Faiva try punishes Violi’s inaccuracy

By ADAM ELLIS BENETTON remain top dogs in Italy after edging out Zebre in horrid conditions. Hooker Hame Faiva delivered the...

Tyro Casey drives Munster to victory

By JOHN FALLON CAPTAIN CJ Stander praised 20-year old No.9 Craig Casey, starting his first game for Munster, for steering them...

Blues ride luck after triple yellow

By ALEX BYWATER Decisive: Jarrod Evans scores for Blues PICTURE: Huw Evans CARDIFF Blues sealed a first league win at the...

Ulster’s late surge leaves Cullen sullen

By JOHN FALLON IT’S a measure of how far Leinster have progressed that even when a secondstring side runs in eight...

Skilful Sam gets drop on Scarlets at death

Threat: Will Talbot of Dragons nears the line PICTURE: Huw Evans A LAST-minute Sam Davies drop-goal snatched victory for the Dragons...

Glasgow triumph in game of cards

GLASGOWWarriors put in a big defensive shift to defeat old rivals Edinburgh Rugby in a match that saw five yellow cards....

Laidlaw set to stay in France

Switch: Laidlaw GREIG LAIDLAW called time on his Scotland career last week but it would appear the scrumhalf wants to stay...

Austerity takes festive fun out of the RFU

BORIS JOHNSON has signalled an end to the government’s decade long austerity but there is no end in sight to the...

May is latest Tigers star to be targeted

SARACENS are weighing up a move for England winger Jonny May who is coming into the last six months of his...

Bears in move for Cruse

BRISTOL BEARS have switched their attentions to Wasps hooker Tom Cruse as they look to bolster their front row next season....

RFU delay Borthwick to Leicester

Notice period: Borthwick LEICESTER TIGERS are having to wait before they can appoint Steve Borthwick to their coaching staff after failing...

ROOM101

ELLIOTT STOOKE THE BATH LOCK TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND 1. Excessively loud snorting...

Stooke ready for a scrap against the green giants

Up for the fight: Elliot Stooke ELLIOTT Stooke is relishing the battle with London Irish’s big beasts as Bath aim to...

New faces at Irish are refreshing for Franco

By NEALE HARVEY Aiming high: Exiles lock Franco van der Merwe PICTURE: Getty Images TEAMS LONDON IRISH: Jackson, Rona, Stephenson, Hepetema,...

Don’t tinker with European Cup

NICK CAIN on the ongoing battle over fixture space in the northern hemisphere In the hunt: Sean Maitland scores as Saracens...

Paid price for lack of ball says Solomons

WORCESTER began this match fourth in the table but DoR Alan Solomons admitted the Warriors’ performance was far from being the...

Wonderkid Louis puts Warriors to the sword

By TOM BRADSHAW Carry me home: Chris Harris goes over to score Gloucester’s second try High five: Louis Rees-Zammit gets the...

Happy Diamond toasts impact of his South African imports

Formidable: van der Merwe AKKER van der Merwe earned rich praise after a formidable display helped inspire Sale to a hard-earned...

Street stars come out for Sharks party time

By ROSS HEPPENSTALL Well worked: Lewis Ludlam goes over for Saints Decisive: Rohan Janse van Rensburg breaks through to scores Sale’s...

Gustard: We put ourselves under cosh

QUINS’ DoR Paul Gustard was elated to win a topsy-turvy match. He said: “It was a game of three-quarters, for in...

It’s getting serious as Wasps tumble again

By ROGER PANTING CLOSE-UP JACOB UMAGA Wasps fy-half MARCUS SMITH Harlequins fly-half The young players emerged with credit as both got...

England go on the road to meet fans

How about that? Kyle Sinckler turns to the crowd after scoring for Harlequins at Wasps PICTURE: Getty Images ENGLAND are on...

Six Nations revolution in CVC deal worth £750m

By PETER JACKSON THE SIX Nations have opened preliminary talks aimed at securing the biggest television deal in rugby history that...

Analysis: Eddie Jones’ little helpers will need to be strong men

Nick Cain surveys the coaches who can join Eddie Jones' coaching staff as we enter a new World Cup cycle

Thomas signing decisive in persuading Ted Hill to stay at Worcester

The coach who Hill believes can help him realise his England ambitions

Cardiff Blues make incredible Christmas gesture to Nick Williams which leaves teammates emotional

The Kiwi no.8 has lived away from his family in New Zealand for over a decade while plying his trade in...

Rugby Matters: No more false starts, cull the scrum cheats

Brendan Gallagher points to the outright disqualification for false starting in athletics as something rugby should adhere with scrum resets

Probyn column: It’s time to be realistic about Lions tours

Jeff Probyn ponders how quickly the Lions will adapt to playing at altitude in their 2021 tour of South Africa

Stadium for Cornwall can end talent drain to Exeter says ex-Pirate Matavesi

The Northampton Saints hooker backs old club Cornish Pirates to push for the Premiership if they can get their Stadium for...

Greig Laidlaw follows senior Scotland figures into international retirement

The scrum-half joins John Barclay and Tommy Seymour in ending their Scotland careers

Kyle Sinckler admits he can’t remember anything from World Cup final

The England prop reveals his distress at having his World Cup final cut short

Rob Howley betting scandal: Why did he do it?

Robert Howley, former Wales attack coach, has recently apologised for his breach of the rugby union betting rules. It has recently come...

Jackson column: Indestructible Faletau gets bad breaks

Taulupe Faletau's seemingly impervious resilience to injury has now been penetrated

Alun Wyn Jones – BBC Sports Personality of the year?

Anybody who saw Wales‘ excellent run of form in the Rugby World Cup will recognise the fact that it was Alun...

Cain column: Gatland is waiting for any All Blacks implosion under Foster

Ian Foster must navigate his two-year contract without some of the key names associated with the All Blacks

Nick Phipps fears the damage Israel Folau has done to Australian rugby

London Irish and Wallabies scrum-half Phipps talks to Neale Harvey about the controversy stirred by Folau

Guscott column: Stuart Hogg can be the missing link for Exeter in chase for Champions Cup success

Four wins out of four for Exeter Chiefs in Europe - Jeremy Guscott looks into how Stuart Hogg is part of...

Polledri takes wisdom from Italy’s old guard to hit peak for Gloucester

The Gloucester flanker reflects on his rise from Hartpury to the World Cup with Italy

Williams column: A real blow to Scarlets if Brad Mooar heads home

Shane Williams feels the Scarlets have an exceptional coach on their hands, so it's no wonder the All Blacks are calling

The players will fight to keep B&I Lions tours alive roars Jack Nowell

Exeter Chiefs, England and Lions wing Nowell talks South Africa 2021 and the preserving of future tours

Chisholm steps into the breach for Quins

NEWS EXTRA By NEALE HARVEY LONG-SERVING Harlequins utility back Ross Chisholm is determined to ensure that Mike Brown’s absence does not...

Lazzaroni’s late try snatches Treviso thriller

POOL 1 Benetton ……..25 Lyon………………22 BENETTON grabbed their first win in the Champions Cup since 2015 after Marco Lazzaroni’s dramatic try...

Warriors get red card instead of winning try

By GARY HEATLY Early cracker: Jules Favre celebrates scoring La Rochelle’s first try PICTURE: Getty Images TEAMS GLASGOW WARRIORS: Seymour 6;...

CLOSE-UP

CAELAN DORIS Leinster blindside V LEWIS LUDLAM Northampton blindside Ludlam was the pick of the Saints’ pack and a couple of...

Youngsters battled with real intensity says satisfied Solomons

In with a chance: Chris Boyd NORTHAMPTON Saints director of rugby Chris Boyd insisted his side can still reach the knock-out...

Saints lads have hope despite hammering

By RONAN O’BRIEN Touchdown: Dan Biggar scores for Northampton Head over heels: Leinster’s James Lowe goes down to score PICTURES: Getty...

Hogg can be the missing link for Exeter in Europe

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK Pedigree: Stuart Hogg scores against Sale in last weekend’s European Cup match PICTURE: Getty...

DREAM TEAM

TIM SWIEL, THE NEWCASTLE AND FORMER WESTERN PROVINCE, SHARKS AND HARLEQUINS UTILITY BACK, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH...

Refs are there to apply laws not act as coaches

COLIN BOAG Sharp practice: Danny Care is the master of the shoulder wiggle After bingeviewing the Champions Cup games over the...

Letters

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk Cutting the format could...