Scrap the warm-up games and take a short tour instead

BRENDAN GALLAGHER RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points Proper preparation: Ben Kay and Steve Thompson celebrate...

Wynne aims to shine in Scottish shop window

By NEALE HARVEY ROOKIE London Scottish skipper Lewis Wynne is planning on enjoying a cracking Championship campaign to roar back on...

Griffiths on mission to come in from the cold

By STEFFAN THOMAS Fighting fit again: Dragons back row Ollie Griffiths PICTURES: Getty Images OLLIE Griffiths plans to muscle in on...

ROOM 101

THE TYNEDALE FLANKER TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND BEN BELL 1. Play-acting footballers I’d...

No Peter, so my job gets harder

PRESS officers have long been redefined in my trade as prevention officers, notorious for blocking access to the more interesting interviewees...

Taking the Mickey no laughing matter

SOMEONE, somewhere can be relied upon to take offence at something said tongue-in-cheek. As Steve Hansen knows. Confronted with the notion...

Humble Lochore was touched by true greatness

THEY came by the thousand to pay their last respects at lunchtime on Thursday and listen in their sorrow to the...

Friendly? This will be full metal jacket for Gatland

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Far from preserving the status of the Test match, rugby has given it...

Gleeson steered by advice from Shaun

By NEALE HARVEY On the attack: Martin Gleeson in action for Salford PICTURES: Getty Images Advice: Lee Blackett CROSS-CODE convert Martin...

Long’s eye for detail will be a game changer says Gustard

By JON NEWCOMBE Pub chat: Paul Gustard Sean Long Big potential: Quins fly-half Marcus Smith HARLEQUINS boss Paul Gustard reckons new...

Johan’s put us on the path to challenge for top prizes

Q&A STEPHEN VAUGHAN ON THE RECORD No excuses now: Head coach Johan Ackermann has nurtured a strong culture at Kingsholm PICTURES:...

We must clear up Sarries salary cap row – Vaughan

By NEALE HARVEY Call for clarity: Vaughan OUTGOING Gloucester chief executive Stephen Vaughan has called on Premiership Rugby to come clean...

Follow The Rugby Paper online…

Follow us at: @TheRugbyPaper like us at: therugbypaper Follow us at: @therugbypaper Keep in touch with The Rugby Paper wherever you...

World Rugby must sort out danger at the breakdown

I’M VERY interested to see how World Rugby’s latest trial laws will go, but my view is our game continues to...

I’m predicting 2-0 to Wales this week

Big fan: I’d like to see Owen Lane play on Saturday PICTURE: Getty Images WARREN Gatland has gone fully loaded for...

Seven-try Moseley put on the style

By ADAM ELLIS Debut: Jonny Arr MOSELEY began their pre-season with a 40-5 win over Caldy at Billesley Common. Caldy were...

French show their class in 40-point romp

SA Schools A …19 France …………43 SIX NATIONS Grand Slam winners France U18 made light work of SA Schools A by...

Our young lads played all the rugby – Horsman

By WILL FARRELL SA Schools ….23 Wales …13 CHRIS HORSMAN praised Wales for playing ‘all the rugby’ in their defeat to...

Mallinder: Argentina were too big and physical for us

By SAM JACKSON Try: Louis Hillman-Cooper England ……….19 Argentina ……29 ENGLANDU18s coach Jim Mallinder saw positives to build upon after Argentina...

American rugby is set to boom says San Diego coach Hoadley

By NEALE HARVEY Big plans: San Diego Legion coach Rob Hoadley FORMERLondon Irish and Wasps centre Rob Hoadley has revealed why...

This time it’s clearly personal for Eddie and Gats

Ahead-to-head between England coach Eddie Jones and his Wales counterpart Warren Gatland on which their 2019 World Cup ambitions, and their...

Dan hopes to make grand-dad proud with Wales U18s

By STEFFAN THOMAS WALES U18 full-back Dan John is hoping to keep his family’s proud rugby tradition alive while playing for...

B&I League would turn the fans off – Baldwin

By NEALE HARVEY Quins new boy: Scott Baldwin in action for Ospreys PICTURES: Getty Images Lock star: Bradley Davies FORMER Wales...

Joe Rigby, star sub

JOE Rigby, a senior sub editor at Greenways Publishing, working across the Rugby and Cricket Papers, has died suddenly. Editor in...

US teen sprint star Tyrese signs for Bristol

BRISTOL have signed teenage former American footballer Tyrese Johnson- Fisher on a one-year deal. The 19-year-old was ranked third in the...

Line-out size matters

THE height stats in the England back row look too one-dimensional for my liking, because everyone is 6ft 2ins. Whether it...

Yes, Wade could have been true superstar

CHRISTIAN Wade is the wonderkid who made the bold move of leaving Rugby Union for American Football in April because England...

Wray is being hounded for caring for his players

SARACENS are in the cross-hairs of a number of Premiership rivals who want them nailed for alleged salary cap breaches before...

Goneva try lights up stodgy game in Suva

By DAN THOMAS Fiji …10 Samoa …3 Winner: Vereniki Goneva AN outstanding team try finished by Harlequins winger Vereniki Goneva lit...

Leitch leads Japan to victory in the Pacific

By GEORGE LAWRENCE Try time: Ryohei Yamanaka scores for Japan JAPAN overpowered the United States to win the tournament and deliver...

Canucks outgunned by Tonga pack power

By SAM JACKSON Tonga …33 Canada …23 TONGAended a four-match losing streak to finish the tournament with victory over Canada, leaving...

Scotland power up for best ever tournament

Upbeat: Mark Dodson SCOTLAND chief executive Mark Dodson believes Gregor Townsend has assembled the strongest ever squad in World Cup history...

Read: We must turn it around

KIERAN Read refused to push the panic button after his All Blacks colleagues were left dazed by six of the best...

Pumas are almost there for World Cup bid says Montera

By SAM JACKSON ARGENTINA captain Pablo Matera believes his team are ‘almost there’ for the Rugby World Cup – but says...

All Blacks thrashed as Barrett sees red

Rugby Championship First of six: Reece Hodge storms home for the Wallabies PICTURE: Getty Images Off: All Black lock Scott Barrett...

Sonny Bill nears full fitness in stint with Counties

NEWS EXTRA NEW ZEALAND centre Sonny Bill Williams says he is happy with how his stint with Counties Manukau has gone...

Wales go top of the world rankings

By ALEX BYWATER ALUN Wyn Jones has vowed Wales will embrace the pressure of their favourites tag at Twickenham this afternoon...

Bust-up pair can still get on the plane says Eddie

By NICK CAIN Sent home: Ben Te’o Sent home: Mike Brown Bledisloe bragging rights: Exeter scrum-half Nic White scores for Australia...

RFU ratify Yorkshire Carnegie’s CVA process, meaning no points deduction

Yorkshire Carnegie, who ran up debts of £6m last season, have spared themselves a 28-point deduction and will play in the...

Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones to reach historic landmark in England clash

Wales head coach Warren Gatland has named a squad lined with regulars for the trip to Twickenham

England to experiment against Wales ahead of naming World Cup squad

Willi Heinz and Sam Underhill will act as vice-captains in the Twickenham clash

Barbarians v Fiji: 100 days to go!

100 days to go before the Barbarians take on Fiji for the Killik Cup at Twickenham with Eddie Jones at the...

We can break the cycle of underachievement, says Worcester co-owner Goldring

Worcester Warriors' new owners are looking to use Sixways Stadium as a multi-purpose sports venue

Williams column: Warm-ups essential to get Wales up to speed

Shane Williams says it's impossible to predict Wales' 23 given their options, unlike England

Yorkshire Carnegie’s financial woe raises player welfare risks, says Dan Temm

After starring for Carnegie despite their off-the-field problems last season, flanker Daniel Temm reflects on what next for the Championship club...

All Blacks expect David Pocock to play in Bledisloe Cup

Sam Cane expects to be packing down opposite David Pocock in the Rugby Championship

Willi Heinz and Piers Francis named in England squad for Wales clash

The Gloucester scrum-half is one of four uncapped players included by Eddie Jones

Boyd: Lesser men would have quit by now but Dylan Hartley won’t

The England captain and Northampton Saints hooker has been battling back from knee surgery

Maximizing workout benefits: What you should do after exercising

Working out is a complex activity, but it’s not the sole aspect you need to focus on. In this article, we’ll...

Italy give Boks boost

ACCORDING to Jake White, the South African coach who knows a thing or two about winning World Cups, the Springboks are...