Saint Francois pushing for England honours

By NEALE HARVEY Feeling Test ready: Francois van Wyk RENAISSANCE prop Francois van Wyk has put Joe Marler, Mako Vunipola and...

Irish sign Wallaby Simmons

AUSTRALIA lock Rob Simmons will join London Irish when he completes the Super Rugby season with NSW Waratahs, as revealed in...

Mr Motivator Telfer scales the peaks of rugby rhetoric

Brendan Gallagher continues his enthralling series by looking at rugby’s ‘goosebump’ moments 1: Jim Telfer’s Everest speech (1997) Like many games...

Pay row must be sorted out quickly

WE ALWAYS seem to be lurching from one crisis to another in a Welsh drama. As a nation we never seem...

James is speaking language of success in Russia

I WAS delighted to see that James Down got his new career in Russia off to a flying start last week....

What a joy it will be to see Wales in action

So close to victory: Justin Tipuric goes past Henry Slade of England to score for Wales’ in the Six Nations’ 33-30...

Quins boost prop options

HARLEQUINS have signed Scotland U20 tight-head prop Mak Wilson. The 20-year-old moves to London from Scottish Super 6 side Southern Knights...

Chiefs decision labeled ‘tone deaf’

EXETER Chiefs have decided to retain their name and logo following calls from some fans to lose their Native American branding....

Boffelli could be a target for Bath

Versatile: Boffelli BATH are still looking to sign a fullback which could mean they are taking a look at Argentina international...

Irish want Puma Creevy to beef up front row

Experienced: Pumas veteran Agustin Creevy LONDON IRISH are set to add to their ever-expanding foreign legion ahead of the return to...

Abendanon rejects Prem to stay in France

FORMER England fullback Nick Abendanon has rejected the chance of moving back to the Premiership to stay in France next season....

Tigers still chasing new meat

BY NEILFISSLER Gone: Telusa Veainu LEICESTER TIGERS are still looking to improve their squad with the Premiership set to resume in...

ROOM101

PERRY-JOHN PARKER THE OLD ELTHAMIANS LOCK TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND 1. Ketchup serum...

Nightmare goes on for injured Asncombe

By PETER JACKSON GARETH Anscombe, already out of action for all 15 Wales matches over the last 12 months, is in...

Ring-fence inevitable says owner of Gloucs

By COLIN BOAG GLOUCESTER owner Martin St Quinton believes ring-fencing the Premiership is inevitable, describing the current situation of a team...

Jordan Crane stays in the Pat Lam fold to get to work with Bear cubs

It is said a champion should be able to go out on their own terms but sporting life doesn’t always work...

Scarlets can rule the club world, says Sean Fitzpatrick

The legendary All Blacks captain has joined the Scarlets board and wants to see the region's exposure expand overseas

For Andy Haden a winning end always justified the means

New Zealand mourns the loss of 41-cap All Black lock Andy Haden

Q&A – George Skivington: We’re very lucky to have Kingy and Dom Waldouck at Gloucester

In our extensive interview with the Gloucester head coach, he outlines the working relationship he will forge with the board and...

Hewett column: Heads out of the bunker chaps and point the way!

The sound of silence across the spectrum of rugby's powerbrokers is profound during this crisis, writes Chris Hewett

Jackson column: Tackling racism through the eyes of Wales’ first black player, Glen Webbe

Bridgend and Wales wing Webbe was one of the Rebels who toured Apartheid South Africa. He rejected a second invitation two...

Guscott column: These young coaches can make Gloucester special

Jeremy Guscott examines the youthful coaches at the helm of Gloucester

Rawlins: Instilling confidence in players, staff and fans

Over the last few weeks, the UK has seen lockdown restrictions start to ease. From the return to school for some...

London Irish close to wrapping up deal for 100-cap Wallaby

The Exiles are also poised to sign Tom Homer

Plans for conference-style system in the Championship leads to talks at RFU

Ed Griffiths is leading reform to the structure of the second tier with a 76-page document on how to revolutionise the...

Sale Sharks owner Simon Orange blasts government over crowd size limitations

As limited crowds watch England's cricket team play the West Indies, Orange blasts the UK government for its lop-sided guidelines

Plymouth Albion left stunned by RFU points deduction and £20K fine for administrative error

TRP has been given access to the letter written by Plymouth Albion owner Dave Venables to the RFU

Top 20 Rugby Captains: Part One

Legendary figures of the Six Nations Brian O'Driscoll, Alun Wyn Jones and Sergio Parisse miss out on the Top 10

New Scarlets signing Johnny Williams not focussed on being ‘the next Tompkins’

"Scarlets play a really good style of rugby that’s attractive to watch, and I think I can add some value to...

Easy riders at Newcastle

NICK EASTER working at Newcastle under Dean Richards? It can only be good news for the No.8s at Kingston Park, all...

Fitzy back at Stradey… will he be forgiven?

THE wind was so strong, you could see the stands swaying from side to side. The rain was so incessant, it...

Heads out of the bunker chaps and point the way!

Lady Godiva’s dress-down ride through Coventry; Sir Thomas Fairfax’s rout of the Royalist forces south of Bristol; the first stirrings of...

Brendan got me through lockdown!

Ken Howe Teddington RFC THANK heavens for Brendan Gallagher during the period of this horrendous lockdown. His dips into our past...

Ring-fence and I’ll give my cash to grassroots

William Bolger ANOTHERexcellent report from Neale Harvey - the Q&A with Gary Reynolds in TRP July 5 covered a wide range...

Claim of racism against Chiefs step too far

T G Turner FOLLOWING last week’s letter regarding Exeter Chiefs and their branding using the North American Indian - there will...

Easter is perfect pick to plug gaps at Falcons

Tim Fleming Proven: Falcons defence coach Nick Easter PICTURE: Getty Images DEAN Richards has done well to lure Nick Easter back...

Ban American imports

I AGREE with Chris Hewett’s plea (TRP, July 19) to do away with the inane and superfluous ‘entertainment’ surrounding matches (although...

Modern day referees owe big debt to pioneer Roger

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk ANOTHER enthralling article from...

Mistake to rope off top-flight from rugby ‘Heartland’

A NUMBER of items from last week’s Rugby Paper show the mess English rugby is in. It’s becoming a regular feature....

These young coaches can make Gloucester special

Strong inside centre: Dom Waldouck was a hit with Wasps and England Saxons PICTURE: Getty Images Gloucester showed they were willing...

DREAMTEAM

MICHAEL VAN VUUREN, EALING AND FORMER NORTHAMPTON, BATH, LEICESTER, KINGS, STADE FRANCAIS, CHEETAHS AND SOUTH AFRICA HOOKER, CHOOSES THE BEST XV...

At last a plan which may save the Championship

COLIN BOAG Broken dreams: Rotherham fell from Premiership into National League One There were signs during the week that one of...

All Black Bryn leaves ‘grind’ behind for life on vineyard

By JON NEWCOMBE Bowing out: Bryn Evans is leaving for New Zealand BRYN Evans has high hopes he will be toasting...

Turner-Hall back at Quins as an academy coach

JORDAN Turner-Hall is returning to Harlequins as an academy coach. The Premiership-winning centre retired from playing in 2015 and re-joins the...

Easter’s delight to be back with his old teammate Deano

By SAM JACKSON Experience: Nick Easter NICK EASTERwill be Newcastle Falcons’ defence coach following the club’s promotion back into the Premiership....

PRO14 returns with two derby weekends

THE PRO14 will return with two weeks of derbies on the last two weekends in August in Wales, Scotland, Ireland and...

Puma Socino signs for year in Championship

SARACENS have signed Argentina back Juan Pablo Socino for next season in the Championship. Socino, 32, who played in the Premiership...

Flannery will fire Gustard’s will to win

By JON NEWCOMBE Staying: Adam Jones HAVING completed the final piece of the jigsaw in his coaching team with the addition...

Stalemate on pay cuts ‘may kill off Welsh rugby’

By ALEX BYWATER First central contract: Sam Warburton WALES’ rugby players have been told the ongoing delay in reaching an agreement...

Sadnessover death of Clermont president

The death of Clermont president Eric de Cromières, aged 66, hascast a sombre shadow over French rugby.The former sales director of...