Thrashing by Wasps gave Ali incentive to leave Saracens

BOBBY BRIDGE Looking forward: Ali Crossdale is now at Wasps ALI Crossdale’s chastening Premiership debut for Saracens 18 months ago at...

Canterbury thwart battling Worthing

By TIM MACKEW Canterbury..............29 Worthing..................24 QUESTIONABLE decision-making and naivety cost Worthing the chance of a third win and handed Canterbury a...

Rochford suffer a Bury breakdown

By ANDY HERHILY Bury St Eds..............29 Rochford.................... 3 BURY St Edmund’s were comfortable winners over Rochford in the first meeting between...

Thomas puts boot in as Raiders edge Crusaders

By JOHN WHITE Dings C’saders...... 31 Guernsey.................34 DINGS suffered a second straight home defeat, going down to a buoyant Guernsey Raiders...

Sharp shines as Clifton hit max in big home win

By ROGER OPIE Clifton.................57pts Barnes................ 10pts Treble tops: Clifton’s Fin Sharp (no.14) gets his hat-trick and Alex Howman, right PICTURES: Ian...

Great Scott is Esher’s try star

By NIGEL SCOTT Esher.........................64 Barnstaple..............22 ESHER produced a dominant display against Barnstaple, scoring 10 tries to give the visitors another tricky...

OA cling on as hosts hit back

By CHRIS CAMPBELL Hinckley..................26 Old Albanian...........32 THIS was a classic game of two halves at Leicester Road with Old Albanian hanging...

Seven-try Lions are finally up and running

By NICK CROWE Westcliff.......... 17 Leicester L....... 50 LEICESTER Lions bounced back from defeats by Clifton and Redruth to overpower hosts...

EMILY SCOTT

WOMEN'S GAME IN FOCUS Sarah Rendell takes a weekly look at some important women players THIS WEEK... HARLEQUINS BACK Harlequins’ Emily...

Adlard’s double tonic for happy Hull

By CHARLIE MULLAN Hull.....................29 Sheffield T ........ 0 WINGER Mike Adlard scored twice as Hull beat Sheffield Tigers in a top...

Rowntree seals sweetest of wins

By RYAN STEVENS Loughborough ......29 Hull Ionians ...........24 THE students from Loughborough secured a thrilling last-minute win over Hull Ionians. The...

Stourbridge play the waiting game

By DES HICKIE Chester ....................27 Stourbridge ...........36 STOURBRIDGE came from behind to secure victory with a strong second-half display. The visitors...

Late Park blitz leaves Wharfedale in daze

By ED WILLIAMS Wharfedale............26 Sedgley Park.........43 SEDGLEY Park scored four tries in the final quarter to secure victory in an enthralling...

Masterly Mills such a boon for Fylde fliers

By ANDREW SMITH Huddersfield.... 15pts Fylde...................22pts THREE first-half tries proved enough for Fylde as the Lancashire side maintained their winning formula...

Dale win the battle of the strugglers

By BRIAN TILLEY Tynedale................. 18 Luctonians.............. 10 TYNEDALE opened their account for the season with a hardearned victory against their fellow...

Hayes the hero as he holds his nerve

By DAVE BEDDOWS Rotherham..............48 Bournville...............46 ICE cool Lloyd Hayes slotted a stoppagetime penalty to settle a terrific encounter. A converted try...

Harrogate off and running at last!

By BILL BARRACK Harrogate......... 17 Blaydon............. 12 HARROGATE finally broke their duck to record their first National 2 League win since...

Exclusive: Ex-Scarlets head coach Glenn Delaney gets job in Japan

GLENN Delaney has landed a job in Japan, four months after leaving his position as head coach of Scarlets. The 47-year-old...

‘Nut case’ Martin Gleeson will sort out England

ENGLAND’S new attack coach Martin Gleeson is a ‘mad genius’ – but a world-class operator in breaking down defences. That is...

Bassett can’t wait to join the party

By GARY FITZGERALD Buzzing: Josh Bassett can’t wait to get started this season PICTURES: Getty Images WASPS have been left kicking...

Unbeaten Rams topple Plymouth

By PADDY MARSH Plymouth Alb......... 19 Rams.........................26 RAMS kept up their 100% start with a hardearned victory over Plymouth Albion, who...

Hugo’s the hero in milestone game

By GARETH WITHERS Tonbridge J............ 30 Sale FC..................... 21 TONBRIDGE Juddians winger Hugo Watson stole the headlines with a four-try performance...

Last-gasp Cinderford showing finally breaks Chinnor resistance

By JACK JOHNSON Chinnor ....................28 Cinderford ..............33 CLIVE Stuart-Smith’s late try decided a rip-roaring battle at Kingsey Road as Cinderford edged...

Battling Tykes stage late rally to snatch points against Bishop’s

By BEN CROPPER Leeds Tykes ....33pts Tries: Dixon 51, Lloyd 57, 78 Conversions: Venables 51, 57, 78 Penalties: Venables 26, 31,...

Park riding high in bonus-point glory

By MIKE AMOS Taunton................... 14 Rosslyn Park .........40 ROSSLYN Park produced a solid display to pick up a bonus-point win at...

Hosts hit back to end wait for a win

By GRAHAM COX Blackheath ............23 Darlington MP ....... 14 BLACKHEATH turned in their best 40 minutes of the season to score...

Moseley capitalise on Caldy mistakes

By DAVE LAWRENCE Caldy ................... 0 B Moseley ...... 24 CALDY made a string of mistakes as they were soundly beaten...

They’re missing the inimitable taste of Steele at Scrum V

PETER JACKSON PHIL Steele’s treasure trove of tall stories includes one which illustrates why when it comes to breeding Lions, a...

Revealed: Aftermath of Willie’s Haka attack

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW For sheer knee-knocking, eye-balling, lip-trembling fury, there has never been a Haka like...

From rugby ladders, to cleaning windows

MY LIFE IN RUGBY THE FORMER NOTTINGHAM, HARTPURY UNIVERSITY, ROTHERHAM AND DONCASTER BACK-ROWER. TOM CALLADINE Businessman: Tom Calladine with his work...

Quiet man Hanro Liebenberg happy to back up Genge

LEICESTER vice-captain Hanro Liebenberg has revealed he is the quiet one in Tigers new nerve centre. The back-rower was made deputy...

Robshaw: We didn’t add depth to the squad, but we have this time

CHRIS Robshaw knows better than anyone what is involved in winning back-to-back titles because he captained Harlequins to their first Premiership...

Quins stood still in 2012 – not this time!

NICK CAIN TALKS TO QUINS 2012 HERO TOM WILLIAMS ABOUT THEIR CHALLENGE THIS SEASON OPERATION Repeat is new territory for Harlequins...

Canucks face Chile in bid for RWC 2023

BRENDAN GALLAGHER CANADIAN rugby is invariably a roller coaster and never more so than during the week of their back-to-back World...

Word Cup every two years is just madness

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER Keep it special: South Africa win the World...

Saracens 38-7 Loughborough: Sarries give ton-up Poppy Cleall occasion to enjoy

Saracens Women stunned Loughborough Lightning with a relentless first-half display, as they cruised to victory. Sarries scored four tries inside the...

Wasps 26-22 Worcester: What a thriller as Wasps’ defence holds firm

THIS encounter saw thrilling action from the start with Wasps scrumhalf Claudia Macdonald opened the scoring two minutes in and Florence...

Harlequins 12-24 Exeter: The Stoop belongs to Appleby’s forwards

EXETER comprehensively shut down Harlequins to topple the defending champions at the Twickenham Stoop in an early statement of their Allianz...

It’s a demolition job as Bristol run in 19 tries

By LUCY LOMAX Bristol ............115 DMP Sharks ......0 BRISTOL Bears continued their storming run under new head coach Dave Ward with...

Hartpury make the profligate Sharks pay price

By NATHAN ROCHE Sale ..................21 Glo-Hartpury 45 SALE SHARKS were left to rue a wasteful first half as Gloucester-Hartpury came out...

South Africa can make league great

Paul Rees looks at the new URC League which starts next week and assesses the 16 teams World champion: Springbok No.8...

Lam: Every season we must aim a rung higher

By PAUL REES PAT LAM has signed a contract extension that will keep him at Bristol until 2028 and having turned...

Yes, Ealing win..but they have to fight for it

By ANDREW BEACHAM Ealing ................54pts Tries: Campher 8, Penalty 14, 20; Smid 28, Uzokwe 39, Al-Jiboori 68, Kernohan 70, Burns 73...

Hollingsworth is star turn as Archers hit the first target

By ASH WILLIS Nottingham ....36pts Tries: D Williams 13, 46; Thacker 23, 50; Hollingsworth 73 Conversions: Hollingsworth 23, 46, 50, 73...

Coventry comeback wipes out Knights fast start

By DAVID LAWRENCE Coventry ..........39pts Tries: Dacres 31, Peters 56, Bainbridge 58, Curtis 69, Burrows 78 Conversions: Fenner 31; Curtis 58,...

Reds are green for go-go with seven tries

By TOM SANSOM L Scottish ............7pts Tries: Nutton 2 Conversions: May 2 Jersey Reds ....47pts Tries: Thompson 27, 40, 58; Van...

Sirker’s debut double gets Pirates on the front foot

By MIKE SINCLAIR Cornish Pirates..33pts Tries: Bolwell 6, Duncan 22, Cant 36, Sirker 48, 52 Conversions: Robson 6, 22, 36, 52...

One reason why Eddie may snub Marcus

THERE are plenty of supporters out there who hope and pray that Marcus Smith is promoted to the full England starting...

Monye can waltz into a whole new world

CHRIS HEWETT GUEST COLUMNIST When Ugo Monye squeezes himself into a sequined toreador’s jacket, spangly tights and a feather boa for...

Racing all set to raid Prem in hunt for prop

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER RACING 92 are looking at the Premiership to strengthen their squad next season and...