Hogg, Bishop set for Ospreys roles

CARL Hogg and Andrew Bishop have emerged as front runners to join the Ospreys’ coaching team for next season. Current Scotland...

Little ‘n’ large have Saints on march

POCKET rocket Tom Collins believes his pace allied to the ‘power of T’ can bring Northampton within touching distance of a...

Watson: No doubt about it, I’m in best shape ever

By NEALE HARVEY Incumbent: England full-back Elliot Daly Back in action: Anthony Watson on the break against Sale Sharks last week...

Rodwell to call time on 7s career

JAMES Rodwell, the most capped Sevens player of all time, will retire at the end of the season. In January Rodwell...

Toulouse can’t stop breaking records

FRENCH COLUMN DAVID BARNES Toulouse are the recordbreakers who are leaving the entire Top 14 in their glittering wake. For a...

Fainga’a cashes in with a hat-trick

■ By ADAM ELLIS Brumbies hero: Folau Fainga’a scored three tries in an epic fightback against Blues PICTURE: Getty Images THE...

YOUNG GUNS

IZAIHA MOORE LONDON IRISH BACK ROW Izaiha Moore-Aiono made a try-scoring debut for England U20s in their impressive 35-8 victory over...

Brecon land the double by thrashing Cwmbran

Welsh Division One round-up ■ By CARL FIELD IT has been one hell of a week for Brecon. Six days on...

Ponsford predicts gap will close on Saracens

■ By NEALE HARVEY RFU head of women’s performance Nicky Ponsford is confident the women’s Premier 15s will go from strength-to-strength...

Pooler complete another clean sweep

Welsh Championship round-up ■ By CARL FIELD PONTYPOOL put the crowning glory on yet another 100 per cent winning campaign in...

Cardiff land 11 tries as they go on the rampage…

■ By SAM JONES Cardiff …75 Ebbw Vale …17 IT CERTAINLY wasn’t a case of after the Lord Mayor’s show for...

Webber is the star of the show as he scores a hat-trick

■ By JOHN MURPHY Bargoed …28 Pontypridd …55 PONTYPRIDD remain in contention for second spot in the Principality Premiership after a...

The Great Escape is still a possibility for Bedwas

■ By PAUL HOPKINS Bedwas …28 Swansea …25 BEDWAS kept alive their hopes of Premiership survival with a tense bonus point...

Warlow signs off life at Newport with a gutsy triumph

■ By JAY BRAYFORD Newport…33 Llandovery …22 NEWPORT edged an eighttry thriller with Llandovery. The victory also saw head coach Craig...

Merthyr take a giant stride towards the title

■ By STEFFAN THOMAS Carm Quins …21 Merthyr …40 MERTHYR edged closer to the Principality Premiership title with a bonus point...

Llanelli bring up their half century to keep hopes alive

■ By TIM LEWIS Llanelli …57 Neath…13 LLANELLI gave themselves a strong chance of retaining their Principality Premiership status as they...

England’s World Cup prospects? Who can tell!

A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME JEFF PROBYN Last gasp: George Ford saves England against Scotland PICTURE: Getty Images As...

ROOM 101

THE MOSELEY PROP TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND TOM FIDLER 1. Comedy moments in...

O’Driscoll: Ringrose, Lamour are key

By GARY HEATLY GARRY Ringrose and Jordan Larmour are the men who can break down Saracens’ defence and help Leinster lift...

Pivac gets best out of people says Hayward

By STEFFAN THOMAS BYRON Hayward has transformed the Scarlets’ defence – and now he faces the task of stepping into the...

Hor will fires war ning to Kyle over ill-discipline

By NEALE HARVEY Assessing his options: Quins lock James Horwill Learning curve: Kyle Sinckler has been told to toe the line...

Dorset run riot as they hammer rivals…

DIVISION 3 ROUND-UP ■ By LYNDON EDNEY DORSET & Wiltshire came out on top in an astonishing 57-45 victory over Berkshire....

Treble trouble as Grimes delivers

■ By SAM DONOVAN Durham …7 Lancashire …73 TOM Grimes was the hattrick hero for Lancashire as they started their campaign...

Yorkshire off to a rampaging start

■ By ANDREW SMITH Yorkshire …59 N’umberland …3 YORKSHIRE got their County Championship campaign of to a flying start. A hat-trick...

Honey’s the Cornwall last-gasp hero with crucial penalty

Kent …21 Cornwall …25 ■ By BILL HOOPER AN INJURY time penalty from Fraser Honey clinched the win for Cornwall at...

Sanders does the business as Cheshire edge thriller

■ By LUKE JARMYN Cheshire …26pts Tries: Allsop 5, Sanders 34, 78, Titherington 56 Conversions: Morton 35, 57, 79 Eastern Cou…25pts...

Errors galore but Devon downed

■ By TONY FIELDING Glou’shire …54 Devon …14 ALTHOUGH Gloucestershire had a comfortable lead by half-time, in truth the first half...

Radley does the damage for Herts

■ By MO SHER Hampshire …20 Hertfordshire 29 DIVISION One newcomers Hampshire pushed last season’s runners up, Hertfordshire, all the way....

Reed is the key in tense Midlands thriller

DIVISION 2 ROUND-UP ■ By MATT BALDWIN EAST Midlands powered past Warwickshire in a 42-27 thriller. East Mids grabbed the first...

Law sabbatical proves wise choice for Pincus

UNSUNGBristol wing Tom Pincus insists Bristol can build towards Champions Cup rugby next season having secured their Premiership status with two...

Bailey gets big boost for Canada

HEAD coach James Bailey has named his squad for the next leg of the women’s World Sevens Series in Canada on...

Ex-Wales No.10 on cloud nine at Ampthill

■ By NEALE HARVEY Top 10: Paul Turner EMOTIONAL Ampthill head coach Paul Turner insists winning promotion to the Championship stands...

Party time for Pratt’s Canterbury climbers

■ By BRAD HARPER Glory be: Canterbury and their fans hail their success PICTURE: Phillipa Hilton TEAMS CANTERBURY: Grimes (Moss 50),...

MY LIFE IN RUGBY

THE FORMER HARLEQUINS AND ENGLAND ‘A’ FLY-HALF PAUL CHALLINOR IT’S 20 years since I last laced up my boots and while...

Walker’s not slowing down after bringing ton up at Trailfinders

EALING Trailfinders stalwart Alun Walker says he had no doubts about signing for another year despite interest from Premiership clubs. Walker,...

Leicester benchwarmer glad to have a new rep

By NEALE HARVEY Just rewards: Fraser Balmain Top Tiger: Dan Cole Big fan: Ed Slater GLOUCESTER forward of the year Fraser...

Shaun is still one of Wales’ own even if he’s in France

One morning in early August last year, hot on the heels of Wales confirming Wayne Pivac as their head coach post-Japan,...

Why can’t refs spot what the citers see?

Let off: Leinster’s Fergus McFadden is spoken to by referee George Clancy after the clash, inset, with Ulster’s Sean Reidy ONE...

They may have to rename it Losers Cup

PETER JACKSON LOSINGmore matches than you win over the course of a season hardly seems conducive to qualifying for a competition...

Richmond pair prop up our team of the season

JON NEWCOMBE canvasses opinion for The Rugby Paper’s Championship Dream XV Making his mark: Richmond prop Will Goodrick-Clarke London Irish may...

Ryan takes Dragons job

DRAGONS are set to appoint Dean Ryan as their new head coach. The 52-year-old will take over at Rodney Parade from...

Cipriani on shortlist for star player

GLOUCESTER fly-half Danny Cipriani, 31, has been nominated for the Rugby Players Association Player of the Year award. Northampton’s Cobus Reinach,...

Willis leads Trailfinders to Cup – now for the Prem!

By NEALE HARVEY First blood: Seb Steggman breaks for the opener PICTURE: PRiME Media Images CRAIG Willis showed why Ealing Trailfinders...

WHO ARE YOUR RUGBY HEROES?

Consistently brilliant: Mark McCall’s Saracens are into another Champions Cup final 99 not out: Sutton and Epsom’s Matt Whittaker THERE have...

Folau in the dock

ISRAEL Folau gave evidence yesterday on the first day of the hearing into his sacking by Rugby Australia for a social...

RPA should extend support to Championship says Day

By NEALE HARVEY SARACENS-BOUND Cornish Pirates No.9 Alex Day believes it is high time Championship players became fully paid-up members of...

Smart money’s on Mr Motivator

Fresh-faced veteran: Richard Wigglesworth PICTURES: Getty Images High five: Richard Wigglesworth’s first Premiership title with Sale in 2006 RICHARD Wigglesworth has...

PRO14 play-off shambles may hit Gat’s plans

WHAT a shambles the PRO14’s Champions Cup play-off game is turning into! The whole selling point about Judgement Day this year...

Coaching brain drain is a nightmare for Welsh team lovers

I WAS fascinated to read comments by Warren Gatland this week on Robin McBryde and his move to Leinster which will...

World Cup could help Dean Ryan and Dragons

SHANE WILLIAMS Good recruit: Josh Adams will fit in really well at Cardiff Blues PICTURE: Getty Images THIS is the stage...