Smith keeps cool to seal Fylde win

By MATT COLERIDGE Macclesfield 28 Fylde …………….31 A LATE Greg Smith penalty broke Macclesfield hearts as Fylde snatched a last-gasp win...

Victory for Lions despite Chester efforts

By MIKE HOWKINS Leicester L……25 Chester …………19 LEICESTER Lions and Chester played out an enthralling encounter in the East Midlands, with...

Maestro Wilkinson gets Sale playing in tune

By STEVE SMITH KIERAN Wilkinson ensured Sale FC fans had a happy New Year as he orchestrated an impressive home triumph...

Goodfellow gold in dramatic finish

By KEN VAUGHAN Chinnor…………27 Cambridge……26 CHINNOR finished the festive season fixtures with another nail-biting win to make it a useful two...

Mose edge vital basement battle

By LYNDON EDNEY Moseley ……….41 Bishop’s Stor…31 HOSTS Birmingham Moseley staged a scintillating fightback to claim maximum points in this clash...

Shock of the day as high-flying OEs smashed for six

By KEVIN ROBINSON DMP …………….41 Old Elth’s ……26 OLD ELTHAMIANS arrived at the Darlington Arena as league leaders but the home...

Mugford wins it at the death as Blackheath take a stumble

By KIERAN WELLINGTON Try time: Dean Squire dives over to score Plymouth’s fourth try to earn the bonus point Right: Seta...

Beckett hat-trick for rising students

By RYAN STEVENS L’Boro Studs …53 Caldy …………….19 FOR the first game of the New Year, Loughborough Students looked forward to...

Drama aplenty as Esher edge thriller

By KISHAN VAGHELA Esher…………….49 Ampthill ……….48 TWO tries each for Kariym Irving and Chris Arnold ensured Esher edged out Ampthill at...

Park in seventh heaven as Titans crushed

By ELLA JERMAN Rosslyn Park 46 Rotherham ….24 GREG Lound scored 13 points as Rosslyn Park gained a bonus-point victory against...

Goode: RFU should have held onto Farrell

ENGLAND rugby bosses blundered by not ensuring Andy Farrell was groomed as Eddie Jones’ successor. Saracens full-back Alex Goode claims the...

‘Hard man’ Marcus has a new edge to his game

By NEALE HARVEY Kicking coach: Wilkinson TEENAGE protégé Marcus Smith believes the hard-nosed edge gained during a remarkable 18 months at...

Reckless Brown must be mindful of his own safety

Challenge: Mike Brown battles for the ball with Josh Bassett and Lima Sopoaga. PICTURE: Getty Images As a former Wasps player...

England on the up again like ex-captain Phillips

ADAM ELLIS talks to former England 7s star Ollie Phillips as he starts an epic 2019 Captain’s run: Tom Mitchell must...

Relegation threatens but Hill remains optimistic

By JONATHAN LANDI NEWS EXTRA THE Championship resumes next weekend and Richmond travel to face leaders London Irish knowing they need...

Tell me my fate coach Ceri asks Dragons

By JAMES CANDY Hope: Ceri Jones DRAGONS interim head coach Ceri Jones is eager to learn his fate ahead of crunch...

Tigers do good things then mess up admits Ford

By ALEX BYWATER Hard work: George Ford GEORGE Ford admits Leicester have been unable to put their finger on the reasons...

Harry’s out to be prince among the new No9s

By NEALE HARVEY Opportunities: Pat Lam Learning all the time: Harry Randall PICTURES: Getty Images CONFIDENT No.9 Harry Randall believes ambitious...

Burns credits Girvan for Bath’s turnaround

By NEALE HARVEY Pulling the strings: Freddie Burns in action against Wasps PICTURE: Getty Images FREDDIE Burns insists Bath have what...

Townson wary as top-flight giants circle on Trailfinders

Coach: Glen Townson EALING forwards coach Glen Townson fears the ambitious west Londoners could be victims of their own success as...

Bolting to the World Cup

NICK CAIN PICKS FIVE MEN EDDIE JONES SHOULD CONSIDER CAREFULY High tempo backs: Bath No.9 Will Chudley and Quins outside-centre Joe...

Scandal of King hits Neath when they are down

FOR a club whose homegrown players famously went the distance against New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, Neath experienced something yesterday...

Boxing Day derby ties would bring fans back

Biggest in Wales: Luke Morgan scores for Ospreys against Scarlets on December 22 at Liberty Stadium Highest club attendances over Christmas...

Baxter: No-brainer to have a gameplan based on tries

EXETER boss Rob Baxter has blasted the pundits who accuse his side of ‘killing the game’. Chiefs went into this weekend...

Chiefs urged to just be themselves in Castres

By NEALE HARVEY Staying alive: Jack Yeandle scores Exeter’s third try against Gloucester to keep them in the European Cup hunt...

Kvesic relishing his switch to No.8

By SAM JACKSON REJUVENATED back rower Matt Kvesic is relishing his more senior role in the Exeter side this term and...

Dallaglio: Bigger squads, fewer games

By GARY FITZGERALD LAWRENCE Dallaglio fears English clubs will continue to struggle to dominate in Europe unless they increase their squad...

Back rower Clifford on his way out at the Stoop

HARLEQUINS are set to continue their changes with Jack Clifford following George Merrick out of the Twickenham Stoop exit door. Clifford,...

Witty can gain his wings with the Falcons

Falcons quarry: Will Witty Going: Lawday Going: Cordera EXETER CHIEFS are interested in signing Newcastle Falcons second row Will Witty as...

Tigers after Munster man Taute

BY NEILFISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler ON THE BLING SIDE Talks: Jaco Taute LEICESTER TIGERS are locked in talks with...

ROOM 101

THE BATH FLANKER TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND JOSH BAYLISS 1. Snakes I’ve always...

Sale giving de Klerk best of both worlds

Jon Newcombe talks to Sale’s South African superstar Faf de Klerk fresh from signing his new deal Star for club and...

Sharks supremo Diamond defends methods

NEWS EXTRA Defence: Steve Diamond SALE SHARKS director of rugby Steve Diamond says a string of players signing new deals shows...

Billy shows he will soon be back to his best

Fit again: Billy Vunipola BILLY VUNIPOLA has been backed to return to his devastating best in double-quick time after making a...

Wales face crunch talks over player contracts

By ALEX BYWATER WELSH rugby’s system of National Dual Contracts is at an end with the country’s four regions now funding...

Kings put to bed by Cockerill’s play-off chasers

By GARY HEATLY Edinburgh ……38 Kings ………………0 EDINBURGH continued their good run of form in the PRO14 with a very comfortable...

Carbery fires Munster clear after brace from Goggin

By JOHN FALLON JOEY Carbery said this was a defining victory for Munster as they start heading into the business end...

Scarlets eventually exploit Dragons front row shortage

By STEFFAN THOMAS WAYNE PIVAC slammed the refereeing of the scrum despite his side’s victory over the Dragons which lifted the...

Beard neck injury puts dampner on Ospreys win

By JAMES CANDY Explosive start: Scott Williams scores for Ospreys after just five minutes PICTURE: Huw Evans OSPREYS head coach Allen...

Ulster caught cold by early try-double from Cronin

By RONAN O’BRIEN ULSTER slipped down the Conference B standings as Sean Cronin’s first-half double helped Leinster to a bonus point...

Warriors fall to Allan penalty in Italy

By GARY HEATLY Benetton ………20 Glasgow ……….17 BENETTON won their fourth PRO14 match on the spin by downing Glasgow at the...

We must make sure Alun-Wyn remains in Wales

ALUN-WYNJones is a leader, pure and simple. In my opinion he defines Welsh rugby, which is why it must be one...

Dragons should wait until summer to select their new boss

I’VE BEEN very critical of the Dragons this season and I stand by those comments, but you also have to give...

Pivac got it wrong with Hadleigh at fly-half

Negative move: Hadleigh Parkes is not a No.10 PICTURE: Getty Images IDON’T mind a pub quiz every now and again and...

DREAMTEAM

PAT HOWARD, EALING AND FORMER SHARKS, STORMERS, MUNSTER, NORTHAMPTON AND DRAGONS CENTRE, CHOOSES HIS BEST XV PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST 1....

Dai confident Wasps will see best of Lima

By NEALE HARVEY Getting to grips with Premiership: Lima Sopoaga is tackled by Quins trio Jack Clifford, Dave Ward and Matt...

Beard told to stand on his own two feet

By STEFFAN THOMAS ALUN-Wyn Jones has warned Adam Beard he must learn the hard way outside of his shadow if he...

Can Dragons give Six Nations roar? Certainly and here’s why

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE…EVERY WEEK Huge presence: Jonathan Davies Back row resources: Justin Tipuric, Ross Moriarty, Taulupe Faletau THE World...

Graduate Fish out to show he can replace Hartley one day

Goal: James Fish ARMED with a new twoyear contract, Northampton hooker James Fish aims to prove that when the time comes,...

Ludlam’s determined to keep Saints marching on

By NEALE HARVEY Repaying the faith: Saints flanker Lewis Ludlam PICTURES: Getty Images Starts at 13: Fraser Dingwall NORTHAMPTON go into...