Jackson column: Sale’s workhorse Sam James is as durable as Red Rum

Never out of the Sale Sharks team this season

Pat Lam is building England-ready contingent at Bristol Bears

Pat Lam reiterates his desire to turn Bristol in a Champions Cup regular – and says that's the perfect gateway to...

Guscott column: Sorry George Ford, the thought of Cipriani coming off the bench is too good to go to waste

Take three fly-halves if you must, but reality is England can only take two

Fans warned of beer shortage at 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan

The stuff of nightmares

“I have to believe I can get to Japan” says Gloucester wing Ollie Thorley

An under the radar prospect as Eddie Jones' Rugby World Cup plan unfolds?

Ealing Trailfinders back Premiership-Championship play-off plan on one condition

Ealing Trailfinders owner Mike Gooley wants more reward for the likes of Jersey and Cornish Pirates for developing top tier players

Probyn column: Strong words from Dean Ryan on RFU

Jeff Probyn examines Dean Ryan's comments made on the RFU's pathway structure and Eddie Jones

Fiji in pole position to win World Series

Fiji have a two-point lead going into the final round in Paris

Pocock leaves the Brumbies but available for Wallabies

Pocock heads to Japan, but Giteau rule means he can play for Wallabies

Ireland’s Rob Kearney stays for another year

Rob Kearney pens a deal til the end of 2019-20

Super Rugby: Jaguares play-off surge a good omen for Los Pumas

The Jaguares sit at the summit of the South African Conference

Lozowski: We weren’t perfect – we’ll be better against Chiefs

By NEALE HARVEY Hunger to improve: Alex Lozowski ALEX Lozowski says Saracens’ insatiable appetite for silverware will be the driver for...

McCall: Nick will make up for loss of Barritt

SARACENS supremo Mark McCall backed hat-trick hero Nick Tompkins to repeat his heroics in the absence of Brad Barritt. Sarries’ talismanic...

Tompkins in hat-trick blitz as Sarries go storming on

■From NICK CAIN at Allianz Park They’re off: Sean Maitland touches down for Saracens’ first try All over: Nick Tompkins scores...

Cipriani has shown he must go to Japan ahead of Ford

JEREMYGUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE…EVERY WEEK Unique ability: Danny Cipriani can make something out of nothing PICTURE: Getty Images IF you judge...

Exodus of Springbok stars bad for rugby

COLIN BOAG Fan’s view Worth watching: Faf de Klerk goes over for Sale against Bristol At one time rival fans poked...

Nonsense to give pro clubs more power

I UNDERTAKE voluntary work in the senior county championship and schools representative rugby. I echo Ian Lewis’ concerns (TRP May 12)...

Tier Two grassroots need a boost, but so do ours in England

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon, SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk NICK Cain is right...

Don’t forget tribal nature of the Prem

REGARDING Colin Boag’s incredulity at the apparent ambivalence towards Sarries’ European Cup win over Leinster, does Colin not understand the essentially...

Sorrell’s not alone about Alex

SARACENS’ Kevin Sorrell is not the only one who is “flummoxed” about Alex Goode being ignored by the England set up....

It will be a sporting travesty if Chiefs lose

HEREwe are once again at the Premiership playoffs farce. How many other genuine Rugby Union fans feel the same way? I...

Anthony showed guts, he’s a real fighter insists Blackadder

By GARY FITZGERALD TODD Blackadder expects to see Anthony Watson up close in Japan this autumn wearing an England jersey and...

Change is needed to help the North says Dowson

FORMER Newcastle Falcons stalwart Phil Dowson insists the structure of English rugby needs changing, describing his old club’s relegation as “devastating”...

Ollie’s inspired to find the gains Eddie wants for place in Japan

■By NEALE HARVEY Driven to succeed: Gloucester flyer Ollie Thorley PICTURES: Getty Images GLOUCESTER wing Ollie Thorley has total belief in...

Revitalised Montpellier end up with last laugh

DAVID BARNES FRENCH COLUMN Hat-trick: Vincent Rattez scored three of La Rochelle’s 12 tries against Bordeaux Time stood still for heroic...

Super Rugby Jaguares play-off surge is an omen for Pumas

■By ADAM ELLIS Test calibre: Jaguares wing Ramiro Moyano goes head-to-head with Waratahs full-back Kurtley Beale PICTURE: Getty Images THE JAGUARES...

RUGBY SHORTS

Crusaders investigate CRUSADERS head coach Scott Robertson has defended Richie Mo’unga and George Bridge after they were accused by South African...

Powell v Haskell!

FORMER Wales No.8 Andy Powell has challenged James Haskell to a charity boxing match. Powell used Twitter to challenge Haskell to...

Cips: Me and Owen

DANNY Cipriani believes there is no reason why he and Owen Farrell cannot operate in the same squad as calls grow...

Dombrandt eyes call-up for Baa-Baas clash

ALEX Dombrandt hopes his stellar first season in pro rugby might earn him an England call-up for next Sunday’s Twickenham clash...

Zach aims to stamp his brand on Eddie

■By NEALE HARVEY ZACHMercer is ready to prove to England head coach Eddie Jones that Billy Vunipola and Nathan Hughes are...

Rams plan to keep on climbing

NEALE HARVEY picks out some key early battles in next season’s National Leagues On the up: Rams celebrate winning National 2...

Sad to see my own rugby pathway is no longer there

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME Outspoken: Dean Ryan criticised the RFU following his move to take charge...

Wing Walker quits Quins for new start in Italy

By ADAM ELLIS Finisher: Charlie Walker HARLEQUINS winger Charlie Walker will swap the Premiership for the PRO14 and join Zebre this...

I won’t forget that glare off Leonard!

MY LIFEIN RUGBY NICK WALSHE THE FORMER ENGLAND, BATH, SALE, SARACENS, HARLEQUINS AND BEDFORD SCRUM-HALF Reaching the top: Nick Walshe in...

Knights charge up Uni system

Stepping up: Will Goodrick-Clarke in ferocious form for Richmond DONCASTER Knights academy will play three divisions higher in the University system...

Delaney in to replace Hayward

THE Scarlets have added another piece to their coaching jigsaw with the appointment of Glenn Delaney as defence coach. Delaney, currently...

Richmond restart earns Will his second chance

By JON NEWCOMBE COMPUTER science degree graduate Will Goodrick-Clarke is relishing another crack at the Premiership after his reboot at Richmond....

Murphy wants Tigers to start playing ‘smarter’ rugby

LEICESTER head coach Geordan Murphy will ask his Tigers to show more versatility in their game next season after narrowly avoiding...

Lam’s building Bears a platform to England

By NEALE HARVEY Leading charge for Red Rose honours: Harry Thacker PICTURES: Getty Images Ambitious: Pat Lam BRISTOL supremo Pat Lam...

YOUNG GUNS

ROUBAN BIRCH Rouban Birch admits he couldn’t believe his luck when it was announced that South Africa second row superstar Lood...

England beat the Kiwis but fall to Ireland

■By ANDRE THOMAS Hand-off: Phil Burgess of England is challenged by Ireland’s Harry McNulty ENGLAND were dumped out of Cup contention...

Top two take command after thrilling season finale

The Rugby Paper’s reporters have submitted their votes to reveal our National 2 South Team of the Season Lerading by example:...

This free bar will cost you

THEWorld Cup warm-ups are still almost three months away but the hospitality companies are already selling their wares, like this one:...

Dream Team wake up call

THE PRO14 final at Celtic Park last night brought a new twist to the old maxim about there being two teams...

Quins landed a coup with Dombrandt

THEEnglish Premiership Dream Team of the season featured a back row forward from Croydon whom nobody had heard of when he...

Durable? They should call James Red Rum!

THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW PETER JACKSON SAMJames ought to have been centre-stage at the Premiership gala dinner last Wednesday...

Deano disappointed by Hammerlsey flying the nest

By ADAM ELLIS THE lure of European rugby proved too strong for Simon Hammersley to remain at Kingston Park so the...

Miller tells boo boys to cut Lima some slack

By NEALE HARVEY Under fire: Wasps fly-half Lima Sopoaga PICTURES: Getty Images PLAYMAKER Lima Sopoaga should not be made a scapegoat...

James will leave Blues

CARDIFF Blues wing Tom James will leave the region at the end of the month. The 32-year-old returned to rugby this...