‘Undersized’ Tompkins beefs up for Wales duty

By ALEX BHYWATER NICK Tompkins is ready to tear into Scotland on Saturday after using lockdown to increase his bulk and...

Fearns: French sides lost the fitness battle

By NEALE HARVEY POWER allied to the ability to run French sides off their feet underpinned Exeter and Bristol’s domination of...

Truth-seeker Joe finds jungle solace

By DANIEL GALLAN Ego boost: Joe van Niekerk and Jonny Wilkinson lift the Heineken Cup in 2013 PICTURES: Getty Images RUGBY...

Humphreys relishing his crack on the Test stage

By JON NEWCOMBE HAVING recharged his batteries following his departure from Gloucester in June, David Humphreys is enjoying his first experience...

Sharks fear long wash out

DOVER Sharks head of rugby Martyn Beaumont fears the club could end up playing no competitive matches at all this season...

Kefu: Pacifika team would be catalyst for Cup success

By NEALE HARVEY Probyn: Exeter’s Euro victory rewards their Academy policy TONGA head coach Toutai Kefu believes a Pasifika team in...

Rennie demands more after Bledisloe thrashing

NEWS EXTRA DAVE Rennie blamed poor defence and sloppy ball retention for the Wallabies 27-7 defeat in last Sunday’s second Bledisloe...

Clubs pay heavy toll in missing players

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN After a long delay, international rugby in the northern hemisphere resumed this weekend – tremendous news for...

Bears fightback falls short

By GEORGE WEST Bristol Bears ….5 Loughboro’ L .12 LOUGHBOROUGH Lightning kept their 100 per cent record intact with a tight...

Cleall injury spoils Sarries party

By AMY FULGHAM Saracens ……..72 DMP Sharks ……0 DEBORAH Fleming scored two tries on her first start for Saracens in another...

West leads Wasps’ charge

By NATHAN ROCHE Worcester W ….7 Wasps ………….22 WASPSproved too hot to handle after eventually breaking down staunch Warriors defence to...

Women’s Premier 15s

Quins maintain perfect start Harlequins……33 Exeter Chiefs 14 By ADAM ELLIS HARLEQUINS secured their third successive bonus-point victory to continue their...

In-form Fraser’s a shoo-in at hooker for Wilson

By BRYN PALMER GLASGOW head coach Danny Wilson backs inform Fraser Brown to keep the Scotland hooker’s jersey for the Autumn...

‘Horse’ is hot to trot after injury-hit start at The Rec

By JON NEWCOMBE BATH signing Will Muir hopes to be able to demonstrate his thoroughbred status once the 2020/21 Premiership season...

Top 14 will speed my progress says Gaby

By NEIL FISSLER Watching: Eddie Jones GABY IBITOYE raised more than a few eyebrows in the summer when he signed a...

Exeter’s Euro win is so richly deserved

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME As much as I am thrilled at Exeter and Bristol’s European victories...

QEGS’ consistency up with the country’s finest

Brendan Gallagher continues his series looking at rugby’s great schools ALWAYS the bridesmaid, never the bride. Well except for one occasion....

New dad Corey inspired by family heritage

By ALEX BYWATER NEWS EXTRA COREY Domachowski is the form prop at Cardiff Blues, taking inspiration from his great grandfather’s remarkable...

Exeter’s steady climb shows there is hope for all of us

Q&A STEVE BODEN ON THE RECORD Former Leeds, Doncaster and Jersey hooker and recently appointed Doncaster head coach Steve Boden talks...

Muddle-headed England selectors missed so many

BRENDAN GALLAGHER RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points Entertainers: Bob Demming, left, and Ralph Knibbs OCTOBER...

I regret not fighting for future at Exeter

FORMER PONTYPRIDD, SCARLETS, EXETER AND CARDIFF BLUES FLANKER/LOCK AND CURRENT PLYMOUTH ALBION HEAD COACH DAMIAN WELCH MY LIFEIN RUGBY Safe hands:...

YOUNGGUNS

BRISTOL HOOKER GEORGEKLOSKA Basketball-mad George Kloska has revealed how Michael Jordan’s starring role in hit TV series The Last Dance helped...

Runners nobbled in Sexton’s race to glory

Favourite: Irish fy-half Johnny Sexton leads the poll for Player of the Decade PICTURE: Getty VOTING for World Rugby’s Player of...

All Black slayer Chico faces up to his demons

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Maesteg has long been renowned for its music and muscle, its male voice...

Gareth’s golden boot sets Exeter on their way

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

Amos keeps big picture in mind after Wales snub

■By ALEX BYWATER Getting up to speed: Hallam Amos HALLAM Amos wasn’t selected by Wales for their autumn campaign, but the...

Scarlets scrap for big away day win after Jones’ late red

■By ALEX BYWATER THIS was far from pretty from the Scarlets - in fact it was downright ugly - but the...

Ryan challenges fledglings to silence Coetzee

■By ROB COLE THE DRAGONS may not have Welsh internationals Ross Moriarty or Aaron Wainwright with which to try to blunt...

Reuben’s try rouses Ospreys recovery

■By ROGER PANTING STEPHEN Myler kicked 13 points to complete a remarkable turnaround and earn Ospreys only their second win in...

Sensational Sheehan steals show on debut

■ By JOHN FALLON IRELAND flanker Dan Leavy returned from a knee injury for his first action in 19 months but...

Cockerill banking on home comforts

Preview Edinburgh v Connacht Today, Kick-off 7.35pm EDINBURGH’S rocky start to the season will not be helped by 17 players being...

Subscriptions…

You can subscribe to The Rugby Paper. Just fill out the form below and send your cheque for £20, £40 or...

Richmond step in to help local kids

IN response to the government’s decision to not extend free meals for children during school holidays, Richmond Rugby will supply local...

Robshaw voices remorse

FORMER England captain Chris Robshaw is among the Barbarians players who have apologised for breaking Covid rules which resulted in the...

Don’t ring-fence,wewant more fairytales – Bracken

By GARY FITZGERALD Plea: Kyran Bracken KYRAN Bracken hopes football’s latest moves to set up a lucrative new European Super League...

Follow The Rugby Paper online…

Follow us at: @TheRugbyPaper like us at: therugbypaper Follow us at: @therugbypaper Keep in touch with The Rugby Paper wherever you...

TV times no fun in the night

TELEVISION rules the sporting world, but that world is a better place when big rugby games are played in daylight. Who...

Sorry Ben, life with the Lions is not what it was

BEN Calveley, the managing director of the British and Irish Lions, believes rugby’s greatest touring side is “going from strength to...

Mange tout! Del Boy should become a ref!

If the people at World Rugby, the non-governing governing body, want to make themselves useful for once - a change is...

Kurt cops four-year ban

LYDNEY flanker Kurt Brown has been banned from all sport for four years from until March 12, 2024. Brown, who captained...

Irish add Moldovan muscle

MOLDOVA international lock Andrei Mahu is to join London Irish from Russian side Krasny Yar Krasnoyarsk. Mahu, 29, will arrive for...

Fab four agree contracts

GLOUCESTER have re-signed four of their highly prized Academy graduates ahead of the new season. Back-row Jack Clement, 19, scrum-half Stephen...

I ended with a screwed-up body and a world of pain

NEALE HARVEY talks to former Chiefs front row Neil Clark about his post-rugby trauma Former Exeter hooker Neil Clark has shone...

Straying Baabaas prove they’re still amateurs

THERE is a line in the traditional Barbarians club drinking song that goes, “there’s a way we have in the Baabaas,...

England need tries – lots of them – to be champions but expect Eddie to play safe

Warning: Charles Ollivon breaks through the England defence to score France’s third try PICTURE: Getty Images ENGLAND have not been good...

Scotland is a must-win after Welsh mediocrity

WALES AND LIONS LEGEND SHANE WILLIAMS 99 not out: George North will bring his ton up against Scotland. Inset below, Louis...

Clubs fear hospitality screenings could be banned

CASH-strapped clubs could be set for another financial body blow if they are forced to cancel indoor screenings by the government....

Mayor hands chips to hungry kids

FORMER Sale Sharks, Northampton Saints and Wasps centre Chris Mayor, right, has thrown his weight behind a campaign to offer children...

Rapava-Ruskin is on the radar at Racing 92

Channel-hopper? Val Rapava-Ruskin is wanted in France GLOUCESTER loosehead Val Rapava-Ruskin could be set to swap the West Country for France...

Irish search for lineout guru

Talks: Declan Kidney LONDON IRISH are set to step up their search for a new lineout coach to join them in...