Premiership fans pay to see all their stars on display

WHY should Premiership club rugby be devoid of their best players for the Six Nations? I am fed up watching club...

Gatland-Edwards is still the dream team

I AGREE with Nick Cain’s comments in last week’s paper regarding Warren Gatland as a (possible) replacement for Eddie Jones after...

North needs a thriving Counties scene

SEVERAL seasons ago, West Hartlepool were in the upper echelons of English rugby, and able to field England internationals, thanks to...

Money alone can’t buy success

PAUL REES SPEAKS TO PREMIERSHIP DIRECTORS OF RUGBY ABOUT THE SALARY CAP CUTS As Pat Lam wrestles with the question whether...

Serendipity enhances Euro Cup’s Round of 16

CHRIS HEWETT UNINTENDED consequences? You can’t move for them in the Union game, whether the governing class is ring-fencing the Premiership...

These late, late shows are a test of nerve

CHRIS HEWETT GUEST COLUMNIST Funny places, rugby Press boxes. It was comedy gold, listening to the antediluvian correspondent of a middle-market...

Quins must sharpen up to avoid Sharks bloodbath

By GARY FITZGERALD Versatile: Oscar Beard JERRY Flannery has warned his players to sort out their discipline or risk getting “pumped”...

Manu’s back to provide firepower off the bench

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW... Harlequins v Sale Sharks Today. Kick-off 1pm, Twickenham Stoop AFTER a win against Leicester and a manof-the-match...

Kidney: Cute play slowed our flow

LONDON Irish’s director of rugby Declan Kidney was disappointed to come away with nothing. He said: “We had a tremendous amount...

Ackermann ‘the beast’ swings it to Gloucester

By ROGER PANTING Gloucester........24pts Tries: Ackermann 15, 79; Thorley 47 Conversions: Evans 15, 47; Hastings 79 Penalties: Hastings 72 London Irish...

Richards laments missed chances

NEWCASTLE director of rugby, Dean Richards, bemoaned his side’s failure to take their opportunities. “We didn’t expect to go 28-7 down...

Lam’s men too good for spirited Falcons

By ROGER PANTING Bristol ................37pts Tries: Uren 3, Naulago 11, Morahan 19, Leiua 27 Conversions: Whiteley 3, 11, 19, 27 Penalties:...

Regions soon to hear loan repayment deal

By STEFFAN THOMAS WELSH Rugby Union chief executive Steve Phillips is confident negotiations over the refinancing of the £20m CLBILS loan...

Blackett admits better side lost

WASPS head coach Lee Blackett admitted that the better side lost as he reflected: “Exeter were the far better team for...

Odogwu steals it for Wasps in red zone

By MIKE SINCLAIR Exeter ................26pts Tries: O’Flaherty 15, Pearson 27, Innard 38, Capstick 44 Conversions: J Simmonds 15, 27, 38 Wasps...

Some of our final passes not good enough, says Shaw

INTERIM Saracens head coach Joe Shaw was still left wanting more after a comprehensive win against struggling Bath. “I thought we...

Rampant Vunipolas put Bath to sword

By DANIEL GALLAN Saracens ..........40pts Tries: Woolstencroft 37, 39 Goode 46, Lewington 58, McFarland 70 Conversions: Lozowski 40, 59, 71 Penalties:...

Diamond: Weight of tackles decisive

NEW Worcester boss Steve Diamond described himself a “little frustrated” after a second defeat under his command. Diamond felt Leicester’s physicality...

Tigers keep a grip as their power pays off

By ROB WILDMAN Leicester ..........36pts Tries: Saumaki 9, Burns 28, pen try 33, Liebenberg 51, Reffell 76 Conversions: Burns 28, 51,...

DREAM TEAM

DAVID SISI, THE ITALY, ZEBRE AND FORMER BATH, LONDON IRISH AND ENGLAND U20s BACK ROW, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS...

Van Graan makes Munster’s Cloete a target for Bath

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER BATH have made a move for Munster’s former South Africa A flanker Chris Cloete...

Saints like the look of Lukhan

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER NORTHAMPTON Saints are weighing up a move for Wallaby blindside flanker Lukhan Salakaia-Loto who...

World Cup bid lures Jones to Glasgow

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Going home: Huw Jones is expected to return to Scotland HUW Jones is tipped...

Prop Brookes keen on return to Prem

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER FORMER England tighthead prop Kieran Brookes could be on the way back to the...

Hatherell has Stade circling

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER STADE Francais aim to buy Worcester Warriors second row Kyle Hatherell out of the...

Randall stays, so Quins search on

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER HARLEQUINS have been sent back to the drawing board after Harry Randall signed a...

Braley: Italy are on the up

ITALY scrum-half Callum Braley hopes this year’s Six Nations will improve their reputation on the international stage. The Azzurri have finished...

Ojomoh: Dad’s fame is no burden to me

Paul Rees talks to Max Ojomoh about his desire to expand his portfolio across the backline Max Ojomoh is one of...

Brain injury rules must be more stringent

NICK CAIN   RUGBY Union’s governing bodies must urgently take action to make concussion protocols far more stringent. World Rugby and...

Golden boy Jean-Pierre inspired a generation

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK THERE are too many Englishmen happy to genuflect at the altar of “French...

Marksman Auriac gets France on the target

France ....41pts Tries: Reybier 14, Dayral 24, Bevla 29, Auriac 72 Conversions: Auriac 15, 26, 73 Penalties: Auriac 21, 48, 53,...

Arundell’s pace puts frighteners on Scots

By BEN JAYCOCK Scotland............24pts Tries: Leatherbarrow 13, 31; Melville 45, Hiddleston 80+3 Conversions: Townsend 33, 85 England..............41pts Tries: Arundell 23, Knight...

Eight-try Ireland make up for that shock Italy defeat

By SAM JACKSON Ireland ..53pts Tries: Mullins 13, 51, Devine 22, Morrissey 33, Crothers 41, McNabney 44, McCormick 60, Brownlee 79...

Betsen backing Les Bleus for Grand Slam glory

By BEN JAYCOCK Confident: Serge Betsen SERGE Betsen believes France can go unbeaten in this year’s tournament. Les Bleus have not...

Fickou feels it’s France’s year at last

By JAMES HARRINGTON PREVIEW... France v Italy Today. Kick-off 3pm, Stade de France GAEL Fickou admits pressure is mounting on the...

Brilliant Basham is one reason to be cheerful

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND Outstanding: Taine Basham scores PICTURE: Getty Images Must start: Ross Moriarty Let’s face it, that...

We lacked muscle admits Pivac

WALES coach Wayne Pivac and his skipper Dan Biggar pinpointed their inability to match Ireland’s physicality as the reason for their...

Eddie: I’ll copy Rassie and make a ref video

From ADAM HATHAWAY at Murrayfield EDDIE Jones threatened to produce a Rassie Erasmus style video as England crashed and burned at...

The Rugby Paper Podcast predictions league

The Rugby Paper Podcast will be running a predictions league throughout the tournament. Here, guest Jeremy Guscott, columnists Brendan Gallagher and...

Listen to The Rugby Paper Podcast

The Rugby Paper Podcast is now live. This week’s podcast looks ahead to the opening weekend of the Six Nations. Host...

Scotland are red-hot favourites, says Eddie Jones

Eddie Jones has labelled Scotland as red-hot favourites ahead of Saturday’s Calcutta Cup clash at Murrayfield. With a depleted England side,...

Will Wales manage a repeat as Six Nations Champions?

Many countries across the globe have a long-standing mutual love for the sport of rugby. It is said that the sport...

The Rugby Paper Podcast launches today!

The Rugby Paper are pleased to announce that we will be launching our first podcast today – The Rugby Paper Podcast....

Best Tips and Up to Date Odds When Betting on the National Rugby League

Are you a sports buff? Then the chances are that you might be a huge fan of the National Rugby League....

The Main Differences Between Rugby and American Football

Many people generally tend to mix rugby and American football without actually realizing these are two different sports. While at first...

Duchess of Cambridge takes over from Harry as patron of English rugby

The Duchess of Cambridge has become the patron of English rugby, taking over from Prince Harry. Prince Harry handed back the...

Courtney Lawes out of Six Nations opener

Courtney Lawes has been ruled out of the Six Nations opener as Eddie Jones narrows his squad down to 29 players...

Barbeary impresses England coaches as he returns to full fitness

Uncapped back rower Alfie Barbeary has returned to England training with forwards coach Matt Proudfoot pleased with what he’s seen from...

Cowan-Dickie becomes leader as he puts controller down

England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie is enjoying his new leadership responsibilities for club and country after benefitting from lifestyle changes off the...

New England must rely on old heads

England forwards coach Matt Proudfoot believes his side will have to rely on their experienced players in this weekend’s Calcutta Cup...