So troubling to see Toner replaced by a mercenary

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER In after a month: Jean Kleyn has replaced...

Mr Baa-baa gets his wish with Dudley

THEY came in their hundreds to St. James’ in Piccadilly on Wednesday afternoon, packing the 17th century church to the rafters...

Carpet layer Ford finds World Cup is a stitch-up!

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Record try scorer: Steve Ford playing for Cardiff Whatever happens in Japan over...

Baldwin back in the Lions’ den with Harlequins

■ By NEALE HARVEY On international duty: Scott Baldwin playing for Wales. Inset below, in his new Quins kit Attack: The...

Free-scoring Scarlets get Mooar’s reign off to a flyer

■ By TOM INNES THE Scarlets dominated their Channel Island hosts in the first outing of the Welsh region’s preseason. The...

Gilroy kicks off Ulster’s try blitz

■ By RONAN O’BRIEN GLASGOW scored three first-half tries but were then swept away by a rampant Ulster in the second-half...

Addison misses cut with Toner

DEVIN Toner was the shock omission from Ireland’s squad for the World Cup. The 33-year-old Leinster lock has made 60 appearances...

Switch-hitter Wyn gets the nod on technicality

■ By STEFFAN THOMAS WYN Jones is the unlikely figure set to become one of Wales’ most important World Cup players....

Strength in depth is England trump card

COLIN BOAG Money-spinner: Wales full-back Hallam Amos makes a break against Ireland With the RWC warm-up matches completed, what have we...

Cut Tier 2 funding don’t increase it!

HOW depressing, after the fresh air offered last week by Steve Hill’s views on the need for the RFU to re-prioritise...

Disillusioned by RFU’s treatment of Peterborough

I WRITE to express my dismay over the treatment the RFU have put upon our club. Peterborough Rugby Club are a...

Fans love rugby coming to Toon

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk FRIDAY’S game at St...

Jonny clone Carbonel should be at RWC

LOUIS Carbonel is the closest thing there is to a young Jonny Wilkinson, and it is no surprise that he comes...

Theatrics have no place on great stage in Japan

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK YOANN Huget is one of the best attacking talents in Rugby Union, and...

Stop-go Scots are dogged by injuries

■ By GARY FITZGERALD Early promise: Ali Price scores for Scotland PICTURE: Getty Images GREGOR Townsend flies out with his players...

Delight for Erasmus as Boks claim their revenge

■ By ADAM ELLIS A HAT-TRICK by Makazole Mapimpi helped the Springboks exact revenge on Japan four years on from suffering...

Devastating spell from Delguy puts Pumas in control

WING Bautista Delguy scored four quick tries in a second-half blitz as England’s World Cup Pool opponents Argentina thumped Sydney club...

Bridge hits four as All Blacks run riot

■ By SAM JACKSON Classy finish: George Bridge scores for the All Blacks THE All Blacks demolished Tonga in their final...

No sweat, we’re ready for Georgia and Aussies

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND Phenomenal prospect: Aaron Wainwright stood up to the Irish PICTURE: Getty Images I’VE SAID for...

Gatland: Wales in fine shape for Japan

WARREN Gatland insisted Wales are in fine fettle for the World Cup and still have some tricks up their sleeves for...

Go make history Eddie tells his men

■ By NICK CAIN Upbeat: Eddie Jones EDDIE Jones will climb onto the plane to Japan with his England squad today...

Chester Williams, only black player from South Africa’s 1995 World Cup win, dies aged 49

Springboks legend dies two months after 1995 team-mate James Small

Dai Young Q&A: This is my last contract at Wasps then I want Test level

A big interview with the Wasps director of rugby you shouldn't miss

Room 101: Chinnor full-back Chris Wolfe-Elder

Wolfe-Elder shares his three picks awaiting entry or blocking from Room 101

Wallabies stalwart David Pocock to end Test career after World Cup

David Pocock will captain Australia against Samoa in his last Test on home soil

Prop Max Lahiff joins Bristol Bears after Bath release

Lahiff left Bath at the end of last season but will remain in the West Country

Young Guns: Bath flanker Miles Reid on lessons learned

Set for more game time at Bath after Louw's departure and Underhill on England duty?

Long-distance Joe Rees gets close and personal for Bournemouth’s new season

Bournemouth are the new team in National Two South and captain Rees has been a dedicated figure behind their roaring success

Barbarians name international stars in Autumn tour squad

The Barbarians have today announced the first crop of international stars to pull on the famous black and white jersey during...

Jackson column: Schalk Brits set for swansong on grandest stage

The former Saracens hooker continues to defy his age as a central character in Rassie Eramus' plans

My Life in Rugby: Former Italy full-back Luke McLean

Luke McLean talks World Cups and being coached as a debutant by Nick Mallett

John Mulvihill singles out what Cardiff Blues need to do to become PRO14 contenders

There are a number of young players coming through who can help the Blues reach their goals for 2019-20

Gallagher column: Agustin Pichot is right to question his own world rankings

Brendan Gallagher looks at where the World Rugby rankings model is weakest

Cain column: At last, the Tier Two clubs come out fighting

Nick Cain writes about the latest efforts by the Premiership to payoff the Championship into accepting ring-fencing

Big signings won’t hinder London Irish young guns, says Davis

Could the young crop coming through at London Irish be held back by the likes of Waisake Naholo and Sean O'Brien?

Now I can try to follow my hero Thompson, says Jack Singleton

"You only find out you're in the England squad when you get added to the WhatsApp group" - Singleton

All Blacks talk motivation with AIG Life

Six of the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team have opened up about their innermost motivations as part of an advertising...

Joe Schmidt takes shot at Agustin Pichot after World Rugby vice-chairman makes Devin Toner comment

Pichot questioned the inclusion of Jean Kleyn over Devin Toner in Ireland's World Cup squad

Ashes hero Ben Stokes shows Ben Youngs how to hit peak

Ben Stokes produced heroics at Headingley when the England cricket team needed it - and the same might be for Ben...

France name World Cup squad with Picamoles and Penaud set to dazzle

Jacques Brunel names a team for Japan boasting eight Toulouse players

Bored on the terraces at half time? Ways to stay entertained

With the adrenaline of the first half put on pause for 20 minutes, half time for a sports fan can seem...

Williams column: Jarrod Evans has the ability to be a star in Japan

Shane Williams spells the attributes which make Jarrod Evans an able back-up to Dan Biggar

Rhys Patchell to back-up Biggar as Wales name 31-man squad

Warren Gatland shows his hand for his final tournament as Wales head coach

Guscott column: Pack display was poetry

Jeremy Guscott's verdict on England's barnstorming performance from the pack against Ireland

Huget try catches Italy cold in their warm-up for England

By SAM JACKSON FRANCE got their rugby World Cup preparations back on track with a powerful seven-try win at the Stade...

Patchell has last word but is it enough?

PETER JACKSON VERDICT The Welsh scrum had splintered like a trunk of rotting balsa wood when Romain Poite stepped aside from...

Hutchinson stakes claim with classy try-double

By GARY FITZGERALD RORY Hutchinson swept over for his first Test tries to throw down his challenge for a place to...

Stockdale’s try-double spoils Gats’ farewell party

By NICK CAIN Step up: Owen Lane cuts in to score for Wales THIS rough old sport does not have a...

Care ruled out until November

HARLEQUINS scrum-half Danny Care will undergo surgery on an ankle injury sustained during preseason training, ruling him out for eight weeks....

Now I can try to follow my hooker hero Thompson

By NEALE HARVEY ENGLAND hooker Jack Singleton says he owes Worcester a huge debt of gratitude for rescuing his career and...