DREAMTEAM

FRANCO VAN DER MERWE, SOUTH AFRICA, LONDON IRISH AND FORMER LIONS, SHARKS AND ULSTER LOCK, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE’S PLAYED...

It’s about time TV pundits gave praise to defences

COLIN BOAG Try time: Rory Hutchinson scores for Saints against Gloucester Did you watch the televised game between Northampton Saints and...

Letters

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk We don’t want social...

I had to give Hughes poke in the eye says Dai

By GARY FITZGERALD Back on form: Nathan Hughes DAI Young has revealed he gave Nathan Hughes “a poke in the eye”...

Coach Williams leaves Quins

TOM Williams, the Quins winger caught up in the Bloodgate scandal, is leaving the club after serving as their transition coach....

Arnie’s hopping it after 450 games,

Jon Newcombe talks to a National Leagues iron man who has decided to call it a day Well done, old boy:...

Kockott fizz has Castres bubbling in Bordeaux

DAVID BARNES FRENCH COLUMN Abrasive: But Castres scrum-half Rory Kockott got the job done against Bordeaux-Begles “Doomed Perpignan would like to...

Llandudno clinch title in true champion fashion

By JAY BAYFORD Welsh Division One round-up LLANDUDNO clinched the One North title in style as they dismantled Bethesda. The newly-crowned...

Rhydyfelin are down after loss at rivals Trebanos

By JAY BAYFORD Welsh Championship round-up RHYDYFELIN became the second team to be relegated from the WRU National Championship this season....

Morgans at the double as Quins romp past Ponty

By TOM PRITCHARD Pontypridd …12 Carm Quins …32 CARMARTHEN Quins produced an impressive display to secure a bonuspoint win over Pontypridd...

Bedwas made to work but take maximum points at Neath

By ROB COLE Neath…3 Bedwas …28 BEDWAS battled their way to a much-needed bonuspoint win to keep alive their hopes of...

Keys on the brink as dominant Drovers run riot

By TIM LEWIS Llandovery …43 Cross Keys …21 LLANDOVERY moved Cross Keys closer to relegation from the Premiership as they suffered...

Merthyr still on course for double after victory at Newport

By JAY BAYFORD Newport …18 Merthyr …26 MERTHYR remain on course for the doubledouble but were made to work hard for...

Steelmen’s second-half blitz overwhelms Bargoed

By IAN GOLDEN Ebbw Vale…34 Bargoed …10 EBBW VALE put in a good second-half performance to beat relegation-threatened Bargoed. However the...

Ratti impresses as Whites dent Cardiff’s title ambitions

By PAUL HOPKINS Swansea …20 Cardiff …17 CARDIFF’S Premiership title hopes were dented after they suffered a narrow reverse against Swansea...

Principality Premiership

RGC 1404 …13 Aberavon …15 JAC Morgan crossed for a last-gasp try as Aberavon came from behind to steal victory over...

Lightning aim for further shocks as Burford rallies

PREVIEW Harlequins v Loughborough Sunday, 2pm Rachael Burford RACHAEL Burford urged Harlequins Ladies to keep their focus ahead of their Premier...

Saracens strike from all over the park as Botterman inspires

By BELLA BUTLER Saracens …31 Wasps …13 Break: Jodie Rettie SARACENS dominated their semi-final match-up against Wasps, winning convincingly as they...

Chiefs continue Blues dominance thanks to Parete

By ADAM ELLIS Game winner: Jesse Parete celebrating the Chiefs’ winning try with Ataata Moeakiola, right FOUR WINS on the bounce...

Fiji still kings of Hong Kong while Ireland join the party

HONG KONG WRAP FIJI turned on the style to claim a fifth consecutive Hong Kong Sevens title with an unstoppable display...

England scrape through after shock loss toWales

World Sevens Series From ANTON CLARKE SINGAPORE SEVENS Counting their lucky stars: England captain Tom Mitchell in action for England in...

Venter’s Boks blast

FORME Rassistant Springboks coach Brendan Venter has shared his concerns of the new contract system put in place by SA Rugby...

Balding set for the top job at Moseley

FORMER Gloucester back rower Adam Balding is set to be installed as Birmingham Moseley’s new director of rugby, The Rugby Paper...

Relegation damaged Exiles says scrum-half McKibbin

By NEALE HARVEY DEPARTING London Irish scrum-half Brendan McKibbin says relegation is bad for business and insists the top end of...

Diamond: Jennings could be back after police assault

By NEALE HARVEY STEVE Diamond insists disgraced former Sale centre Mark Jennings still has a future in professional rugby – if...

Joseph set to challenge Slade for No13 shirt

■By NEALE HARVEY Impressive: Henry Slade scores against Ireland JONATHAN Joseph is ready to challenge for his England place and remind...

Carnegie academy threatened by cut in budget

By JON NEWCOMBE CARNEGIE’S famed academy is under threat following the news that swingeing cutbacks are necessary for the club to...

Welsh clubs ask for clarity over Celtic Cup plans

Principality Stadium: Home of Welsh rugby PRINCIPALITY Premiership clubs have pleaded for clarity from the Welsh Rugby Union as they continue...

Premiership are helping Hartpury beat the drop

A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME JEFF PROBYN Survival battle: Simon Linsell reaches for the sky for Hartpury With just...

Bournemouth one short of a thousand!

South West Premier BOURNEMOUTH rounded off their imperious run to the title in style – even if they did miss out...

Hull round off memorable season in style

Northern Premier HULL rounded off their championship season in grand style with a resounding 62-0 win over a weakened Rossendale side....

Close-run thing as Scunthorpe triumph

Midlands Premier SCUNTHORPE clinched the title – but they made their supporters sweat during a tense final-day 17- 16 triumph at...

Sutton joy but Wimbledon are just short

Regional Premier Leagues London & South East Premier SUTTON & EPSOMare promoted following a bonus point 38-31 win away to Bedford...

Youngs gets three weeks

LEICESTER hooker Tom Youngs was banned for three weeks when he appeared before a disciplinary panel. He was shown a red...

Chamberlain helps steer Hartpury to treble glory

By JOE BYRNES THE ribbons will remain red on The BUCS Super Rugby Championship Trophy after Hartpury sealed a glorious treble...

YOUNG GUNS

JAMES WHITCOMBE LEICESTER PROP Adeep rugby heritage runs through the Whitcombe family so it was no surprise when Keighley-born James took...

Francis at the double for Titans

By KATIE DAUNT TAUNTON Titans racked up a half-century of points at Footes Lane as they continued to finish their season...

Watson hat-trick for ace Juddians

By GARETH WITHERS Tonbridge J 55 Clifton …………12 A STELLAR attacking performance from Tonbridge Juddians saw them run in 55 points...

Half-century for Redcliffs in derby hit-out

By GEOFF SIBLEY Old Reds ……51 Redruth ……24 SOMERSET’S Old Redcliffians won this West County derby and completed the double over...

Sterling at the double as Cant go for broke

By MUHAMMED SHER Barnes ………………22pts Canterbury……….31pts Smart move: Canterbury scrum-half Dan Smart tries to wiggle free from Barnes’ Matt Steele, PROMOTION...

Eight for Hawks as they maintain last push

By BRIAN QUINN Old Albanian 21 Henley…………50 HENLEYHawks, with vast Championship experience, were always in front in this tired end-of-season encounter....

Maslen caps fine comeback victory

By JOHN WHITE Dings …………….33 Worthing ……36 DINGS surrendered a 26-7 lead to crash to defeat against Worthing at Shaftesbury Park....

Wild Geese sunk by nine-try Bury

By SIMON LORD Bury St Eds ….53 LI Wild Geese 7 BURY strolled to victory with a nine-try demolition of London...

Six tries for Rams as they demolish the Bees

By CAMERON TEMPLE Rams …………….38 B’ham & Soli 24 THERams battled through to victory against Birmingham & Solihull, fresh off being...

MY LIFE RUGBY

RHODRI MCATEE THE FORMER WALES SEVENS AND CORNISH PIRATES WINGER. When Wales won the Sevens World Cup as 80/1 outsiders in...

Alexander’s just great for Preston

By WILL REILLY S Leicester ….34 Preston G’hop 51 ALEXANDER Hurst scored a hat-trick as Grasshoppers romped to victory in a...

Unstoppable Dan is Stour’s wizard

By NICK PULLEN Stourbridge….48 Macclesfield 22 STOUR speed merchant Dan Rundle stole the show with a hat-trick of tries as already-relegated...

Century of points as the traffic jam eases

By SIMON MOYLE P’boro Lions 35 Tynedale ……66 THE start was delayed by more than an hour due to Tynedale having...

Champions Ionians can relax for closing test

By MALCOLM KNOWLES Hull Ionians……48pts Leicester Lions 30pts AN emotional Martyn Wood addressed his Ionians team after this dramatic contest and...

Nine-try epic as Hinckley shade Tigers

By JASON WILLIAMS Hinckley……….37 Sheffield Tig 34 THE tries came thick and fast as these two sides put on an entertaining...