Leicester Tigers seek to sign Argentina lock and keep hold of George Ford

Movement at Leicester Tigers...

Exeter Chiefs agree new contracts with Rob Baxter and coaching staff

New long-term contracts for key figureheads in the Exeter Chiefs coaching department

Piutau: Radradra will make us a dangerous prospect

The Bristol Bears full-back talks to Neale Harvey about his desire to win championships at Ashton Gate by agreeing an extension

Williams column: Mike Ruddock can revive ailing Ospreys

Shane Williams believes the addition of Mike Ruddock is just one of the key changes needed at his old club Ospreys

World Cup final frustration still eats at ex-England scrum coach Neal Hatley

Neal Hatley is trying to put the loss of the final behind him by throwing himself into the revamp of Bath

Gallagher column: Root of Israel Folau case grew from shame of apartheid

Brendan Gallagher examines the vitriol espoused by sacked Wallabies star Israel Folau and how it correlates with attitudes during the apartheid...

Nick Abendanon drawing interest from home as Clermont stay nears end

Nick Abendanon is keen on a return to the UK after five years in France

Cain column: PRL secrecy is an insult to club rugby fans

Nick Cain explains why the drip-drip of information issued by Premiership Rugby on Saracens' salary cap breach is riling fans up

Probyn column: Dan Cole will carry the can just like Paul Rendall

Jeff Probyn sympathises with Dan Cole for being made a scapegoat for England's capitulation at the scrum in the World Cup...

Varsity match: Light Blues’ mighty duo may be godsend or curse

Cambridge have a Test-experience second row ready to take on rivals Oxford in the 138th Varsity match

Exclusive: Fire to play for England still burns bright for Joe Launchbury

The England and Wasps lock shares his reasons for staying loyal to Dai Young

Young Guns: Bristol Bears fly-half wonderkid Ioan Iloyd

A big future ahead for Bristol Bears' try-scoring fly-half

Tommy Seymour retires from international duty after 55 caps for Scotland

Seymour retires at the age of 31 and follows John Barclay in calling time on his Scotland career

Purdy: I’d be lying if I didn’t say I want to play Premiership rugby again

Winger Henry Purdy was squeezed out by Gloucester due to their tight salary cap and now plays for Coventry after a...

Jackson column: Days of romance, song and drama with Lions

Peter Jackson looks back on the 1955 British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa, when attitudes were different but the...

Northampton’s Samson Ma’asi is on the mend after life-changing kidney transplant

Northampton hooker Samson Ma'asi is on the road to returning to rugby after receiving a life-changing kidney donation from his father,...

Guscott column: It beggars belief that the Lions are treated so badly

Jeremy Guscott believes it is as important as ever for the Lions to win in South Africa to not fall to...

Bristol Bears set to hijack Gloucester’s move for Kyle Sinckler

Gloucester could turn their attention to an Exeter Chiefs prop

Leicester move on from Mark Bakewell, opening door for Steve Borthwick

The England forwards coach is expected to move to Welford Road after the 2020 Six Nations

Kirsten out to bully his Bok mates

SOUTH African bruiser Jannes Kirsten says Exeter are hell-bent on putting one foot into the Champions Cup quarter-finals by making it...

Curry orders Sharks to put on a killer show

■By JON NEWOMBE Disciplined: Ben Curry has given away just three penalties in ten games for Sale PICTURE: Getty Images BEN...

Sexton waits on knee scan

JOHNNY Sexton is on the injury-list again after sustaining a ligament injury to his right knee. Leinster rugby director Leo Cullen...

Storming comeback keep the Warriors’ hopes alive

■By GARY HEATLY On target: Adam Hastings GLASGOW Warriors battled back from 18-6 down just before half-time to defeat La Rochelle...

Feel the gap – Saints are hit by 7-try pummeling

■From NICK CAIN at Franklin’s Gardens Rout: Ed Byrne dives over for the final Leinster try PICTURE: Getty Images NORTHAMPTON may...

Lyon finally break their Champions Cup duck

LYON cruised to their first ever win in the Heineken Champions Cup at Matmut Stadium de Gerland after eight successive defeats...

It beggars belief that the Lions are treated so badly

JEREMY GUSCOTT Stretching the Springboks: Matt Dawson scores for the Lions in the third Test against South Africa at Ellis Park...

DREAM TEAM

SHAUN MALTON, BRISTOL AND FORMER NATAL SHARKS, NOTTINGHAM, LONDON IRISH AND EXETER HOOKER, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH...

How long before the first coach gets fired?

Views COLIN BOAG Smart move: Declan Kidney is a world class coach at London Irish It has become a cliché that...

Letters

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

Saints lead the chase for Fearns

LYON No.8 Carl Fearns is potentially on his way back to the Premiership. Fearns is not expected to extend his fruitful...

Piutau makes his Bears appealing on and off field

■By NEALE HARVEY Expressing himself: Charles Piutau on the attack BRISTOL winger Charles Piutau says earning power was only part of...

Tigers confident of keeping their key men

HEAD coach Geordan Murphy is ‘hopeful’ Leicester can keep their in-demand England stars at the club despite interest in them intensifying....

Don’t neglect Italianspleads Campagnaro

■By NEALEHARVEY Mighty Quin: Michele Campagnaro has settled in well at the Stoop PICTURE: Getty Images HARLEQUINS centre Michele Campagnaro insists...

Boyd notletting goof Vesty

NORTHAMPTON Saints head coach Chris Boyd is not ready to let one of his coaches go and join England’s backroom staff....

Cole will carry the can just as Rendall did

JEFF PROBYN Scapegoat: Dan Cole is likely to be cut for failing to contain The Beast PICTURE: Getty Images Another week...

Dazzler Dafis helps Aberaeron into the quarters

Welsh National Bowl round-up ■By STEFFAN TOMAS ABERAERON marched into the quarter-finals of the WRU National Bowl with a 22-7 victory...

Worthington penalty sees Saracens march on

Welsh National Shield round-up CARDIFF Saracens maintained their unbeaten run in league and cup this season as they won 10-7 at...

Brecon stay on track to retain the crown

Welsh National Plate round-up ■By CARL FIELD HOLDERS Brecon remain on course to become the first side to successfully defend the...

Brilliant Bevan inspires Athletic to go top

Welsh Division One round-up ■By ROB COLE BRIDGEND Athletic went top of Division 1 West Central with a six-try home win...

Classy Cardiff flying high at the summit

■By JAY BAYFORD Newport …………7 Cardiff RFC ….24 CARDIFF maintained their perfect start to the season with a convincing derby win...

Champions toppled as Turks run wild in thriller

■By IAN GOLDEN Merthyr ……….20 Llanelli…………22 LLANELLI stunned champions Merthyr thanks to a late Gareth Havard try. The away side took...

Drovers drive clear of the relegation zone

■By GUTO DAVIES Llandovery ….18 Pontypridd ……8 LLANDOVERY put some daylight between themselves and the bottom of the table. A wind-assisted...

Jacks scrap to vital victory to ease pressure

Premiership ■By PAUL HOPKINS Ebbw Vale ……10 Swansea ……..13 SWANSEA dug deep to win the first of two vital battles in...

Seven defeats in a row for lowly Ravens

Premiership ■By DAVID RICHARDS Bridgend ……….5 RGC ………………24 BRIDGEND’S seventh defeat in a row has left them six points adrift at...

Wizards have no answer to Quins’ lineout magic

Premiership ■By ROB COLE Aberavon……..29 Carmarthen Q34 CAMARTHEN’S driving lineout came to their rescue after they conceded two early tries. The...

Top three maintain the pace in red-hot title scrap

Welsh Championship round-up ■By CARL FIELD IT’S as you were at the top of the Championship after the top three all...

Gloucester can claim a job well done!

Bristol…………..24 Glos-Hartpury53 ■By JENNY BATES GLOUCESTER-Hartpury put in a huge team effort to consolidate their place in the top three. Ti...

No stopping Lightning surge

Loughborough50 Worcester ……26 ■By BETHAN ZEIDLER LIGHTNING continued their winning ways with a comprehensive win. It took three minutes for Rhona...

Spirited Wasps give hope for the future

■By HOLLY FOSKETT Wasps …………..13 Harlequins……39 DESPITE a strong defensive performance from Wasps, Quins eased to a comfortable victory. There was...

First victory delights Waterloo

■By TIM BROWNHILL Waterloo ……..20 Richmond ……..10 FIRWOOD Waterloo claimed their first win of the season against fellow strugglers Richmond. They...