Sharks cling on for Loftus win

Bulls ................22 Sharks ............29 BULLS fly-half Morne Steyn was red-carded after just ten minutes for a high tackle on Lukhanyo Am...

Stormers surge to easy win

Lions ................10 Stormers ........32 A MOMENT of brilliance by Stormers No.8 and former Lion Hacjivah Dayimani lit up the first half...

Ace Lealiifano leads Pasifica challenge

By BEN JAYCOCK FORMER Wallaby fly-half Christian Lealiifano will spearhead Moana Pasifika’s bid in Super Rugby Pacific which kicks off on...

Double-ton Gaskell still eager for more

By PAUL REES Impact: James Gaskell came on to help Wasps beat Exeter PICTURE: Getty Images JAMES Gaskell has joined a...

CAMERON KING

YOUNG GUNS LONDON SCOTTISH No.8 London Scottish back rower Cameron King has his sights set on the Premiership after starring for...

Ghiraldini: Italy need more ball carriers to give momentum

IN THE first four of Leonardo Ghiraldini’s Test appearances against England (2008-2013), Italy managed to get a losing bonus point from...

Suddenly the wonders of Rome hold perils for Eddie

NICK CAIN ASSESSES THE ANSWERS ENGLAND MUST PROVIDE AGAINST ITALY TODAY IF England stick with the excuse-ridden mindset post- Murrayfield that...

Let’s tip a top hat to Varsity showman

PETER JACKSON EXACTLY 150 years ago last Thursday, Oxford beat Cambridge in the inaugural Varsity match under the captaincy of a...

Irish imports pay their way better than Welsh

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Ireland showing Wales the way goes beyond what happened in the Six Nations...

Shaw: Lozowski has huge appetite to get better

By PAUL REES Hunger: Alex Lozowski SARACENS have become used to this stage of the season when they have to cope...

Archie relishing his chance to fill big boots of Dombrandt

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW... Saracens v Harlequins AFTER back-to-back defeats, Archie White insists defending Premiership champions Harlequins have the necessary depth...

Lam in SOS for cover at No.9

PAT LAM says Bristol have begun an urgent search for scrum-half cover after third-choice nine Tom Whiteley went off injured. “It...

A mauling for Bears as Irish put on style

By TOM BRADSHAW Bristol ................32pts Tries: Whiteley 16, Naulago 32, Strang 77, Challenger 79, Kerr 80 Conversions: Whiteley 33, Eden 80...

I was just glad to get on the pitch says six-club Ashton

CHRIS Ashton confessed he was just “grateful to be here” after his Leicester debut. The 34-year-old, who has now played for...

Cramp-free Burns runs riot in front of full house

By ROB WILDMAN Leicester ..........35pts Tries: Nadolo 13, 22; Montoya 31, Hegarty 58 Conversions: Burns 14, 23, 59 Penalties: 17, 43,...

World 12s gather pace as Lam calls for change

By PAUL REES PAT Lam believes the game is ripe for a shake-up driven by wealthy investors as attempts to introduce...

Allow me to leap to Eddie’s defence!

CHRIS HEWETT WHENEVER we talk of Edward I, which admittedly is not an everyday occurrence, we invariably refer to him as...

We must make Italy offer they can’t refuse

CHRIS HEWETT GUEST COLUMNIST Hard as it is to sympathise with someone who shoots two men during dinner –a shameful waste...

Bench beat us, admits Diamond

STEVE Diamond’s return to the AJ Bell Stadium ended in defeat after his old side utilised their strong bench to take...

Returning Sharks too strong for Warriors

By NATHAN EDWARDS Sale ....................36pts Tries: James 2, Reed 21 60, Tuilagi 46, Langdon 56, Van Rensburg 68 Conversions: MacGinty 46,...

Hatley: Red card proved decisive

NEAL Hatley remained tight-lipped about Semesa Rokoduguni’s dismissal which proved so costly for Bath. The Bath coach, whose side have two...

Barbeary’s time must come says Blackett

By GARY FITZGERALD Wasps ................41pts Tries: Miller 2, Alo 21, Stooke 38, Odogwu 68 70; Barbeary 74, 80 Conversions: Gopperth 22,...

‘Players need to be smarter’

GLOUCESTER head coach George Skivington was disappointed with his side’s performance as they struggled for possession and territory. “It’s a fair...

Innard and Armand put Chiefs on track

By ROGER PANTING Exeter ................24pts Tries: Innard 26, Schickerling 49, Woodburn 65, O’Flaherty 75 Conversions: Simmonds 49, 65 Gloucester ........15pts Tries:...

Dragons part with Knoyle

FORMER Wales scrum half Tavis Knoyle has left the Dragons with ‘immediate effect’. The 31-year-old former Gloucester No.9, goes down in...

Wigglesworth’s age no concern for Borthwick

By PAUL REES RICHARD Wigglesworth will be on course to become only the second player to feature in the Premiership after...

Proper ‘A’ League needed for youth

COLIN BOAG Whipping boys: Italy fall to France last weekend PICTURE: Getty Images I’m in danger of becoming obsessed with the...

Glos are missing five stars as well

IN LAST week’s TRP Colin Boag made the point that during this Six Nations, both Leicester and Saracens each have five...

Anglo-Welsh League would draw a TV deal

I READ Chris Hewett‘s article about introducing a British and Irish League. This would never work due to the Irish and...

Eddie was wrong to ignore Danny

IRELAND had 11 Leinster players against Wales, in vital positions (mainly in the pack). The result being a 22 points win...

Jones fails subs test at Murrayfield

ALL the great teams have a manager who gets his off-field decision-making correct, from long-term strategic planning and tactics to team...

Luke was hit three times in the air

SOON after the start of the 2020 England-Wales match, Jonny May when in the air catching the ball was felled by...

DREAM TEAM

SAM HIDALGO-CLYNE, THE EXETER CHIEFS SCRUM-HALF, PICKS HIS FAVOURITE XV FROM PLAYERS HE’S PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST 1. Joe Marler –...

Montauban fly in to lure wing Rokoduguni

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER FORMER England winger Semesa Rokoduguni has held talks with Pro D2 outfit Montauban about...

Cipriani is no-go for Diamond

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER WORCESTER Warriors have no immediate plans to reunite Steve Diamond with former England fly-half...

Exiles fight for Cracknell, Coleman

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER LONDON Irish are fighting to stop two more players from leaving the club at...

Rowntree steps up as Munster coach

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER FORMER England forwards coach Graham Rowntree is in line for a promotion with Munster...

Bears’ reject Alex on way to Sharks

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER SALE Sharks are poised to sign up former England U20 lock Alex Groves who...

Burger holds firm for Wasps move

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER WASPS have held off a last-minute bid from the Lions to prevent inside centre...

Four-try Wales prove too strong for Scotland

Wales ..............26 Scotland ..........13 Fast start: Wales enjoy Joe Hawkins’ opening try WALES bounced back from their opening round thrashing by...

At last! Italy celebrate first win over England

By BEN JAYCOCK Italy ......................6pts Penalties: Teneggi 6, 44 England ................0pts ENGLAND’S hopes of a Grand Slam were ended in Treviso...

Brownlee keeps Ireland on course

France ..............16 Ireland ............17 BEN BROWNLEE’S lastgasp converted try saw Ireland snatch a dramatic victory over France to make it two...

Let’s hear it for those little guys

NICK CAIN IT is great to see small wingers with dancing feet and blistering pace, like Scotland’s Darcy Graham (5ft 9ins)...

Ledesma is beaten by the bubbles

NICK CAIN THE attraction of coaching at World Cups appears to have lost some of its gloss – or at least...

Kick for points, Ben – this isn’t a Prem game!

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK TOM Curry should have no shortage of helpers, or advice, as England’s embryo...

The RUGBY Paper Podcast

Host Oliver Little is joined by Italy and Harlequins fly-half Tommaso Allan, as well as regular Rugby Paper columnists Nick Cain...

New, sleek French are the masters of motion

BRENDAN GALLAGHER VERDICT Rugby is more prone to hype than most sports with a large element of the big fight weigh...

Ton-up Biggar: One of my best wins

Done it! Liam Williams punches the air in celebration as Wales win the decisive penalty PICTURE: Getty Images DAN Biggar hit...

Quins duo could be so deadly says Eddie

By GARY FITZGERALD EDDIE Jones is banking on that special Harlequins factor to help England “light up Rome” and revive his...

Can Ireland win in Paris without Sexton?

Ireland take on France in Saturday’s late fixture without their captain Johnny Sexton after the fly half was ruled out of...