Blues blow late chance to steal win at the death

By TOM CARR Bedford ..............15pts Tries: Adamson 31, Worley 61 Conversions: Grimoldby 32 Penalties: Grimoldby 15 Coventry ..........17pts Tries: Penalty 9,...

Bright scores his 15th try as Richmond dig in

By TIM FORRESTER Richmond ..........20pts Tries: Anyanwu 10, Bright 49, Carrick-Smith 66 Conversions: Kane 11 Penalties: Kane 20 Hartpury ............12pts Tries:...

Doncaster on top with one match left to play

By NATHAN EDWARDS Doncaster ........22pts Tries: Edgson 12 40; Kelly 27, Smith 36 Conversions: Olver 40 C Pirates ............15pts Tries: Bolwell...

Ealing smash big six to keep destiny in their own hands

By ZAK CARR Ampthill ..............5pts Tries: Dan 34 Ealing ................38pts Tries: Kernohan 4, 64; Penalty 20, Uzokwe 41, Smid 58 Conversions:...

GB rugby league star Ward joins staff at Park

NEWS EXTRA By SAM JACKSON Experience: Danny Ward NATIONAL One promotion hopefuls Rosslyn Park have appointed former Great Britain rugby league...

Iberian derby is key to the race

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER THE qualifying process for RWC from Europe is rarely a straightforward process and this time round is...

Protecting No.9s has killed the dive pass

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER Whatever happened to the dive pass? I was...

Andre offered me a route back from sea

MY LIFE IN RUGBY CARL KIRWAN THE NOTTINGHAM FLANKER, FORMERLY OF ROTHERHAM, LONDON WELSH, WORCESTER & CHINNOR Mixing it with the...

Owens: Put stop to tactical subs in Test rugby

NEWS EXTRA By SAM JACKSON FORMER international referee Nigel Owens thinks tactical substitutions should be dropped from international rugby and that...

Les Bleus will become even stronger when Ollivon’s back

Leads by example: Injured skipper Charles Ollivon IF a register was required of just how much true strength-indepth Fabien Galthie has...

Galthie looks and acts the part as Brains behind French renaissance

NICK CAIN CHARTS THE KEY CHANGES FABIEN GALTHIE HAS MADE SINCE TAKING CHARGE OF FRANCE FABIEN Galthie’s transformation of France’s fortunes...

Cups galore but there’s room for one more

PETER JACKSON FOR decade after decade, the old fogies responsible for running the world’s oldest annual international sporting event steadfastly refused...

Exeter’s gain is a big loss for Wales

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW With a surname like his, Tom O’Flaherty sounds as though he ought to...

Brave Munster fightback falls short

By JOHN FALLON Bulls ........................29 Munster ................24 MUNSTER fought back to snatch a bonus point when they looked set for a...

Cardiff looking for big response in Lions den

PREVIEW... Lions v Cardiff Today. Kick-off 2pm, Ellis Park By BEN JAYCOCK JARROD Evans will play his 100th game for Cardiff...

Lowry helps Ulster complete double

By TOM SHEEDY Ulster ......................18 Leinster ..................13 FIRST-HALF tries from Sam Carter and the brilliant Michael Lowry earned a ninth straight...

Scarlets pay for wasting their first half opportunities

By TIM LEWIS Sharks ..............37pts Tries: Fassi 56, Bosch 62, Penalty 73, Louw 87 Conversions: Bosch 56, 63, Bonilla 88 Penalties:...

Bath get three year extension

BATH’s temporary stands can remain in place for another three years while they draw up plans for a permanent stadium. The...

Tiger Whitcombe proud to follow his Dad’s path

By PAUL REES JAMES Whitcombe was born and brought up in Yorkshire, but Leicester was the only club the prop wanted...

Revert to old style or call time on the contest

THE Tomas Francis imbroglio, the alarming behaviour of the England U20s back-room staff in Italy, the endless medical bulletins over Tom...

Borthwick’s only duty is to his team, get over it!

CHRIS HEWETT GUEST COLUMNIST Steve Borthwick had enough on his plate during Leicester’s defeat at Saracens in North London last weekend...

Georgia seal top European spot in RWC qualifying

GEORGIA secured first place in European qualifying for next year’s World Cup with victory over Romania last night. Georgia had been...

Mark Nelson: Thriving county scene is beneficial to all

By BEN JAYCOCK FORMER Fylde and Lancashire coach Mark Nelson is furious about the RFU cutting the County Championship’s funding and...

Baxter: We made simple mistakes

EXETER’S director of rugby, Rob Baxter, accepted that the red card was crucial but his side still had their chances to...

Hearle’s the hero as Warriors stun Chiefs

By ROGER PANTING Worcester ........35pts Tries: Hearle 17, 34, 68, Heward 46, Doel 65 Conversions: Smith 17,34, 46, 65, 68 Exeter...

Saints aim to buck the trend and make up for their Gloucester nightmare

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW... Northampton v Wasps Today. Kick-off 3pm, Franklin’s Gardens HAVING lost sleep in the wake of last week’s...

We failed to get to next level -Walder

NEWCASTLE coach Dave Walder admitted they were their the makers of their own downfall. Walder said: “We made life hard for...

Falcons thwarted by Goode’s masterclass

By LUKE JARMYN Newcastle ........21pts Tries: McGuigan 4, 53 Conversions: Haydon-Wood 5 Penalties: Haydon-Wood 18, 22, 28 Saracens ..........36pts Tries: Woolstencroft...

Ludlow: We can make top four

LEWIS Ludlow admitted Gloucester missed out on a golden chance to upset Sharks at the AJ Bell Stadium but looked on...

Sale cling on to keep play-off hopes alive

By SAM JACKSON Sale ....................26pts Tries: De Klerk 5, MacGinty 25, JP du Preez 39, JL du Preez 44 Conversions: De...

High-flying Harlequins charged up for final push before the cavalry returns

By PAUL REES PREVIEW... Bristol Bears v Harlequins Today. Kick-off 3pm, Ashton Gate TABAI Matson is delighted by the way his...

Nadolo: I was inspired by mum

NEMANI Nadolo revealed after his man-of-the-match display that he was inspired by his watching mum over from Australia. It was the...

Leicester stay top but fail to impress

By ROB WILDMAN Leicester ..........47pts Tries: Nadolo 7, 57; Scott 19, Potter 31, Penalty Try 39, Reffell 52, Ashton 70 Conversions:...

Chick will not quit Falcons to further his England case

By PAUL REES World Cup hope: Callum Chick CALLUM Chick has spent more than half his 25 years at Newcastle and...

Champ star in national spotlight

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER FORMER Rotherham, Plymouth and Esher forward James Waterhouse has found himself in the national...

Stade put Warrior Kyle on wanted list

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER STADE Francais are close to securing a deal to buy Worcester second row Kyle...

Roko finalises switch to France

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER FORMER England winger Semesa Rokoduguni has been in France this week tying up loose...

Fiji giant Nadolo keen for return to Super Rugby

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Homeward bound? Nemani Nadolo PREMIERSHIP are facing the prospect of losing Fijian superstar winger...

Hammersley yet to commit on Sale deal

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER SALE Sharks could be in the market for a new full-back this summer with...

Ryan set to extend stay at Dragons

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER DEAN Ryan is in advanced talks with the Dragons about extending his contract, which...

Bears face a fight to keep hold of Frisch

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER BRISTOL are locked in a battle to keep hold of highly-rated inside centre Antoine...

DREAM TEAM

BYRON McGUIGAN, THE SALE SHARKS AND SCOTLAND WINGER CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH AND AGAINST 1. Joe Marler...

Turn clock back to 1977 and safeguard players

COLIN BOAG We keep being told that player welfare is paramount, and alongside that we know that former players have developed...

Bad call on Dickson

WHO on earth decided former Harlequins scrum-half Karl Dickson could referee a Quins game (home v Newcastle last Friday)? I read...

Bravo Brendan, I’ll be borrowing that!

LAST week’s 100th edition of Iconic Rugby Pictures of the Margam steelworks and the Talbot Athletic Ground has to be one...

Disillusioned with this tier two sham

LAST week I paid £25 to watch a sham match, as Ealing thumped London Scottish 81-0. As the Championship reaches its...

Jaminet’s boot has given France a new dimension

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK MELVYN Jaminet is for me the key to France, winning Six Nations titles, Grand...

France keep championship hopes alive

By GEORGE LAWRENCE Wales ....................15 France ..................47 FRANCE produced a late flurry of tries as they eased past Wales to keep...

Five-try Ireland one win from Grand Slam

By BEN JAYCOCK England ............27pts Tries: Hendy 4, Ilione 30, Cleaves 57, Bailey 74 Conversions: Benson 6, 31 Penalties: Benson 10...

Scotland crash to a fourth defeat

By BEN JAYCOCK Italy ................27 Scotland ..........13 ITALY secured their second win of the tournament with a dominant performance over Scotland...