This result means everything to the players, says Lake

AFTER ending their three-year, 15-game losing streak in the Six Nations, Wales captain Dewi Lake said: “The win means everything to...

Wales U20s vs Italy U20s: The Welsh aiming to hit par in Six Nations finale

Wales U20s head coach Richard Whiffin says his side must beat Italy today to deliver what he believes would represent a...

Ireland U20s vs Scotland U20s: The Irish eye up a Triple Crown feat in Six Nations

Ireland U20s will look to secure a fourth straight victory and complete a Triple Crown when they host Scotland at Virgin...

France U20s v England U20s: Connor Treacey buzzing for French Six Nations finale

England U20s captain Connor Treacey insists his side are relishing the chance to test themselves against Grand Slam-chasing France with a...

Fast Eddie & Co love tales of the unexpected

THERE are times you cannot help but conclude that some pro coaches have got so much time on their hands they...

Nick Cain: England lead way in self-inflicted wounds

The fog of disinformation surrounding England since their landmark loss to Italy in Rome last weekend reflected a group unwilling to...

I still see a clueless rabble

IN November 2024, The Rugby Paper published a letter from me titled “England look like a clueless rabble.” After what is...

We need to select a ball-carrying 12

THERE has been a lot of criticism of Borthwick’s selections lately, however I want to comment on the backs. I might...

RFU must tell us what it plans to do

DEFEAT by Italy means that another Six Nations passes by with England grossly under-achieving. The worst aspect is that large parts...

This is why I fear for England’s weak underbelly

THE build-up to this Six Nations and how it as unravelled seems reminiscent of the 2015 RWC and, like the group...

Borthwick simply can’t stay in charge

I DON’T enjoy watching England losing any match, but if a first-ever defeat to Italy hastens the end of Steve Borthwick’s...

DREAMTEAM

HARRY SIMMONS, FORMER LEICESTER TIGERS, LOUGHBOROUGH STUDENTS AND JERSEY REDS SCRUM-HALF/WING, WHO NOW COACHES AT TIGERS ACADEMY AND LEICESTER LIONS, CHOOSES...

Chris Hewett: Another one right in the eye for TMOs

It does not take an unusually sardonic soul, let alone a satirist measuring 9.5 on the Evelyn Waugh Scale of Savagery,...

The game will truly miss this rugby man

BRISTOL is a rugby town as much as it is a football one: it has a well-financed Premiership team at the...

Leicester Tigers vs Exeter Chiefs: Rob Baxter’s plotting to bring down one of his old pals

Exeter Chiefs’ director of rugby Rob Baxter will be plotting today against one of his former players in the Prem Cup...

Leicester Tigers vs Exeter Chiefs: Billy Searle is shining as Geoff Parling’s side eye cup glory

Geoff Parling has told his Leicester Tigers players to take advantage of the rare chance to win a trophy when they...

Augustus steers Ulster home

Edinburgh .......19 Ulster ...............40 ■By BEN JAYCOCK ULSTER produced a stunning second-half display to boost their play-off push at Hive Stadium....

Stormers climb up to second

Bulls .................19 Ulster ...............40 Stormers .........32STORMERS reignited their campaign by ending the Bulls four-match winning streak and climbing to second in...

Nathan Earle: Harlequins didn’t plan ahead

Former Harlequins wing Nathan Earle believes his old club are paying the price for failing to put foundations in place after...

Jansen leads way to down Scarlets

■By SIMON THOMAS Connacht ..........31pts Scarlets ............14pts Tries: Jansen 16, 38; Aungier 46, Barrett 57, De Buitlear 69 Conversions: Naughton 17,...

Katie Childs finds her feet as Sale Sharks start to get it right

Sale Sharks centre-turned back row Katie Childs feels growing belief within her squad has been the key ingredient in their rise...

Sale demolish tame Tigers

■By MATT BROWN Leicester T ......... 3pts Penalty: Feury 9 Sale Sharks .....62pts Tries: Wright 19, Riconi 26, Perrin 39, Hogan-Rochester...

Cliodhna leads Chief rampage

■By BLUEBELL NICHOLLS Exeter Chiefs . 47pts Tries: Cloidna Maloney-MacDonald 4, 19, 39; Rule 45, Claudia Maloney-MacDonald 58, Allen 64, 70...

Race to the top heating up

PREVIEW... Saracens v Gloucester-Hartpury Today. Kick-off 12.30pm, StoneX NEARLY a year on from Gloucester-Hartpury’s PWR final triumph over Saracens, the sides...

Hat-trick for Westcombe-Evans

■By JOSHUA GREEN Loughborough43pts Tries: Maude 21, Hibbert-Jones 32, Westcombe-Evans 35, 40, 68; Belisle 44, Morrall 77 Conversions: Rowland 33, 37,...

Peter Jackson: Blackheath still have a dream of higher things

The oldest football club in Wales and the oldest rugby club in England share a common goal. Wrexham AFC (1864) and...

When four tries by the Lions were kicked off the park

NEVEN MacEwan, left, played in the Test match which did more than any other to ridicule rugby as a running game,...

Paul Rees: It’s time to get back to what we are good at

Paul Rees looks ahead to the resumption of the Premiership next weekend and says it can’t come fast enough.

James is to leave Saints for Saracens

NEWS EXTRA SARACENS have signed Northampton scrum-half Tom James ahead of next season. The 32-year-old has spent his entire career so...

My Life in Rugby: Cai Griffiths – Downing Australia was just incredible

London Welsh director of rugby and former Neath, Ospreys, London Irish and London Welsh tight-head, Cai Griffiths, reflects on his life...

Newcastle keep Wade

CHRISTIAN Wade has signed on for another season at Newcastle. The 34-year-old winger is the second leading try scorer in the...

Brendan Gallagher: Explore… Dream… Discover. That’s Italy

It was a curious, slightly unsettling experience in the final quarter at Rome last week watching Italy – who, frankly, hadn’t...

Brendan Gallagher: The Romanian who stood tall for his country

You bump into some huge human beings on the rugby circuit, but I’ve encountered few bigger than Romanian lock Constantin Cojocariu,...

Lions get tamed as Stortford maintain fine form

■By JEAN BULL Leicester L ......35 Bishop’s S ........59 AN ENTERTAINING game, in which the lead changed hands ten times, was...

Dogs display their mettle with late try

■By GARETH WITHERS Tonbridge J ...........33 Sale FC..................... 41 A GLORIOUS day at the Slade allowed for a fantastic game of...

Crusaders on top after Tykes thriller

■By LILEE O’CALLAGHAN Dings Crusaders ..62 Leeds Tykes .......... 31 DINGS Crusaders and Leeds Tykes played out a high-scoring contest, with...

Title chase is as Club down hotting up the Titans

■By GRAHAM COX Blackheath ......22pts Tries: Sloot 2, Harding 7, 65; Hughes 54 Conversion: Morley 2 Rotherham T ...15pts Tries: Hayes...

Tigers claw onto bonus point as hosts triumph

■By JON MEADOWS B Moseley ..............22 Sedgley Park ........20 SEDGLEY survived a frantic ending to hold onto a bonus point and...

Albion run riot as showdown looms

■By PADDY MARSH Plymouth Albion ..60 Rams ........................26 PLYMOUTH Albion moved to within one point of Rotherham at the top with...

Marfo’s milestone day capped by win

■By CHARLIE WHITE Rosslyn Park .........43 Clifton ......................40 ROSSLYN Park secured a thrilling victory over Clifton to stay within reach of...

Digby balances teaching dream with Park’s bid for the top three

■By CHRIS COLLYER ROSSLYN Park back-row forward Jack Digby says National One is reminiscent of his time in the Australian club...

Ollie at double to lead Dale to win in a thriller

By SIMON RAVENS Wharfedale.... 43 Hull..................... 31 Wharfedale dominated the early exchanges, with prop Jake Armstrong going over after 13 minutes....

DMP left stunned by Fylde try blitz

■By IAN MORRIS Darlington MP.......38 Fylde.........................52 FYLDE went one better than the draw in the first meeting with a handsome win...

Hoppers’ hopes of safety boosted

Otley...........................11 Preston G.................29 ■By NICK DOYLE PRESTON Grasshoppers took a big leap towards avoiding relegation with a bonus point win against...

Hooker Haigh is hero with hat-trick

■By BRIAN TILLEY Tynedale...........36pts Macclesfield....14pts AN excellent performance in gusty conditions saw Tynedale outgun Macclesfield to put themselves in the driving...

Quick start enough to give Dale a winning edge

■By AVUYILE SAWULA Rossendale............ 29 Billingham..............24 A STRONG first-half performance saw Rossendale clinch victory against Billingham in Rawtenstall. The home side...

Hooper’s treble leads try-fest win

■By RORY MORROW Scunthorpe ............ 31 Sheffield .................55 SHEFFIELD overcame Scunthorpe in a try-fest with Christian Hooper helping himself to a...

Smith sinks Tigers right at the death

■By ANDREW SMITH Sheffield Tigers ...23 Hull Ionians ...........24 A LAST-GASP Ben Smith penalty gave Hull Ionians the narrowest of victories...

It’s 400 up – no ordinary Joe keeps it in the family

■By BEN JAYCOCK 400 not out: Brothers Pete and Joe Evans BILLINGHAM No.8 Joe Evans feels reaching 400 appearances for the...

Students succeed but Marks drops in a hard test

nBy FYNLEE HATELEY L’ghboro S....... 54 Barnstaple.......40 LOUGHBOROUGH won to earn a much-needed win, despite an Arthur Marks-inspired effort from Barnstaple....