Will South Africa be able to defend their World Cup title in 2023?

Last year’s Rugby World Cup defied all expectations, as Japan went above and beyond to ensure that it was one that...

My Life in Rugby: Former Scotland, Leicester, Edinburgh and London Irish back Greig Tonks

The versatile Scotland international lives in the comfort of having no regrets at retiring, aged 30

Action taken against Reds trio who refused pay cut

Wallabies lock Izack Rodda among three Queensland Reds players who are in dispute over salary cuts

Diamond starts the blame game

STEVE Diamond, who must have splashed out a fair few quid on the legion of South Africans in the Sale Sharks...

Not so smart versus the Boks were you Mitch?

IT IS undeniable that Eddie Jones deserves all the plaudits for the way England outplayed New Zealand in the World Cup...

So far so good, m’lud, but a big stain remains

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK “The same Premiership clubs that are talking about “playing by the same set...

Parity at the posts, finally

I’VE long believed that allowing an attacking team to score against the post protector gave an unfair advantage over the defending...

Travel ban in Europe?

NICK Cain may be right in saying that the Six Nations shouldn’t be responsible for SANZAAR and the Pacific Islands, nor...

Spot on, we owe SANZAAR nothing

I AGREE with the sentiment expressed in Nick Cain’s column. The Six Nations owe SANZAAR nothing. New Zealand, for example, should...

Stop whining Steve, All Blacks no saints

ONE instance in their history where New Zealand feel aggrieved and Steve Hansen feels hard done by and wants a public...

Nonsense to drop Sarries

THERE seems little point in Saracens playing in the Championship next season. It means that they will be unable to play...

Southern hemisphere can align with Europe

After seeing the picture of Walkerburn RFC’s new lawn mowers (TRP May 10) I’ve dug this picture out of Welford Road...

Not only Tigers who have slipped

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk AS A Bath supporter...

RFU cash to improve facilities will boost numbers

COMMUNITY clubs are necessarily at the forefront of the battle to try and maintain senior men’s playing numbers but need more...

All Blacks must decide to play Beauden at fly-half

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK Dilemma: Where does Beauden Barrett play? THE most recent news from New Zealand has...

DREAMTEAM

HADLEIGH PARKES, WALES, SCARLETS AND FORMER MANAWATU, AUCKLAND BLUES, KINGS AND HURRICANES CENTRE, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE’SPLAYED WITH OR AGAINST...

How many of the staff will be deemed key workers?

Views COLIN BOAG Problem area: Scrums will be the big stumbling block to play restarting When do you think rugby might...

No tries against the post

WORLD Rugby have changed the law so tries can no longer be scored by grounding the ball against the posts. The...

Beaten Pichot quits WR council

NEWS EXTRA AGUSTIN Pichot has resigned from his role on the World Rugby Council after his defeat by Sir Bill Beaumont...

Webb still has a huge part to play for Wales says Lualala

■By ROB COLE Driven: Ospreys signing Rhys Webb Coach: Casey Laulala CASEY Laulala has no doubts Rhys Webb will become a...

Multi-million pound takeover at Ospreys

ASIAN-BASED sports marketing group, Y11 Sports & Media, have bought a 75.1 per cent stake in the Ospreys. Ospreys chairman Rob...

Symons: Joe will grow Down Under

■By NEALE HARVEY Learning curve: Joe Marchant in action for Auckland Blues PICTURE: Getty Images JOE Marchant’s Super Rugby experience with...

Worcester confirm pack reinforcements

Return: Matt Kvesic WORCESTER Warriors have confirmed the deal to re-sign England forward Matt Kvesic from Exeter Chiefs, as revealed in...

Chiefs can really be big daddies this season

■By NEALE HARVEY Expectant father: Henry Slade PICTURE: Getty Images Rival: Jonathan Joseph HENRY Slade is expecting big changes at Sandy...

Welch set to take the reins for Albion’s Championship chase

■By NEALE HARVEY New chief: Damian Welch in action for Exeter DAMIAN Welch, former Exeter, Scarlets and Cardiff second row, is...

Don’t let the gifted little ones get away

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME Too small? Jeff Probyn won a record number of caps for an...

Playing for the Lions was special honour

MY LIFEIN RUGBY RORY UNDERWOOD THE FORMER ENGLAND, LIONS AND LEICESTER WINGER Roaring in: Rory Underwood scores for the Lions on...

Battered captain Brooks calls time at Drovers

■By ROB COLE LLANDOVERY captain Richard Brooks is leaving the club after nine seasons in the Welsh Premiership. No.8 Brooks, 31,...

Gray staying at the Stoop

Quins man: Joe Gray HOOKER Joe Gray has agreed a contract to remain at Harlequins once his loan deal from Saracens...

England duo undecided

SARACENS forwards Maro Itoje and Mako Vunipola are still yet to decide where they will be playing next season but England...

Max eyes triumphant end to horror season

■By NEALE HARVEY Ambitious: Bristolbound playmaker Max Malins PICTURE: Getty Images FRUSTRATED Saracens playmaker Max Malins hopes his impending move to...

Sad day as blind Fleury bails out the All Blacks

YOU don’t often hear a New Zealand crowd cheering loudly for the opposition so you know something pretty special must have...

Lions go on the attack to capture imagination

Try-a-match: Tony O’Reilly NOT only did this era (1954-59) include two of the greatest ever Lions tours - 1955 to South...

Evans’ policy turns erratic England into champions

Brendan Gallagher continues his expert and authorative look at the history of Rugby Union The History of rugby: PART 9 1953-1959...

Cruel for Richmond but game’s moved on

CATHERINE SPENCER FORMER ENGLAND WOMEN’S CAPTAIN Star signing: Katy Daley-McLean has become playercoach at Sale Sharks PICTURE: Getty Images For rugby...

Loyalty to Waterloo runs deep for Dick

MY CLUB WATERLOO WE SPEAK TO A NUMBER OF WELL-KNOWN RUGBY FIGURES ABOUT THE CLUB THEY CALL THEIR OWN, THIS WEEK...

YOUNG GUNS

TUI URU NORTHAMPTON No.8 Tui Uru’s name will not be on many lists of ‘England stars of the future’ right now...

Top quality coaching will be priceless

WILL CROKER FORMER BOURNEMOUTH COACH Rugby is going bust, slowly but surely. We have already seen the likes of Leeds approaching...

Unbeaten season champions Caldy

The Rugby Paper’s National 2 North correspondents pick a Team of the Season Key man: Rhys Hayes shone at full-back for...

RUGBY SHORTS

Tigers chop CEO Cohen SIMON Cohen’s eight-year stint as Leicester Tigers chief executive has come to an end, with chief operating...

Savea flies home – minus his reputation

AND SO another All Black leaves France, his bank balance all the healthier, his reputation all the poorer. On the all-...

Dibble and Joyce were stars that rugby lost

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Hero: Andy Dibble wears the 1988 Littlewoods Cup on his head after Luton...

Coltish O’Driscoll oozed class right from the start

Iconic Rugby Pictures: PART 9 Brian O’Driscoll makes his World Cup debut October 2 1999 Brendan Gallagher delves into some of...

Big challenge now is for our young lads to be consistent

Q&A CHRIS BOYD ON THE RECORD Standard bearer: Northampton lock Courtney Lawes PICTURES: Getty Images Enthusiast: Saints DoR Chris Boyd Saints...

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Life bans for salary cap cheats says Lord Myners

■By SAM JACKSON Report: Lord Myners SALARY cap breaches in future could see clubs being stripped of their titles and suspended...

Rugby Paper readers ahead of the game

Last week’s Blindside and The Telegraph’s claim to our ‘exclusive’ GLOUCESTER head coach Johan Ackermann is leaving to take charge of...

NEXT WEEK …Don’t miss

Brendan Gallagher’s Top 20: Drop-goals Lions contenders: Nick Cain picks his No.9 History of Rugby: The 60s - Jekyll and Hyde...

All Blacks saved by mystery of JPR ‘try’

WHAT constitutes a rugby scandal or controversy can be very random as I discovered the other week when I watched a...

Day the crowd turned out to CHEER the ref

Acclaim: Domercq GEORGES Domercq, who died this week aged 89, must be one of the few referees to be mobbed by...