DREAMTEAM

CHARLIE DAVIES, NORTHAMPTON AND FORMER WASPS, STADE FRANCAIS AND DRAGONS NO.9, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST…...

Alofa sells up ready for France move

Relocating: Alofa Alofa is heading back across the Channel ALOFA ALOFA is set to leave Harlequins at the end of the...

Wasps eye Pirates wing Wedlake

Option: Robin Wedlake WASPS are interested in Cornish Pirates winger Robin Wedlake who has only just agreed a new contract to...

ON THE BLIND SIDE

Wilson in new deal NEWCASTLE Falcons have agreed a contract extension with England international Mark Wilson, right, despite him having another...

ROOM 101

SEB NAGLETAYLOR THE ROTHERHAM BACK-ROWER AND CAPTAIN TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND 1.Guestimate I’ve...

The north are truly a force to be feared

READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK NICK CAIN AT a time when ‘Happy New Year’ is the most popular phrase in...

Flood out to fire shots, not take them

By JON NEWCOMBE Team man: Toby Flood NOW 33, Toby Flood’s appetite for the game shows no sign of diminishing but...

Roberts believes Bath are still in hunt for the title

By NEALE HARVEY Veteran: Jamie Roberts is enjoying a new lease of life at Bath PICTURE: Getty Images JAMIE Roberts demands...

Baxter: Referee wasn’t to blame

EXETER boss Rob Baxter refused to blame referee Ian Tempest for failing to award a first-half try for Ollie Devoto and...

Confident Cobus sparks Boyd’s new-look Saints

By ROB WILDMAN Clutching thin air: Fraser Dingwall breaks clear to score Saints’ third try PICTURES: Getty Images In the corner:...

Gustard queries Brown incident

DAVE Ward will face the music from Quins boss Paul Gustard. Gustard denied seeing a spitting incident, but said: “The message...

Ward sweating after stamp and ‘spit’ row

By NEALE HARVEY Dotting down: Alex Dombrandt scores a simple try for Harlequins after two minutes PICTURES: Getty Images Burrowing over:...

Gat to lead Baa-baas against the Welsh

By PETER JACKSON WARREN Gatland will be back in Cardiff after the World Cup for one last match – against Wales....

Tigers aim to land all Du Preez brothers

By NEIL FISSLER Big match, big player: Joe Marchant scores the winning try for Harlequins against Wasps at Twickenham PICTURE: Getty...

National League tax probe to be expanded to Premiership and Championship levels

HMRC have turned their attentions to rugby in recent months

World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont honoured with knighthood

Doddie Weir also honoured for his contribution to rugby and the search for a cure to Motor Neurone Disease

2019 is set to be a big year for new rugby betting sites

This is set to be a seminal year for the sport of Rugby Union, with the latest iteration of the World...

John Mitchell came in with new ideas, says George Kruis

The England and Saracens lock talks World Cup hopes after an autumn playing in Mitchell's defence system

Burns: I don’t feel let down by Gloucester

The Ulster fly-half talks about his new life at the Kingspan

Secret of how French rugby stars dodged jail time in Wales

Peter Jackson's column details the role of a French reporter in securing the release of three France players in Cardiff

Steven Luatua pens new deal to stay at Bristol Bears

Contract news concerning the Kiwi flanker

Worst display so far – Gustard

ANGRY Harlequins players locked themselves in the dressing room after this defeat as boss Paul Gustard labelled the performance as the...

Bedridden Tigers show their courage under fire

By GARY FITZGERALD Away: Jonah Holmes breaks clear to score the Tigers’ first try PICTURES: Getty Images Danger man: Manu Tuilagi...

Baxter: We know we can beat them

EXETER boss Rob Baxter said his team had taken a psychological step that was more important than the win over the...

Chiefs end record run to storm back on top

By NICK CAIN Charge down: Luke Cowan-Dickie falls over the line for Exeter’s first try PICTURES: Getty Images EXETER ended Saracens...

Take a brave man to call this relegation cliffhanger

JEREMY GUSCOTT Expensive move: Elliott Daly would push up Saracens’ wage bill PICTURE: Getty Images IT promises to be the tensest...

CVC deal is great news for the clubs

COLIN BOAG Banned: Castres scrum-half Rory Kockott was given three weeks for ‘gouge’ on Chris Colete So, the Gallagher Premiership clubs,...

Professional game is getting boring

JUST watched the last batch of European Cup games and I’m so, so depressed about the state of rugby. With the...

RFU must help the grassroots clubs, not punish them

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon, SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk THE letter from John...

Numbers stack up if you do the maths

I WAS bemused by Trefor Jones’ rant last week about Sarries’ squad size, payment structure and financial behaviour. Sarries’ squad numbers...

Crying out for festive derbies

RUGBYwatchers of the Midlands and the North are being short changed this festive season This year those fans north of Newport...

CVC deal could spell big trouble

NEWS that Premiership clubs have now completed a £220m deal with the private equity firm CVC represents the biggest con job...

Brown confident he can regain his spot for Japan

MIKE Brown insists he is playing the best rugby of his life and is determined to prove to Eddie Jones he...

Irish may move for Jackson

PADDY Jackson is in talks with a number of clubs about a possible move away from Perpignan if, as expected, the...

Hudson out to put heat on Gloucester big guns

Versatile: Tom Hudson GLOUCESTER miracle man Tom Hudson starts in the No.12 jersey today at Newcastle intent on proving to head...

Mitchell has helped us take big steps towards our World Cup goal says Kruis

By NEALE HARVEY Hitting top form: George Kruis made a big impact in the Autumn PICTURE: Getty Images Lock stocks: Courtney...

Three weeks without Blair

LONDONIrish flanker Blair Cowan has been banned for three weeks following his red card last weekend against Cornish Pirates. Bedford’s Charlie...

Six Nations fitness race

ULSTER and Ireland forward Iain Henderson has been ruled out for ten weeks after with a thumb injury. The 26-year-old will...

Turner: Jackman deserved a lot better

By STEFFAN THOMAS Critical: Paul Turner FORMER Dragons head coach and Wales fly-half Paul Turner has slammed the club for their...

Past form counts for little – Francis

By STEFFAN THOMAS Making his case: Tomas Francis scores for Wales against South Africa PICTURES: Getty Images TOMAS Francis expects no...

Full-time contracts for top England women

NATASHA Hunt, Emily Scarratt and Jess Breach have been awarded the first England Women XVs full-time contracts for the 2019 season....

Wonder of Webb but Stade are heroes all

DAVID BARNES Standing ovation: Rhys Webb starred for Toulon Stade Francais brought a tragic week to a winning close that allowed...

Williams double ensures Pentyrch passage

By JAY BAYFORD National Plate and Bowl round-up PENTYRCH played their first game in nearly two months but showed no signs...

Leaders Pooler stretch winning streak

By JAY BAYFORD Welsh Championship round-up REIGNING champions Pontypool ended 2018 in style with a 52-0 victory over Newbridge, running in...

Ravens run riot as Welsh All Blacks remain in crisis

By CARL FIELD Bridgend… 78 Neath… 5 BRIDGEND ran home 11 tries to inflict more pain on crisis-torn Neath at the...

Stuckey at the double as mighty Ponty keep on winning

By GUTO DAVIES PONTYPRIDD bagged an impressive sixth consecutive league win on the bounce against relegation battlers Llanelli. The disparity in...

Quins full of festive cheer after staging comeback

By JAY BAYFORD Cross Keys… 9 Carmarthen Q20 CARMARTHEN Quins felt the Christmas spirit as they recovered from a halftime deficit...

Whites show no mercy as clinical start blows RGC away

By JAMES CANDY RGC 1404… 17 Swansea… 31 SWANSEA blew RGC 1404 away with a first-half blitz to claim a bonus-point...

Buckley red costly for Bargoed against Newport

By IAN GOLDEN NEWPORT claimed all five points at strugglers Bargoed but it took a red card for them to pull...

League leaders survive fightback to stay top at Christmas

By ALEX BYWATER Bedwas… 20 Merthyr… 26 DALE McIntosh put family loyalty to one side as Merthyr survived a real scare...