Soper was All Blacks’ star prospect – better than Meads

ALISTAIR ‘Ack’ Soper died aged 83 in Invercargill this week, an uncapped All Black tourist (number 590) but probably not a...

Fine margins swung the series Lions way

BRENDAN GALLAGHER A weekly look at the game’s other talking points Imperious: Martin Johnson in the first Test against South Africa...

Gatland’s spoilt for choice for speed

2021 LIONS A YEAR TO GO NICK CAIN LOOKS AT THE CONTENDERS FOR EACH POSITION THIS WEEK… WINGS THE 2021 Lions...

LEWIS LUDLUM ON…

…The dedication of his dad, Arron My dad had never been involved in rugby at all, but after England won the...

I was called some bad names but it never held me back

Lewis Ludlum explains his attitude to racial abuse in this exclusive interview LEWIS Ludlum’s story is a beacon of hope as...

Gatland must find a Tartan talisman

WARREN Gatland is already thinking about next year’s Lions tour of South Africa, on which he will be confronted by a...

Saint-Andre will like ‘man with money’

MOHED Altrad, the moneybags of Montpellier, has been talking up the talents of Philippe-Saint Andre, the latest man charged with bringing...

Leo is the Rashford figurehead for rugby

When it comes to set texts for students of the game - the unredacted script of Pitbull’s Punch-Ups, for instance, or...

Clarke joins the cast in Dallas adventure

Alex Bywater talks to former Ospreys head coach Allen Clarke about his move to US Making a point: Ospreys then head...

Buchanan fights on to save future for Llanelli

NEWS EXTRA By ROB COLE A YEAR ago Anthony Buchanan launched an ‘SOS’ appeal to try to safeguard the future of...

Test cauldron was relaxation for undercover cop Crowley

Brendan Gallagher continues his enthralling series by looking at the best rugby-playing police officers 1. Dan Crowley (Queensland and Australia) A...

Chiefs have look of Euro champs

Europe crown awaits: Sam Simmonds scores Exeter’s fourth try against La Rochelle PICTURE: Getty Images NOW WE know the PRO14 will...

Kiwi crowds show they back their players

Igot to speak to Warren Gatland last week in the wake of rugby’s return in New Zealand. He was in great...

Goneva signs for swansong season in France

FORMER Premiership Player of the Year Niki Goneva is heading back to France after his contract with Harlequins runs out. The...

Itoje pledges his future to Saracens

Committed: Maro Itoje. Inset, Will Skelton MARO ITOJE is set to confirm he is staying with Premiership and European champions Saracens...

ON THE BLIND SIDE

BY NEILFISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler Marshall follows money train to Japan TOM Marshall is set to be the latest...

Tigers ace Veainu weighing his options

Exit? Telusa Veainu LEICESTER are braced to lose some players with Telusa Veainu set to lead the exodus. The New Zealandborn...

ROOM101

MATT BEESLEY THE WHARFEDALE PROP TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND 1. Training in snapbacks...

Wales face oblivion in new World Club Cup

By PETER JACKSON WALES will be without a single contender for the proposed World Club Cup unless all four regional teams...

Earl eyes up Prem crown

England flanker Ben Earl is gunning for Premiership glory on loan at Bristol from Saracens Full Story: P5 PICTURE: Getty Images...

Big guns snub call for rugby in summer

By PETER JACKSON Non! Paul Goze THE English and French clubs are refusing to sacrifice their traditional winter game on the...

Top 20 rugby anthems countdown: 5-1

Brendan Gallagher reaches No.1 in the countdown and tells the stories behind how the five on this list originated

Lions contenders RANKED – Jon Davies can still ruffle Bok feathers

Nick Cain pins Wales centre Jon Davies as the main man for the Lions No.13 shirt

Shaun Edwards interview – Coming to France has probably taken me out of the Lions job

In such little time, Shaun Edwards has helped France deal with the intensity of sporting cauldrons

Rugby Matters: Rugby has benefitted from ill-gotten gains

Colston College has been one of rugby's strongest schools in the country, but play under an infamous name

Jackson column: Keith Lyons, the bushfire hero who blazed a trail in rugby analytics

Lyons' influence and keen eye for breaking down rugby helped the likes of Alan Davies, Alec Evans and Kevin Bowring

Top 20 rugby anthems countdown: 10-6

The national anthems of Italy and Scotland appear next in the next phase of our countdown

Williams column: I shudder at the way Dan Carter destroyed the Lions ’05

Carter's return to New Zealand has cast Shane Williams back to the 2005 British & Irish Lions tour when the fly-half...

Heavy-hearted Ben Spencer on why Bath move meant cutting Sarries ties

Why the England scrum-half averted going on loan to pursue a permanent move away from Allianz Park

Hard as nails Des Seabrook was the scourge of All Blacks

Obituary: Brendan Gallagher writes on the life of Orrell, Lancashire and North rugby figure, Des Seabrook

PRO14 eyes August 22 restart with shortened season

Two rounds of the regular season will be held before 2019-20 season knockout stages take place

SA Rugby and Western Province face £8.5m lawsuit for unlawful conduct

SA Rugby deny they withheld Test match allocations from WPRU to the detriment of advertising agency, Aerios

Aaron Cruden in for the Chiefs as they host Blues

The All Blacks fly-half starts for the Chiefs in Hamilton for Round Two of Super Rugby Aotearoa

Dream Team: Departing Wales and Scarlets centre Hadleigh Parkes

The Japan-bound centre chooses a team loaded with Welsh and Kiwi talent

Cain column: 2023 Rugby World Cup draw can’t be held amid the chaos

Set to be held in November 2020, Nick Cain explains why it wouldn't be moral timing to hold the RWC2023 draw

Saracens’ Alex Lozowski aims to conquer England after Montpellier stint

The Premiership and Champions Cup winner talks to TRP after securing his future at Saracens but agreeing a loan to Montpellier

Where Chris Robshaw will be playing rugby in 2021

Robshaw announced in February he would be leaving Harlequins, sparking speculation of a move to the US

Tuilagi brothers agree Championship moves to London Scottish

The Tuilagi family's influence to English rugby grows further as Brian and Fred agree deals with Exiles

PRL have strung us along says RPA chief executive Damian Hopley

Players union CEO Hopley explains the different variables at play between the RPA and Premiership clubs

Probyn column: Fight the good fight but beware disaster in wage cut negotiations

Jeff Probyn believes young players shouldn't be impacted by the push to reduce wage bills

Cardiff Blues face £6m black hole in finances despite CVC investment

CVC's investment in PRO14 aside, the Welsh regions are still set to struggle gravely with lost finances

Wondering How to Advance Your BI Career? MCSA: BI Reporting and Exam Dumps for 70-778 Test Are the Way Out

Out of all the technologies that exist in the world currently, BI Reporting is among the most advanced solutions for businesses...

Sale Sharks become first Premiership club to make pay cuts permanent

Sale Sharks agree reductions in big step towards financial sustainability

Guscott column: Players must be given a voice over salary cuts

Jeremy Guscott asserts why comprising agreed contracts in line with an obvious need to reduce spending is never easy when you...

Top 20 rugby anthems countdown: 15-11

The passionate national anthem of Argnetina features on Brendan Gallagher's countdown

Sale’s Marland Yarde set to stay after Leicester move doesn’t materialise

The Sale Sharks winger had been approached by Leicester after Jonny May's departure in March

Q&A – Dan Leo: We won’t be silenced in our fight to weed out corruption

Pacific Rugby Players Welfare chief Dan Leo talks in-depth about Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and World Rugby's governance

Michael Fatialofa receives warm reception at Worcester’s training ground

Worcester Warriors lock makes first return to club training ground to continue recovery from spinal injury

Michael Cheika among the candidates for Gloucester head coach role

Gloucester are believed to have concluded interviews for their head coach role, with Michael Cheika in the frame

Moving the Six Nations will work for rugby – Conrad Smith

The former All Blacks centre is now playing a key role with the International Rugby Players' association