Northampton Saints vs Pretoria Bulls: We’re ready for a battle, says George Hendy

Buoyed by their impressive win in Pau last Sunday, Northampton Saints boss Phil Dowson has made only two changes to the...

Bristol Bears vs Pau: Pat Lam says victory would be huge for his side

Bristol Bears director of rugby Pat Lam has named a strong team for today’s clash against French high-flyers Pau, saying a...

Peter Jackson: The Big Brekky feeding the soul as well as body

On the filthiest of winter mornings last Tuesday, when the squalls rattled everybody and everything, the old boys from the glory...

Peter Jackspn: You’ve still got a few more years to go yet, Leigh Halfpenny

Jimmy Gopperth went to within a fortnight or so of turning 42 when he finally ran out of road down in...

Sheedy hits the mark to snatch it for Cardiff

■ By ROGER PANTING Cardiff ...............29pts Tries: Nott 7, Bowen 12, Southworth 65, Thomas 75 Conversions: Halfpenny 8, Sheedy 65, 75...

Newcastle Red Bulls 14-10 Johannesburg Lions: It’s two in a row for battling Bulls

Murray McCallum powered over the try line in the final minutes as Newcastle Red Bulls left it agonisingly late to break...

Racing 92 vs Exeter Chiefs: Rob Baxter urges Chiefs to step up to the plate in Racing challenge

Exeter Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter has thrown down the gauntlet to his emerging talent, challenging them to “step up...

Walsh on target to put Ospreys on top

■By SIMON THOMAS Montauban .....22pts Tries: Maurouard 35, Tuculet 56, Kanika 84 Conversion: Fortunel 57, Castel 85 Penalty: Fortunel 2 Ospreys...

Dragons looking to end poor run

Preview ■ By SAM JACKSON Dragons v Lyon Today. 3.15pm. Rodney Parade DRAGONS believe today’s clash with Lyon can act as...

Connacht hit 50 to slay the Lions

■By GEORGE LAWRENCE Connacht .......52 Black Lion ....... 0 A RAMPANT Connacht got their Challenge Cup campaign back on track with...

Odogwu leads the way for Benetton

Round-up BENETTON secured back-to-back victories to start their campaign in style, outscoring Perpignan 44–31. The Italian side were sharp from the...

Nottingham so close to ending Ealing’s run

■ By LUKE JARMYN Nottingham ......14pts Tries: Green 20, Yarnell 42 Conversions: Parks 21, 43 E Trailfinders ..17pts Tries: Bailey 38,...

Caldy run out of steam to put Coventry in the clear

■By JOHN LYON Caldy .................22pts Tries: Barlow 13, Higginson 25, C Wilkinson 60 Conversions K Wilkinson 13, 26 Penalty: K Wilkinson...

Warriors in control to make it six of the best

■ By TOM EVANS Worcester .........................31pts Tries: Reed 24, Anstee 30, Zheng 34, Spandler 43, Short 69 Conversions: Eden 24, 30,...

Maisey steps up to snatch it for Bedford

■By MIKE SINCLAIR C Pirates ...........26pts Tries: Nelson 19, Relton 30, Rice 48, Yates 69 Conversions: Robson 19, 30, 48 Penalty:...

Chinnor race home to leave Cambridge in doghouse

By STEVE Cambridge ......15pts Tries: Timpson 14, Doorey-Palmer 17 Conversion: Annand 15 Penalty: Annand 36 Chinnor .............55pts Tries: Hanks 3, Cousins...

Keylock has final say as Doncaster crash again

■ By GUY Doncaster .........30pts Tries: Davidson 12, Veainu 17, Kerr 48, Viliamu 58 Conversions: Bunting 17, 58 Penalty: Bunting 69...

Stuttering Hartpury too sharp for Scottish

■ By BLUEBELL NICHOLLS L Scottish ........ 24pts Tries: Clayton 10, Hyde 27, 35; Ransom 49 Conversions: Wilstead 28, 36 Hartpury...

Laflin leads way to keep Trailfinders on track

■ By JOSEPH TERRY Trailfinders .............. 57 Leicester Tigers ......10 TRAILFINDERS comfortably beat strugglers Leicester Tigers to boost their points difference...

Saracens maintain pressure at the top

■ By CÓILÍN DUFFY Exeter Chiefs ............14 Saracens ...................24 SARACENS strengthened their position near the top of the table with a...

Quins fight back to get the better of Sharks

■ By THOMAS SCOTT Harlequins ................ 22 Sale Sharks ...............17 HARLEQUINS Women showed their resilience as they battled back to beat...

PREVIEW Bristol Bears v Loughborough L

Today. 3pm. Shaftesbury Park EARLY season strugglers Bristol welcome Loughborough Lightning to Shaftesbury Park today with both sides keen to assert...

Brendan Gallagher: I fear the worst in Rugby World Cup mismatches

Rugby’s obsession with micro-management long ago became a disease, a sort of nervous disorder, and a full manifestation of this will...

Van Zyl was cast out and never forgiven

HENNIE van Zyl, who had been the second oldest surviving Springbok behind Frik du Preez, died aged 89 earlier this month...

Paul Rees: Lawrence Dallaglio’s reasons to cheer for Prem clubs in Europe

Paul Rees talks to England’s World Cup winner about the Champions Cup – and Steve Borthwick’s selection choices

Tree-top Titans hit Park with a rocking round

■ By ANDREW SMITH Rotherham T ..40 Sedgley Park .15 ROTHERHAM TITANS maintained a tight grip on top spot with an...

Stortford come in for sleeping Ton

■ By GARETH WITHERS Tonbridge J ...........24 Bishop’s S ...............26 BISHOP’S STORTFORD took hosts Tonbridge Juddians all the way to the...

It’s a Mose wonder full-time of the year

■ By JON MEADOWS B Moseley ..............38 Clifton ........................ 7 HOSTS BIRMINGHAM Moseley dazzled even themselves with a late flurry of...

Let it Clow, let it it Clow, let Clow! Zach’s full of fire!

■By CHARLIE WHITE Rosslyn Park ...29pts Tries: Digby 8, Mehson 10, 39; Marfo 26, Orchard 66 Conversions: James 9, 67 Rams...

Healthy first half helps Heath hold out hiking Tykes

■ By GRAHAM COX Blackheath ............36 Leeds Tykes ..........28 HOSTS BLACKHEATH crossed six times to claim maximum spoils, before two late...

Dings all sing from the same win sheet

■ By LILEE O’CALLAGHAN Dings Crusaders ..41 Leicester Lions ....22 DINGS CRUSADERS produced a convincing performance to secure a sensational victory...

Brickfield dreams building for Albion

■ By PADDY MARSH Plymouth Albion ..24 Sale FC.....................14 PLYMOUTH ALBION kept up their unbeaten home record, with a persistent collective...

Albion’s drive for home form sees Moa race down the line

■ By JOSEPH TERRY PLYMOUTH Albion No.8 Benjamin Moa has called the Brickfields a fortress as his side battle for a...

Hoppers’ fall gives Ionians a guarantee for a win

■ By BRIAN NORMAN Hull Ionians.....41 Preston G............ 7 HOME SIDE HULL Ionians claimed a simply comprehensive win over Preston Grasshoppers,...

Oliver twists tongue tied Otley into knots

■ By NICK DOYLE Otley..........................34 Macclesfield..........55 A FINE FOUR-TRY showing from Harry Oliver went a long way to help Macclesfield in...

Tigers burn bright to send Hull home

■ By MO SHER Sheffield Tigers....22 Hull...............................0 LUCKLESS Hull’s woes continued, as they left at Dore Moor with a double-pointless performance...

Another day to remember for Sheffield in twelve run

■ By IAN MORRIS Darlington MP..28pts Sheffield............29pts Full stretch: William Smith touches down for Sheffield and, right, Jacob Oliver beats Felix...

Christmas Tyne comes early with Bills put to paid

■ By BRIAN TILLEY Tynedale.................41 Billingham.................0 TYNEDALE produced a ruthless first-half display to secure a dominant victory over Billingham, at Corbridge....

Wharfe’s kick-mass ends Greens’ dream

■ By EDWIN WILLIAMS Wharfedale ............34 Scunthorpe ............28 FOR THOSE who think kicks win matches, look no further than Wharfedale’s narrow...

Away danger is no stranger for Fylde!

■ By AMELIA LINE Rossendale ............ 10 Fylde ........................57 FEARLESS FYLDE continued their 100% away record with a clean sweep second...

Craggs is the spirit of Park, present and yet to scrum…

■ By CHRIS COLLYER Powerhouse: DMP’S Joe Craggs SINCE returning to National Two North after relegation from National One last season,...

Ward’s hat-trick creates buzz for Hornets

■ By PADDY WARNER Exeter Uni.........38 Hornets............. 54 HORNETS underlined their top-five credentials with an emphatic victory at Exeter University, pulling...

Webb holds nerve to save Students

■ By FYNLEE HATELEY Loughborough S....28 Chester.....................28 THE honours finished even in this highly entertaining encounter, with a late Ben Webb...

Reds hold on to topple the Titans

■ By AVUYILE SAWULA Old Redcliffians....28 Taunton Titans.....26 FOUR tries in the first half proved enough for Old Redcliffians to edge...

Matavesi sees red but Cam in charge

■ By BILL HOOPER Camborne..........29pts Luctonians........15pts IN-FORM Camborne came out on top in this top-of-the-table clash, which at times had very...

Where there’s a Will there’s a way for Hutchings

■ By ANDY WARD Syston......................39 Barnstaple.............. 17 SYSTON celebrated their first ever meeting with Barnstaple with a convincing victory. The hosts...

Nathan plots a Taylor-made win

■ By ADAM CLEARY Lymm .......................33 Cinderford ..............43 CINDERFORD leapfrogged Lymm in the table with an impressive bonus-point victory on the...

Mawson double is Redruth highlight

■ By RORY MORROW Redruth ...................27 Hinckley.................. 10 REDRUTH roared to a bonus-point victory, recovering from an early concession to comfortably...

Ben’s backing Chester boys to beat any travel sickness

■ By CHRIS COLLYER Try machine: Ben Ivory scoring for Chester NATIONAL Two West newcomers Chester are bedding into their new...

Barnes leave it late to maintain title tilt

■ By BEN SHEARD Guernsey..........21 Barnes...............29 TITLE-CHALLENGERS Barnes secured a late yet impressive victory at Guernsey thanks to tries from Ross...