Leicester coaching restructure to take effect in July with arrival of Borthwick

Tigers confirm when Steve Borthwick will be joining the club as head coach

Agustin Pichot promises a new ‘global game’ with late bid to chair World Rugby

Ex-Argentina scrum-half and World Rugby vice-chairman to rival Bill Beaumont in election

Gap’s just too big, Warren

WARREN Gatland’s suggestion of a ‘decider’ between the Lions and the All Blacks before the tourists leave for South Africa is...

RFU relief amounts to not much

THE RFU have promised a package of £7m to help clubs during the lockdown, but there is precious little detail of...

Thinking cap back on please, Bernie!

ONE of Rugby Union’s greatest failings is that it often does not recognise the value of what it has until it...

Ring fence is long overdue

AS identified by Mark Evans, the effective ring fencing of the ‘top’ end of English rugby is overdue. The lie of...

Solution to scrum mess

JEREMY Guscott is right. The scrum at Test level is a disaster – and boring. The solution is simple. First, and...

Return to good old days crazy

JEREMY Guscott suggests that a return to the good old days when there were just two substitutes who could only be...

Do me a favour, Colin

COLIN Boag’s column (April 5) showing his utter contempt for, and dislike of, the Championship is going a bit far. He...

Loyalties will be divided

HELP! Born in Penzance in 1942, the family quickly moved to London settling in Trent Park, Cockfosters. When my brother brought...

Aussie League template is cause of all rugby ills

THERE was always the risk that when “Union” went professional, all those pre Covid-19 years ago, there would be an overwhelming...

‘The Bish’ deserved so much more

I THOROUGHLY enjoyed Brendan Gallagher’s piece about wasted talents, especially about David Bishop. I followed the All Whites during the 80s...

Sweeney’s balancing act will be true test of his powers

THE measure of a good CEO is not the size or wealth of the organisation he runs, but the quantity and...

I’m glad Eddie’s got the job…who else was there?

THERE were not too many alternatives open to the RFU when it came to reappointing Eddie Jones as England coach through...

DREAMTEAM

DAVE EWERS, THE EXETER AND ENGLAND SAXONS BACK ROW, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST... 1. Mako...

The modern game is better -and here’s why

COLIN BOAG With no live rugby to watch, the broadcasters have been replaying games from years ago. Sky showed the three...

Ring: Patchell can plug the Parkes gap in midfield

By ALEX BYWATER Physical fly-half: Rhys Patchell RHYS Patchell is tipped to be the man to get Wales’ backline moving, but...

Blackett gets the nod for top job at Wasps

WASPS have appointed interim boss Lee Blackett as their new head coach. The 37-year-old has been in charge since director of rugby...

Heinz: We’ve identified our kryptonites

AFTER what he describes as an “unbelievable nine months”, spring-heeled No.9 veteran Willi Heinz has no intention of surrendering his England...

Apprentice Alex ready to run with the big dogs

By NEALE HARVEY NORTHAMPTON scrumhalf Alex Mitchell is determined to make the most of his shock Six Nations call-up by continuing...

‘Second class citizen’ Luke makes U-turn to chase his Olympic dream

By ROB COLE LUKE Treharne is refusing to give up on his dream of finally becoming an Olympian despite the postponement...

Laporte’s world club idea is not for me says Nick

Concern: Nick Abendanon “But going back to the Premiership would be my ideal way to finish. “My in-laws live outside Bath,...

Kirsten commits to Chiefs

EXETER lock Jannes Kirsten has extended his contract with the club. The 26-year-old South African has scored three tries in 22...

Jones: Welsh backs need quicker service from No.9

By STEFFAN THOMAS FORMER Lions scrumhalf Robert Jones insists Wayne Pivac must be cut some slack and is confident the former...

Springboks hold the key to Georgian ambitions

By NEALE HARVEY Driven: Peter Drewett is leading the Lelos’ charge GEORGIA’S ground-breaking link with South Africa can pave the way...

Relegation doesn’t diminish the dizzy highs of a decade

Colin Boag continues his series on Super Fans, this week Saracens’ Jason ‘Large’ Harris Every club’s supporters experience highs and lows,...

Ben lifts lid on life as a professional journeyman

Jeremy Blackmore talks to Ben Mercer about rugby life just below the top level For some, professional sport is about glory,...

Extra-time needed to avoid Lions anti-climax – Brooke

By GARY FITZGERALD THE Lions and Springboks should get the chance to fight it out until there is an outright winner...

Spittle’s sprint earns him try of the season

NOTTINGHAM winger Jack Spittle has won the Greene King IPA Championship’s try of the season. Spittle, 24, scored five tries against...

Top gong for Toby

RICHMOND flanker Toby Saysell has been named the NCA National League 1 Player of the Season. The prolific back rower, 25,...

Ford takes charge of Knights backs after Carnegie fallout

By JON NEWCOMBE JOE Ford’s professional coaching career is set to be rejuvenated at Doncaster Knights, three months after his departure...

Teimana helps turn Saints into style icons

By NEALE HARVEY FASHIONISTA Teimana Harrison believes Northampton now have the style to challenge for another Premiership title after being transformed...

Western Front was ‘meeting mates on tour’

Brendan Gallagher describes how rugby played such a tragic part in the Battle of the Somme The Battle of the Somme...

Rugby’s finest rushed and died heroes with to the front VCs galore

Brendan Gallagher continues his expert and authorative look at the history of Rugby Union FOR three decades or more before 1914...

Now Eddie can make up for those RWC mistakes

Well I guess it was no surprise that Eddie Jones got his contract extension even if he and many others thought...

This old carthorse could run the 100m in 11.4 secs!

RICHARD Phillips’ letter last week described all front fives in the 90s as cart horses. Obviously, I suggest he takes another...

Great ride despite curse of relegation

MY LIFEIN RUGBY PHIL MacKENZIE THE FORMER CANADA, SALE, LONDON WELSH, ESHER AND COVENTRY UTILITY BACK THE start of my professional career...

YOUNG GUNS

TOMSTANTON GLOUCESTER CENTRE/FULLBACK Twelve months ago,Tom Stanton was preparing to put his fledgling professional career on hold. A ruptured ACL suffered...

Sophie steps up to help NHS in Scotland

NEWS EXTRA By GARY HEATLY SCOTLAND women’s cap Sophie Anderson has risen to every challenge she has faced on the sports...

Red card on debut wasn’t a great start to life in France!

Q&A BEN SMITH ON THE RECORD World Cupwinning New Zealand full-back Ben Smith talks to NEALE HARVEY about the highlights of...

Shining star Lewis still beams bright at 89

EVEN now, 70 years after he started blazing trails across the rugby world, Lewis Jones’ achievements still make the average meteor...

The hidden aces make life tough for regions

Long before social distancing became a way of life, a similar exercise had been foisted upon the four Welsh regions in...

Gibbs makes his mark and Lions take series

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

Irish building new dynasty around their Fab Four

NEALE HARVEY discovers how four of London Irish’s homegrown backline hitmen are taking the Premiership by storm – and boosting their...

Dejected Otley go on the offensive after relegation

By WARREN MUGGLETON OTLEY chairman of rugby Peter Clegg is livid that his side were relegated from National 2 North based...

Hurrell forced to call time after suspected stroke

BRISTOL Bears centre Will Hurrell has retired from rugby after suffering a probable stroke in January. The 30-year-old was withdrawn with...

NEXT WEEK …Don’t miss

Gallagher’s Top 20: Greatest Upsets Most talented coaches ‘lost’ to the game History of Rugby: Recovery after Great War ... Continue...

Dougie never got the credit he was due

SCOTLAND’S Dougie Morgan, who passed way this week aged 73, was one of those individuals who was underrated as a player...

Gatland’s All Blacks tiebreak plan is not so daft after all

WARREN Gatland loves to bowl us a googly from time to time and was having fun with the New Zealand media...

The past was a different country for rugby thrills

Classic: Philippe Bernat-Salles scores as France stun the All Blacks in 1999 I’ve watched a couple of cracking matches recently and...