Michael Cheika quick to defend Ollie Hassell-Collins

Leicester boss Michael Cheika defended Ollie Hassell-Collins after his try-scoring wing was yellow-carded for a forearm chop on Alex Hearle. “I’m...

Damian Penaud and Louis Bielle-Biarrey: A pair of aces who fill our hearts with joy

If the level of mastery is unusually high, the depth of mystery is unfathomable.

Chris Hewett: Time to speak with one voice

Back in the age when men were men and Willie John McBride was wearing the red shirt of the British and...

Glasgow Warriors 36-18 Stormers: Champions on course to retain their crown

Glasgow ............36pts Tries: Darge 10, Rowe 15, 45, Venter 28, Horne 51 Conversions: Horne 11, 16, 46, 52 Penalty: Horne 56...

Sharks 24-24 Munster (6-4 AET): Heartbreak for Munster after penalty shoot-out

Sharks .............. 24pts Tries: Hooker 45, Fassi 67, Mbatha 73 Conversions: Jordan Hendrikse 46, 68 74, Penalty: Hendrikse 55 Munster ..............

It wasn’t pretty but we made it, says Keenan

By JOHN FALLON Leinster ..............................33pts Tries: Lowe 5, Gibson-Park 10, Osborne 46, Keenan 60 Conversions: Prendergast 11, 47 Penalties: Prendergast 35,...

Bulls 42-33 Edinburgh: South African’s are too good for Edinburgh’s battlers

Bulls .................. 42pts Tries: Hanekom 18, Kriel 32, Vorster 37, Moodie 43, Johannes 46, Nortje 51 Conversions: Johannes 44, 47, 52...

Best yet to come for Bristol Bears, says captain Fitz Harding

Bristol went into Saturday's match against Harlequins having been in the top four all season, but Fitz Harding believes the best...

Paul Rees: Raising funds for World Club Cup will not be easy

Paul Rees looks at the financial challenges of expanding the global game Given the problems rugby is facing across the globe,...

Paul Rees: End of the road for six of the best

Ten years ago, England finished their World Cup campaign with a 60-3 victory over Uruguay in Manchester. There was no consolation...

Northampton Saints’ Jonny Weimann takes his lead from Alex Mitchell

Northampton's production line shows no sign of slowing down, with Jonny Weimann the latest prospect off the conveyor belt. Henry Pollock,...

Uruguay’s Gonzalez joins the Worcester rebuild

WORCESTER Warriors have signed Uruguay back Juan Gonzalez as they build towards their return next season in the revamped Championship. The...

Penguins RFC are happy to give prisoners a helping hand

The Penguins RFC summer tour saw the men’s team beat Bologna RFC 40-17 while the women’s team heavily defeated Colorno RFC,...

Peter Jackson: Barmy to downgrade the Champions Cup

According to its promoters, the ‘wonderful’ Champions Cup stands on a pinnacle above everything else as ‘the greatest club competition in...

Memories are made of this, says coach Rae

■By DAVID LAWRENCE DELIGHTED Coventry head coach Alex Rae praised his departing players after they turned on the style to run...

Maisey holds his nerve to snatch it for Bedford

■By CHRIS ROGERS Caldy .................26pts Tries: Robinson 6, 70; Wilkinson 17, 45 Conversions: Barker 7, 18, 46 Bedford ............29pts Tries: Jack...

Cattle: We were lucky to hold on to that one

■By MIKE SINCLAIR Cornish Pirates .............. 35pts Tries: Pritchard 12, Ribbons 26, Hallam 51, Yates 53, Hocking 58 Conversions: Houston 12,...

Champions Ealing keep marching on

■By RHYS THE sun set on the Championship season with another magnficent seven from champions Ealing. Ealing attack coach David Johnston...

Doncaster make it ten out of ten to secure third

By BEN WHITE Ampthill ...........1 Tries: Sharwood 18, Mapapalangi 23, Va’enuku 80 Conversions: Davidson 19; Marshall 80 Doncaster ........29pts Tries: Veainu...

Chinnor hit 12 to end season on a high note

By STEVE JACKSON Chinnor ..............82pts Tries: Goss 5, 32; Carter 15, 20, 76, 80; Hughes 25, Walker 40, Bourton 42, Hall...

Mike Brown: I never took a backward step, I never gave up

Paul Rees talks to Mike Brown, the gritty full-back who played 72 times for his country and never let his standards...

Brendan Gallagher: Alex Goode was high class under the high ball

So, almost unbelievably, it’s farewell to Alex Goode, one of the three or four best full-backs I’ve ever seen anywhere, even...

Time to decide: To party or play?

For numerous reasons too complicated to detail, I haven’t attended a match in person in Cardiff for a very long while,...

Ealing’s pair make the cut but Blues and Hartpury are at the top of the bill

CHAMPIONSHIP DREAM TEAM >> THE BEST XV FROM 2024-25 AS VOTED FOR BY OUR CORRESPONDENTS Ben Jaycock canvassed the views of...

Sussex school’s growing the game

By BEN JAYCOCK KIT Claughton has enjoyed introducing rugby to a huge number of foreign students at Buckswood School and hopes...

Mike Friday: England have plenty of options at No.9

Ben Jaycock talks to Mike Friday about his son’s rise to the top and the choices Steve Borthwick has on offer...

Jeff Probyn: Another battling show by Bordeaux

What a great game last weekend’s Champions Cup final turned out to be with both of the finalists, Northampton and Bordeaux...

Cheshire work hard to subdue Cumbria

Division 2 ■By JOSH THOMAS CHESHIRE came from behind to beat Cumbria 45-28 to move into the semi-finals unbeaten after a...

Semi-finals decided

Division 3 ■By GEORGE WELLBELOVE LEICESTERSHIRE, Hertfordshire, Dorset & Wiltshire and Sussex qualified for the Division 3 semi-finals. After three weeks...

Minikin is on fire for dominant Yorkshire

Division 1 ■By LUKE JARMYN Lancashire .......22pts Tries: C Smith 15, Bowker 31, Ailes 57, Quinn 78 Conversion: Hunt 16 Yorkshire...

Herts force Leicestershire to battle to finish

Gill Burns County Championship ■ By MOSHER LEICESTERSHIRE booked a semi-final place in the third tier of the Gill Burns Cup...

Six of the best sees Cornwall end on a high

Division 1 ■By BILL HOOPER Hampshire .......32pts Tries: Dennett 2, Sargent 18, Colbourne 37, 68; Bruce 43, Meyer 80 Conversion: Dennett...

I really like the idea of Cup competitions

Coach to coach Steve Hill puts the questions to Rudi Kochanowski, below, the head coach of Hampshire Men’s County XV (Division...

from the best coaches I’ve been lucky to learn

MY LIFE IN RUGBY BARRY MADDOCKS THE FORMER ABERAVON CENTRE, WHO HAS ENJOYED A SUCCESSFUL COACHING CAREER AT HARTPURY COLLEGE, ENGLAND...

Results

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OSCAR TALBOT

YOUNG GUNS LEICESTER & ENGLAND U18 FLY-HALF Oscar Talbot says it’s a privilege to wear the England 10 shirt at U18...

Toulouse keen to get back in groove

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN SITTING out last weekend’s Champions Cup final was not in Toulouse’s plans at the start of the...

Expect Grenoble to get it right this time

GRENOBLE will go into next Saturday’s ProD2 final as strong favourites for the title, and the prize of promotion to the...

Vaa’i hat-trick puts Chiefs in command

Super Rugby Pacific round-up ■ By SAM JACKSON THE Chiefs secured top ranking for the play-offs with a 41-24 win over...

Brave Lupus promise to take the attack to Spears

Japan League One preview Ace: Richie Mo’unga BRAVE Lupus second row Warner Dearns insists the defending champions will continue their expansive,...

Exeter locks on their way

NEWS EXTRA LOCKS Franco Molina and Jack Dunne are to leave Exeter at the end of the season. Argentina’s Molina, 27,...

Forthcoming fixtures

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Premiership Round 18: Best head-to-head matchups of the weekend 

The Premiership will see a final weekend packed with action, as teams have lots still to play for.  Now that the...

URC Quarter-Finals Talking Points: Duhan van der Merwe misses out for Edinburgh

The URC play-offs are set to begin this weekend, starting off with the last eight battling it out in the quarter-finals.  Given...

Premiership Round 18 Talking Points: Rugby says goodbye to some legends 

The final round of the Premiership regular season is coming up this weekend, with everything still to play for.  Bath have...

Premiership Final Round Permutations: Play-off spot out of Saracens’ hands

The Premiership‘s last game of the regular season has arrived, with all to play for.  Bath may have secured top spot...

Pete Ryan: The ‘often overlooked’ Sam Davies still tearing up Pro D2

Arguably the most famous position on a rugby pitch, a fly-half is integral to any side at any level. Charged with...

Pete Ryan: Bridgend Athletic ready to write their next chapter in Welsh grassroots rugby

“Playing for Bridgend Ath is like being part of a big rugby family. It’s serious when it needs to be, but...

Saracens boss Mark McCall declines to comment as Owen Farrell linked to Premiership return

Saracens boss Mark McCall declined to comment on reports that former club captain and England fly-half Owen Farrell could be eyeing...

Sam Underhill handed four-match ban for dangerous tackle in Challenge Cup final

England flanker Sam Underhill is set to miss Bath‘s bid for the Gallagher Premiership title after receiving a four-week ban. Underhill...