Owen Farrell fitness boost for England ahead of Six Nations opener

England fly-half confident of winning race to be fit for showdown with Ireland

Ireland fly-half Johnny Sexton expected to be fit for England clash

Sexton looks set to go head to head with Owen Farrell in Six Nations opener

Ulster issue lifetime ban to supporter who allegedly abused Simon Zebo

Ulster conducted an investigation in the wake of allegations arising during their Champions Cup match against Zebo's Racing 92

Jason Leonard has his say on the Six Nations and ring-fencing the Premiership

The legendary England front row forward marks Wales as the team to beware of in 2019

Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus pays tribute to retired Pat Lambie

Former coach has kind words for the Springboks star who has announced a premature end to his rugby career

Tadhg Beirne to miss Six Nations matches for Ireland with knee injury

The Munster lock has been ruled out of the England clash and will also miss Ireland's game against Scotland

JJ’s back as Walker extends his run

By NEALE HARVEY Starts: Jonathan Joseph ENGLAND centre Jonathan Joseph makes his long-awaited return for Bath in a game that is...

Back row battle crucial to Wasps revenge mission

By NEALE HARVEY Cavalry charge: Joe Launchbury, main, Nathan Hughes, left, and Dan Robson return PICTURES: Getty Images Big test: Brad...

Switch Daly to 13 and give Brown a go against Ireland

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK Good option to face Ireland: Mike Brown is England’s safest pair of hands under...

DREAM TEAM

GREGOR GILLANDERS, ROSSLYN PARK AND FORMER LEICESTER, BEDFORD, L SCOTTISH & ENGLAND U20s LOCK, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE PLAYED WITH...

Five-year moratorium is the sensible option now

COLIN BOAG Winning at a canter: London Irish are well clear in the Championship It’s time for Premiership Rugby to stop...

Exeter deserve to sit on top of table

I THINK Gareth Pitt (letters Jan 6) is missing the point with his comments regarding the bonus point system having big...

Premiership’s war of attrition has led to failure in Europe

AS the Champions Cup reaches the conclusion of its pool stage we have again, with the exception of Saracens, seen teams...

Money talks louder than common sense

IN response to Richard Abbott’s letter last week, in a perfect world all kick off times would be the same and...

Blackett backs ace Daly for Six Nations star turn

By NEALE HARVEY Threat: Elliot Daly hands off Jordan Larmour ENGLAND’S Elliot Daly can put a sub-standard Autumn series behind him...

Fans turn on Meyer as Stade look to South Africa

DAVID BARNES Leaving: Sergio Parisse is out of contract this summer PICTURE: Getty Images The songs are stilled, the drums no...

Penallta beat the champs to move clear

By JAY BAYFORD Welsh Division One round-up THE One East title race took a twist as defending champions Brynmawr slipped to...

Victorious Pooler stay out in front at the top

By JAY BAYFORD Welsh Championship round-up PONTYPOOL maintained their 11-point lead at the top of the WRU National Championship with an...

Penaltry try at the death gifts Cardiff bonus point

By ROB COLE Cardiff… 40 C’marthen Q… 16 CARDIFF left it late – the fourth minute of injury time – to...

Rhys Williams treble fires Swans to win at spirited Neath

By ALEX BYWATER Neath… 21 Swansea… 48 R RHYSWilliams’ hat-trick helped Swansea overcome a plucky Neath outfit in a high-scoring encounter...

Botica holds his nerve to boot Keys to success

By JAY BAYFORD Cross Keys… 18 Bargoed… 17 A LATE penalty from Jacob Botica ensured Cross Keys took the spoils in...

Late Williams try completes dramatic Bedwas fightback

By IAN GOLDEN NEWPORT and Bedwas drew 18-18 on Saturday after Adam Williams dramatically scored in the corner in the final...

Vale maintain unbeaten streak with gritty victory

By CARL FIELD Bridgend… 10 Ebbw Vale… 14 PRETTY it most certainly wasn’t but in the end Ebbw Vale held on...

Guest stars as battling Drovers edge heated local derby

By RICHARD GRIFFITHS Llanelli… 17 Llandovery… 25 LLANDOVERY won the west Wales bragging rights in an ill-disciplined local derby against Llanelli...

Locke off in feisty clash as Aberavon triumph

By MATT ROBERTS Aberavon… 16 Merthyr… 7 ABERAVONcompleted a league double over the reigning champions in a game that saw Merthyr...

Dominant Wasps put DMP to sword in romp

By DAVID THOMPSON Wasps… 43 DMP Sharks… 12 Bonus try: Louise Dodd WASPS produced another impressive performance to seal a 43-12...

Breach at the treble for rampant Harlequins

By JONTY MAWER Harlequins… 59 Richmond… 7 A DOMINANT performance saw Harlequins defeat historic rivals Richmond FC at The Stoop. A...

Saracens cling on as defence holds firm

By SARAH GWYNNE Glouc-Hart… 28pts Saracens… 34pts Match-winner: Saracens playmaker Zoe Harrison SARACENSWomen had to dig in for a nervy final...

Three on the spin as Bristol defeat Valkyries

By GEORGE WEST Brist’l Bears… 34 Worcester V… 5 BRISTOL Bears women made it three successive Premier 15s victories with a...

Lightning run riot as Waterloo defeated heavily

By BEN WILLIAMS L’boro Light… 76 Firwood W… 8 Brace: Katy Daley-Mclean A CLINICAL Loughborough Lightning outfit were truly on form...

Prydie set for pivotal role at Scarlets

By STEFFAN THOMAS TOM Prydie owes a great deal to the Scarlets and plans to repay them by getting their Champions...

Ford to remain in German hot seat

By JON NEWCOMBE Building momentum: Mike Ford will coach Germany through the Rugby Europe Championship FORMER England defence coach Mike Ford...

Regions should open talks with CVC – Moffett

NEWS EXTRA WALES’ four regions have been told to cut their losses and attempt to form an Anglo-Welsh league with the...

Hughes signs for Bristol as Wasps go south

By ADAM ELLIS TRANSFER WRAP BRISTOL have confirmed the signing of No.8 Nathan Hughes from Wasps. The England international has signed...

Gloucester top table despite Springbok influx

FEARS that an influx of foreign stars could stymie English player development have been allayed by official figures which show the...

George insists Irish bear pit holds no fear for England

By NEALE HARVEY Maturing: Jamie George leads the charge against Japan in November PICTURES: Getty Images Back up: Luke Cowan-Dickie and...

On form, Thorley deserves to start for Eddie

OLLIE Thorley’s club form makes him England’s number one winger and the Gloucester flyer should start against Ireland, says his former...

Looks like Eddie is going straight down the middle

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME Power runners: Joe Cokanasiga can open up space like the great Jonah...

Barnstaple throwing down the gauntlet

South West Premier BARNSTAPLE continued their challenge for the South West Premier title by becoming the main rivals to runaway leaders...

Seventh heaven for Naylor as Hull soar

Northern Premier THERE appears to be no holding leaders Hull at the moment after they thrashed Kendal 89-0 as Keane Naylor...

Scunthope and Salop maintain form

Midlands Premier SCUNTHORPE and Newport Salop maintained the pace at the top as both secured bonus point victories, Scunthorpe 31-14 winners...

Dons drop to second after shock defeat

London & South East Premier THE big shock of the day must be CSStags’ 20-13 win at home to league leaders...

Nowell MkII enjoying his breakthrough at Harlequins

By NEALE HARVEY Packing a punch: Quins flyer Cadan Murley COMBATIVE Harlequins wing Cadan Murley aims to build on an impressive...

YOUNG GUNS

JOSH HODGE NEWCASTLE FULL-BACK To say Josh Hodge is a multi-talented sportsman is an understatement. As a youngster he was a...

Bees see daylight in show of power

By NICK PULLEN Birmingham… 18 Worthing… 0 BEES produced a dogged defensive display to pull off a prized victory and boost...

Tonbridge race to nine-try rampage

By BRIAN QUINN Old Albanian… 12 Tonbridge… 57 DESPITE the scoreline, Albanians were adequate in many areas of an ultimately one-sided...

Raiders’ fans go wild for Batiste clincher

By KATIE DAUNT Guernsey… 22 Barnes… 21 LAYTON Batiste’s try five minutes into overtime notched his side a late victory and...

Canterbury responseis ideal tonic says Pratt

By BRAD HARPER Canterbury… 26pts Taunton… 24pts Full stretch: Canterbury’s Sam Rogers scores and, right, Taunton’s Nik Mason attemps to break...

Battling Bury run into red wall of defiance

By SIMON LORD Bury SE… 3 Rams… 19 RAMS’ promotion juggernaut powered on but they were forced to work over time...

Geese inspired by marvellous Moore

By MATTHEW BALDWIN Wild Geese… 31 Dings… 24 SKIPPER Scott Moore’s excellent all-round performance set Wild Geese on their way to...