WOMEN’S GAME IN FOCUS

Sarah Rendell takes a weekly look at some important women players CLAUDIA MACDONALD THIS WEEK... WASPS & ENGLAND SCRUM-HALF Claudia MacDonald...

None of this touchy feely nonsense in Spain

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER WHAT’S in a word? For decades those coming off the bench used to be called replacements or...

Georgian war hero Yachvili helped forge special bond

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER FRANCE and Georgia square up on Sunday in...

O’Donnell back for Scots

FOUR players could debut for Scotland women against Japan on November 14. Shona Campbell, Holly McIntyre, Meryl Smith and Anne Young...

New faces in Irish squad

IRELAND coach Adam Griggs has named six uncapped players in the squad for the Tests against USA and Japan. Leinster pair...

England hungry for Black Ferns double

By SAM JACKSON PREVIEW... England v New Zealand Today. Kick-off 2.30pm, Franklin’s Gardens POPPY Cleall captains England for the first time...

Arms Park debut for Saracens prop Evans

Preview... Wales v Japan Today, Kick-off 5pm SARACENS hooker Kat Evans makes her international debut at Cardiff Arms Park as the...

Exeter University get top marks once more

South West Premier EXETER University continue to lead the way as they recorded a ninth straight bonus-point victory from nine –...

The Fishes back up their billing in routing of Boars

Midlands Premier NEWPORT (Salop) put themselves back in the title race after seeing off previous league leaders Bromsgrove 31-0. Jack Wells,...

Dons suffer a shock as Sutton show grit

London & South East Premier THE big shock of the afternoon was Sutton and Epsom’s 17-12 defeat of leaders Wimbledon, the...

Henley lack any home comforts as they fall flat

By NICK PITSON Henley............... 21 Hinckley...........38 HENLEY received a wake-up call as they surprisingly lost to Hinckley. The visitors were good...

Taunton’s mid-game blip almost proves costly

By MIKE AMOS Taunton...................22  Moseley................... 19 FROM the kick-off, Taunton went through 15 phases before Moseley got hands on the ball....

Davies strikes late on as the Tykes get off bottom

By BEN CROPPER Leeds...................... 27 Tries: Jukes 11, Dixon 30, Valentine 39, Davies 79 Conversions: Davies 39 Blackheath........... 25 Tries: Foster...

Stourbridge teach students a lesson

By RYAN STEVENS Loughborough.......22 Stourbridge............38 LOUGHBOROUGH hosted a rearranged fixture with Stourbridge. With the wind howling, both sides opted for a...

Tigers left caged by the elements

By BRIAN TILLEY Tynedale ................24 Sheffield Tigers.... 18 TYNEDALE did just enough to claim victory in this grueling game rearranged from...

Chester hold their nerve to beat Lucs

By GEOFF VICKRESS Luctonians......... 7 Chester...............11 A COMPOSED Chester worked doggedly to secure the winning points against a young Lucs team,...

Hogg out to prove Scots are among world elite

Challenge: Stuart Hogg CAPTAIN Stuart Hogg wants Scotland to prove they belong among Test rugby’s elite by beating Australia at Murrayfield...

England ready for fierce Kiwi backlash

ENGLAND expect a fierce backlash from the Black Ferns today after last Sunday’s record 43-12 win in Exeter. Head coach Simon...

Far East life rekindles Freddie’s rugby fire

By JON NEWCOMBE AFTER his career hit an all-time low at Bath, Freddie Burns says playing in Japan’s Second Division helped...

Knights hit six after Holden’s fast start

By GUY WILLIAMS Doncaster ........37pts Tries: Holden 2, Spittle 10, Margetts 24, Best 45, Dolly 70, Evans 80 Conversions: Olver 24,...

Reds pack power hooker Harris over for hat-trick

By TOM INNES Jersey ..............32pts Tries: Harris 22, 39, 54; Barnes 41, Owen 70 Conversions: Leeming 41, 54 Penalties: Leeming 56...

Relief for Winter as young guns show their fire

By DAVID LAWRENCE Coventry ..........35pts Tries: Stevenson 12, James 23, 46; Mitchell 52 Conversions: Mitchell 12, 23, 46 Penalties: Mitchell 4,...

Blues find rhythm but Trailfinders steam on

By MIKE SMITH Bedford ..............14pts Tries: Adamson 47, Garside 76 Conversions: Maisey 48, 77 Ealing ................50pts Tries: Gordon 3, 35; Johston...

Exiles show their fighting spirit but fall just short

By TOM SANSOM L Scottish..........17pts Tries: Nutton 21, Tuilagi 57, Ferdinand 63 Conversions: Nutton 57 C Pirates............19pts Tries: Sirker 31, 67,...

Benjamin hones his hooking skills at Pirates

NEWS EXTRA By MIKE SINCLAIR JAMES Benjamin is the latest back row convert to enrol at the Cornish Pirates finishing school...

Stourbridge are setting the pace despite slashing playing budget

By WARREN MUGGLETON AMONG teams battling at the top of National 2 North are Stourbridge – whose players have made an...

Faletau switch confirmed

CARDIFF have confirmed Wales No.8 Taulupe Faletau will join the region at the end of the 2021-22 season from Bath. The...

Surgery for Robson

WASPS scrum-half Dan Robson will be out for up to 12 weeks after suffering a tear to his groin during last...

Harrison’s holiday job is now his life’s work

By PAUL REES Ten years a Saint: Teimana Harrison PICTURES: Getty Images WHEN Teimana Harrison arrived in England, he thought it...

DREAM TEAM

NICK SCHONERT, THE SALE AND FORMER WORCESTER, SHARKS AND GRIQUAS PROP, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST......

Eligibility rules are area fraught with difficulty

COLIN BOAG There are some issues in rugby that fall into the ‘just too difficult’ category, and player eligibility is somewhere near...

Frustrating selection

BEMUSED by Eddie Jones’ selection for the Tonga match in key positions that needed fresh blood. Why pick Tom Curry, one...

Ten law changes to make game safer and more attractive

WITH past concussion injuries leading to law suits and even on field deaths, World Rugby faces an existential threat and major...

Poor refereeing didn’t help Wales

BEAUDEN Barrett is a fine player, but so could a number of lesser skilled players be if given the scope that...

Springbok clash will be preview of RWC 2023

THE best is saved until the end this month. The final weekend of the autumn series sees a repeat of the...

Kerevi’s a big loss, but what we all want to see is Marcus set free

PAUL REES TALKS TO TV PUNDIT DAVID FLATMAN ABOUT ENGLAND V AUSTRALIA David Flatman believes the absence of Semu Kerevi will...

Talented Ford ‘overshadowed by Owen Farrell’

By PAUL REES SIR ALEX Ferguson’s success at Manchester United was based partly on the manager’s knowing when it was time...

I’d love to play for Samoa says Toomaga-Allen

JEFFERY Toomaga-Allen won a solitary cap for New Zealand nine years ago, coming on as a second-half replacement against Japan, but...

Matson brings the Wayne Smith tackle technique to Quins

By JON NEWCOMBE Working on defence: Tabai Matson FOR all their attacking credentials, defence remains a massive focus at Harlequins as...

Injury-ravaged Wasps must stop turnovers

Paul Rees talks to Wasps boss Lee Blackett about his gameplan for Quins PREVIEW… Wasps v Harlequins Today. Kick-off 4.30pm, CBS...

Why send minnows cruising for a bruising?

CHRIS HEWETT THE Rugby Europe Championship was back up and running this weekend, with the Netherlands facing Russia in Amsterdam, and...

Flankers see world from other angles

CHRIS HEWETT GUEST COLUMNIST At the risk of offending the Scottish rugby establishment –a serious hazard when you might find Jim...

Boyd: We had five props on bench

SAINTS director of rugby Chris Boyd cut a forlorn figure after their second successive big defeat. He said: “It proved a...

Magic MacGinty helps Sharks find their edge

By LUKE JARMYN Sale ....................30pts Tries: Van der Merwe 9, Yarde 41, Ross 80 Conversions: MacGinty 10, 42, 80+1 Penalties: MacGinty...

London Scottish set to head north for Super 8

By SAM JACKSON LONDON Scottish hope to join an expanded Super 6 tournament in Scotland next season while remaining at their...

McCall: It’s such a harsh lesson

MARK McCall laid it on the line to his stunned Sarries stars after seeing a 14-man Irish outfit produce a phoenix-like...

Never-say-die Exiles stun Sarries at death

By GARY FITZGERALD Saracens ..........34 pts Tries: Woolstencroft 5, Segun 28, 46; Earl 48, M Vunipola 61 Conversions: Lozowski 47, 49,...

Lapses of concentration are costing us, blasts Thomas

WORCESTER boss Jonathan Thomas lamented his players inability to remain fully “in the moment” for 80 minutes. The Warriors head coach...

Perfection will come eventually says Lam

By TOM BRADSHAW Bristol ................27pts Tries: Fricker 36, 73; Whiteley 51, Jeffries 40 Conversions: Sheedy 40, 73 Worcester ..........5pts Tries: Heward...

Not even a bonus point for Hooper

STERN-FACED Stuart Hooper admitted he was thoroughly frustrated by Bath’s latest defeat. “We are leaving here with nothing,” he said. Defeat...