Connacht get back on track in style

Connacht……………41 Benetton……………5 ANDY FRIEND said this was the perfect response to Connacht’s opening round loss in Llanelli as they put Benetton...

These spoilt brats need to be pinned down

Nick Cain assesses France and discusses the key areas ahead of Saturday’s big match Double header: Jacques Brunel and Fabien Galthie...

Denny’s double has Diamond drooling

By LUKE JARMYN SALE wing Denny Solomona scored two second half tries as Sharks fought back from a tenpoint half-time deficit...

Eden feeling Tiff-top again as he bids to make mark

By NEALE HARVEY Impact: Tiff Eden Upbeat: Barney Maddison BRISTOL fly-half Tiff Eden is determined to make an impact after a...

Ribbans out to press his England claims

By NEALE HARVEY WITH a new three-year contractpouched, lock forward David Ribbans starts for Saints in a game his side must...

Brown adds his stardust to an 11-try super show

By NEALE HARVEY Setting the bar: Mike Brown scores the opening try for Quins PICTURES: Getty Images Scorer: Twelvetrees MIKE Brown...

Battling Tigers manage to ride out Polota-Nau red card storm

By GARY FITZGERALD TIGERS defied a red card for veteran Australia hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau to produce a battling performance to grab...

Pack power swings it Chiefs way at the death

By ROGER PANTING TOM Howe’s hat-trick was not enough to stop Exeter Chiefs going top of Pool 3 and assume pole...

League ace Sivo tempted by Prem

MAIKA SIVO, the Parramatta Eels winger who is the leading try-scorer in the NRL, has got his CV doing the rounds...

Chiefs keep eye on Webb

BY NEILFISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler Coming home? Rhys Webb RHYS WEBB could be set to leave Toulon at the...

Ashton still keen to make Test splash

CHRIS ASHTON has told Blindside that he still has ambitions to add to his 44 England caps next season. The 32-year-old...

DREAMTEAM

BEN NUTLEY, COVENTRY AND FORMER LUTON, NORTHAMPTON AND ENGLAND U20S BACK ROW, CHOOSES HIS BEST XV PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST 1....

Cut out the Pools and go straight to quarter-finals

COLIN BOAG Humiliation: New Zealand blitz Canada as Rieko Ioane goes over for their fifth try Are you enjoying the RWC...

Truism…but it’s true!

IT IS a truism that teams who win Rugby World Cups have world class scrum-halves. That does not mean it is...

Rise above the ‘win at all cost’ mentality

WATCHING Alun Wyn Jones over the years, and especially since he has become the captain of Wales, has been a pleasure....

Fed up listening to the referees coaching players

I HAVE been increasingly upset at the constant advice being given to players at the Rugby World Cup. I believe that...

Officials need to enforce the laws

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

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Burger: World Cup would lack romance without T2

By JON NEWCOMBE Bruiser: Jaques Burger JACQUES BURGER insists the Rugby World Cup would be a much poorer spectacle if the...

Hope has turned into belief after Aussie win

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND Word class rugby: Hadleigh Parkes score against Australia PICTURE: Getty Images THERE will be no...

McKee plots to spoil pal Gatland’s party

By ALEX BYWATER JOHN McKee has known Warren Gatland for nearly two decades, but the Fiji head coach is still determined...

Ball’s back on steam in Welsh boiler room

By ALEX BYWATER Hard yards: Jake Ball on the charge against Australia FROM forgotten man to irreplaceable World Cup star, Jake...

Fast games suit super-fit Wales says training guru

By ALEX BYWATER Belief: Ryan Chambers WALES’ World Cup campaign couldn’t have gone much better to date and off the field...

Dan will be ‘ready to go for Fiji’

DAN Biggar should be fit to face Fiji after a head injury forced him off. “As far as I understand, he...

Wales withstand Wallaby revival to claim epic win

By SAM JACKSON Diving in: Gareth Davies goes over to score Wales’ second try WALES held off a fierce Wallaby fightback...

Georgia turn on the power to bury Los Teros

Georgia……………33 Uruguay……………7 GEORGIA scored five tries to bring Uruguay crashing down to earth at Kumagaya Stadium following the South Americans’ shock...

More tackle problems for Cheika’s Wally-bies

By GEORGE LAWRENCE Cutting the line: Tevita Kuridrani runs in Australia’s fourth try PICTURE: Getty Images AUSTRALIA cruised to a comfortable...

Fiji flyers put on the style after half-time

Georgia……………10 Fiji……………45 FIJI ran in six second-half tries to record their first win of this World Cup and ease past Georgia...

Courageous Pullin turns up again in a new book

OF ALL the speeches made by all the captains of England at post-match dinners, John Pullin’s towers above the rest for...

England v Wales in final says Gallagher

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Try machine: John Gallagher scores against Fiji in the 1987 World Cup As...

Brunel rues high penalty count

FRANCE coach Jacques Brunel praised his replacements for changing the game and securing a bonus point but lamented an error-strewn display....

Bench men spark late surge for bonus point

By NICK CAIN Breakthrough: Gael Fickou goes over for France’s third try PICTURE: Getty Images Super sub: Baptiste Serin celebrates scoring...

Here’s another Mori who can take giant leap

WHILE the cat is away the mice can play. With all the attention on the World Cup there is an opportunity...

After the blood and guts, a little gentle cooing takes place

WHO is this week’s jouer rugby gallant? Which little moment of class, poignancy and/or panache had you nodding in approval. Passing...

Will we get the good, bad or ugly this time?

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER A weekly look at the game’s other talking points Munched: Mick Skinner wipes out Marc Cecillon in...

Sisi: Red turned match but we’ll stick by Lovotti

ITALIAN lock David Sisi refused to blame prop Andrea Lovotti’s sending off for Italy’s capitulation and offered support to the distraught...

Boks put the hammer down as Italy implode

From ADAM HATHAWAY Quick feet: Cheslin Kolbe gets past Michele Campagnaro on his way to scoring South Africa’s third try SOUTH...

Barrett brothers lead the charge

New Zealand…63 Canada……………0 NEW Zealand scored nine tries to record their second convincing win. Brothers Beauden, Jordie and Scott Barrett all...

Lyn: We’re raising bar in Russia

RUSSIA coach Lyn Jones heralded the performance as a leap forward for Tier 2 rugby. He said: “The whole occasion was...

Ireland blow hot and cold after captain Sexton exits

From TOM BRADSHAW in Kobe Relief: Andrew Conway scores the bonus-point try A TYPHOON was threatening to blow into Kobe in...

Our belief is growing with each game says Lubuschagne

FLANKER Pieter Labuschagne can feel- Japan’s belief growing with each game. The Brave Blossoms’ South African-born captain enthused: “We wanted to...

Blossoms’ late score puts heat on Scotland

By GARY FITZGERALD First blood: Timothy Lafaele beats the tackle of Alapati Leiua to score Japan’s opening try Big score: Matsushima...

Townsend’s lads keep chase with bonus win

Samoa……………0 Scotland……………34 SCOTLAND revived their hopes of progressing from Pool A with a bonus-point victory over Samoa. Gregor Townsend’s side needed...

Gatland: Win well to scare the rest

WARREN Gatland has urged his Wales side to gain a psychological advantage over their World Cup rivals by putting Fiji and...

Joker Eddie laughs off big Billy’s injury scare

From ADAM HATHAWAY Crunch: Tomas Lavanini got a red card for this high tackle on Owen Farrell PICTURE: Getty Images Concern:...

Mario Ledesma will make Eddie’s men fight for every point

England must neutralise the Pumas' lineout-maul

Young Guns: Leicester Tigers tighthead prop Osman Dimen

Dimen talks about his time at Loughborough Students last season in National One and his future at Welford Road

Now England need to use their sledgehammer to crack Argentina

Nick Cain previews England's match against the Pumas and the selection issues facing Eddie Jones going forward

Rugbytots: make it more fun!

Rugbytots is the world’s favourite rugby play programme. Their dynamic weekly sessions enable boys and girls aged 2-7 to develop their...

Highlights: Ireland beat Russia to move top of pool

Video highlights from Kobe as Ireland got their World Cup back on track in a five-try display