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Want a holiday from rugby? There’s always August!

THE new-look domestic structure, beginning in 2019-20, will extend the next three English seasons into June but will also offer guaranteed...

Clubs chief insists there is no threat to future of Lions

■By ADAM HATHAWAY Help: Mark McCafferty PREMIERSHIP chief executive Mark McCafferty has poured cold water on fears that the British &...

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Irish heritage a Test ticket

DURING the 2012 Junior World Cup at Stellenbosch, Will Addison stood at outside-centre for England in a 20-15 win over an...

Rugby status under siege

CARDIFF Blues had hoped to sell out the 13,000-capacity Arms Park last Sunday for their Champions’ Cup tie against Glasgow. Instead...

Picamoles escaped but Montpellier did not …

BACK in the day when Tommy Smith, Ron ‘Chopper’ Harris and their apprentices ruled English football with a rod of iron...

Lions being sacrificed on altar of commercialism

The first post-war Lions tour of South Africa lasted for more than three months, from the middle of June until the...

How Robin kick-started a revolution with his round-the-corner style

THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW PETER JACKSON ROBIN Williams probably did more to revolutionise the art of goalkicking than anyone....

Mallinder rejected top-flight offers for role with RFU

Passion: Jim Mallinder ENGLAND pathway coach Jim Mallinder has revealed why he turned down topflight coaching jobs in order to drive...

Stooke aims to cap off his resurgence at Bath

By NEALE HARVEY Abrasive: Elliott Stooke aims to bring his hard edge to the England pack PICTURES: Getty Images ELLIOTT Stooke...

Wood not giving up on adding to his 50

By ALEX BYWATER TOM Wood has not ruled out answering an England injury SOS call this autumn, even though the Northampton...

Scannell saves the day with halfway howitzer

By DECLAN ROONEY Munster …25 Glasgow…24 RORY-Scannell hit the winning penalty from halfway with the last kick as Munster turned this...

Blues left in the blocks by deadly Cheetahs

■By STEFFAN THOMAS CARDIFF Blues were the architects of their own downfall as they slipped to a comprehensive defeat at the...

Edinburgh collapse leaves Cockerill frustrated

By GARY HEATLY Zebre…34 Edinburgh…16 DEFLATED Edinburgh head coach Richard Cockerill says his players must take responsibility for their second half...

Dragons long wait for away victory continues

By RONAN O’NEIL DRAGONS head coach Bernard Jackman maintains he sees improvement in his side despite shipping another heavy defeat at...

Drama at the death as Evans steals win

■By ALEX BYWATER Fast start: Ospreys wing Keelan Giles scores after just two minutes PICTURE: Huw Evans DAN Evans’ try in...

Pivac proud as Scarlets’ late show stuns Kings

By JAMES CANDY WAYNE Pivac hailed his Scarlets’ resilience after they mounted a secondhalf fightback to topple the Kings in Port...

Forward platform provides Leinster lift-off

Benneton …3 Leinster …31 By JON BYRNE SCRUM-HALF Jamison Gibson-Park put in a starring performance behind a dominant pack as Leinster...

ROOM 101

THE NORTHAMPTON HOOKER TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND. REECE MARSHALL 1. Balding desperados People...

Wales prop Francis gets the best of both worlds

TOMAS Francis will stay at Exeter and continue to play for Wales next season. Tighthead prop Francis is out of contract...

Solomons to open contract talks with England ace Te’o

Wanted at Warriors: Ben Te’o WORCESTER Warriors are desperate for England and British Lions centre Ben Te’o to stay with the...

Qera set for another spell in West Country

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEILFISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler FORMER Gloucester player of the year Akapusi Qera is set...

Cordero may be the next Chief off to Wasps

Flyer: Santiago Cordero WASPS are keeping tabs on Exeter Chiefs winger Santiago Cordero as they continue to seek a long term...

Solomons defends selection policy

WORCESTER director of rugby Alan Solomons fought his corner after fierce criticism from Sale for his starting XV. “We have had...

Full-strength Warriors tear Sharks to shreds

■By ROGER PANTING Midfield power: Francois Venter strectches over for Worcester’s third try PICTURES: Getty Images SALE SHARKS academy coach Neil...

RUGBY MATTERS

So Eddie, where have your bullying forwards got to? BRENDAN GALLAGHER A weekly look at the game’s other talking points WHEN...

An Eagle from Pago Pago via Toulouse?

Prospect: David Ainu’u IS David Ainu’u, 18, set to be the next American Samoan to play in Tests? The boyish looking...

Canadians have to be wary of Halloween

HALLOWEEN is nearly on us and in rugby terms October 31 has often been accompanied by shocks, drama and tales of...

Quins unearth another Easter

MARK Mapletoft gave bruising back rower Alex Dombrandt the ultimate compliment. The 21-year-old was making only his second first-team appearance and...

Quins shrug off double yellow to drown Bath

■By ALBERT JAMES Big impact: Alex Dombrandt breaks the tackle of Alex Davies to score Harlequins’ second try PICTURES: Getty Images...

Skinner eager to seize big chance

By NEALE HARVEY HARVEY SKINNER aims to lay down a marker by proving he is a viable candidate to replace club...

Failure to adapt costs Wasps

WASPS academy manager, Jon Pendlebury, was frustrated with his side’s disappointing effort. “We trained all week in the sunshine but we...

Vellacott magic sparks Gloucester dominance

By ROGER PANTING BEN VELLACOTT enlivened a miserable afternoon at Kingsholm to get Gloucester off to a flying start in the...

Cotton livid as Lions face extinction

Full stretch: Northampton’s Alex Mitchell scores in their big win against Bristol PICTURE: Getty Images FRAN Cotton today warns of an...

Larder fear over Eddie’s coaching turnaround

By JON NEWCOMBE PHIL LARDER is surprised at the wholesale changes to Eddie Jones’ coaching team so soon before a World...

Dream Team: Bristol Bears flanker Steven Luatua picks his XV

A team steeped with All Blacks

Wasps identify ideal replacement for Wade at Premiership rivals

Dai Young has a target in mind after Wade's exit

The call-up for Ted Hill shows the strides Worcester’s academy is making, says fellow England newbie Schonert

The Worcester Warriors tighthead prop reflects on his own career since his move five years ago

Young Gun – Sale Sharks fly-half Kieran Wilkinson

... A fly-half named Wilkinson

Eddie Jones answers 13 questions on his squad announcement

Why no Attwood, Goode or Armand? Is Farrell going to start at 10 from now on?

New contract at Munster for Ireland international Keith Earls

70 caps for Ireland and set to make his Munster return after a slight hamstring injury

Wasps and Christian Wade reach agreement to terminate contract, ending the wing’s rugby career

Wasps have confirmed wing Christian Wade has retired from rugby with immediate effect. It emerged last week that Wade had grown...

6 under the radar players who could star at the 2019 Rugby World Cup

Teddy Thomas may be a surprise inclusion but he only has 13 caps for Les Bleus

Wasps waiting on compensation talks before releasing NFL-bound Christian Wade

Neil Fissler reveals the Premiership club want the last eight months of Wade's contract paid off

Welsh rugby icon singles out Rhys Priestland as World Cup contender

Phil Bennett feels Priestland has re-invented himself at Bath

Christian Wade could have been an international superstar in rugby, says Ugo Monye

One cap for England...

English rugby to introduce mandatory in-season breaks in major boost to player welfare

Details of large-scale player welfare initiative announced, but how will it be marshalled?

Will Addison pushing for Ireland call-up after fast start to life at Ulster

Billy Burns praises the performances of the former Sale Sharks captain

Quade Cooper gets Queensland Reds exit after icy relationship with Brad Thorn

Quade Cooper has spoken out against his treatment at the Queensland Reds after sealing a move to the Melbourne Rebels for...