Sad to see Joe call time at Carnegie

SO Yorkshire Carnegie player-coach Joe Ford has signed off to concentrate on business activities away from rugby, a sad loss and...

Refs have to be free thinkers

REGARDING law change trials, while I understand why Colin Boag welcomes the removal of subjectivity by referees, I take issue over...

Can’t allow cheating of any kind

I WHOLEHEARTEDLY agree with Colin Boag about drugs in the game but I cannot agree with his overall view of cheating....

Six Nations will keep its slot says the boss

BENJAMIN Morel, the Six Nations chief executive, has insisted the tournament will keep its slot and that the autumn window is...

Delaney gets the nod over Peel for Scarlets job

By ALEX BYWATER Stepping up: Glenn Delaney GLENN Delaney is set to be appointed new head coach of the Scarlets as...

Kvesic back to Warriors?

WORCESTER Warriors are weighing up whether to enter the race to tempt former England flanker Matt Kvesic, right, back to Sixways...

Bath take a look at Hill

BATH are interested in signing Northampton Saints prop Paul Hill, right, when his contract runs out at the end of the...

Tigers heading the chase to land Ross

Attracting attention: Ross Moriarty. Matias Alemanno Leicester target: Jack Singleton LEICESTER TIGERS have emerged as favourites to tempt British Lions back...

Flament flies Wasps for Toulouse

WASPS are set to lose Thibaud Flament who went from being Loughborough University’s fifth team’s flyhalf to playing flanker in the...

Quins want Wilco to replace Sinckler

ON THE BLING SIDE Bok star: Wilco Louw HARLEQUINS are in advanced discussions to sign Stormers tight-head Wilco Louw as they...

ROOM 101

HOWARD PACKMAN THE DONCASTER KNIGHTS WING TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES 1. Leaving pots and pans to soak I’ve had...

Dance of death starts for RWC rankings

WORLD Rugby’s plans for a World League, designed mainly to add spice to the groundhog day summer Tests and the increasingly...

World changed the day Jonny flattened N’tamack in Paris

THE Stade de France has proved tough going for England with just four wins in 12 Championship encounters. It did, however,...

Small, strong, stroppy – Dupont is ideal France 9

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER A weekly look at the game’s other talking points Feisty: Scrum-half Antoine Dupont is exciting the French...

Early RWC draw risks French pool of death

IF World Rugby can make a mess of a World Cup draw, invariably they do. Their current plan is to hold...

Pressure can turn even the best refs into homers

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK EDDIE Jones has a habit of stirring the pot, and he did it...

Sevens speedsters return after Australian sojourn

By SAM JACKSON JASMINE Joyce and Hannah Jones return to the starting line-up for Wales having missed the fivematch autumn series...

Middleton’s determined to see England improve

By ADAM ELLIS Happy memories: Lydia Thompson scored a lastminute try as England beat France 17-15 in November PICTURE: Getty Images...

Aoife’s back to boost the Irish

MUNSTER wing Aoife Doyle makes her return to the Ireland side after a fouryear absence playing Sevens. With a World Cup...

Gallagher jumps ship to join Bok stars at Munster

NEWS EXTRA WORLD Cup winning pair Damian de Allende and RG Snyman will join Munster from the start of next season...

Crowley try double gets Irish title defence off to a flyer

By GEORGE LAWRENCE Try: Jack Crowley FLY-HALF Jack Crowley capped a man of the match performance with a stunning try double...

Capstick clinches triumph at the death

By GARY FITZGERALD Determined: Matthias Haddad battles on for France EXETER Chiefs flanker Richard Capstick snatched a dramatic win for England’s...

Garbisi on target to help Italy shock Wales lads at home

By SAM JACKSON Hard yards: Federico Mori on the attack for Italy Welsh-born: Varney PAOLO Garbisi kicked 12 points to help...

Furbank’s got a high tackle rate – and needs it in Paris!

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK Not the biggest: Northampton full-back George Furbank PICTURE: Getty Images THE aerial battle in...

I’m back with England because they deserve something says Marler

Quest: Joe Marler ENGLAND loose-head Joe Marler says he has prolonged his international career to help deliver the silverware his team-mates...

Fast, furious England must overcome the French power

Nick Cain considers the forward battle we can expect today at Stade de France Mobile: Toulouse hooker Julien Marchand Challenge: Mohamed...

A blunder like Hogg’s will drive the tartan army straight to the pub

BRENDAN GALLAGHER VERDICT Defiance: Nick Haining pushes off Garry Ringrose of Ireland As playing for Scotland has obviously turned Finn Russell...

We’ll put France in a box jibes Eddie

By SAM JACKSON EDDIE Jones has told his England team to put France under pressure like “they have never felt before”...

Tompkins thanks his gran after Test dream

By JAMES CANDY Hat-trick: Josh Adams FORMER England Saxon Nick Tompkins dedicated his dream debut try to the grandmother who made...

Italy lined up Franco Smith for months to replace O’Shea

Brendan Gallagher analyses how Italy are shaping up in the wake of the World Cup with a new head coach

Middleton: It’s great to have Harriet Millar-Mills back in camp

It's been a long time coming for the Wasps back row to be back in an England shirt for the Red...

What’s in Sunday’s Rugby Paper?

Here’s what’s in TRP #594… SIX NATIONS KICK-OFF: A big look ahead to England’s date with France in Paris WALES v ITALY:...

George Furbank to make England debut versus France

A couple of surprise moves in Eddie Jones' squad to play at the Stade de France

Rugby Matters: Can lieutenant Andy Farrell cut it as head honcho?

Brendan Gallagher on why Andy Farrell should be wary of the trap of being labelled a No.2

Bath ready to offer Saracens centre Alex Lozowski a new challenge

Neil Fissler reveals which clubs have marked Saracens players as targets

The two serious flaws in Eddie Jones’ masterplan to make England the best in the world

Nick Cain points out the two areas clearly holding back Eddie Jones from his endgame

Spencer column: France will relish early shot at Red Roses

Former England captain Catherine Spencer previews the Six Nations, with the Red Roses travelling to France this weekend

Taulupe Faletau and Rhys Webb are back for Wales

Head coach Wayne Pivac has also selected George North as emergency cover for Jonathan Davies

Gregor Townsend rings changes for Scotland in Six Nations opener

Scotland face Ireland in Dublin with ten changes made from the team that last to Japan at the World Cup

England U20s: Keeping cool heads is key for Richard Capstick

Capstick is the latest Exeter Chief to emerge as a senior figure for England U20s

Williams column: Old dog Dan Biggar can drive new Wales era forth

Chris Boyd has got Dan Biggar playing with no limits, writes Shane Williams

Clamour for Saracens’ free agents may start a slaughter, says Joe Simpson

The Gloucester scrum-half believes the market will impact players at other clubs when want-away Saracens stars become available

Cain column: PRL lynch mob make Saracens climb scaffold

Level playing field? The Premiership is about as level as the north face of the Eiger, writes Nick Cain

England stars set for biggest payout in rugby if they claim Six Nations Grand Slam

A big payday awaits England if they can go five from five in the Six Nations

Jackson column: No bumps in the road for Wayne Pivac in his first match

As Wales prepare to face Italy in the Six Nations, Peter Jackson looks at how Pivac's predecessors fared in their first...

Bracken: Eddie Jones is trying to buy himself a new contract

Kyren Bracken finds it hard to understand Eddie Jones' selections at scrum-half for the Six Nations

Ed Griffiths steps down at Saracens after just 26 days

Interim chief executive Ed Griffiths resigns days after news emerges he is being investigated by the ECB

Dream Team: Sale Sharks hooker Rob Webber

A blend of players from Webber's days at Wasps and Bath feature in his Dream Team

Andy Farrell names Ireland squad for Six Nations opener

No John Cooney in the Ireland starting line-up to face Scotland

Israel Folau finds new club in Catalan Dragons

Catalan Dragons wanted to give Folau 'a new opportunity to shine on the pitch'