Daniel Kasende: I’m the postman and will deliver for Ospreys

Daniel Kasende is certainly living up to his nickname as ‘The Postman’.

George Ford is still the best choice at 10 for England, says Toby Flood

Toby Flood believes England head into the Autumn Nations Series in the strongest position of all the home nations – and...

Bristol hit by triple injury blow

BRISTOL Bears have been dealt a major blow with Harry Randall, AJ MacGinty and Gabriel Ibitoye all facing long spells on...

Tshiunza is ruled out with broken foot

WALES back five forward Christ Tshiunza is set to miss the autumn internationals after breaking his foot playing for Exeter in...

Matt Rogerson: Worcester Warriors supporters will play a key role

Matt Rogerson says captaining returning Worcester Warriors feels like the “positive flip-side” of his London Irish heartbreak.

No-nonsense Steve Tandy will do well for Wales – Shane Williams

Shane Williams goes back a long way with Steve Tandy and insists he has complete faith in him as the new...

Plymouth fitter than ever, says Lamb

By MARK STEVENS RYAN Lamb believes the hard work of the past few seasons has put Plymouth Albion in their strongest...

Great to see Chile qualify for 2027

email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk CONGRATULATIONS to Chile from an England fan on their successful qualification for RWC 2027 after winning a two-legged playoff...

Clubs should aim to provide rugby for local players

IN response to last week’s letter regarding grassroots rugby, I would question whether it is time to rethink the league structure...

Prem: Marcus Smith’s raring to get back – Will Porter

Marcus Smith has been “tearing it up” in training and his Harlequins teammates are relishing his return to action.

Pellow to leave after 16 years at Exeter

LONG-SERVING Exeter coach Ricky Pellow is to leave the club next month. The former Bath, Worcester and Cornish Pirates scrum-half has...

DREAM TEAM

ALAN DICKENS, THE FORMER SALE, LEEDS, SARACENS AND NORTHAMPTON SCRUM-HALF, WHO IS NOW HEAD COACH AT NEWCASTLE, CHOOSES THE BEST XV...

Jeremy Guscott: It won’t surprise me if Springboks land a threepeat

South Africa have got people talking about the revolution in their back play in the Rugby Championship after their huge victories...

Leicester Tigers 29-19 Harlequins: Ollie Chessum leads way for Leicester revival

Ollie Chessum led by example in driving Leicester to victory in a dramatic second-half comeback.

Parling: I always believed we’d do it

LEICESTER’S new head coach Geoff Parling said he always “believed” that his team could overcome the Quins lead. “I’m really pleased...

Saracens 50-17 Bristol Bears: Owen Farrell in charge as Saracens hit the top

Owen Farrell’s first home game for Saracens for 504 days ended in an ominous warning for the rest of the Prem...

Lam: We need to find new players

BRISTOL director of rugby Pat Lam will launch an urgent recruitment drive as he bids to fill the holes in his...

Bath 28-16 Sale Sharks: Ben Spencer steers Bath through the storm

On a wet and stormy night at the Rec, skipper Ben Spencer plotted safe passage for the champions with yet another...

Happy with that, says van Graan

BATH head of rugby Johann van Graan was delighted with a second bonus point win and philosophical about what appeared to...

Exeter Chiefs 38-15 Newcastle Red Bulls: Red Bulls given the runaround by Chiefs

Exeter have more points after two rounds than they managed in the first eight last season, but for all of another...

There is more to come from this team, promises Baxter

ROB Baxter believes the best is yet to come from Exeter whose six-try win over Newcastle took them into the top...

Nick Cain: Great result but let’s stay ahead of pack

Congratulations to the England women’s team after winning the 2025 Women’s World Cup, and also going 33 matches undefeated during head...

Scottish trio will need to prove worth for Newcastle

STEVE Diamond’s rapid exit from his director of rugby role at Newcastle a few days after their first Prem defeat of...

Plans for franchises still face a tough battle

THIS weekend should herald a bright new dawn for the Champ, with clarity about the road ahead for the clubs in...

Ramm calling for 80-minute performance

■By PAUL REES PREVIEW... Gloucester v Northampton Saints Today. Kick-off 3pm, Kingsholm GLOUCESTER will face a smarting Northampton this afternoon after...

We won’t be so clunky this time, promises Skivington

■By PAUL REES DoR: George Skivington GEORGE Skivington is expecting a less clunky ride against Northampton at Kingsholm today after Gloucester’s...

Wainwright goes close to 1923 record

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW OVER the course of 10 seconds in Belfast last weekend, Aaron Wainwright may...

Peter Jackson: Saturday afternoons no longer for rugby

Back in the day when Cardiff ran the best club team in Europe, their fixture list guaranteed supporters 23 home matches,...

Treatment of Diamond another low for the game

WHEN Red Bull and their dredgers descended on Tyneside in mid-August to salvage Newcastle Falcons, they made it clear that Steve...

Bowen hits three to put Cardiff in the points

■By SIMON THOMAS Munster ............23pts Tries: Quinn 28, Coombes 52, Barron 61 Conversion: Crowley 53 Penalty: Crowley 67 Drop goal: Crowley...

Dragons fail to land the final punch

■By ROGER PANTING Dragons ......................... 17pts Tries: Wainwright 14, O’Brien 25 Conversions: de Beer 14, 25 Penalty: de Beer 64 Sharks...

We let it slip again, moans Lake

■By SIMON THOMAS Stormers ...........26pts Tries: Roos 10, Simelane 58, De Villiers 70 Conversion: Matthee 59 Penalties: Matthee 40, 44, 57...

Benetton have drop on Glasgow

■ By BRYN PALMER Benetton ...........16pts Try: Menoncello 51 Conversion: Umaga 52 Penalties: Umaga 26, 70 Drop goal: Smith 80 Glasgow...

Cullen: We’re on the right track

■ By JOHN FALLON Bulls ...................39pts Tries: Kriel 15, 78; de Klerk 5, Gumede 40, le Roux 58, Jacons 69 Conversions:...

Zebre on an upward curve

Preview Zebre v Lions Today. 3pm ZEBRE were once known as the URC’s whipping boys but following their impressive opening day...

Ealing send out warning as they put on the style

■ By EDVARD BULL Bedford .............22pts Tries: Heffernan 14, Penalty 38, Ward 59, Adamson 77 Ealing .................50pts Tries: Oliver 5, Wilson...

Chinnor make Richmond work hard on their return

■ By TIMOTHY FORRESTER Richmond .........18pts Tries: Kitson 26, Jones 76 Conversion: Grieve 77 Penalties: Grieve 3, 34 Chinnor ..............13pts Try:...

Warriors open with echoes of the past

■ By PADDY WARNER Top 10: Worcester fly-half Will Reed on the attack PICTURES: Paul Cooke Worcester ...................... 29pts Tries: Reed...

Cambridge are taught a lesson by Ampthill

■ By STEVE JACKSON Cambridge .......26pts Tries: Ellwood 22, Irvine 36, Eckersley 69 Stewart 73 Conversions: Caven 23, 70, 74 Ampthill...

Bazalgette makes the difference for Hartpury

■ By MIKE SINCLAIR C Pirates ...........21pts Tries: Relton 54, 78; Moody 60 Conversions: Robson 54, 60, 78 Hartpury ............22pts Tries:...

Caldy send Scottish home to think again

■ By JOHN LYON Caldy ..................26pts Tries: Gallagher 29, 55; Hearn 67, Gerrard 78 Conversions: Wilkinson 29, 68, 79 L Scottish...

Nottingham defy Storm Amy

■ By WILL PERRINGWOOD Nottingham ......26pts Tries: Mitchell 1, Williams 40, Dickinson 52, Green 59 Conversions: Parks 2, 53, 60 Doncaster...

The buzz is real so let’s make some noise…

CHARLES RYLANDS AMPTHILL BACK ROW THERE’S a sense of anticipation among players who’ve been around the Champ in recent years that...

Saints sign Italian ace Manfredi

NEWS EXTRA NORTHAMPTON have signed Italy hooker Marco Manfredi for the rest of the season from Benetton, joining his compatriot Danilo...

Catherine Spencer: I am so proud to be Red Rose 114

The tears for me, while standing in the crowd at Twickenham watching Canada receive their second-place medals, were of hurt.

Paul Rees: Red Bull blindsided ex-Newcastle boss Steve Diamond

Paul Rees looks at why the former Newcastle Red Bulls boss, Steve Diamond, lost his job just hours after telling reporters:...

Argentina 27-29 South Africa: Double joy for Springboks as they deny Pumas

Two tries apiece from Cobus Reinach and Malcolm Marx clinched back-to-back Rugby Championship titles for the first time in South Africa’s...

Australia 14-28 New Zealand: Wallabies show some spark but All Blacks march on

New Zealand extended their dominance over Australia to a record 11 consecutive victories in wet conditions at a sold-out Optus Stadium...

Brendan Gallagher: Decline of Samoa is sad to see

Despite the expansion of the World Cup to 24 teams for RWC 2027, Samoa now run a serious risk of not...

Brendan Gallagher: Why it’s right time to invest in the ‘have nots’

A massive hat-tip to all those involved in both organising the Women’s World Cup and those behind England’s triumph, on and...