Zebo’s red can’t stop Munster momentum

By JOHN FALLON Munster ............18pts Tries: Haley 60, Kendellen 76 Conversions: Healy 77 Penalties: Crowley 33, 39 Ulster..................13pts Tries: Herring 8...

Munster job not for me yet says O’Connell

NEWS EXTRA By SAM JACKSON FORMER Ireland captain Paul O’Connell has ruled himself out of the running for the Munster head...

Baxter set to move on Fiji lock Nakarawa

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER EXETER Chiefs have enquired about Fijian star Leone Nakarawa as Rob Baxter scrambles to...

Munster bid for Morris

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Wanted: Dom Morris MUNSTER have offered Saracens centre Dom Morris a contract for next...

Falcons delay paying England fees to their stars

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Exeter target: Leone Nakarawa NEWCASTLE Falcons are set to have crunch talks with their...

Gopperth in talks over switch to Tigers

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Shock: Jimmy Gopperth VETERAN Wasps ace Jimmy Gopperth is poised to put off retirement...

Quins look south for flanker Tshituka

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER PREMIERSHIP champions Harlequins look set to raid the South African transfer market again to...

ALEX WALLER

ROOM 101 THE NORTHAMPTON SAINTS PROP TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND 1. Coriander I...

Discipline is still a concern for me admits Borthwick

By PAUL REES Banned: Jasper Wiese LEICESTER’S rise to the top this season has coincided with a significant improvement in their...

Hougaard: Tigers have Bok qualities

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW... Wasps v Leicester Sunday, Kick-off 3pm, The CBS Arena FRANCOIS Hougaard agrees playing Leicester is a bit...

Get Eddie’s successor to ride shotgun for him now

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK SUCCESSION plans for the England head coach role have been a lottery in...

Hooker Doughty gets the call up

TOM Doughty makes his first Premiership Rugby start as Stuart Hooper’s side attempt to turn around their dismal campaign. The hooker,...

Tries galore, but still Warriors struggle

By PAUL REES PREVIEW... Bath v Worcester JONATHAN Thomas is taking no notice of Bath’s failure to win a match this...

Alex is baffled by scrum decisions

SALE director of rugby Alex Sanderson offered a possible explanation after his side continued their long losing away run with their...

Morahan gets Bears back on the prowl

By ROGER PANTING Bristol ................32pts Tries: Capon 9, Morahan 20, 31; Uren 79 Conversions: Sheedy 9, 31, 79 Penalties: Sheedy 45,...

French double-header will be difficult for us, says Richards

NEWCASTLE director of rugby Dean Richards admitted he was less than impressed with Falcons performance, but spoke of greater concern around...

Biggar on song as Saints put on a show

By LUKE JARMYN Newcastle ..........8pts Try: McGuigan 54 Penalty: Hodgson 13 Northampton ..44pts Tries: Collins 23, Skosan 31, Matavesi 59, Furbank...

Wasps ace Fifita will join Scarlets

By STEFFAN THOMAS Ecstatic: Lloyd Evans celebrates Gloucester’s victory over Saracens on the final whistle PICTURE: Getty Images THE Scarlets have...

Twickenham ‘too costly’ for Wales to switch Six Nations matches

By PETER JACKSON WALES will almost certainly abandon a contingency plan to use Twickenham as their home base for the Six...

How COVID-19 is still impacting the rugby world

When COVID-19 first hit, no one could foresee what it would have in store for the sporting world. It started with...

Saracens v Gloucester: Sarries must be wary of ‘dangerous’ Gloucester

Despite being seven points ahead and two places above their opponents, Saracens Director of Rugby Mark McCall says they are facing...

Newcastle v Northampton: Saints must address ‘top two inches’ to beat Falcons

Northampton Saints captain Lewis Ludlam claims that it’s the ‘top two inches’ that are the missing ingredients they must fix going...

Harlequins v Exeter Chiefs: Quins host Chiefs in repeat of 2021 final

Harlequins prop Will Collier will play his 200th game for the club against Exeter Chiefs in a repeat of last year’s...

Bristol Bears v Sale Sharks: Bears seek change in fortunes

Tom Curry returns to the Sale Sharks starting line-up as they take on Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate in tonight’s 7:45...

Aleki Lutui: Tonga must welcome in Folau

Former Tonga captain Aleki Lutui believes Israel Folau should be welcomed into the Tongan rugby union set up. Folau has not...

Steve Borthwick rubbishes talk of records

Leicester Tigers boss Steve Borthwick is not distracted by talk of records as his Tigers side look to make it 12...

Cardiff sign Wales full-back Liam Williams from Scarlets

Wales full-back Liam Williams is the latest big name to join Cardiff for the start of the 2022-23 season after announcing...

Welsh Rugby Union considering playing home games in England

The Welsh Rugby Union is considering playing home Six Nations games in England because of Covid crowd restrictions in Wales. First...

Rob Baxter feels Six Nations should be played in one country

Playing the Guinness Six Nations Championship in one country has “got to be better than cancelling it”, says Rob Baxter. In...

Exeter awarded Premiership Rugby Cup victory over covid stricken Bath

Exeter have been awarded a 28-0 Premiership Rugby Cup third-round win after opponents Bath were unable to field a team due...

Top 5 Rugby Players of All Time

Rugby union is one of the most exciting sports on the planet, with competitions such as the World Cup, Six Nations,...

England U20s announce 2022 squad

Ahead of the U20 Six Nations, England have selected their 32-man Elite Player Squad (EPS) for 2022. Head coach Alan Dickens...

Northampton Saints 6 – 30 Saracens: Lozowski scores emphatic 20 points

Alex Lozowski scored 20 points as Saracens earned a hard-fought win over Northampton at Franklin’s Gardens. At the interval, the sides...

Leicester Tigers 31 – 0 Newcastle Falcons: Tigers remain unbeaten

Leicester Tigers maintained their unstoppable start to the season with a bonus-point win over Newcastle Falcons. Ford kicked Tigers into an...

Gloucester 17 – 20 Harlequins: Quins survive early scare to stay third

Harlequins had to battle for victory at Gloucester as tries from Luke Northmore and Danny Care got them over the line....

Hastings eyes big finish after patient start

By PAUL REES PREVIEW... Gloucester v Harlequins Today. Kick-off 3pm, Kingsholm Settled: Adam Hastings ADAM Hastings has noticed a difference since...

It’s great start to New Year – Hogg

STUART HOGG was delighted to celebrate his decision to stay at Exeter with a man-ofthe match performance. “The smile on my...

Discipline will be key for Falcons to keep danger man Ford at bay

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW... Leicester v Newcastle Today. Kick-off 3pm, Welford Road In swing: Brett Connon JUST as Newcastle United had...

Hero Hogg has final say as Chiefs get back on song

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Exeter ................19pts Tries: O’Flaherty 13, Hill 31, Hogg 75 Conversions: J Simmonds 14, 76 Bristol ................13pts Tries: Purdy...

Boxers get month off after KO, why not rugby men?

KYRAN BRACKEN I FEEL very let down by World Rugby and its approach to concussion. There is a malaise and a...

Eddie has failed in his dealings with No.9s

KYRAN BRACKEN WORLD CUP-WINNING SCRUM-HALF FOR the last two years I have been baffled by the decision by Eddie Jones not...

DREAM TEAM

PAOLO ODOGWU, THE WASPS AND FORMER SALE & ENGLAND U20s CENTRE/WING, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST......

Yes, there were some good bits in 2021…

COLIN BOAG Last year was likeno other, with Covid wreaking havoc, and sadly the signs are that 2022 might be no...

Stags still charging

IN LAST week’s Rugby Paper, Alec Jones, who regularly writes in support of lower league rugby lamented the supposed withdrawal of...

Underhill must stay

ANTHONY Watson leaving Bath could have huge consequences on and off the field and surely others will now follow with the...

Feel for Borthwick, but inquiry is right

WHEN it was revealed Saracens had broken the salary cap and were to be relegated to the Championship two years ago,...

Ryan hopes derby integrity remains

DRAGONS director of rugby Dean Ryan hopes the “integrity of derby games will remain” as league organisers face the challenge of...

Amor gets a big job with Japan 7s

FORMER England men’s 15s assistant coach Simon Amor has been appointed technical director of Japan Sevens. Japan disappointed at their home...

Ankle trouble will see Faletau miss start of the Six Nations

Working hard: Faletau DEFENDING champions Wales look set to start the Six Nations without topchoice No.8 Taulupe Faletau. The triple British...

A poker face, but Boyd can cut loose!

By PAUL REES AS Northampton blew an early 21-7 lead against Harlequins at Twickenham last week, returning home without even a...