World No.1 would sit better if they ever beat NZ

Back in action: Leigh Halfpenny PETER JACKSON VERDICT Beating England to win Grand Slams and Triple Crowns has long been a...

Brilliant Biggar gives Wales mighty boost

Man-of-the-match: Dan Biggar was outstanding SHANE WILLIAMS COMMENT Dan’s the man and Wales are No. 1! For Warren Gatland’s men to...

Dead-eye Dan kicks Wales to top of the world

By NICK CAIN Not in top gear: Maro Itoje Pivotal moment: George North scores from Dan Biggar’s cross kick PICTURES: Getty...

Ignore the naysayers, Cole was outstanding

Team player: Dan Cole put in a huge shift against Wales last weekend PICTURE: Getty Images Last week’s surprise win over...

Ray’s got unique place in Moss Lane history

MY CLUB LIVERPOOL ST HELENS WE SPEAK WITH A NUMBER OF WELL-KNOWN RUGBY FIGURES ABOUT THE CLUB THEY CALL THEIR OWN....

ROOM101

HARRY LEONARD THE ROSSLYN PARK FLY-HALF TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND 1. Wooden cutlery...

‘Old and slow’ All Blacks find new lease of life

Ageing All Blacks: Williams, Whitelock and Read THE ALL Blacks got their revenge yesterday for last week’s defeat to Australia –...

No.9? Not a problem insists versatile Ford

By NICK CAIN Adaptable: George Ford PICTURE: Getty Images GEORGE Ford does not appear unduly perturbed that Eddie Jones has dusted...

Super-chef Ramsay fuels Quins’ drive for tasty results

Q&A PAUL GUSTARD Innovative: Paul Gustard Harlequin through and through: Chris Robshaw has resumed the role of captain PICTURES: Getty Images...

Eddie’s got England looking dangerous

EVERY team want to claim to be the underdog in order to take the heat off themselves and put the pressure...

Pollard is helping drive Boks onwards

Physical: Handre Pollard has been the standout player PICTURE: Getty Images The Springboks’ convincing victory against the Pumas in Salta ensured...

Lucky start with a mentor like Doddie

FORMER ENGLAND, NEWCASTLE AND SARACENS LOCK AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR AT GALLAGHER MY LIFEIN RUGBY HUGH VYVYAN Signing off in style:...

From factory worker to a shift with the All Blacks

By STEFFAN THOMAS Comeback trail: Declan Smith DECLAN Smith was part of the same Wales U20 squad as Dillon Lewis and...

Poite gets one wrong – and so do many refs

ROMAINPoite gets so much right – especially at scrum-time where nobody fools him – that it’s frustrating when he gets something...

O’Connor must thank Diamond for his rehab

Where’s he been? James O’Connor runs the ball against New Zealand PICTURE: Getty Images LIKE many socalled ‘bad boys’ I’ve always...

Joseph strikes to seal victory

ENGLAND U18s bounced back from the opening game defeat to Argentina with a four-try victory over France. France held a narrow...

Grady’s double sees Wales sign off with victory

France ..............14 Wales................18 LIVEWIRE centre Mason Grady was the hero for Wales in their 18-14 comeback victory against Six Nations Grand...

Galant’s try denies England

By ADAM ELLIS Praise: Jim Mallinder Try scorer: England captain Orlando Bailey KEANE Galant’s late try snatched victory for South Africa...

How Bruce landed payback for uncle

IT TOOK one New Zealand family most of the 20th century to make Wales suffer for what they saw as a...

Switch-hitters make their RWC moves just in time

New boy: Mike Haley playing for Ireland PICTURE: Getty Images SWITCHING allegiance has become such a routine part of the international...

Saying sorry is the easiest thing for players trying to dodge a ban

DESPITE abuse from some old players who seem stuck in a time warp, Jerome Garces deserves to be congratulated for doing...

Can M. Poirot solve the prop riddle the way John Lloyd did?

His name is synonymous with a revered American president and a famous Belgian detective and in Nice last night Jefferson Poirot...

Matavesi gets his World Cup call again from Fiji

Japan challenge: Matavesi NEWCASTLE Falcons centre Josh Matavesi has been named in Fiji’s squad for the World Cup. The 28-year-old has...

Scarlets will see best of me now says Uzair

Steffan Thomas talks to Scarlets Springbok No.8 Uzair Cassiem about his hopes for the season In control: Uzair Cassiem wins the...

Minikin: Why I’m happy to stay with Ionians

By JON NEWCOMBE LEWIS MINIKIN says he has ambitions to play in the Championship, but for the moment his loyalty lies...

RUGBY ITALIA

NICK SCOTT IS DoR FOR RUGBY COLORNO, A TOP 12 CLUB IN ITALY. HE HAS WORKED FOR THE RFU AS NATIONAL...

Treble for Wilkinson

Fylde ..............50 Sandbach ....22 THE FINAL scoreline did not reflect the overall balance of this game between Fylde, who finished last...

Roberts runs the show

Esher ..............36 Wimbledon ..17 ESHER kicked off their pre-season with victory over Wimbledon at a sunbathed Molesey Road. Both teams sported...

Macfarlane cashes in with 3 of a kind

Try time: Jersey’s hat-trick hero Jack McFarlane scores PICTURES: Sue Armes JERSEY Reds’ Championship power helped them to a comfortable win...

Falatea’s late double swings it for Castres

Castres ............30 Bristol ..............21 TAPU Falatea’s late try double helped Castres edge out Pat Lam’s Bristol outfit in an entertaining preseason...

Pack power puts Barnes in control

Maidenhead ....5 Barnes..............30 A YOUNG Barnes RFC emerged victorious in their first run out of preseason against a spirited Maidenhead side...

Ayrton’s off with a bang for Stortford

Old Albanian ..38 Bishop’s S..........0 A DEBUT try from Mike Ayrton set the tone for Bishop’s Stortford to begin their preparations...

Dutta try seals comeback win

Blackheath ....25 Richmond ........15 BLACKHEATH came from behind to take the spoils in the latest meeting between these two old clubs....

Ampthill bring in Dragons fire power

NEWS EXTRA CHAMPIONSHIP newcomers Ampthill have swooped to sign Henri Williams and Jarryd Sage from the Dragons. Head coach Paul Turner...

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Cueto: England need unity on and off pitch

By GARY FITZGERALD EDDIE Jones will not hesitate to kick more disruptive stars into World Cup touch if they step out...

Vaughan takes reins at Wasps

By SAM JACKSON Switch: Stephen Vaughan WASPS have appointed Stephen Vaughan as their new chief executive (sports). Vaughan, who joins after...

If Joe’s Jurgen then I want to be Pep!

Jon Newcombe talks to Jacob Ford, youngest of the great rugby family, about his coaching job Making his name: Jacob Ford...

Nomad Herron hopes Quins is journey’s end

By NEALE HARVEY Top 10: Harlequins new boy Brett Herron scoring for Jersey Help: Marcus Smith and James Lang INDOMITABLE new...

YOUNGGUNS

ANEURINOWEN DRAGONS CENTRE Boarding a plane to Argentina with the Wales U20s squad in June, 18-year-old centre Aneurin Owen had been...

Ludlum leads the charge of England novices

ENGLANDbrought Wales’ 14-match unbeaten run to a halt at Twickenham on Sunday thanks to an exhilarating performance from a largely experimental...

Eddie’s scary white-knuckle ride just got even scarier!

Contentious: Eddie Jones Risk: Willi Heinz is one of only two No.9s WHEN it comes to explaining events as part of...

Francis: I’m not here just to make up the numbers

By NEALE HARVEY Out: Te’o and Cipriani Punching above his weight: Piers Francis HAVING seen off Ben Te’o and Danny Cipriani,...

DREAMTEAM

MA’AMA MOLITIKA, AMPTHILL AND FORMER TONGA, CARDIFF BLUES AND HARLEQUINS BACK ROW, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR...

Barrett red card shows deep split in the game

COLIN BOAG Controversy: Scott Barrett is sent off The most significant moment of last weekend’s rugby wasn’t England defeating Wales, or...

Unfair to lose star men at this stage

NATIONAL League rugby starts in just three weeks but Yorkshire Carnegie are flashing the RFU cash and signing players who had...

Waist-high tackle law could be a game-changer

AS a coaching professional I am fascinated to see how implementation of the waist-high tackling law progresses and how it affects...

How many others are Prem missing?

THE rise of Ruaridh McConnochie to the World Cup squad shows talent is slipping through the net. Fortunately he was rescued...

England need to find two more great players

THERE is a widely accepted premise among international coaches that you need five worldclass players to win the World Cup, with...

Tackling in League is safer than Union – Burrell

LUTHERBurrell has branded Rugby Union’s obsession with lowering tackle heights as “ridiculous”. Rising concussion rates have been cited by World Rugby...