Austin right to sound the alarm bell

AUSTIN Healey was always interesting as a player and his opinions as a journalist are the same. He asks “who is...

Test game is turgid compared to Euro Cup

IT HAS really come to the point where international rugby has become dire. If national coaches believe the best way to...

RIP Ray the Great

BRENDAN Gallagher’s article was an excellent tribute to one of the great coaches of Welsh and British rugby, Ray Prosser. Coach...

Remembering Pross

READING Brendan Gallagher’s moving tribute to Ray Prosser reminded me of a story I once heard about an incident on the...

Modern kick tennis is a turn off

Highlight: Toby Flood scores the winning try for Newcastle against Sale PICTURE: Getty Images I SETTLED down to watch Newcastle v...

Springboks influx will hinder development

I READ in last week’s TRP that there are 44 south African players now playing in the Premiership. Sale have around...

Crass criticism of ref Owens

IN Colin Boag’s column on November 29 he refers to Welsh referee Nigel Owens’ achievement of reaching the remarkable milestone of...

Fans sold up river

TODAY’S England v France final is only viewable live on Amazon Prime. At a time when fans are unable to go...

Retaining marquee men could have dire ripple effect

COLIN Boag is right to flag up the potentially massive loophole in the new Premiership salary cap rules represented by provisions...

Kick fest at Falcons was excruciating says Sale’s Sam James

Sale Sharks centre Sam James reflects on the defeat to Newcastle Falcons that had viewers in despairs of boredom

Preview: London Irish must up tempo to sap Sharks power

Exiles full-back Tom Homer talks to Neale Harvey ahead of the visit of Sale Sharks to the Brentford Community Stadium on...

Dombrandt keeps armband as Ashton starts at 15

  Captain: Dombrandt GLOUCESTER head coach George Skivington makes two changes to the team that beat Wasps last weekend. Lewis Ludlow...

Evans aims to put on a variety show for the fans

By NEALE HARVEY AMBITIOUS fly-half Lloyd Evans says Gloucester will happily eschew a slavish kicking game if his side keep racking...

Eddie can’t afford French lesson from their reserves

ENGLAND are oddson to collect their second trophy in two months by lifting the Autumn Nations Cup at Twickenham this afternoon,...

Inverdale: February date for League Cup

■By NEALE HARVEY NCA chairman John Inverdale is confident the National League Cup will proceed, although the Covid-19 tiers mean the...

Boyd: We should have won, we’re not waving white flags yet

The post-match reaction of Northampton director of rugby Chris Boyd to Saints' defeat to Bristol in the Premiership

Bristol’s super sub Sam Bedlow kicks Saints into submission

All the drama from Bristol's last-gasp victory over Northampton Saints on Friday night, when Sam Bedlow was the hero

Alan Solomons frustrated Worcester’s by poor finishing

Warriors director of rugby Solomons bemoans botched attacking phases in 33-17 defeat to Bath

Bath weather fly-half storm to canter home

By TOM BRADSHAW A MUSCULAR display by the Bath pack laid the foundations for a bonus-point win that got the West...

Exeter captain Jack Yeandle eager for Glasgow Warriors challenge

Yeandle is already looking ahead to the Chiefs' Champions Cup opener against Glasgow after easing past Leicester in the Premiership

Tigers put up a fight but Chiefs power in for a bonus

By GARY FITZGERALD EXETER’S well-drilled, well-oiled machine ground Tigers into submission with another formidable pack-driven performance at Welford Road. The champions took...

Blackett: Gutted as basics let Wasps down

Last season's Premiership finalists fall to successive defeats in 27-17 loss to Newcastle Falcons

Cropper’s coming, but not just yet says Deano

By ROB WILDMAN NEWCASTLE continue to defy the pundits and thoroughly deserved this win over a flat and depleted Wasps team....

RFU must not cave in to Prem pressure

WITH strong rumours of an attempt to ring-fence the top league at the end of this campaign persisting, it is time...

Bad move on Matera

PABLO Matera’s reinstatement as Argentina’s captain a few days after he was removed was chronic bad judgement by the Argentine Rugby...

Great attacking teams are why we love rugby

READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK THE king of sports, as Rugby Union supporters once dubbed it, has been knocked around in...

Aim to be world’s best or quit says Healey

AUSTIN Healy says this is the make or break year for a lot of Leicester’s youngsters and that if they don’t...

Diamond says niet

SALE SHARKS boss Steven Diamond has abandoned his bid to tempt a Russian international to move to the AJ Bell Stadium....

London Irish sign Bulls hooker Corniel Els

Declan Kidney has bolstered the Exiles options at hooker with the addition of Corniel Els from the Bulls, TRP understands

A West Country battle looms over Obano signature

EXETER CH IEFS want to mak e a move early in the New Year to lure loosehead Beno O bano away...

Stuart Hooper lands his fly-half with Tian Schoeman joining Bath

BATH have ended their long search for a new fly-half after agreeing to sign Tian Schoeman from former South African PRO14...

Springbok star Van Zyl joins Saracens promotion bid

Saracens appear to have found their replacement for Richard Wigglesworth among their scrum-half options

Room 101: Northampton Saints winger Tom Collins

Collins lists three of his biggest pet hates in life

CLOSE-UP

GIORGI HVESELADZE Georgia outside centre v SEMI RADRADRA Fiji outside centre Kveseladze, from Georgian part-time club RC Armazi Marneuli, hardly saw...

Fiji grow through their Covid ordeal for Cotter to claim winning start

Persuasive: Vern Cotter THE persuasive powers of new coach Vern Cotter, who lured Nemani Nadolo out of international retirement, proved a...

Nadolo’s in hat-trick form as Fiji fly at last

■By MIKE SINCLAIR Georgia ....................24pts  Fiji................................38pts Tries: Melikidze 22, Saginhadze 67, 78 Conversions: Abzhandadze 22, 67, 78 Penalties: Abhandadze 10 NEMANI...

Morale-boosting finish to Wayne’s annus horribilis

SHANE WI LLIAMS COMMENT SO that’s the end of 2020 for Wales. I think most people will be glad to see...

‘We’ll give England Six Nations challenge’

WAYNE Pivac insists Wales will push Eddie Jones’ England all the way for the 2021 Six Nations title after they ended...

North gets back in the try habit as Wales remember how to succeed

■By PETER JACKSON PLAYER WATCH... Wales........................38pts  Tries: Hardy 7, Parry 17, G Davies 57, North 68, Tipuric 75 Conversions: Sheedy 8,...

Ring fence Prem is ‘moving nearer’

‘France pushing us to be better’ ■By NEALE HARVEY PREMIERSHIP Rugby’s move for a ring-fenced league is gathering pace, with an...

We MUST stay ahead of France says Eddie

Prem set to leave door ajar for Ealing ■By NICK CAIN EDDIE Jones has warned that England are in a race...

Harlequins centre Andre Esterhuizen sets sights on Lions tour

8-cap Springbok Esterhuizen talks Quins, Paul Gustard, and being on the receiving end of an Owen Farrell tackle

Ben Loader aims to emulate Jonny May’s dazzling ability to reach England call-up

The London Irish wing/full-back tells Neale Harvey about his England ambitions and the solid base being built at the Exiles

Dewi Lake told to focus on set-piece if he is to make Test grade

Ospreys head coach Toby Booth speaks of the young hooker's chances of ousting Sam Parry and Elliot Dee from the Wales...

TEAMS – Round 3: Duncan Weir back for Worcester

Team news for all matches taking place in Round 3 of the Premiership this weekend

Anthony Watson the only change made by England for Autumn Nations Cup final

England head coach Eddie Jones has named his team to face France at Twickenham this Sunday

Q&A – Allan Robson: We are home again and want to build our Irish fanbase

London Irish chairman Allan Robson puts into words the significance of the Exiles' return to the capital

Jackson column: Christophe Dominici, so strong on the pitch, so fragile off it

Peter Jackson writes on the troubled childhood of the late France wing, who was freed from dark days by bringing light...

Dream Team: Northampton Saints prop Francois van Wyk

Van Wyk's career has graced the elite club competitions of both hemispheres

Glasgow Warriors back row Matt Fagerson inspired by brother’s Scotland rise

The Warriors No.8 is intent on cementing himself as a starter under Gregor Townsend in the national side