Exclusive: Rhys Priestland playing for his future at Bath

Bath fly-half Priestland turns 34 this month and has been clamped to speculation the Premiership club wanting to reinvent the role...

Sale Sharks may stick with Paul Deacon for the rest of the season

Premiership club may hold off on bringing in a permanent replacement for Steve Diamond until next summer

Wasps join race to sign Bath lock Elliott Stooke

Lee Blackett is set to lose one of his options in the second row to a Premiership rival, and has identified...

Exclusive: Saracens looking to arrange friendlies with incoming South African franchises to PRO14

Neil Fissler reports on Saracens seeking to prepare for the Championship's kick off in March with a series of friendlies against...

Worcester Warriors hunt second Scotland international signing

Prop Rory Sutherland is a top target for Warriors director of rugby Alan Solomons

Harlequins stalwart Danny Care set to extend stay

Veteran scrum-half has secured new terms at the Stoop

5 Helpful Ways to Make You a Better Runner

In 2017, about 60 million Americans participated in jogging and trail running, with the aim of improving fitness and relieve stress,...

England prospect Alfie Barbeary faces race to be fit for Six Nations with ankle injury

Barbeary was called up to England's squad by Eddie Jones during the Autumn Nations Cup

It’s time to hand out my gongs for 2020| Shane Williams

Shane Williams also predicts what will happen in next year's Six Nations and the Lions tour of South Africa

Marcus Street is making big strides in quick time at Exeter Chiefs

Tighthead Street, 21, discusses his battle in the front row ranks at Sandy Park, with Tomas Francis and Harry Williams for...

Exclusive: George Barton aims to gain from mentor Cips’ Gloucester departure

Barton started the year with England U20s, and finished it with one of Gloucester's most memorable moments of 2020 in the...

Glenn Delaney desperate to keep hold of Scarlets stars

GLENN Delaney spent years trying to snatch players away from the Scarlets but is now fighting to keep hold of the...

Romain Ntamack likely to miss the start of the Six Nations

France fly-half Ntamack fractures his jaw in two places while in action for Toulouse in the Top 14

Wales lock Jake Ball to leave Scarlets and return to Australia

49-cap Ball to leave west Wales for family reasons at the end of the season

Points hit on Exeter Chiefs is far too harsh – change it! | Nick Cain

TRP's chief writer Nick Cain finds moments to treasure – and to question – from a difficult 2020

Dragons 12-13 Cardiff Blues: Josh Turnbull try completes Blues’ late comeback

James Candy reports from Rodney Parade on a Boxing Day defeat for Dean Ryan's Dragons

Murphy: First 20 minutes crucial if we are to end poor record at Sportsground

Ulster seek to go unbeaten after being dealt the news that Marcell Coetzee will be departing home to South Africa

Ospreys 14-16 Scarlets: Super sub O’Brien swings it to Scarlets

Roger Panting reports from Parc y Scarlets as the Scarlets come back to edge their Welsh rivals

Rob Baxter proud of Exeter’s response in win over Gloucester

Rob Baxter admits there were some 'hairy moments' in 14-man Exeter's win over Gloucester in the Premiership

Worcester Warriors rue their wasted chances against Saints

Alan Solomons offers his reaction to his side's four-try defeat away at Franklin's Gardens

Surgeons ‘can do no more’ for Wales star Gareth Anscombe

Peter Jackson reports on the fitness of Gareth Anscombe and his long-awaited comeback from a serious knee injury sustained in the...

Champion Chiefs sign off superb year with bonus win

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER EXETER Chiefs, understandably rusty in the first half after their recent Covid travails, signed off a momentous year...

Half-time rollicking did trick for Bears, says Yann Thomas

Bristol Bears prop Thomas reveals how Pat Lam inspired the team to victory with a second-half fightback against Harlequins

Furious Lam spurs his Bears into the mood

By GARY FITZGERALD Momentum: Dan Thomas scores Bristol’s first try despite the efforts of Marcus Smith PICTURES: Getty Images Doubling up:...

JEREMY GUSCOTT

OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK Mavericks like Danny must choose their battlegrounds Such promise: Danny Cipriani playing for England v Ireland...

DREAM TEAM

CALLUM PATTERSON, CORNISH PIRATES AND FORMER ULSTER, BALLYMENA AND NEWPORT SALOP CENTRE, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR...

Monye and Obano put World Rugby to shame

COLIN BOAG Vile sentiments: Pablo Matera was let off by Argentinian Union As a year that has been like no other...

Willings at helm for Durham glory days

FIRST may I thank Brendan Gallagher for the excellent series on the great schools. I write as a former pupil of...

RFU must stamp authority by ruling out ring-fencing

I AM saddened at the numerous TRP reports regarding the ‘ring-fencing’ of the top tier. Do the current executives of the...

Stop the clock until ball is back in play

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk I WOULD like to...

Sarries must wait until March to start

SARACENS’ England internationals will not play a competitive game before the Six Nations after the new Championship season was delayed until...

Getting tackling right will ease the injury threat says Edwards

SHAUN Edwards – rugby’s top defence coach – has warned the game could become even more dangerous if players don’t practise...

GB Sevens funded for Olympics

ENGLAND, Scotland and Wales will unite to field a combined GB Sevens team for the 2021 season ahead of the Olympics...

Ospreys set to pick over parts of striken Cheetahs

Probyn: Ban rush defences to reduce brain injuries ■ By STEFFAN THOMAS THE Ospreys are looking to take advantage of the...

JAMES HARRINGTON

FRENCH COLUMN My team of 2020…and nearly all are French! Try time: Cheslin Kolbe was in top form for Toulouse ■...

St Brendan’s became back row powerhouse

Brendan Gallagher continues his series looking at rugby’s great schools The name of St Brendan’s Bristol might not mean much to...

JEFF PROBYN

A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME Ban rush defences to reduce brain harm World Cup glory in 2003: Law of...

YOUNG GUNS

TOM CAIRNS EXETER SCRUM-HALF Faced with the veritable battalion of scrum-halves standing in his way at Exeter, you might expect 18-year-old...

First lady Mavis is pride of the Pirates

WHILE doffing their caps to Gillian Burns at Waterloo and Eileen Shepherd at Percy Park, Cornish Pirates are going in to...

Care’s not a former player yet, so Quins job comes first

QUINS boss Paul Gustard spent this week looking for answers after his side’s miserable non-performance against Racing last week. His side...

RUGBY MATTERS

A weekly look at the game’s other talking points Try these hidden joys of the Championship BRENDAN GALLAGHER What a cracker:...

Being mangled by Gats was good career move

MY LIFE IN RUGBY BERNARD JACKMAN THE FORMER IRELAND, SALE SHARKS, CONNACHT AND LEINSTER HOOKER Charge: Leinster’s Bernard Jackman is tackled...

Greats of game, never forgotten

Brendan Gallgher looks back over 2020 and chronicles the outstanding figures lost to rugby Trademark moustache: Mike Slemen with England Mercurial:...

Kyran’s relit the fire in me to become a professional

George Hardy says: THE height of my playing career came at university level with Swansea and my three years there in...

From amateur to pro: Kyran Bracken outlines 12-month challenge

Kyran Bracken explains the audacious plan to turn George Hardy, a player he unearthed while coaching at Wanstead RFC, into a...

Tragedy on the Andes became story of heroism

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

Follow The Rugby Paper online…

Keep in touch with The Rugby Paper wherever you are at home and abroad! It is now available as an online...

PETER JACKSON

THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Tipuric’s flourish lights up the year Top try: Justin Tipuric scores for Wales against England...

Tigers chase Taylor

LEICESTER Tigers are expected to open talks in the New Year with Wasps hooker Tommy Taylor. Taylor, 29, who won his...

Cockerill targets Quins centre Lang

SCOTLAND international James Lang, right, looks set to swap one capital city for another next season with a move from Harlequins...