No margin for error as top three triumph

Midlands Premier THE top three all won as Scunthorpe, Newport Salop and Bridgnorth remain separated by just two points, whilst fourth...

Wimbledon stay top but gap is closing

London & South East Premier WIMBLEDONhang on at the top of the table in a close 22-20 encounter away at Bedford...

Lowe gets two weeks

LEINSTERwing James Lowe has been banned for two weeks for a challenge on Munster’s Andrew Conway in last week’s ill-tempered PRO14...

Rennie signs for one more

GLASGOWhead coach Dave Rennie has agreed a one-year contract extension and will remain in his post until 2020. The New Zealander,...

Evans insists he’s nearing top form after injury niggles

By STEFFAN THOMAS Getting back in stride: Wales prop Rob Evans ROB Evans has revealed the full extent of the horror...

YOUNG GUNS

TAYLOR GOUGH LEICESTER FLANKER As a central midfielder in Derby County’s junior team, Taylor Gough dreamed of being a big shot...

Barnes belief pays off in comeback

By BRIAN QUINN Old Albanian …20 Barnes …………24 BARNES never lost faith that they could win this match despite all early...

Rossiter doubles up to stun Hawks

By ALISTAIR BEYNON Henley H ……….12 Rams …………….19 THE RAMS held their nerve and came out on top in the Battle...

Juddians run ended as Geese hit back

By MAX MATHEWS LI W Geese …44 Tonbridge J 31 LONDON Irish came from behind against Tonbridge Juddians to end the...

Hat-trick to Barnes as Raiders run riot at Reds

By BILL HOOPER Redruth………………17pts Worthing……………28pts Winging in: Worthing flyer Curtis Barnes goes over for a try. Right: Redruth’s Tom Notman makes...

Bury not cowed by big Island crowds

By KATIE DAUNT Guernsey ………19 Bury St Ed ……27 WERE points awarded for home support, Raiders would not be struggling near...

Second-half blitz from Canterbury

By WARREN BRADLEY Canterbury ….47 O Redcliffians12 CANTERBURY moved up to second in the National Two South table with an emphatic...

Jolly good show for battling Bees

By NICK PULLEN B & Solihull ….25 Dings C …………15 BEES belied their lowly position by bagging a vital victory in...

Titans in seventh heaven at derby triumph

By WYN TINGLEY Clifton……………42 Taunton ……….48 WITH a playing history going back more than a century, this has always been a...

MY LIFEIN RUGBY

FORMER LEINSTER, MUNSTER, MOSELEY, BEDFORD, SARACENS AND IRELAND WING DARRAGH O’MAHONY IWENT from absolutely nowhere to all of a sudden being...

Away day joy for battling Hinckley

By ED WILLIAMS Wharfedale ….20 Hinckley……….33 A STRONG performance from Hinckley saw them break their losing run on the road as...

Parker on song as Tynedale triumph

By BRIAN TILLEY Tynedale ………40 Stourbridge….24 A TWO-try burst at the start of the second half saw Tynedale beat Stourbridge in...

Palmer late show breaks Sheffield hearts

By ANDREW SMITH Sheffield T …22 S leicester …23 A DRAMATIC stoppage time penalty from Ben Palmer snatched victory for South...

Hoodoo is broken as Otley tame the Tigers

By NICK DOYLE Otley ………………….28pts Sedgley Park ….26pts OTLEY finally beat Sedgley Park after a string of eight consecutive defeats against...

14-man Boro are beaten despite fightback

By SIMON MOYLE P’boro Lions….15 Hull Ionians …25 PETERBOROUGH Lions came close to causing the upset of the day as they...

Field give tough time by Hoppers

By ANTON JONES Preston G ………22 Huddersfield…27 HUDDERSFIELD came out on top after a hardfought victory over Preston Grasshoppers. The visitors...

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...