Danny back at Saints and aiming for top honours

By NEALE HARVEY England hopeful: Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi TOP prop Danny Hobbs- Awoyemi returns to boyhood club Northampton with a spring in...

Itoje signs long-term deal with relegated Saracens

ENGLAND lock Maro Itoje has signed a new “longterm” contract at Saracens. The 25-year-old had been linked with loan moves to...

Booth wants Manu to bolster his pack options

By ALEX BYWATER NASI Manu has emerged as a No.8 target for Ospreys head coach Toby Booth. The six-cap Tongan international...

Garvey calls for reform to combat the ‘abyss’

By NEALE HARVEY GLOUCESTER lock Matt Garvey wants Premiership Rugby to review their transfer system in order to ease the pathway...

We all made mistakes at Tigers admits Ford

By JON NEWCOMBE Watch this, Warren: George Ford beats Lions fly-half Johnny Sexton to score for England against Ireland PICTURE: Getty...

English and Welsh clubs in chase for Bevan

By ALEX BYWATER WELSH regions Cardiff Blues and Scarlets are understood to be rivalling Harlequins and other leading English clubs for...

O’Connor seals win for Reds, Crusaders unbeaten

SUPER RUGBY By SAM JACKSON FLY-HALF James O’Connor kicked a late drop-goal to secure the Queensland Reds a 31-24 win over...

Beziers takeover hits the buffers

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN No deal: Agen remain keen to sign Harlequins wing Gabriel Ibitoye PICTURE: Getty Images It’s taken several...

Injury ended my shot at England…and All Blacks

MY LIFEIN RUGBY DAN BOWDEN THE FORMER HIGHLANDERS, BLUES, CRUSADERS, LONDON IRISH, LEICESTER AND BATH FLY-HALF Days to savour: Dan Bowden...

Do you speak French? Toulon want to sign you!

TRAILFINDERS Academy starlet Harrison Obatoyinbo will always be grateful to the club that gave him a second chance after sealing a...

I’m gunning for you, Mike, warns Aaron

By NEALE HARVEY HARLEQUINS fullback Aaron Morris aims to see off the challenge of Mike Brown and nail down the No.15...

Battered Jonny rises again to become a folk hero in Toulon

Captain marvel: Jonny Wilkinson raises the Heineken Cup ONE of the more heartwarming stories of this era was a golden Indian...

Mighty McCaw ducks All Black axe to secure a World Cup double triumph

Brendan Gallagher continues his expert and authoritative look at the history of Rugby Union Twin Titans: Richie McCaw and Dan Carter...

Twist facts how you like, Tests still reign supreme

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME Full house: Twickenham can hold 82,000 PICTURE: Getty Images AS THE old...

Pumas pair quit Jaguares for Premiership

TRANSFERWRAP NEWCASTLE have taken the first steps to build a Premiership squad with the addition of Argentina centre Matias Orlando on...

Cook braves heat for crossing great divide

By NEALE HARVEY Experienced head: Chris Cook has signed for Bristol after 11 years at Bath PICTURES: Getty Images Straight talker:...

YOUNGGUNS

AJCANT CORNISH PIRATES FULL-BACK/WING When Alexander James Cant - ‘AJ’ to his mates - suffered the pain of rejection by Exeter...

Whitgift produce sporting all-rounders of excellence

Brendan Gallagher continues his series looking at rugby’s great schools National recognition: Whitgift, with Elliot Daly third from right, celebrate their...

Rieder livid at collapse of Yorkshire Academy

By JON NEWCOMBE Outraged: Alex Rieder ALEX Rieder has branded the collapse of the Yorkshire-based academy as “an absolute joke”. Retired...

Gareth excited to join forces with Webb

By ALEX BYWATER Class act: Rhys Webb playing for Toulon PICTURES: Getty Images Fan: Gareth Anscombe RHYS Webb’s Ospreys half-back partnership...

Lockyer delays his retirement for love of Ponty

By ROB COLE ONE OF the biggest carrots dangling in front of Pontypridd centre Dafydd Lockyer when rugby resumes is trying...

Shirt-swap stars can carry on regardless

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Sharp finisher: Duhan van der Merwe PICTURE: Getty Images Switching allegiance since professionalism:...

Maverick talents that England failed to trust

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

Nothing in my contract says I’m coming back to Sarries

GEORGE KRUIS ON THE RECORD Highs and lows: George Kruis playing against South Africa in World Cup final PICTURES: Getty Images...

Boks set to head north after Super Rugby snub

By SAM JACKSON SOUTH Africa’s big rugby franchises will likely head north from next year after New Zealand revealed their vision...

Rugby in Hawaii? Book me in please Danno!

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER A weekly look at the game’s other talking points ONE of the major disappointments with American Rugby...

Exodus to Europe can save Pumas says Ayerza

By NEALE HARVEY Talent: Matías Orlando has joined Newcastle Rising star: Exeter signing Facundo Cordero in action against Canada PICTURE: Getty...

BOOM! Tuilagi gives lift-off

Glory days: Sale win the Premiership in 2006. Can Manu Tuilagi, main picture, help them to a repeat PICTURE: Getty Images...

Has Ted got Dally touch?

SO Ted Hill is the new captain of fragile Worcester, at the swaddling-clothes age of 21. History tells us this may...

Pumas are set to roam in Europe again

THESE are fraught times for the aviation industry, unless you happen to be running flights out of Buenos Aires Matias Alemanno’s...

Cap count is only part of World Cup success

CHRIS HEWETT GUEST COLUMNIST England selection can be so spellbindingly bad when it comes to World Cups, it almost qualifies as...

Lake still in shock at surreal Six Nations call-up

By ALEX BYWATER DEWI Lake still can’t believe his Wales Six Nations call, but the 21-yearold plans to use his brief...

Johnny focused on starting at Scarlets

By JON NEWCOMBE Up for challenge: Johnny Williams in action for Newcastle against Wasps PICTURE: Getty Images JOHNNY Williams insists he...

Whistle-stop tour sets up tyro prop Carre for big future

By ROB COLE RHYS Carre met his former Saracens team-mate Vincent Koch for the first time in the heat of a...

Reffing comes so naturally to Nigel, it’s like driving a car

Brendan Gallagher continues his enthralling series by looking at the best rugby referees 1. Nigel Owens (Wales) Owens was poised on...

Clubs like Amman so vital to the local fans

THE countdown is on in the Williams household to August 1, when local rugby clubs can get back to training in...

Farrell’s signature is good news for Lions

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND Ice-cool: Owen Farrell kicks the ball past Matt Todd, left, and Codie Taylor during the...

ON THE BLINDSIDE

BY NEILFISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler GLOUCESTER are still looking to add another coach to George Skivington’s new-look coaching team...

ROOM 101

MARK TAMPIN THE NEWCASTLEPROP TAKES USTHROUGH HIS PETHATES FROM THERUGBY WORLD ANDBEYOND 1. People The guys at Newcastle will tell you...

Lead fight against racism, WRU told

By PETER JACKSON THE Welsh Rugby Union are being urged to spearhead a global movement within the sport under the banner...

Leicester eye Moroni

Jaguares centre Matias Moroni is in advanced talks to be the next Puma to join the Premiership PICTURE: Getty Images Full...

Clubs plan massive Tier Two shake-up

By NEALE HARVEY REVOLUTIONARY plans for a new Championship league are set to be discussed. Clubs in Tier Two have spent...

Preston Grasshoppers head of rugby Gareth Dyer proposes blanket salary cap for National Leagues

Gareth Dyer lays out the options available to National League clubs and why an even salary cap is suitable all round

Ollie Devoto the new Will Greenwood? There is still time to find out

The Exeter Chiefs centre's blighted England career doesn't have to be remembered as such, writes Nick Cain

Ospreys sign Stephen Myler to back-up Anscombe

Ospreys head coach Toby Booth lures Stephen Myler to PRO14 switch

Judge me by my skill not my ethnicity, says Ashley Johnson

Johnson is now pursuing his coaching ambitions at Moseley and wants no prejudice in rugby

Saracens lock in Maro Itoje with new long-term contract

"The culture at Saracens is second to none and I think that’s evident for everyone to see" - Itoje sticks by...

Playing regularly for England remains my lifelong goal, says Piers Francis

The inside centre missed out on appearing in the Six Nations with a head injury

Q&A – Jonny Gray: Exeter were after me two years ago but now felt like the right time

Jonny Gray on how Rob Baxter persuaded him join Exeter and why Scotland's World Cup exit remains a wrong he wants...

All Black Jerome Kaino joins war against corruption in Pacific

Kaino has joined Dan Leo's fight to advocate for greater transparency in the governance of Pacific Island rugby