All Blacks’ autumn veto will cost £20m

EXCLUSIVE By PETER JACKSON THE All Blacks are set to abandon their three-match British tour this autumn, a decision which will...

Q&A – Stuart Hooper: My mission to make Bath attack and be the envy of the Premiership

Bath director of rugby Stuart Hooper reflects on his first season in charge and how players like Gabriel Hamer-Webb are his...

TRP’s GK IPA Championship 2019-20 Team of the Season

The time has come for us to hand out some honours and honourable mentions to the stars of the Championship

Lions tour contenders RANKED – Courtney Lawes can win showdown with du Toit

Nick Cain explains why Lawes fits what Warren Gatland needs from his No.6

A short history of how the Rugby World Cup was created

Rugby is played on a global level nowadays. Although not as popular as football, it still has thousands of fans worldwide,...

Jonny Hill: I’m my worst critic, when I watch myself on TV I cringe

With a Premiership title and Champions Cup knockout stage to fight for, Exeter lock Hill is full of optimism

I knew this would be my last season at Newcastle and there’s comfort in that, says Italy-bound John Wells

The Falcons defence coach shares the conversation he had with Dean Richards

Rugby Matters: ’57 old farts’ and one nauseous reporter

Brendan Gallagher recalls when the RFU top brass went for the jugular at Will Carling's dig at humour

Saracens signing wants to opt out of five-year agreement with Premiership champions

Stormers lock Cobus Wiese now wishes to renege on his agreement with the Championship-bound club

Sam Parry stays on at Ospreys amid strong interest from Cardiff Blues

The hooker has committed to the Ospreys, who will have Toby Booth join them as head coach in the summer

Jackson column: Pandemic ends Brock James chance at fitting farewell

Synonymous with the Top 14, Peter Jackson finds how La Rochelle's Brock James is in esteemed company with other No.10s

Prospect of 100 caps won’t deter Courtney Lawes from interest abroad

The Northampton Saints lock talks to Neale Harvey about his where his focus lies beyond his Lions tour hopes

Cain column: Steve Hansen still sucking sour grapes over Lions

Reversal of penalty against Ken Owens in the third Test still rankles with the Kiwis three years on

Ex-Harlequins wing Charlie Walker opts for homecoming after stint with Zebre

Walker had been a target to replace Jonny May for Leicester Tigers

Guscott column: Bath need a 9-10 combination which gives them quick ball

Jeremy Guscott analyses how Bath can produce a style of rugby to take them to being regular play-off challengers in the...

Williams column: Enforced rest period will boost Wales team

The downtime in rugby will be welcome to players who toured with the Lions in 2017, with rest hard to come...

England prop Mako Vunipola let playing waiting game on Saracens future

The loosehead prop reflects on a 'bizarre' nine months in his life

Top 20 rugby shock wins and upsets

Brendan Gallagher recalls rugby’s biggest ever shocks, at club and internaitonal level, and ranks each for the magnitude of the upset....

Exclusive: Plan for rugby’s global calendar sees Six Nations run into May

Peter Jackson exclusively reports on how the club and international calendar could be about to shift its axis

Leinster’s Joe Tomane to head to Dragons in the summer

The Dragons continue to recruit some impressive players for their squad next season

RFU chief Bill Sweeney gives honest account of financial peril game faces

Sweeney spoke to the DCMS committee on Tuesday to discuss the shape of finances

Ten of Premiership Rugby’s 13 member clubs consider breakaway

BT Sport's deal with PRL is up next year and has hastened talk of a breakaway to allow club's outright control...

Canterbury and Adidas lose out to rival as England confirm new kit sponsor deal

England Men's team, Red Roses, Sevens and age grade teams will no longer wear Canterbury

All Blacks name flanker Sam Cane as new captain

Ian Foster has named his successor to Kieran Read as captain of New Zealand

Leicester Tigers go full rebuild to back three department, as 21 set to exit

Will Tigers bring in more firepower to add to Nemani Nadolo's arrival?

Room 101: Ampthill fly-half Louis Grimoldby

You better have your passport ready at airport security...

Dream Team: Bath and England lock Elliott Stooke

The Bath second row picks a XV based on the best players he has played alongside or faced as an opponent

My Club – Otley: Nigel Melville looks back on where it all started

Nigel Melville recalls watching Roses matches at Cross Green as a boy with his father

British & Irish Lions 2021 tour could be cancelled to preserve home unions finances, report claims

Lions 2021 tour to fall victim to backlogged Test calendar?

Ireland and Leinster wing Fergus McFadden to retire at season’s end

"They say the best time to leave a party is when you're still having fun" - McFadden

No decline in playing numbers? Prove it!

THE anecdotal evidence from community clubs across the length and breadth of England is that the numbers of male adult rugby...

Hansen’s still sucking on sour grapes over Lions

NICK CAIN ONE of the more rewarding rugby pastimes during these strange days is digging into the game’s history and finding...

Ludicrous to let Marler off

SURELY it is time for suspensions to cover a set number of matches rather weeks (as happens in several other sports)....

Stop all this pandering to Southern Hemisphere

I FOLLOWED with detached amusement as the election campaigns of Sir Bill Beaumont and Agustin Pichot fizzled out amid a tsunami...

Forgot Fran

ENJOYED last week’s edition however, in the quiz we were asked for two players who beat the All Blacks for four...

Solomons’ schedule makes sense

WORCESTER director of rugby Alan Solomons made a lot of really good points regarding a World Nations League. However I can...

Regionalise National 1 and reduce salary cap

Derby delight: Generate greater local interest with more local derbies such as Darlington v Blaydon PICTURE: Paul Fenwick WHAT a shame...

Clubs welcome support of the RFU

Planning: Peter Wheeler RFU President Peter Wheeler replies to last week’s Rugby Paper exclusive THE RFU Council are meeting virtually at...

WRU must regulate the game to benefit all clubs

WRU chairman Gareth Davies says he cannot fathom payment to players by community rugby clubs (CRC). This amounts to a tacit...

Bath need quick ball and a smart 9-10 combination

JEREMY GUSCOTT X-factor: Joe Cokanasiga has moments of individual brilliance for Bath PICTURE: Getty Images BATH fans will be pleased by...

French ban pushes Cup games back to September

THIS season’s European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup quarter-finals will not be played before September after the French government banned all...

Keep your conferences Geech, they don’t work

COLIN BOAG Controversial: Sir Ian McGeechan suggests splitting the Premiership into two conferences With time on their hands, every man and...

Bennett fears Lions tour may be sacrificed for home Tests

■By ROB COLE Icon: Phil Bennett stars for 1974 Lions LIONS legend Phil Bennett is worried the current fixture and financial...

Pivac calls for World Rugby to sort global season

■By ROB COLE WAYNE Pivac believes the current crisis has gifted World Rugby chiefs the perfect opportunity to finally solve the...

Scotland centre Scott switches back to Premiership

EDINBURGH centre Matt Scott will join Leicester at the end of the season. The 29-year-old, who has 39 Scotland caps, returned...

Wells exits Newcastle to take on Italian job

By JON NEWCOMBE New challenge: John Wells has left the Newcastle back room team PICTURE: Getty Images JOHN WELLS is looking...

Mako unsure if he’ll stick with Saracens

■By NEALE HARVEY Stand and deliver: Mako Vunipola in action for Saracens against Leicester PICTURES: Getty Images Staying: Billy Vunipola Still...

Louis inspired by Jordan’s fast climb to top of NBA

■By ROB COLE LOUIS Rees-Zammit has gone back to his rugby roots to ensure he emerges from lockdown as sharp as...

Jenkins earns deal at Dragons

WING Owen Jenkins has signed a long-term deal to stay at Dragons after an impressive first season. The 26-year-old joined the...

Exeter philosophy inspiring Arscott’s climb with Dings

■By NEALE HARVEY Driving on: Luke Arscott in action this season for Dings against Barnes PICTURE: John White DINGS Crusaders boss...