Richard’s the Conquerer of Normandy wasteland

FRENCH COLUMN DAVID BARNES Taking on the big boys: Richard Hill has led Rouen to two promotions Richard Hill is a...

Success in France keeps Joe on radar

NEALE HARVEY finds Oyonnax boss Joe El Abd hungry for another chance with England Success: Joe El Abd helped coach England...

Owens: We’ll run ourselves into the ground

By ALEX BYWATER KEN OWENS will take a mantra of ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’ into Wales’ World Cup...

Foden boy-band set for X factor

CELEBRITY X Factor will see rugby stars Ben Foden, Thom Evans and Levi Davis form a boyband. A celebrity version of...

Rifleman Bean takes aim at Prem big guns

By NEALE HARVEY Coming force: Saints signing Lewis Bean in action for the Army Comrade: Rokoduguni POWERHOUSE Army lock Lewis Bean...

Play-offs fly in face of player welfare

A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME JEFF PROBYN Favourites: Newcastle are expected to earn promotion to the 13-team Premiership PICTURE:...

Great journey but what a brutal end

MY LIFEIN RUGBY NICK LLOYD THE FORMER ENGLAND, SARACENS, ROTHERHAM AND WAKEFIELD PROP Premiership class: Nick Lloyd in action for Saracens...

Kingston on board to help guide Rams’ young bucks

By NEALE HARVEY Experienced: John Kingston and Greig Tonks, inset FORMER Harlequins supremo John Kingston is back in mainstream rugby after...

Evans is Ospreys’ homecoming king

ALEX BYWATER talks to Ospreys new boy Gareth Evans after his move from Gloucester Out to impress: Gareth Evans Star transfer:...

A mature O’Connor will still deliver

HE MAY have missed out on the initial squad but the return of James O’Connor, who trained with the Wallabies in...

Erasmus’ squad can do serious damage

New star at No.9: Herschel Jantjies For the first time since 2015, there was no South African representation in the Super...

Pumas call in the outsiders at last

ARGENTINA head coach Mario Ledesma has included five European-based players in his 46-man squad. Los Pumas’ group had previously been made...

Boks take it slow with captain Kolisi

Injured: Siya Kolisi SOUTH Africa will ease Siya Kolisi back into action this summer with the injured team captain likely to...

Lealiifano back for Wallabies after cancer

By SAM JACKSON Recall: Brumbies captain Christian Lealiifano Out: James O’Connor CHRISTIANLealiifano is back in the Wallabies set-up for the first...

All Blacks pick Reece ahead of Naholo

STEVE Hansen has named four new caps in a 39-man squad for the Rugby Championship but there is no place for...

Rob won’t be tempted when Eddie bombs at World Cup

Q&A TONY ROWE ON THE RECORD Chief at Exeter: Tony Rowe Tony Rowe, chief executive and chairman of the Exeter Chiefs,...

Blues fans are feeling All Shook Up

MOREthan 30 years ago Elvis Presley recorded a song called A Mess of Blues. The long-suffering faithful at Cardiff Arms Park...

All change as Eddie dumps his stalwarts

IN THEeuphoric Red Rose aftermath of Eddie Jones winning a Grand Slam at the first attempt, nobody could have imagined that...

Can Rabbit put Cheika back in the running?

THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW PETER JACKSON Early promise: A young James O’Connor playing for the Wallabies PICTURE: Getty Images...

Tomlinson and Roberts blow for Cardiff

By ROB COLE CARDIFF’S hopes of defending their WRU National Cup title and bidding for Indigo Premiership success have been hit...

Fowles fired up for battle with Falcons

By NEALE HARVEY Experienced campaigner: Nathan Fowles in action for Edinburgh PICTURES: Getty Images Coach: Wigglesworth EAGER No.9 Nathan Fowles is...

YOUNG GUNS

BEN WARREN CARDIFF BLUES TIGHTHEAD PROP NEALE HARVEY Ben Warren will never forget his first experience of an U20s World Championship....

Blues hit by Arms Park rent demand of £200k

CARDIFF Blues have been issued a demand by their landlords over unpaid rent at the Arms Park. Cardiff Athletic Club (CAC)...

Mark may head overseas to land Welsh dream job

By ROB COLE Exile: Mark Jones looks set to leave Wales WELSH rugby could lose another top coach overseas with Mark...

Youngs: Cipriani’s ripping up trees in training

By ADAM ELLIS ENGLAND scrum-half Ben Youngs believes every player deserved their place in Eddie Jones’ official World Cup training squad,...

Hopes of nation rest on them

Wooing of strongest loose-head scrummager has paid off -- barring a late u-turn Can be barnstorming in the loose, but still...

EDDIE JONES ON…

400 Caps left out I never think selection is a gamble. It’s a process, a four-year process. There’s some very good...

Eddie turns ruthless as he banks on versatility

No sentiment: Eddie Jones Under microscope: Joe Marler, below, is back but Danny Cipriani, right, must still prove himself PICTURES: Getty...

Exile Laidlaw left playing catch-up

By GARY HEATLY SCOTLAND scrum-half Greig Laidlaw knows he has some catching up to do to make his second World Cup...

We’re not underdogs this time, says North

By ROB COLE Big finish: Warren Gatland Learning curve: A teenage George North in action at the 2011 Rugby World Cup...

Don’t let rent bills ruin Welsh World Cup chances

POLITICS, mergers, and now unpaid bills! I can’t tell you how frustrated I am about the continuing off-the-field nonsense we have...

Brave Tom deserves a fresh dawn at Scarlets

WALES AND LIONS LEGEND SHANE WILLIAMS WHEN Tom James first came to train with Wales he was our version of Jonah...

Ampthill keep on recruiting with scrum-half Darryl

By NEALE HARVEY AMPTHILL have pulled off another transfer coup after snaffling experienced scrum-half Darryl Veenendaal from Championship rivals Nottingham. Veenendaal...

Canada pile it on in second half rout

Dejected: Gaelle Hermet France…………19 Canada…………35 FRANCE skipper Gaelle Hermet rued her side’s lacklustre ball retention as they were undone by fivetry...

Cocksedge goes past 300 Test points to crush USA

By SAM JACKSON USA………………….0 New Zealand.33 Points machine: New Zealand’s Kendra Cocksedge THE Black Ferns proved too big a test for...

Return of Hunter is boost for Middleton

By ADAM ELLIS Reshuffle: England coach Simon Middleton Leading by example: Sarah Hunter PICTURES: Getty Images HEAD coach Simon Middleton made...

Kendra holds the key for the Ferns

Preview France v New Zealand Yesterday, Kick-off 10.15pm KENDRA COCKSEDGE became only the second player to reach 50 Test caps for...

ROOM 101

JORDAN ONOJAIFE THE EALING TRAILFINDERS LOCK TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND 1. Poor shower...

Stop the ringers wrecking Tier Two

THE mismanagement of playing regulations in the Championship is in danger of undermining the second tier. Player recruitment practices during the...

Odd-job Eddie has got too many hats

READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK NICK CAIN THERE has been a joke doing the rounds for some time that Eddie...

Deano lands lock De Chaves

NEWCASTLE have signed lock Sebastian de Chaves from London Irish on a oneyear deal. De Chaves, 28, was born in South...

DREAMTEAM

KIERAN MURPHY, EALING TRAILFINDERS AND FORMER LLANDOVERY, SCARLETS, BRIVE & LONDON WELSH NO.8 CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH...

Falcons duo join Harlequins

HARLEQUINS have signed Fiji internationals Vereniki Goneva and Tevita Cavubati from Newcastle. Winger Goneva, 35, joins for pre-season while second row...

I’m going to help take Sale to next level

Jake Cooper- Woolley, Sale’s new tighthead prop, tells NEALE HARVEY why he believes the club are ready for lift-off Jake Cooper-Woolley...

Rob won’t join England says Exeter boss Rowe

Try time: Codie Taylor scores for the Crusaders in the Super Rugby final victory over the Jaguares PICTURE: Getty Images EXETER...

Ellis blow as Wales head for the Alps

By PETER JACKSON Second op: Ellis Jenkins WALES head for the Swiss Alps this week amid renewed fears that one of...

Overseeing the development of Delon Armitage and Charlie Ewels has been one of my proudest achievements, says Toby Booth

In this lengthy feature, we talk to the departing Bath assistant coach about his time at the Rec and his past...

Marler, Cipriani and McConnochie all in England’s Rugby World Cup training squad

There are plenty of talking points in Eddie Jones' Rugby World Cup training squad

Relegation holds back young talent warns Newcastle Falcons Darren Barry

The new arrival at Kingston Park shares his reasoning for ring-fencing the Premiership

Probyn column: The week that was for Eddie Jones and Leicester Tigers

Jeff Probyn reflects on Leicester Tigers being put up for £60m