Nottingham sign fly-half following exit of Shane O’Leary to Rouen

Former Birmingham Moseley fly-half Sam Hollingsworth has joined the Green and Whites from Rotherham

Exeter Chiefs chairman Tony Rowe reveals how the profit-making club is struggling

TV rights income, CVC investment, and central funding all aren't enough to save clubs, says Rowe

Dream Team: Northampton Saints and former All Blacks prop Owen Franks

Franks holds 108 caps for the All Blacks and pick legendary centres Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith for his midfield

Young Guns: Scarlets hooker Morgan MacRae

Teenage forward Morgan MacRae starred in the Welsh Exiles programme before joining the Scarlets

Room 101: Old Elthamians lock Perry-John Parker

The former Edinburgh and Ospreys second row picks three of his biggest pet peeves

Faz in a tizz didn’t help his World Cup cause

OWEN Farrell’s captaincy of England has come under scrutiny from his South African counterpart, Siya Kolisi, with the world champion Springbok...

Workload too heavy? Get players to lose bulk

NICK CAIN SUPER Rugby Aetearoa has been a high quality, high intensity tournament – which is exactly what the doctor ordered...

Expand Premiership to 14 teams

ON the discussion of ringfencing the Premiership I would prefer to keep relegation but, for one season only, have no relegation...

Use this dire situation to better our great game

TWELVE months ago we were poised to enjoy a groundbreaking World Cup being played in Japan away from the home of...

Community game is sadly bottom of list

THIS week we saw the excruciating decision by the game to make every community rugby coach and regional development officer redundant....

Rugby used to be for all sizes

THEgame has changed… if I had a pound for every time I’ve heard that, rich I might be. But has the...

Hodge’s little and large act ready for big stage

NEWS EXTRA By GARY HEATLY EDINBURGH’S star wingers Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe are on a mission to return...

I’m thrilled rugby’s back – but I want it fast and open

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK NOTHING will ever quell my excitement at good rugby played at pace by smart,...

DREAMTEAM

BARNEY MADDISON, THE EALING AND FORMER TYNEDALE, ROTHERHAM, LONDON WELSH AND LONDON IRISH LOCK, CHOOSES HIS BEST XV PLAYED WITH OR...

Prem’s here, so we’ll see some good refs again

COLIN BOAG All being well we’ll get some Premiership rugby next Friday evening, when Harlequins welcome Sale to the Stoop. I...

I want kids to view me as a role model says Roberts

By ALEX BYWATER In Wales: Jamie Roberts has joined the Dragons JAMIE Roberts returned to Welsh rugby for the first time...

Senior Dragons reluctant to agree pay-cuts

THE DRAGONS are set to make a proposal to their players over permanent pay cuts this week. All four Welsh regions...

Du Plessis set to team up with old boss Rennie again

By JON NEWCOMBE PETRUS du PLESSIS is set to become part of Dave Rennie’s revamped coaching setup with Australia. The Rugby...

Vesty can help Fraser maintain England bid

By NEALE HARVEY CENTRE Fraser Dingwall credits the impact of Northampton’s highly-rated backs coach Sam Vesty for taking him to the...

I’ve got to win back my England place says Billy

By NEALE HARVEY Last outing: Billy Vunipola is tackled by Steven Kitshoff in the World Cup final PICTURES: Getty Images BILLYVunipola...

Rampant Rebels burst the Brumbies bubble

SUPER RUGBY MELBOURNE Rebels snapped the Brumbies’ unbeaten streak in Super Rugby AU with a first-half blitz setting up a 30-12...

Jokers at the ready to cover Test calls

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Free agent: Former France centre Maxime Mermoz is without a club PICTURE: Getty Images Forget a week...

Ampleforth got Dallaglio tuned up for greatness

Brendan Gallagher continues his series looking at rugby’s great schools Top talent: John Macaulay playing for Quins soon after inspiring Ampleforth’s...

McCall: You don’t run away at first sign of trouble

MARK McCall is determined to forge a glorious new future for Saracens after refusing to quit after their salary cap disgrace....

Homer set for PRO14

By ALEX BYWATER SCARLETS are set to sign Jersey scrum-half Will Homer. New head coach Glenn Delaney has Gareth Davies, Kieran...

RFU to cut 100 jobs

THE RFU are to cut more than 100 jobs related to the community game as part of an urgent ‘remodelling’ of...

Grove goes long way

ALEX Grove completed the Channel swim on Thursday from Dover to Cape Griz Nez in 13 hours 57 minutes. Former Scotland...

Attwood: Radradra’s the best I’ve seen

By NEALE HARVEY SEMI Radradra’s array of wondrous talents has galvanised Bristol’s squad into believing a first Premiership title can be...

I nearly quit after missing the cut with Orrell Colts

MY LIFEIN RUGBY GERRY AINSCOUGH THE FORMER ORRELL, LEICESTER AND ENGLAND B FLY-HALF Letting loose: Gerry Ainscough in action for Orrell...

Diego bent it like Beckham and almost never missed

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

So frustrating sport still has handbrake on stopping fans

Q&A ROB BAXTER ON THE RECORD As Premiership leaders Exeter prepare to resume their campaign against Leicester this Saturday, director of...

Stop timewasting and the scrum is a thing of beauty

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME Under pressure: David Pocock assesses the Aussie scrum during the RWC quarter-final...

Ritchie raring to add his roar to Lions debate

WATCHING some of Scotland’s recent games back during lockdown reminded Jamie Ritchie just how far he has come in the last...

Booth: Wyn Jones is starting all over again

By ALEX BYWATER High energy: Alun Wyn Jones PICTURES: Getty Images New start: Toby Booth ALUN Wyn Jones is only just...

Williams picks successor at Blues

By ROB COLE Skilful: Seb Davies Good things: Sam Moore JUST as his fellow Kiwi Xavier Rush did before him, Nick...

YOUNG GUNS

JACK ROWNTREE LEICESTER TIGHTHEAD Jack Rowntree does not have far to look for advice. In fact, given his dad is the...

Brendan Gallagher’s Premiership restart preview

BATH Director of rugby: Stuart Hooper Captain: Charlie Ewels Stadium: The Recreation Ground Current position: 6th Form guide last 5 games:...

Sale can time their run and nick title off Exeter

Brendan Gallagher looks ahead to next weekend’s restart of the Premiership Last hurrah: Bristol beat Harlequins on March 8, the final...

The invisible stars are letting down PRO14

The PRO14 can boast a dual headline act beyond compare, a pair of players born 35 years ago on opposite sides...

Nick calls it a day after six clubs

Success: Nick Williams celebrates after retaining the Ranfurly Shield for North Harbour in 2007 PICTURE: Getty Images ONE of his brothers,...

Blues go quiet on Roberts’ Dragons move

JAMIE Roberts talking to The Rugby Paper in late March: “I told myself as soon as I left Cardiff that I’d...

Haden knew how to make rugby pay

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW THERE was far more to Andy Haden than his theatrics at Cardiff Arms...

Rowe: Prem clubs will not survive without fans

By NEALE HARVEY EXETER chairman Tony Rowe fears Premiership clubs may go bust by Christmas unless crowds return and income levels...

Levula will be honoured in Fiji on Aug 9

Pace to burn: Josefa Levula FIJI famously declared a national holiday when they won the Olympic Sevens but the date that...

BAFTA got it right – ITV were spot on

On camera: Owen Farrell tries to grab try-scorer Cheslin Kolbe in the final PICTURE: Getty Images ONE of the marvels of...

WINTERBOTTOM RATES HIS RIVALS AT NO.8

THE best No.8s Peter Winterbottom played with, and against, reads like a Who’s Who of one of the most influential positions...

Why won’t Eddie pick Dombrandt? It’s a mystery to icon Winters

One of the best: Peter Winterbottom playing for the Lions ALEX Dombrandt is in a Catch-22 as the restart begins. Eddie...

Test match golden goose may stop laying her eggs

Louis Luyt may have been his own worst enemy, but it was a close-run thing. There were plenty of contenders for...

Deadpan Rod’s surely having a laugh this time

ROD KAFER never seemed the most joyous of sorts during his coaching stint in England. Back in the 2000s, when the...

Saracens still look too good for the rest

CHRIS HEWETT SARACENS are losing a dozen full internationals as a direct result of their demotion to the second tier, some...