Late score from Sullivan seals win for Connacht

Connacht ........19 Stormers ........17 CONNACHT came from behind to claim a second victory on the bounce. Coach Andy Friend was particularly...

URC

Zebre ..................7 Bulls ................45 ■ THE Bulls recorded a much needed bonus point win as they eased past winless Zebre to get...

Cullen’s young guns rise to big physical challenge

By JOHN FALLON Leinster ..........21 Lions ................13 LEINSTER coach Leo Cullen was delighted to get the win against an improved Lions...

URC

Benetton ……….7 Sharks …………29 ■ THE Sharks secured back-to-back wins for the first time this season as they moved up to seventh after...

Good on Diamond for telling it like it is

CHRIS HEWETT HATS off to the straight-talking Steve Diamond, “lead rugby consultant” – aka “new boss” – at Worcester. In this...

F-bomb was careless but Deano had a case

CHRIS HEWETT GUEST COLUMNIST Some of the things Ron Atkinson said during a long and lavishly rewarded career as a football...

Woodburn relishing challenge of unfamiliar territory

By PAUL REES Motivated: Woodburn OLLY Woodburn is intent on making up for lost time after missing 24 matches because of...

Saints are confident they’ll stop the slide

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW... Northampton Saints v Exeter Chiefs Today. Kick-off 3pm, Franklin’s Gardens ALEX Mitchell insists Northampton can take their...

Ben’s England record man

SCRUM-HALF Ben Youngs set a new England men’s caps record with his 115th appearance yesterday as a second-half replacement at Twickenham....

Ask players what they really think of 4G -Lam

By PAUL REES PAT Lam believes players should be canvassed anonymously for their views on 4G pitches after a third Bristol...

Blackett: We lost the battle up front

LEE Blackett blamed his side’s failure to front up at the breakdown as the reason for losing. The head coach admitted:...

Bears pay homage to Lam’s fallen friends

By GARY FITZGERALD Bristol ................31pts Tries: Thacker 15, Frisch 22, Adeolokun 27 Leiua 43 Conversions: Eden 16, 23, 28, 44 Penalties:...

Diamond: Sides at the bottom don’t get rub of the green

WORCESTER boss Steve Diamond believed his side should have got something from the game. “We didn’t get the rub of the...

Quins ride out Care yellow to sneak win

By ROGER PANTING Worcester ........21pts Tries: Heward 18, Vailanu 39, Atkinson 78 Conversions: Smith 18, 39; Searle 78 Harlequins ........29pts Tries:...

Kiss rues costly lapses in discipline

LONDON Irish head coach Les Kiss had mixed emotions after missing out on the win. He said: “They’ve got an imposing...

Honours even as Jackson fires wide

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Sale ....................27pts Tries: D du Preez 38, 55; JL du Preez 44, Reed 60 Conversions: MacGinty 45, 56...

We gave ball away too often -Walder

WITH Newcastle’s rugby director starting a threematch ban for criticising last weekend’s referee, the only Dean Richards on duty at Kingston...

Big Joe’s late show gives Bath a boost

By MIKE SINCLAIR Newcastle ........25pts Tries: McGuigan 5, Collett 28, Peterson 61 Conversions: Haydon-Wood 28, 61 Penalties: Haydon-Wood 17, 38 Bath...

We need to learn some serious lessons, says Skivington

GLOUCESTER head coach George Skivington believed his side needed to learn some serious lessons. “It’s very disappointing and the boys are...

Burns in charge as Leicester march on

By ROGER PANTING Leicester ..........35pts Tries: Van Poortvliet 14, Wiese 22, Liebenberg 51, Porter 74 Conversions: Burns 14, 22, 51 Penalties:...

DREAM TEAM

PAUL HODGSON, THE FORMER ENGLAND, LONDON IRISH, WORCESTER & BRISTOL SCRUM-HALF, CHOOSES HIS BEST XV OF PLAYERS HE’S PLAYED WITH AND...

Zero proof that no drop zone has damaged Prem

COLIN BOAG R elegation continues to be a hugely polarising issue for English rugby, and prejudice seems to trump common sense...

One game at a time, Maro

WHEN oh when are the English camp going to stop talking themselves up pre match. Before suggesting England can win the...

Time for refs to toe the line at lineouts

ELITE level hookers are in many cases standing in the playing area, and in some instances walking into the playing area...

Adding Boks would devalue old rivalries

AGREE with Colin Boag that the addition of the Springboks to the Six Nations, or to replace Italy, would be done...

‘Hybrid’ Championship idea must not be given green light

NICK CAIN IT is good to see that the concept of an English Cup competition, pitching Championship clubs against Premiership ‘A’...

Storm warning! Get Collier on front line

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK WILL Collier has served his time in the shadows, but, as England face...

Warrior Judge set for return to Saracens

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER SARACENS are poised to end their search for a new tighthead prop after making...

Saints sign Aussie lock star Lukhan

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER NORTHAMPTON have completed a three-year deal to land Australia lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto from Queensland...

Chiefs in talks with O’Loughlin

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Guided tour: O’Loughlin EXETER Chiefs are lining up a third Leinster player to join...

Ex-England lock Kruis to call time

RUGBY SHORTS FORMER England and Saracens lock George Kruis is to retire after completing the season with Japanese side Saitama Wild...

Chick banned for three weeks, Coleman let off

RUGBY SHORTS NEWCASTLE No.8 Callum Chick has been banned for three weeks after he was sent off against Exeter last Sunday....

Exiles bring in Reid to cover midfield

RUGBY SHORTS LONDON Irish have signed fly-half Noel Reid on a short-term deal from French side Agen. The former Leinster and...

Leicester is my kind of place says Ashton

RUGBY SHORTS CHRIS Ashton is eager to make the most of his time with Premiership leaders Leicester. The 34-year-old joined on...

Quins centre Lasike heading back to US

RUGBY SHORTS HARLEQUINS centre Paul Lasike, 31, will leave the Premiership club next month for “personal reasons”. The New Zealand-born USA...

Exiles lock Coleman poised to snub Paris

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER ADAM Coleman is deciding his next move after talking to Racing 92 about a...

Bath keen on former Griffiths client Niall

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Move: Niall Annett BATH are poised to make a move to sign Worcester Warriors...

Falcons decide against Brown contract option

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Heading south? Mike Brown MIKE Brown is set to face a decision about his...

Bath hit with hamstring injury to lock McNally

RUGBY SHORTS BATH lock Josh McNally, 31, faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a “significant” hamstring injury in...

Catt’s influence has got the Irish attack purring

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK MIKE Catt naturally flowed into coaching, as a lot of 10s tend to do,...

France back on track despite ill-discipline

By SAM JACKSON Scotland................17 France ..................30 Threat: Emilien Gailleton DESPITE two red cards, France returned to winning ways with an impressive...

England make most of Mann’s red mist

By BEN JAYCOCK England ............43pts Tries: Arundell 26, 68; Theobald-Thomas 34, Ilione 41, Hobson 51, Bailey 64 Conversions: Benson 35, 42,...

Ireland closer to Grand Slam

By SAM JACKSON Ireland ............39 Italy..................12 AN emphatic second half performance from Richie Murphy’s unbeaten Ireland sealed a bonus point victory...

‘Proposals should be open for debate’

By NICK CAIN CONCERNS over a lack of transparency in the RFU’s communication with its member clubs have surfaced following an...

Lawes has eye on top prize after Wales win

By GARY FITZGERALD COURTNEY Lawes set his sights on repelling a fierce Irish assault after leading England to a crucial win...

Wales look to spoil Twickenham return as England face tough test

Eddie Jones‘ new-look England face what is perhaps their most pressurised challenge so far this Saturday with the visit of still...

Scotland attempt to end France’s Grand Slam

Scotland host France as they attempt to bounce back from their disappointing defeat against Wales in round three of the Guinness...

Exeter University Has a Track Record of Success

Luke Mehson, Richard Capstick, Jack Owlett, Tom Lawday… these are just a few of the players that have represented Exeter University...

Scotland vs France: Over a Century-Old Rivalry on the International Stage

Following a sad defeat to Wales in the previous round of fixtures, Scotland will attempt to get its Six Nations campaign...

The Rugby Paper Podcast: Episode Four with special guest Michael Owen

This week, host Oliver Little and regular The Rugby Paper columnists Nick Cain and Brendan Gallagher are joined by former Wales...