DREAM TEAM

PAUL HODGSON, THE FORMER ENGLAND, LONDON IRISH, WORCESTER & BRISTOL SCRUM-HALF, CHOOSES HIS BEST XV OF PLAYERS HE’S PLAYED WITH AND...

Zero proof that no drop zone has damaged Prem

COLIN BOAG R elegation continues to be a hugely polarising issue for English rugby, and prejudice seems to trump common sense...

One game at a time, Maro

WHEN oh when are the English camp going to stop talking themselves up pre match. Before suggesting England can win the...

Time for refs to toe the line at lineouts

ELITE level hookers are in many cases standing in the playing area, and in some instances walking into the playing area...

Adding Boks would devalue old rivalries

AGREE with Colin Boag that the addition of the Springboks to the Six Nations, or to replace Italy, would be done...

‘Hybrid’ Championship idea must not be given green light

NICK CAIN IT is good to see that the concept of an English Cup competition, pitching Championship clubs against Premiership ‘A’...

Storm warning! Get Collier on front line

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK WILL Collier has served his time in the shadows, but, as England face...

Warrior Judge set for return to Saracens

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER SARACENS are poised to end their search for a new tighthead prop after making...

Saints sign Aussie lock star Lukhan

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER NORTHAMPTON have completed a three-year deal to land Australia lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto from Queensland...

Chiefs in talks with O’Loughlin

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Guided tour: O’Loughlin EXETER Chiefs are lining up a third Leinster player to join...

Ex-England lock Kruis to call time

RUGBY SHORTS FORMER England and Saracens lock George Kruis is to retire after completing the season with Japanese side Saitama Wild...

Chick banned for three weeks, Coleman let off

RUGBY SHORTS NEWCASTLE No.8 Callum Chick has been banned for three weeks after he was sent off against Exeter last Sunday....

Exiles bring in Reid to cover midfield

RUGBY SHORTS LONDON Irish have signed fly-half Noel Reid on a short-term deal from French side Agen. The former Leinster and...

Leicester is my kind of place says Ashton

RUGBY SHORTS CHRIS Ashton is eager to make the most of his time with Premiership leaders Leicester. The 34-year-old joined on...

Quins centre Lasike heading back to US

RUGBY SHORTS HARLEQUINS centre Paul Lasike, 31, will leave the Premiership club next month for “personal reasons”. The New Zealand-born USA...

Exiles lock Coleman poised to snub Paris

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER ADAM Coleman is deciding his next move after talking to Racing 92 about a...

Bath keen on former Griffiths client Niall

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Move: Niall Annett BATH are poised to make a move to sign Worcester Warriors...

Falcons decide against Brown contract option

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Heading south? Mike Brown MIKE Brown is set to face a decision about his...

Bath hit with hamstring injury to lock McNally

RUGBY SHORTS BATH lock Josh McNally, 31, faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a “significant” hamstring injury in...

Catt’s influence has got the Irish attack purring

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK MIKE Catt naturally flowed into coaching, as a lot of 10s tend to do,...

France back on track despite ill-discipline

By SAM JACKSON Scotland................17 France ..................30 Threat: Emilien Gailleton DESPITE two red cards, France returned to winning ways with an impressive...

England make most of Mann’s red mist

By BEN JAYCOCK England ............43pts Tries: Arundell 26, 68; Theobald-Thomas 34, Ilione 41, Hobson 51, Bailey 64 Conversions: Benson 35, 42,...

Ireland closer to Grand Slam

By SAM JACKSON Ireland ............39 Italy..................12 AN emphatic second half performance from Richie Murphy’s unbeaten Ireland sealed a bonus point victory...

‘Proposals should be open for debate’

By NICK CAIN CONCERNS over a lack of transparency in the RFU’s communication with its member clubs have surfaced following an...

Lawes has eye on top prize after Wales win

By GARY FITZGERALD COURTNEY Lawes set his sights on repelling a fierce Irish assault after leading England to a crucial win...

Wales look to spoil Twickenham return as England face tough test

Eddie Jones‘ new-look England face what is perhaps their most pressurised challenge so far this Saturday with the visit of still...

Scotland attempt to end France’s Grand Slam

Scotland host France as they attempt to bounce back from their disappointing defeat against Wales in round three of the Guinness...

Exeter University Has a Track Record of Success

Luke Mehson, Richard Capstick, Jack Owlett, Tom Lawday… these are just a few of the players that have represented Exeter University...

Scotland vs France: Over a Century-Old Rivalry on the International Stage

Following a sad defeat to Wales in the previous round of fixtures, Scotland will attempt to get its Six Nations campaign...

The Rugby Paper Podcast: Episode Four with special guest Michael Owen

This week, host Oliver Little and regular The Rugby Paper columnists Nick Cain and Brendan Gallagher are joined by former Wales...

Dean Richards handed three week match-day ban for media comments

Newcastle Falcons Director of Rugby Dean Richards has been banned from any match-day involvement for three weeks following his comments in...

Dual-code Wigan and Newcastle All Black Va’aiga Tuigamala dies aged 52

Wigan Warriors’ and Newcastle Falcons’ dual-code international Va’aiga Tuigamala has died at the age of 52. He made 102 appearances for...

Captain Courtney Lawes and Manu Tuilagi return to England starting line up

Courtney Lawes and Manu Tuilagi return to England starting XV for the visit of Wales for Saturday’s crunch match with Wales....

Genge commends teammate Youngs on record breaking appearance

If Ben Youngs gets on the pitch on Saturday, he is set to become the all-time England appearance holder and fellow...

Jersey Reds’ Tom Pittman’s long road to professional rugby

Jersey Red’s Tom Pittman’s journey into professional rugby has been anything but easy. The pandemic came whilst Pittman was studying at...

Louis Rees-Zammit left out of Wales squad for visit to England

Louis Rees-Zammit has been left out of Wales' 25-player squad for the trip to Twickenham for Saturday's crunch match against England....

Kiran McDonald to join Wasps at the end of the season from Glasgow Warriors

Scottish lock Kiran McDonald will join Wasps at the end of the season from Glasgow Warriors. The 6ft 8in lock was...

Italy scrum-half Callum Braley signs for Northampton Saints

Italian scrum-half Callum Braley has signed for Northampton Saints ahead of the 2022/23 season after making the switch from Italian side...

Gleeson hails return of Tuilagi

England attack coach Martin Gleeson has hailed the return of star Manu Tuilagi as the destructive centre is set to start...

Alex Dombrandt relishing Welsh reunions

Alex Dombrandt is looking forward to the challenge of facing former teammates from his time at Cardiff Metropolitan University and Wales...

Martin Gleeson says England are out of Six Nations if they lose to Wales

England‘s Attack Coach Martin Gleeson says England are treating Saturday’s crunch Six Nations fixture against Wales as a “quarter final.” Gleeson...

Premiership reserve teams could play in the Championship from 2024

The RFU will vote this week on proposals to reshape the English Championship. As part of the plans, the second-tier would...

Alex Dombrandt and Marcus Smith’s friendship is key ingredient to on-field success

Alex Dombrandt feels his off-the-field relationship with “great friend” Marcus Smith is the key ingredient to their impressive on-field relationship for...

Former England and Saracens lock George Kruis retires from rugby

Former Saracens and England forward George Kruis has announced his retirement from all rugby on his 32nd birthday to concentrate on...

Six Nations Betting Preview

The second round of Six Nations games threw up some thrilling encounters but no real surprises as tournament favourites France edged...

Champions Cup presents some tantalizing prospects in the last 16  

Delays and cancellations due to broader world events notwithstanding, the Champions Cup has successfully reached the end of the group stage,...

Beauden Barrett Still Plagued by Concussion Issues Ahead of Opening Super Rugby Pacific Encounter

All Blacks star Beauden Barrett looks set to sit out the first round of the Super Rugby Pacific season. The 30-year-old...

Manu Tuilagi returns to England squad for crunch Wales match

Manu Tuilagi returns to the 35-player England squad for Saturday’s Six Nations match against Wales. The squad regrouped at the Honda...

Exeter snatch victory over 14-man Newcastle Falcons

Newcastle (7) 14Tries: Haydon-Wood, McGuigan Cons: Haydon-Wood 2Exeter (7) 15Tries: Schickerling, Innard Con: J Simmonds Pens: J Simmonds A late Joe...

Vunipola boys on top form – Shaw

JOE Shaw praised the Vunipola brothers even though the discarded England pair could not get their side over the line against...