Crowley steps up for Azzurri

RUGBY SHORTS BENETTON coach Kieran Crowley has replaced Franco Smith as Italy’s coach. Smith had been in the role since 2019...

Brown in battle to play again for Quins

RUGBY SHORTS HARLEQUINS full-back Mike Brown will appeal against the length of the ban handed to him following his sending-off against Wasps...

O’Gara dismay over the ‘clear’ penalty call that never came

Rather than the red card to Levani Botia, O'Gara was incensed by Luke Pearce's decision not to award La Rochelle a...

Toulouse 22-17 La Rochelle: Heavyweight collision lacks real sparkle but Toulouse won’t care

All the action from Twickenham as Toulouse lifted a fifth Champions Cup trophy to become the undisputed kings of Europe

Record man Sam Simmonds reminds me of my old pal ‘Backy’ | Jeremy Guscott

WHAT Sam Simmonds did this week in breaking the Premiership try-scoring record for a season is pretty exceptional. The Exeter Chiefs...

Dream Team: Former Ireland and Sale Sharks hooker Bernard Jackman

Bernard Jackman picks a dream XV based on the best he has played with or against

England system is OK, just pick right players!

COLIN BOAG In his column last week, Jeff Probyn bemoaned the deals struck by the RFU and the Premiership to allow...

Feel for Ealing, big ask to beat Test XV

WITH Alex Goode and Nick Tompkins bolstering the ranks, Saracens surely cannot be beaten again this season. Only the most romantic...

Radical solution to the everlasting scrum problem

SCRUMS currently take too long with too many restarts, but any attempt to alter the laws runs the risk of fundamentally...

Ford can drive new era of Tigers glory

I REMEMBER watching the 2012 Challenge Cup final at The Stoop, cheering Jonny Wilkinson’s Toulon in a losing cause against Biarritz....

Leeds Tykes off and running with stronger University links

Jon Newcombe discovers how Leeds Tykes are being rebuilt ahead of kick-off in National One in September

Shed’s roar will spur Gloucester’s Euro bid

GLOUCESTER hooker Jack Singleton is relishing the chance to hear the roar of the Shed again when crowds are let back...

Marcus Smith is ‘world class’ in all areas – Goode

MARCUS Smith is just as physical as Owen Farrell and a better defender than George Ford. Now it is time to...

Rob Howley keen for Regions job after stay with Canada

Howley will arrive in Wales this summer with the Canada squad

Blacker pushing for Wales Test bow

Wales call? Dane Blacker PICTURE: Getty Images IN-FORM Scarlets scrumhalf Dane Blacker is in the running for a Wales bow this...

Ambitious Orrell in bidding for Edge Hall Road return

By JON NEWCOMBE TRP Probyn: So good to have fans back at Twickenham >> Page 29 Chairman: Tony Havlin ORRELL are looking...

Australian quarantine puts clamp on Galthie

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Seven weeks after France’s Six Nations’ campaign ended with that late, late loss to Scotland at Stade de...

My Life in Rugby – Aled Brew: Ko’d by Burger after my World Cup try

After my time at Bath ended, I still had a little bit of fire left in the belly, as they say,...

Pirates hooker Frost has big boots to follow

NEWS EXTRA By MIKE SINCLAIR THE Cornwall conveyor belt is the place to go if you are looking for a hooker. Dan...

Willie John blasts tour plans for Lions as ‘nonsense’

By PETER JACKSON WILLIE John McBride has condemned the Lions’ decision to proceed with this summer’s Test series behind closed doors...

Trinder: Ex-Gloucester stalwart set for Pro D2 semi-final with Vannes

HENRY Trinder could have been forgiven for getting the first flight home after starting his French adventure with ProD2 promotion hopefuls...

So good to be back with the fans at Twickenham

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME At last we had a meaningful weekend of rugby with two European Cup...

Small numbers, but big success at Bryanston

Brendan Gallagher continues his series looking at rugby’s great schools BRYANSTON is not a venerable institution, it was only founded in...

One point ends Bulls hopes of unbeaten season

SOUTH AFRICA RAINBOW CUP By ADAM ELLIS A GUTSY performance from the Lions ended the Bulls’ pursuit of an invincible season, as Jake...

Kruis looks to get Savage in Japan

TOP LEAGUE FINAL PREVIEW THERE are 5954 miles between London and Tokyo, yet two Englishmen hold the key to today’s Top League...

Super Rugby TT: Hurricanes blow hot for Savea to break the record

NEW Zealand’s Aotearoa sides continued to dominate as they whitewashed the AU sides for the second week. The Kiwis are ten...

Saracens 28-24 Loughborough: Cleall girls power in

POPPY and Bryony Cleall proved to be a lethal double-act for Saracens as their two tries apiece edged the hosts past...

Harlequins 25-14 Wasps: Quins stay in the hunt for first title

HARLEQUINS advanced to the Premier 15s final with victory over Wasps to keep up their hunt for an elusive maiden title....

Women’s Game in Focus: DMP Sharks wing Lauren Torley

The DMP Sharks winger moved away from playing XVs after puncturing a lung in a game, but came back to full-contact...

Stade set the fashion in red not pink

BACK in the day when they reigned as the sport’s supreme fashionistas, Stade Francais possessed a team of rugged quality to...

Gavin fires the dream for Wood’s Raiders | Peter Jackson

If he so wished, Aaron Wood could put one hand on his heart, the other on the bible and solemnly swear...

Sevens gets revamp to become a global game

By PAUL REES WORLD Rugby is looking to grow the game globally through Sevens which returns from its Covid lockdown next...

Wallabies launch bid for RWC

AUSTRALIA have officially launched their bid to host the 2027 Rugby World Cup, calling it a “once-in-a- generation opportunity”. The 1991 and...

Shame my dream team won’t grace Olympics

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER  APROPOS of almost nothing other than probably having too much time on my hands, it struck me...

Rugby Matters: Wigan Warriors gave Union their wake-up call

Brendan Gallagher recalls the illustrious players who shone in the battle of the codes for Wigan Warriors

Ampthill feature: They’re only human… just far stronger and fitter!

Ampthill head coach Paul Turner and captain Billy Johnson are drawing on the pasts of Exeter Chiefs and Worcester to dream...

CHEICK KONE

YOUNG GUNS Warriors so lucky Kone popped up WORCESTER WARRIORS LOCK As the newest member of the Worcester Warriors senior academy, Cheick Kone admits...

Preview: Alex Rae aims to spoil Fowkes’ send off

ALEX RAE believes Bedford’s run of just one win in six games is not a fair reflection of the squad’s development...

Ealing 38-15 Doncaster: Flying finish sets Ealing up for the final showdown

EALING came from behind in each half to produce the pace and precision to run in six tries and clinch a...

Coventry 0-73 Saracens: Relentless Sarries put 11 tries on brave Cov

DIRECTOR of rugby Mark McCall lauded the steely focus Saracens showed in an unerring signal of intent at the business end...

Hartpury 19-50 Jersey: Free-scoring Reds put in a bit extra for Argyle’s 100th

JERSEY’S Harvey Biljon was delighted after his teams’ eight-try demolition of an off-colour Hartpury who conceded 50 for the second week...

Preview: Trimble shooting for high places

  MAX TRIMBLE is backing Richmond to get one over on Ampthill as the two long-standing semi-professional squads meet at Dillingham...

Lions 1997 – from the players themselves

WE’VE seen and heard so much of it, so many times: Ian McGeechan’s “No words, just a look” speech; Jim Telfer’s...

Referees go upstairs more than Casanova | Chris Hewett

Half an hour into a bristling, bruising West Country derby in the early 1990s, the genial Bristol beanpole Andy Blackmore was...

Lam helps launch the dazzling rise of Samoa

Brendan Gallagher delves into some of rugby’s most enduring images, their story and why they are still so impactful What happening...

Big Four: The deciding factors

FIXTURES Sale have the toughest run-in with their three remaining fixtures against the other clubs in the play-off positions. The first...

Turnbull’s Cardiff form deserves recognition | Shane Williams

I REMEMBER before the 2011 World Cup with Wales we went on a brutal training camp to Poland. The work we...

Watch out world, game in Japan will sky rocket | Shane Williams

WHEN I moved to Japan in 2012 to play for Mitsubishi Dynaboars, I was one of the first northern hemisphere players to try...

No rules broken this time by Wray, says legal expert

NIGEL Wray broke no rules when he bought a substantial stake in Owen A Farrell Limited, a leading sports lawyer has told...

Wasps continue shopping spree with 20 stone prop from Scarlets

WASPS have agreed to sign Scarlets prop Pieter Scholtz who moved to South Wales from the Southern Kings last December. Wasps...