’s still up to the job

NICK CAIN HIGHLIGHTS THE KEY AREAS ENGLAND MUST IMPROVE TO CLOSE GAP ON IRELAND AND FRANCE BY the time England have...

Pied Piper Inga was worth his weight

PETER JACKSON AN icy wind blew in off the Tyne the day Sir John Hall interrupted a Spanish holiday to preside...

Black wasn’t always on sunny side in Australia

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW A veritable torrent of tributes has been flowing since Steve Black’s sudden death...

‘Stadium bans are a bit strong’

By PAUL REES STEVE Diamond will consider putting up one of his coaching team to face the media if he feels...

Giant Scot McDonald signs for Wasps

Heading south: Glasgow forward Kiran McDonald PICTURE: Getty Images WASPS have signed giant Scottish forward Kiran McDonald for next season from...

Late score from Sullivan seals win for Connacht

Connacht ........19 Stormers ........17 CONNACHT came from behind to claim a second victory on the bounce. Coach Andy Friend was particularly...

URC

Zebre ..................7 Bulls ................45 ■ THE Bulls recorded a much needed bonus point win as they eased past winless Zebre to get...

Cullen’s young guns rise to big physical challenge

By JOHN FALLON Leinster ..........21 Lions ................13 LEINSTER coach Leo Cullen was delighted to get the win against an improved Lions...

URC

Benetton ……….7 Sharks …………29 ■ THE Sharks secured back-to-back wins for the first time this season as they moved up to seventh after...

Good on Diamond for telling it like it is

CHRIS HEWETT HATS off to the straight-talking Steve Diamond, “lead rugby consultant” – aka “new boss” – at Worcester. In this...

F-bomb was careless but Deano had a case

CHRIS HEWETT GUEST COLUMNIST Some of the things Ron Atkinson said during a long and lavishly rewarded career as a football...

Woodburn relishing challenge of unfamiliar territory

By PAUL REES Motivated: Woodburn OLLY Woodburn is intent on making up for lost time after missing 24 matches because of...

Saints are confident they’ll stop the slide

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW... Northampton Saints v Exeter Chiefs Today. Kick-off 3pm, Franklin’s Gardens ALEX Mitchell insists Northampton can take their...

Ben’s England record man

SCRUM-HALF Ben Youngs set a new England men’s caps record with his 115th appearance yesterday as a second-half replacement at Twickenham....

Ask players what they really think of 4G -Lam

By PAUL REES PAT Lam believes players should be canvassed anonymously for their views on 4G pitches after a third Bristol...

Blackett: We lost the battle up front

LEE Blackett blamed his side’s failure to front up at the breakdown as the reason for losing. The head coach admitted:...

Bears pay homage to Lam’s fallen friends

By GARY FITZGERALD Bristol ................31pts Tries: Thacker 15, Frisch 22, Adeolokun 27 Leiua 43 Conversions: Eden 16, 23, 28, 44 Penalties:...

Diamond: Sides at the bottom don’t get rub of the green

WORCESTER boss Steve Diamond believed his side should have got something from the game. “We didn’t get the rub of the...

Quins ride out Care yellow to sneak win

By ROGER PANTING Worcester ........21pts Tries: Heward 18, Vailanu 39, Atkinson 78 Conversions: Smith 18, 39; Searle 78 Harlequins ........29pts Tries:...

Kiss rues costly lapses in discipline

LONDON Irish head coach Les Kiss had mixed emotions after missing out on the win. He said: “They’ve got an imposing...

Honours even as Jackson fires wide

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Sale ....................27pts Tries: D du Preez 38, 55; JL du Preez 44, Reed 60 Conversions: MacGinty 45, 56...

We gave ball away too often -Walder

WITH Newcastle’s rugby director starting a threematch ban for criticising last weekend’s referee, the only Dean Richards on duty at Kingston...

Big Joe’s late show gives Bath a boost

By MIKE SINCLAIR Newcastle ........25pts Tries: McGuigan 5, Collett 28, Peterson 61 Conversions: Haydon-Wood 28, 61 Penalties: Haydon-Wood 17, 38 Bath...

We need to learn some serious lessons, says Skivington

GLOUCESTER head coach George Skivington believed his side needed to learn some serious lessons. “It’s very disappointing and the boys are...

Burns in charge as Leicester march on

By ROGER PANTING Leicester ..........35pts Tries: Van Poortvliet 14, Wiese 22, Liebenberg 51, Porter 74 Conversions: Burns 14, 22, 51 Penalties:...