Sarries young stars are chomping for start date

By NEALE HARVEY SARACENS coach Alex Sanderson says a January start for the Championship is critical for the development of some...

Heineken defeat by Brive was so weird

MY LIFEIN RUGBY  STEVE HACKNEY THE FORMER ENGLAND B, BARBARIANS, NOTTINGHAM, LEICESTER, MOSELEY & WATERLOO WING IN 1998, at the end of...

DMP get ready for post-Covid recovery in Co Durham

By NEALE HARVEY DARLINGTON Mowden Park chairman Mick Birch says the club’s impressive Northern Echo Arena can underpin a post-Covid rugby...

DTH eases that Warriors axe by joining MLS exodus

By GAVIN HARPER DTH van der Merwe is looking forward to beginning a new chapter in his career after signing for...

Jamie George has the right temperament to lead Lions

Q&A SIMON SHAW ON THE RECORD With the British & Irish Lions set to travel to South Africa next summer, one...

RUGBY MATTERS

Leo’s powerful plea for Island justice is must watch for all BRENDAN GALLAGHER A weekly look at the game’s other talking...

DREAMTEAM

KANE PALMA-NEWPORT, THE COLOMIERS AND FORMER BATH PROP, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE’S PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST 1. Pauliasi Manu –...

Jackman: WRU has to save the regions

By STEFFAN THOMAS BERNARD Jackman has urged the Welsh Rugby Union to follow their Irish counterpart’s lead by pumping more money...

YOUNG GUNS

FITZHARDING BRISTOL BACK ROW When Fitz Harding emerged from the bench for his Premiership debut in Bristol’s must-win game at London Irish...

Baxter got Chiefs job on casting vote after board split

By NEALE HARVEY EXETER chairman Tony Rowe has revealed doublewinning supremo Rob Baxter was far from a unanimous choice as head...

Sweeney: Six Nations may not go to pay-tv

BILL SWEENEY says much of the £44m the RFU will receive from the government’s £135m survival package for Rugby Union will...

Will brews up winning formula for the fatties

By JON NEWCOMBE Barrels of fun: Will Cliff, right, with Tom Holmes and Jesse Coulson, left PICTURES: John Marfleet IF Sale...

Eddie plays the residency game as well

Qualified: Shields ENGLAND under Eddie Jones have not been slow to slap a red rose on those born some way beyond...

Star-maker Ioan’s time with Wales must come

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW There used to be a time when Wales led the world in pioneering coaches,...

Alfred the great was cornerstone for France

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

Ben’s become on-field leader says Larkham

By ADAM ELLIS PREVIEW... Glasgow v Munster Tom orrow. Kick-off 8.15pm, Scotstoun Stadium Maturing: Munster fly-half Ben Healy MUNSTER coach Stephen...

Conbeer targets next Irish scalp

By ROB COLE PREVIEW... Ulster v Scarlets Today. Kick-off 7.35pm, Kingspan Stadium ALL eyes will be on Kingspan Stadium for a...

Booth: George just needs game time to get back to his best

By STEFFAN THOMAS PREVIEW... Today. Kick-off 1.45pm, St. Helen’s Ospreys v Benetton Excited: Toby Booth GEORGE North is ready to get...

Fearless Blues fancy chances of major upset

By ALEX BYWATER PREVIEW... Leinster v Cardiff Blues Today. Kick-off 5.15pm, Royal Dublin Society Arena LEINSTER have a perfect record of...

O’Brien returns to Connacht’s starting grid

Preview Zebre v Connacht Today, Kick-off 2.30pm DAVID Sisi starts at the back of the scrum for Zebre having returned from...

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Deja-vu as Red Roses draw France in RWC

By SAM JACKSON TWO-TIME w inners England have been drawn against Six Nations rivals France in the Rugby World Cup 2021...

Ice-cool Scarratt gets the job done

By SAM JACKSON England ................25pts Tries: Harrison 17, Davies 45, Cleall 69, Kildunne 73 Penalties: Scarratt 80+2 France ....................23pts Tries: Gros...

Hodge rues miss as Pumas roar

By SAM JACKSON Australia................15pts Penalties: Hodge 4, 36, 40, 46, 58 Argentina................15pts Penalties: Sanchez 6, 32, 64, 67, 73 Acrobatic: But...

I’ve got a say at Wasps so I’m happy to stay – Gleeson

By NEALE HARVEY Signed: Martin Gleeson WASPS attack coach Martin Gleeson says he was delighted to sign his new contract after...

Truth of Leo’s case has Gosper squirming

WE DO not live in an heroic age of rugby administration – quite the opposite, frankly – so we should bend...

That All Black axe is sharpening its blade

CHRIS HEWETT GUEST COLUMNIST It seemed like a joke worth telling. “What’s the difference between the All Blacks and an arsonist?”,...

Humph backs Louis to take on the world

DAVID Humphreys has revealed his disappointment at leaving Gloucester, but insists the Cherry & Whites can thrive without him with the...

Afoa’s out to ease the memory of semi

By NEALE HARVEY PREVIEW... Wasps v Bristol Today. Kick-off 1pm, Ricoh Arena JOHN AFOA insists Bristol are ready for a seasonal...

Wounded Welsh Lions face battle for survival

NICK CAIN FEARS THE WELSH TRAVAILS WILL IMPACT WARREN GATLAND’S TOUR PARTY WARREN Gatland paid fulsome tribute to Wales’ rock-of-ages captain Alun...

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We MUST all support the new National cup

Follow The Rugby Paper online ... Follow us at: @TheRugbyPaper like us at: therugbypaper Follow us at: @therugbypaper Keep in touch...

Diamond: We had to curb their enthusiasm

SALE coach Steve Diamond, mindful that a win is a win, chose to accentuate the positive after a mixed performance. “We...

Sharks back in the swim, but, oh, those penalties!

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Sale Sharks ..........32pts Tries: Van der Merwe 6, D du Preez 18, Hammersley 44, MacGinty 59 Conversions: MacGinty...

Gustard: We lost discipline and gave away too many penalties

Mistakes: Paul Gustard PAUL Gustard admitted his side endured a ‘death by a thousand cuts’ at the hands of the clinical,...

Simmonds shatters Quins with power show

By GARY FITZGERALD Harlequins ................3pts Conversions: Smith 14 Exeter ......................33pts Tries: S Simmonds 22, 72, 75; Ewers 44, Townsend 79 Conversions: J Simmons...

Kidney: Ref forced my double prop swap

WORCESTER’S director of Rugby, Alan Solomons, was a relieved man. “I went through a lot of emotions out there but our...

Wasteful Warriors give Cecil a winning send-off

By ROGER PANTING Worcester................11pts Tries: Howe 65 Penalties: Searle 5, 44 London Irish ..........10pts Tries: Phipps 61 Conversions: Jackson 61 Penalties:...

We kept our form well says Deano

Happy: Dean Richards ORGANISATION was the key to victory for Newcastle director of rugby Dean Richards. “The thing you can’t be...

It’s just like Falcons had never been away

By MIKE SINCLAIR Bath ............................12pts Tries: Cokanasiga 10, Matavesi 44 Conversions: Priestland 10 Newcastle..............19pts Tries: Graham 21, 3, Stevenson 50 Conversions:...

I couldn’t care what Healey says about me insists Borthwick

Hard-nosed: Borthwick STEVE Borthwick had a quick riposte to the Leicester doubters who think he is the wrong man to lead...

Borthwick’s new-look Tigers show their grit

By ROB WILDMAN Leicester ................38pts Tries: Van Wyk 7, Youngs 11, Wigglesworth 23, Clare 74 Conversions: Henry 7, 23, Bonilla 74...

Way to beat Chiefs? Just outscore them!

COLIN BOAG Last week saw the Premiership clubs hold their first Press conferences of the new season, and it’s always a time when...

Ball had to be held for conversions

BRENDAN Gallagher’s article about the 1938 international between England and Scotland was very interesting. Brendan writes that Scotland had just scored...

Community clubs get short end of the £135 hand-out

THE government finds £135m for rugby and guess who’s at the bottom of the pile –Mr Sweeney’s favourites “the life blood...

Ben’s box-kicking is failing these days

DOES anyone other than Eddie Jones believe Ben Youngs is better at scrum-half than Ben Spencer or Dan Robson? Youngs’ strength...

My key questions for PRL

I HAD the following exchange with Premiership Rugby’s communications director, Paul Morgan. Jeff Gage: The Premiership insist that players for the...

Leicester warfare goes on as Healey takes a pop at Borthwick

THESE days the flak at Leicester never seems to stop flying, with the latest spat involving coach Steve Borthwick and the...

King Cane belittles his subjects – and himself

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK SAM CANE has had plenty of recent practice when it comes to eating humble pie...

Cordero: I’m staying in France for now

Decision: Cordero FORMER Exeter Chiefs winger Santi Cordero has turned his back on the chance of a return to the Premiership...