Saints sign emerging duo Ollie Sleightholme and Connor Tupai to new deals

England U20 wing Sleightholme has been in prolific form for Northampton since making his debut in 2018

Argentina abandon 2027 Rugby World Cup bid, lend backing to Australia

The world will have to wait a little longer for the first Rugby World Cup in South America

Saracens ask highest earners to accept partial wage deferrals

Reigning Premiership champions take major measures towards maintaining their sustainability

London Irish building new dynasty around their Fantastic Four

Anthony Watson, Jonathan Joseph, Joe Cokanasiga, Delon Armitage all came through the Exiles pathway. Neale Harvey finds there's four newbies ready...

‘There are some academy players earning £8K’ – RPA’s Christian Day reveals Premiership ‘mess’

Retired lock, now working for the RPA, explains how player cuts are far more complex to impose than they appear

Jackson column: The hidden Wales aces making life tough for regions

Peter Jackson looks at the lack of playing time regions are getting from their Wales stars

Room 101: Bristol Bears second row Joe Batley

Batley, spent time on loan at Leicester this season, and picks three of his biggest pet hates

Williams column: Parkes will be missed but Owen Williams bigger loss

After his own experience in Japan, Shane Williams can understand why Hadleigh Parkes would move to Japan

Gatland’s plan for Lions to play at Twickenham ‘nonsense’, says Willie-John McBride

"I think it’s scandalous that the Premiership clubs in England are dictating the future of the sport" - Lions legend McBride

Worcester fly-half Jono Lance set to take the Tartan shilling

Billy Searle's pending arrival at Worcester leaves door open for Lance to make PRO14 move

Cain column: Thinking cap back on please, Laporte!

Bernard Laporte made some outlandish claim to ditch the Champions Cup without any evidence of its limitations

Dejected Otley go on the offensive after relegation by RFU

Otley are seething at their relegation from National League Two North under the RFU's formula

Premiership clubs keen to offer Australia aces way out

Recruitment hasn't been shut down for some Premiership clubs

The briefest argument for why the Championship is invaluable to English rugby

Nottingham chairman Alistair Bow explains how some Premiership clubs still want to keep links with the Championship - but others aren't...

Top 20 wasted rugby talents countdown: No 20-16

Brendan Gallagher ranks the players who could have achieved so much more in the game

Deal for Saracens’ Richard Wigglesworth to join Sale Sharks is off

Not making the switch north to Premiership rivals

Guscott column: I’m glad Eddie Jones has got the job… who else was there?

The World Cup is the only thing that has eluded Eddie Jones so far

Bill Beaumont outlines vision for World Rugby amid election challenge from Pichot

The former England captain is seeking another term as World Rugby chairman

Why cryptocurrency could be a gamechanger for the rugby world

Most rugby fans will have heard of cryptocurrencies by now. A cryptocurrency is a virtual digital currency that can be traded...

Options are drying up for Nick Abendanon who seeks homecoming from Clermont

After six years in France with Clermont, ex-Bath full-back Nick Abendanon had been planning on a return to England

Scottish Rugby furloughs hundreds of staff and asks players to take wage cut

Employees earning over £50,000 face reduction of wages

Young Guns: Northampton Saints winger Josh Gillespie

Dropped by Bath, Northampton came calling for the Australia-born wing

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...