Irish have the cream of England

MIKE Catt’s impending arrival as Ireland attack coach means it will be a clean sweep of England’s failed 2015 World Cup...

Give Paddy chance of redemption

PADDY Jackson was acquitted by a jury of the charge of rape. His text message comments were disgusting and as a...

Plug pulled on Nations Cup idea

WORLD Rugby have scrapped plans to restructure the international game with a new Nations Championship format. The governing body failed to...

Louw: Loss to All Blacks haunts me, it’s so painful

By NEALE HARVEY BATH flanker Francois Louw is gearing up for a last tilt at World Cup glory with South Africa...

Ashton tipped to force his way back into Eddie’s plans

By GARY FITZGERALD CHRIS Ashton will prove once and for all to Eddie Jones that he deserves to be on that...

European king Kruis eyes world domination

By MATTHEW EMERY GEORGE Kruis has been resting up in Italy after the rigours of Saracens’ European and Premiership double campaign...

Bastareaud is mugged by Brunel – or Galthie!

DAVID BARNES FRENCH COLUMN Retired from France: Mathieu Bastareaud has been axed from the World Cup squad PICTURE: Getty Images SQUAD:...

Kickings stamped their mark on me!

ALEX BYWATER discovers what made Wales star Paul James a teak tough prop No backwards step: Paul James in World Cup...

Shingler’s key to the Griffiths masterplan at London Welsh

By NEALE HARVEY Brains trust: Cai Griffiths and Stephen Shingler LONDONWelsh director of rugby Cai Griffiths hopes the addition of Ealing...

All Blacks happy to give break to Barrett

BEAUDEN Barrett will make an announcement on his playing future after the end of the Super Rugby season as he weighs...

Catt joins the 2015 England old boys coaching in Ireland

MIKE Catt is expected to join Ireland as attack coach after this year’s Rugby World Cup. It is understood the former...

It was right for Marcus to play the Barbarians

By NEALE HARVEY ENGLAND U20s supremo Steve Bates insists Marcus Smith’s senior World Cup callup justifies the gifted playmaker’s controversial withdrawal...

Wales face All Blacks in 2020

WALES are set to play two Tests in New Zealand in July 2020. The trip to his home country will be...

Folau asks fans to fund his legal fight

NEWS EXTRA ISRAEL Folau has appealed for public donations to help him legally contest his dismissal by Rugby Australia. Folau, 30,...

Jaguares show Chiefs who’s boss in Argentina

By SAM JACKSON Comeback: Matias Moroni scores for the Jaguares PICTURE: TRP Photographer THE JAGUARES made history by qualifying for the...

Proud record as a one-club man

MY LIFEIN RUGBY TOPSY OJO THE FORMER LONDON IRISH AND ENGLAND WINGER England bow: Topsy Ojo scores the first of two...

Beaumont joins critics of RFU cuts to student game

By AMELIA JABRY Students graduate: Sale No.8 Josh Beaumont ENGLAND Students are facing an uncertain future after RFU cutbacks, despite offering...

EQP system is not working, the figures are a fudge

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME England qualified: Nathan Hughes came to the Premiership before he was capped...

Gulliver utilising experience of all his travels

By JON NEWCOMBE BEN GULLIVER intends to build a strong culture and playing identity once he starts his role as Plymouth...

Delaney forecasts Scarlets resurgence

By STEFFAN THOMAS GLENN Delaney believes the Scarlets’ new coaching team will have no trouble adapting to the rigours of the...

YOUNG GUNS

OLLIE HASSELL-COLLINS LONDON IRISH WING Ollie Hassell-Collins insists the impending arrival of All Blacks star Waisake Naholo will serve to inspire...

Yes we want promotion but only when it’s on fairer terms

Q&A ALISTAIR BOW ON THE RECORD With Championship finances precarious and the future structure of top-flight professional rugby under review, Nottingham...

Big test for Berne

THEcontinuing fall-out caused by the Israel Folau imbroglio tended to obscure yet another change to the Wallaby management team. Shane Berne,...

Duty free solace for sacked Jenkins

NO international coach can have been subjected to a more brutal sacking than Gareth Jenkins, on the Sunday morning after Fiji...

Dombrandt leap as big as Olympic hero Lynn

This time last year the English rugby public at large had never heard of Alex Dombrandt, let alone seen him in...

Lions give Gatland punch line

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW WARRENGatland ‘joked’ on more than one occasion about the RFU not being able...

Sam gets new job as the joker

SCOTLAND scrum-half Sam Hidalgo-Clyne has joined Racing 92 to provide cover during the World Cup. The 25-year-old left Scarlets by mutual...

DREAMTEAM

WILL SPENCER, LEICESTER AND FORMER BATH AND WORCESTER LOCK, PICKS THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST… 1. Ellis...

Balding encourages more stars to follow Arr’s path

By NEALE HARVEY National One recruits: Jonny Arr, left, and Carl Kirwan PICTURE: Getty Images NATIONAL One standards will skyrocket as...

England bounce back to earn date with Wales

By SAM JACKSON SIMON Amor’s England side face Wales in today’s cup quarter-final of the Moscow Sevens Grand Prix after finishing...

World Cup success will spell woe for Euro hopes

NICK CAIN says the scheduling of the opening round of Euro action is ridiculous Handicap start: Leinster could supply 25 players...

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Pivac faces a tough start warns Byrne

By ALEX BYWATER WAYNE Pivac has been warned it could take two years before he gets the best out of his...

Newcastle fightback will begin at London Scottish

By NEALE HARVEY NEWCASTLE’S arduous road back to the Premiership will begin on the second weekend of October when they travel...

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Horror for Ospreys but Challenge Cup offers Mooar hope

LAST week’s Champions and Challenge Cup draws saw everyone in Wales focus on what was a horror outcome for the Ospreys....

Galling to see such talent slip Wales’ net

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND Hot property: Quins flanker Alex Dombrandt PICTURE: Getty Images Late developers: Leigh Halfpenny and Liam...

Holiday bonus for Blues bolter Carré

ALEX BYWATER talks to Wales prop Rhys Carré about a whirlwind couple of months On a roll: Rhys Carré causing the...

Touring the Americas was eye-opener for Hastings

By GARY HEATLY Chip off the block: Adam Hastings ADAM Hastings feels a different player following last summer’s tour with Scotland...

The changing of the old guard

HAS EDDIE JONES LEFT IT TOO CLOSE TO THE WORLD CUP TO SHAKE-UP HIS SQUAD? Call up: Northampton openside Lewis Ludlam...

Premiership winner Wallace signs for Coventry

COVENTRY have signalled their intent for next season in the Championship with the signing of flanker Luke Wallace from Harlequins. A...

Paris fun rekindles Cook’s love affair

JON NEWCOMBE talks to Chris Cook about his desire to come in from the cold at Bath Kicking on: Chris Cook...

ROOM 101

BEN PENFOLD THE CAMBRIDGE FLY-HALF TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND 1. Pub commentators It’s...

Shakeup failed over failure to sell it properly

THE shelving of World Rugby’s plans to introduce a World League – or Nations Championship – in 2022 is a pity...

Jaguares’ success is big warning for Eddie

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK ARGENTINA are on the march ahead of their 2019 World Cup ‘Pool of...

Judge’s fairytale rise to Euro ruler

NEALE HARVEY talks to Christian Judge about his remarkable journey to the game’s summit Giant steps: Christian Judge on the charge...

Campagnaro: Gustard’s a winner, it’s why I signed

By GARY FITZGERALD On trophy trail: Michele Campagnaro Top coach: Paul Gustard NEW signing Michele Campagnaro is confident Harlequins can thrive...

Clinical Carbonel puts boot into Junior Boks challenge

South Africa …7 France…20 By ADAM ELLIS FRANCE fly-half Louis Carbonel kicked South Africa out of the running with five penalties....

14-man Wallabies are class above

Argentina …13 Australia …34 AUSTRALIA displayed huge guts and determination to beat Argentina and reach only their second ever final despite...

Outpowered Scotland left facing the axe

Scotland…19 Italy…26 SCOTLAND slumped to their fourth straight defeat amid the rain and thunder in Rosario. Carl Hogg’s side trailed 14-7...