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FANTASY RUGBY 2025/26

We are now approaching the TRP Fantasy Rugby 2025/26 Substitution Window. The window opens on Thursday January 1, through to midnight...

My Life in Rugby: Joe Makysymiw – The brilliant, emotional world of French rugby

Former Leicester Tigers, Connacht, Dragons and Agen second row, Joe Makysymiw, reflects on his life in rugby.

Franchi treble fires Steelmen

Super Rygbi round-up By CARL FIELD CAPTAIN Joe Fran-chi’s hat-trick inspired Super Rygbi Cymru leaders Ebbw Vale to maximum points in...

Merthyr sweep Ponty aside

Premiership round-up By CARL FIELD WELSH Premiership champions Merthyr maintained their 100 per cent winning record and struck a blow in...

BRITISH RESULTS AND FIXTURES

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Perpignan say Reece is joining them – but is he?

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Class act: Sevu Reece runs in a try for New Zealand against Wales last month PICTURE: Getty...

Albi showing Nissa the way in third-tier tussles

THE third-tier of men’s club rugby — the Nationale — doesn’t usually make many waves in France, even though matches are...

Chris Robshaw: Henry Pollock is a breath of fresh air for the game

Chris Robshaw admits he has caught the infectious Henry Pollock bug, which is sweeping around the rugby world.

Tierney’s new year date to return full-time

WRU chief executive Abi Tierney will return to fully resume her position in the new year. Tierney has been undergoing medical...

Leo Cullen on why perfection isn’t realistic after Leinster’s seven-try Champions Cup win over Harlequins

For many in the Leinster camp, it feels like the start of the season with the return of the international players...

The biggest rugby events in the UK and Ireland in 2026

Every year, rugby has their big matches and tournaments that every fan of the sport is looking forward to. This year,...

Biggest Loses in NRL History

There’s nothing like a 60-point loss in an NRL game. Each season features a few lopsided scorelines, but some matches stand...

Top 5 hair transplant clinics in Turkey 2026

For many people, hair loss means a significant loss of self-confidence and quality of life. A hair transplant is therefore much...

European Rugby Champions Cup: Full Tournament Preview and Key Contenders

Introduction: A New European Rugby Season Begins  The 2025-26 European Rugby Champions Cup is back. Starting on December 5th, the club...

Football Betting Trends in Different Countries Around the World 

Football’s status as the world’s game is undisputed, with billions of fans following their favourite clubs and national teams across continents....

The Top South African No-Deposit for 2025

As online gambling continues to grow rapidly in South Africa, players are increasingly seeking reliable, transparent and trustworthy information to guide...

Alex Sanderson says it is ‘criminal’ to devalue the scrum

Alex Sanderson has called on World Rugby to allow teams to exploit their dominance in the scrum amid calls for change...

England head coach Steve Borthwick hopes it will be fifth time lucky at 2027 Rugby World Cup

Steve Borthwick has been around the World Cup block a few times and knows his England side have to keep on...

Wales drawn with England in Rugby World Cup pool

Fierce Six Nations rivals England and Wales will clash in the pool stage of the 2027 World Cup.

South Africa lock Eben Etzebeth gets 12-week ban for eye gouge

South Africa lock Eben Etzebeth has been banned for 12 weeks for an eye gouge on Wales flanker Alex Mann.

No action taken over Tom Curry & Felipe Contepomi row in England-Argentina Test match

England flanker Tom Curry will not face punishment for a tunnel row with Argentina coach Felipe Contepomi following last month’s Test...

Northampton Saints full-back George Furbank fighting fit on his new fish diet

George Furbank has put the frustrations of the last year behind him as he looks to regain his place in the...

England ace Brown takes charge at Esher

FORMER England fullback Mike Brown has been appointed as sporting director at National One club Esher, replacing Peter Winterbottom who has...

Gloucester aim to build momentum in Europe, says Ben Redshaw

Ben Redshaw wants Gloucester to use last weekend’s Prem victory over Harlequins as a springboard when they welcome Castres today in...

Pumas knew risks of emptying bench

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk I CONSIDER Peter Jackson’s...

WRU acts like it has a death wish

ALTHOUGH supporters of Welsh rugby will have suspected it for some time, there is evidence to suggest the WRU has a...

How Scotland put a lock on New Zealand-born utility back Tom Jordan

Tom Jordan came to the UK as a 21-year-old for the experience and ended up staying after the pandemic struck.

England prop Asher ruled out for six weeks

SALE and England prop Asher Opoku-Fordjour is set to miss the next six weeks with an elbow injury sustained in last...

Two-match ban for Saints flyer Todaro

NORTHAMPTON wing Edoardo Todaro has been suspended for two games following his red card against Bristol last Saturday. The 19-year-old Italy...

DREAMTEAM

HAYES, FORMER CHESTER, CALDY, CHESHIRE AND ENGLAND COUNTIES FLY-HALF/FULL-BACK, WHO IS NOW HEAD COACH OF CHESTER, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE...

Jeremy Guscott: England short of World XV starters

The 2027 Rugby World Cup draw held last week in Sydney produced a good result for England, mainly because Wales, their...

Saracens 47-10 Clermont Auvergne: Elliot Daly’s star of the show as Sarries open in style

Elliot Daly showed there is plenty of life in the old dog yet as Saracens opened their Champions Cup account with...

Toulouse v Sharks: Visitors will fight hard to send John Plumtree off with a victory

Record six-time winners Toulouse launch their Champions Cup title pursuit today with several star players returning to a fixture that will...

Sale Sharks 21-26 Glasgow Warriors: Sharks reeled in by rugged Warriors

Sale Sharks has proved a notoriously difficult venue for visiting teams, as evidenced by their outstanding home record in recent years.

Everitt’s relishing return to top table

■By BEN JAYCOCK Preview Edinburgh v Toulon Today. 5.30pm EDINBURGH are buoyed by the return of two British & Irish Lions...

Bath 40-14 Munster: Johann van Graan’s side issue a warning to Europe elite

Bath issued a thunderous statement to Europe’s elite as they ruthlessly swept Munster aside at a rain-soaked Rec.

Gloucester v Castres: George Skivington – Nine-week block key to season

Gloucester launch their Champions Cup campaign today aiming to build on their recent revival against Castres.

Nick Cain: Selection skills key to delivering big prizes for Steve Borthwick’s England

Where does England’s 4-0 Autumn Series success over southern hemisphere opposition leave them? The answer is having to take the next...

Nick Cain: Recruiting Benhard Janse van Rensburg sends out the wrong message

The decision by the RFU to petition World Rugby for Bristol’s South African-born-and-bred centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg to be granted...

Leinster 45-28 Harlequins: Leo Cullen’s side find strong finish to quell plucky Quins

Despite falling short of a statement victory, Jason Gilmore’s Harlequins can hold their heads high after a commendable display against Leinster.

Stormers survive Smith red card with powerful late surge

By BEN JAYCOCK Bayonne ............17pts Tries: Mori 16, Erbinartegaray 53, Paulos 61 Conversions: Spring 62 Stormers ...........26pts Tries: Khan 2, de...

La Rochelle 39-20 Leicester Tigers: Fearless Tiger cubs go down fighting

Leicester Tigers were more cubs than tigers with youth given its head, but they pushed the former champions La Rochelle hard...

Pau v Northampton Saints: Phil Dowson’s side ready for rumble with French high-flyers

Last season’s finalists Northampton Saints begin their campaign with a daunting trip to high-flying Section Paloise today and Phil Dowson is...

Scarlets 16-17 Bristol Bears: Pat Lam’s men hold firm for gritty opening win

Pat Lam’s Bristol Bears slugged out a narrow victory across the border against Scarlets to get their latest European campaign up...

Champions fight back to tame Bulls

■By SAM JACKSON Bulls ...................33pts Tries: de Klerk 8, Ludwig 20, van der Merwe 25, Moodie 37, Rudolph 39 Conversions: Pollard...

Chris Hewett: Eben Etzebeth top billing in Springboks rogues’ gallery

Clint Eastwood knows a thing or two about cinema, but if anyone is to make a sequel to his Springbok-inspired Invictus...

Expansion theory has killed pool jeopardy

IT’S official: the “pool of death” is dead. Daisy-pushing, maker-meeting, Python-parroting dead. When the newly expanded World Cup group stage unfolds...

Nine-try Ulster destroy Racing

■By SAM JACKSON Ulster ..............61 Racing 92 ......... 7 ULSTER launched their campaign in emphatic fashion as they ran riot against...

New full-back Young shows his class in Cardiff defeat

■By SIMON THOMAS S Francais .......38pts Tries: Ibo 17, 50; Halaifonua 42, Scelzo 60, Foursans-Bourdette 64, Laloi 73 Conversion: Foursans-Bourdette 43,...