Manu muscles in for try on Tigers return

By ROB WILDMAN Happy homecoming: Manu Tuilagi scores for Sale SALE tried to bulldoze Leicester aside in a ferocious assault fired...

Robertson as consultant would be good Lions call

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK Massive character: Scott Robertson breakdancing after his Crusaders beat the Jaguares in 2019 PICTURE:...

DREAMTEAM

GRAHAM KITCHENER, THE WORCESTER AND FORMER LEICESTER AND ENGLAND SAXONS LOCK, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST…...

SA are powering Sale but is that good for England?

COLIN BOAG South African recruits: Sale’s Faf de Klerk, right, and Lood de Jager Am I the only one who is...

Inconsistencies are ruining spectacle

EXETER are a great side and I enjoy watching them, even when they give my own side Worcester a thrashing. However,...

Premiership must learn from folly of English football

WHICH Premiership club will follow Arsenal and be the first to field a team 100 per cent nonqualified for England. I...

Bears criticism unfair

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk ALTHOUGH a Bears’ supporter,...

Sharks poacher Ben happy playing the waiting game

By JON NEWCOMBE AS a talented young cricketer, Ben Curry used to score his runs slow and steady and that patience...

All systems go again as Tomas eyes Test recall

By NEALE HARVEY FIT-AGAIN Exeter and Wales prop Tomas Francis says competition is driving him on as he targets a domestic...

‘Bomber’ gets taster of top-flight at Saracens

By JON NEWCOMBE CHAMPIONSHIP Dream XV prop Robin Hislop has secured a short-term loan move to reigning European and Premiership champions...

Beno’s backing Bath to spring a surprise

By JON NEWCOMBE After him! Beno Obano sets off on a barnstorming run for Bath PICTURES: Getty Images BENO OBANO relished...

Launchbury’s hitting best form when it matters most

By NEALE HARVEY WASPS and England lock Joe Launchbury says he has no issues with putting his body on the line...

Eloff’s late try earns Rebels a date with the Reds

By ADAM ELLIS SUPER RUGBY CABOUS Eloff was the hero for the Rebels against the Western Force with his late try...

Ibitoye off to a flyer on debut for Agen

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN There has been actual, genuine, Top 14 rugby to talk about this week, as – after a...

Knife in the back from Gloucester still so raw

DAVE SIMS THE FORMER ENGLAND, GLOUCESTER, WORCESTER, EXETER & LAUNCESTON LOCK MY LIFEIN RUGBY Proud moment: Dave Sims in action for...

We’re still a few years behind Exeter says Diamond

By JON NEWCOMBE SALE Sharks boss Steve Diamond reckons it will be “two to three years” before his side can call...

King plots new ‘Wasps’ dynasty with Cips at helm

By NEALE HARVEY ALEX King is banking on Danny Cipriani’s leadership and a bit of hard-nosed Wasps DNA to bring glory...

Sweeney’s legacy will depend on Prem talks

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME Rich pickings: Players are paid more to represent England than any other...

Twinkle toes Vasily danced a merry jig at Blackrock

ONE of Blackrock’s more exotic recent products is Russia’s captain Vasily Artemyev, who made such a big impression at RWC2019, first...

No place for BOD in Rock’s ‘96 all-stars

Brendan Gallagher continues his series looking at rugby’s great schools Starter at 10: Brian O’Driscoll playing fly-half for Blackrock College in...

YOUNG GUNS

JACK BATES BRISTOL WINGER As a four-year-old peering over the fence at the Blackthorn End of the Memorial Stadium, Jack Bates...

Super Rugby exit won’t stop Pumas being competitive

LES CUSWORTH ON THE RECORD Q&A Former England and Leicester fly-half Les Cusworth has spent the last 16 years living and...

Napoleonic air of disdain from diminutive Dominici

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

Sarries hit Exiles academy boys for six

By TOM WALKER SARACENS continued to build towards their Champions Cup quarter-final against Leinster on September 19 with a comfortable win...

Bonus point boosts Quins’ play-off bid

By SAM JACKSON Making a splash: Chris Ashton scores Quins’ fourth try Early try: Rory Hutchinson CHRIS Ashton’s bonuspoint try helped...

Outstanding Ollie catches Tigers cold

By PAUL ROGERS OLLIE Thorley scored four first-half tries but Gloucester were eventually made to work hard for the win by...

Injury-hit Wasps land late stinger

By GEORGE LAWRENCE Binned: Sam Underhill WASPS edged a thriller at The Rec with a penalty try five minutes from time...

Hard work from Chiefs impresses Hepher

ENGLAND hopefuls Jonny Hill and Sam Simmonds scored hat-tricks as Exeter cruised to a nine-try win. The Chiefs had the bonus...

Thankfully the Lions will keep their spin purely for their passes

THOSE of us granted the dubious privilege of reporting on the worst Lions tour of the professional era will have been...

How could the mighty Ospreys fall so far?

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Glory days: Ospreys beat Leicester Tigers to win the 2008 Anglo-Welsh Cup Ospreylia...

Leo’s champions are a class above

By DECLAN ROONEY Pointing the way: Cian Healy celebrates as Rónan Kelleher scores the game’s only try TEAMS LEINSTER: Larmour 6...

Madigan’s magic boot puts Ulster into the final

By BRYN PALMER ULSTER staged a stunning second-half fightback at Murrayfield to become only the second team after Scarlets to win...

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Unpaid Tier 2 players may have contracts cancelled

By NEALE HARVEY Lucky: David Williams ON-LOAN Leicester wing David Williams claims Championship players are going unpaid as tier two clubs...

Italian powerhouse Pierluigi was a man of many talents

Lock star: Camiscioni ONE of the more colourful Italian internationals of recent years, Pierluigi Camiscioni, has passed away aged just 67....

Rugby’s looking at rocky ride to Tokyo

AND it was all going so smoothly! The reintroduction of rugby, in the form of Sevens, to the Olympic movement has...

Rosslyn Park 7s will be even more prestigious

BRENDAN GALLAGHER RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points Team to beat: Sedbergh won back-to-back Rosslyn Park...

Luke may try XVs to keep dream alive

By ALEX BYWATER LUKE Treharne refuses to give up on his Olympic dream but has called on Wales to contract their...

Edinburgh talking to Blue Bull Ferreira

ANDRIES Ferreira, the Blue Bulls lock and former South Africa A international, is looking to move to the United Kingdom. Ferreira,...

Sharks bide time to sign Manu long-term

New Shark: Manu Tuilagi DRAGONS have signed prop Greg Bateman, who will join Dean Ryan’s side after leaving Leicester. Newcastle have...

Luther could opt to play semi-pro

Exit: Luther Burrell FORMER England international Luther Burrell is set to leave Super League outfit Warrington Wolves just over a year...

Warriors look south for new lock

BY NEILFISSLER ON THE BLIND SIDE Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler WORCESTER Warriors are looking to strengthen their squad for the...

ROOM 101

THE DINGS CRUSADERS TIGHT-HEAD TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND JOSH LLOYD 1. Buttering bread...

New season, new format for European tournament

SUCH are the strange times that we live in that next season’s European Champions Cup will get underway on December 11,...

STATE OF THE TEAMS POST LOCKDOWN

Leinster No player movement of any consequence during lockdown. At one stage there was bad news concerning world class lock James...

Saracens head for their great showdown

BRENDAN GALLAGHER LOOKS AT THE MAKE-UP OF THE EUROPEAN CUP QUARTER-FINALS Ticking: Jamie George AFTER five or more months on a...

Youngsters are in for a shock when fans return

WASN’T it great seeing a few fans watching the Scottish derby match at Murrayfield last weekend. The lucky 700 were the...

Emotional to finish ride alongside MJ’s two boys

WE celebrated what would have been Matthew Watkins’ 42nd birthday in style last week with a 100 mile bike ride from...

Louis is on track to be Wales’ next wing king

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND Ihad the pleasure of being involved in a podcast with Louis Rees-Zammit the other day...

Plethora of errors killed us – Solomons

ALAN Solomons said his Worcester side contributed to their own downfall. Warriors director of rugby said: “We made a rod for...