Guscott column: Smart All Blacks kick the Springboks into disarray

Jeremy Guscott pinpoints the kicking game as an area where Steve Hansen outsmarted Rassie Erasmus

Refereeing levels have been sub-standard, World Rugby admits

There have been a number of controversial decisions made so far at the World Cup

England make ten changes for USA as Slade misses out

Henry Slade's knee injury leaves England threadbare for cover at fly-half

Williams column: Expect a reaction from Wales after Rob Howley’s departure

Shane Williams backs Jonathan Davies to provide a big impact for Wales in their World Cup opener with Georgia

Probyn column: Eddie Jones will find Tonga give focus to his men

There is a huge gulf in resource between Tonga and England

Hosts plot Scottish slaying

BLAIR Cowan fears his old Scotland team-mates are being lured into a Japanese World Cup trap, claiming the hosts have manipulated...

Townsend powers up as injury hits Irish backline

By SAM JACKSON Strengths and weaknesses: Jordan Larmour JORDAN Larmour starts at full-back for Ireland after Rob Kearney was ruled out...

Stay young with rugby

TOSHIO Yasuda, 88, is the oldest of the 13,000 World Cup volunteers chosen from 38,000 applicamts. “I get a lot of...

Neil has a break

JAPAN provides a unique cultural and gastronomic experience – so Wales skills coach Neil Jenkins took matters into his own hands...

Williams is Wales’ card sharp

AFTER a tumultuous week and the departure of attack coach Rob Howley for alleged betting breaches, Wales turned to online games,...

Open or closed roof? Luckily it’s not a matter for debate

WALES face Georgia at the City of Toyota Stadium on Monday and the venue is eerily similar to Cardiff ‘s Principality...

Bogey-man Burgess is gone but not forgotten

THE ghost of Sam Burgess continues to haunt England as their former centre features on promotional posters for the World Cup....

Piano man Patchell gets in tune

Musical: Rhys Patchell CHOIRMASTER Rhys Patchell couldn’t contain his joy after finding a piano at Wales’ team hotel in Toyota. The...

When the Beast met Mickey

SOME of South Africa’s players visited Tokyo Disneyland, situated next to their hotel, but Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira gave it a miss....

Roll up for £34 scarves

THE World Cup Megastore in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district was doing a roaring trade on Friday afternoon as fans flocked into the...

Japan’s not quite so perfect!

WORLD Rugby kicked off the tournament on Tuesday with an opening Press conference and a reminder of what have been. The...

Dump the penalty kick-off farce

WHEN it comes to over-complicating the tiebreaker in the event of a drawn World Cup final – semi-final, or quarter- final...

Japan gets its sense of proportion just right

THERE is a strong appreciation of detail and proportion in Japanese culture, as well as a deep sense of tradition, and...

McKee: Hodge deserved a yellow

JOHN McKee claimed the decision by fellow Kiwi Ben O’Keeffe not to punish Reece Hodge for a no-arms tackle was crucial...

Wallabies comeback dodges banana skin

By GARY FITGERALD Revving it up: Samu Kerevi scores Australia’s fifth try PICTURE: Getty Images Breakaway: Waisea Nayacalevu puts Fiji 21-12...

We must improve warns Brunel

FRENCH coach Jacques Brunel breathed a huge sigh of relief after his side scraped home after blowing a 17-point halftime lead....

England’s Pool of Death suddenly carries a deadly threat

NICK CAIN VERDICT SINCE Eddie Jones took over as England coach, there has been an assumption that the ‘Pool of Death’...

Ledesma blames ref for French survival

From ADAM HATHAWAY Early promise: Gael Fikou scores the first French try PICTURES: Getty Images Fightback: Julian Montoya celebrates scoring Argentina’s...

Daniels building on Barcelona template

By STEFFAN THOMAS SCARLETS general manager Jon Daniels is confident the region’s ‘commitment culture’ with an emphasis on home grown talent...

St Ives on the rocks after Rowe resignation

THE immediate future of 130-year-old Cornish club St Ives is in jeopardy following a mass summer exodus of coaches and players...

Tigers get their mean streak back

By NEALE HARVEY Mentally strong: Calum Green is one of Leicester’s 14 new recruits PICTURE: Getty Images Winner: Brett Deacon LEICESTER...

Curran leads the charge for Green Stars

Welsh Bowl round-up By CARL FIELD DIVISION Three West Central A pace-setters Aberavon Green Stars continued their winning start to the...

Crockett crosses again as holders power on

Welsh Plate round-up By CARL FIELD JAKE Crockett picked up where he left off in last season’s final as holders Brecon...

Pooler’s day but the pack are still chasing

Welsh Championship round-up By CARL FIELD PONTYPOOL made it two bonus point wins out of two as they ran out 38-15...

Ponty up and running but Quins make it tough

By GUTO DAVIES Pontypridd ….20 C Quins …………17 PONTYPRIDD bagged their first win of the season but were run close. The...

Breakaway tries leave RGC on back foot

By ROB COLE Llandovery ….29 RGC 1404 ……20 LEE Rees raced away for two tries to steer the Drovers to an...

Llanelli crushed as Cardiff slip into overdrive

By STEFFAN THOMAS Llanelli …………10 Cardiff …………33 CARDIFF’s impressive start continued with a bonus-point 33-10 win at Parc y Scarlets. Barney...

Downes double eases champions’ nerves

By IAN GOLDEN Merthyr ……….42 Ebbw Vale ……21 CHAMPIONS Merthyr bounced back from their defeat at RGC with an emphatic home...

Thomas leads way as Wizards gain momentum

By PAUL HOPKINS Aberavon……24 Swansea ……14 ABERAVON made it two from two with victory over their regional rivals. The Wizards took...

Charteris: Cory’s quality, we need him back

LUKE Charteris is confident Wales can cope with their lock crisis but wants Cory Hill back in the mix for the...

All smiles as Irish see off Celtic cousins

Celtic Cup round-up By ROB COLE IRISH dominance continued in Round 5 as their four provinces produced another clean sweep against...

Mather’s looking to challenge the best at Wasps

By SAM BLITZ Brace: Hannah West Wasps…………47 Worcester……10 GISELLE Mather believes Wasps are getting better every year and aspire to be...

Waterloo graft not enough to halt flying Glos

By CHRIS HUGHES F’wd Wat’loo ….7 Gloucester H 48 FIRWOOD Waterloo were well beaten but not disgraced by an excellent Gloucester-Hartpury...

Chloe off to a flyer for rampant Quins

By MATT BANKS Harlequins…………101pts Richmond………………0pts Through the gap: Quins try-scorer Ellie Green on the attack DEBUTANT Chloe Rollie scored two tries...

Dashing Lloyd enjoys a spot of shark hunting

By ROB SARGENT L’boro L’ning 27 Darlington MP12 RHONA Lloyd was in scintillating form as Loughborough kicked off the campaign in...

Sarries in control to start title defence in fine style

By LAURA STONEHAM Bristol Bears22 Saracens ……35 Debut try: Keira Bevan SARACENS opened their season with maximum points at Bristol Bears....

England stars start long road to Tokyo

ENGLAND SEVENS ENGLAND 7s coach Simon Amor has finalised his squad for the new season which begins in Dubai on December...

Simon says it’s time to challenge for Top 4

NEWS EXTRA By JON NEWCOMBE SALE Sharks new signing Simon Hammersley says the time was right for him to move on...

Cips can’t hack biggame pressure, says Thompson

NEWS EXTRA WORLD Cup winner Steve Thompson thinks Eddie Jones was right to not include Danny Cipriani in his squad for...

Smart All Blacks kick the Springboks into disarray

JEREMY GUSCOTT Galloping in: Scott Barrett runs home from 30m to score the All Blacks second try PICTURES: Getty Images WHAT...

ROOM 101

DARRYL VEENENDAAL THE AMPTHILL PLAYER-COACH TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND 1. Spider’s webs As...

Eddie will find Tonga give focus to his men

A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME JEFF PROBYN Physical: Tonga’s bruising Castres No.8 Ma’ama Vaipulu England play their first match...

Billingham come on strong to scale peak

Northern Premier BILLINGHAM move to the top of the table after beating Rossendale 43-22 away at Marl Pits. It was close,...

Exmouth triumph in heavyweight battle

South West Premier EXMOUTHran out winners by two points over Maidenhead as the inform sides went head to head in this...

Salop remain at summit with maximum

Midlands Premier BOURNVILLE and Newport Salop both made it three wins from three, by beating Broadstreet and Nuneaton respectively. Bournville had...