Protect the players but don’t kill rugby’s soul

COLIN BOAG These are tough days for Rugby Union with the very ethos of the game being challenged. It’s always been...

World Rugby must realise less is more

COLIN BOAG is correct, there are far too many internationals played each season. The November internationals interrupt the club season and...

Correct decision to letter of the law but still harsh on Tigers

THE RED card shown to Will Spencer, the Leicester Tigers lock, was predictably given prominence in the following morning’s sports pages....

Real shame Eddie sees it differently

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk EDDIE Jones must be...

Western Force show interest in O’Connor

By SAM JACKSON JAMES O’Connor could be offered a potential route back to the Wallabies side with one of his former...

New panel of coaches for U20s

SAINTS academy head coach Mark Hopley will join James Scaysbrook and Richard Whiffin in leading this season’s England U20 side. The...

Kinghorn waiting as Hogg is ruled out for Autumn

By GARY HEATLY Young flier: Edinburgh full-back Blair Kinghorn STUART Hogg will miss Scotland’s Autumn Internationals after being ruled out for...

Clermont go crashing to end stress for Teague

DAVID BARNES FRENCH COLUMN Flawless: Baptiste Serin’s immaculate kicking helped get Rory Teague’s Bordeaux home The vultures circling above the controversial...

Barnett hat-trick keeps Penallta on top

By JAY BAYFORD Welsh Division One round-up PENALLTA’S excellent start to the season continued with a 26-7 win over Blaenavon in...

Met nil the new boys to stay on pace with Pooler

By JAY BAYFORD Welsh Championship round-up IT’S a two-way battle at the top of the Championship as Cardiff Met and Pontypool...

League leaders maintain perfect start with flourish

By HUW S THOMAS Llandovery …26 Llanelli …0 LLANDOVERY maintained their 100 per cent record with a clinical showing against Llanelli....

Quins hold their nerve to stage second-half fightback

By JAY BAYFORD Carmarthen…19 Cardiff …13 CARMARTHEN Quins came from behind to beat Cardiff at The Park in tough conditions. The...

Kynes scores brace as the Steelmen win again

By PETER HUGHES Ebbw Vale …17 Bridgend …16 EBBW Vale were made to work hard by their visitors as they clung...

Bullish hosts recover from sluggish start to see off Keys

By IAN GOLDEN Bargoed …20 Cross Keys …13 BARGOED fought back after a slow start to control the second half as...

Whites up and running thanks to clinical Griffiths

By PAUL HOPKINS Swansea …25 Neath…12 TWENTY points from the boot of Luke Griffiths helped Swansea battle to a first win...

Errors prove costly for Ironmen as Wizards cast a spell

By GEOFF CHAMPION Merthyr …14 Aberavon…22 ABERAVON, fresh from their victory over Pontypridd, took another big scalp in the Principality Premiership...

PREVIEW…

Newport v Bedwas September 23. Kick-off: 2.30pm NEWPORT head coach Craig Warlow reckons today’s clash with Bedwas at Rodney Parade has...

Principality Premiership

Pontypridd …18 RGC 1404 …32 RGC 1404 produced an impressive second-half performance to beat Pontypridd at Sardis Road. The hosts opened...

Toothless Sharks bitten by rampant Sarries

By ROSS LAWSON DMP Sharks …0 Saracens …61 Double: Sonia Green NINE different players got themselves on the scoresheet as Saracens...

Lightning strike regularly to see off Harlequins

By HANNAH THOMPSON L Lightning …41 Harlequins …17 LOUGHBOROUGH Lightning extended their fine start to the season as they put Harlequins...

Murray double gives Bears derby honours

By GEORGE WEST Flyer: Phoebe Murray scored twice for Bristol BRISTOL Bears laid down a marker as they hammered local rivals...

Richmond in seventh heaven and off the mark

By ART DE ROCHE Worcester V …12 Richmond …43 RICHMOND won their first game of the season with a seven-try, bonus-point...

Wasps fly out of the blocks to soar past Waterloo

By SAM ROURKE F Waterloo …14 Wasps …52 Bonus try: Claire Molloy WASPS first-half performance sealed an impressive victory on the...

Give players a voice say RPA

By NEALE HARVEY Chair: Mark Lambert AT A time when star players are under increasing pressure to deliver, Rugby Players Association...

England to follow Black Ferns’ lead

By SAM JACKSON Work to do: England lost to New Zealand in the 2017 World Cup final PICTURE: Getty Images ENGLAND...

Scarlets go under after early try shock at home

By CARL FIELD SCARLETS A slipped to a second Celtic Cup defeat in three as they went down 16-10 against Leinster...

Langkilde withdrawn for a year

SAMOA rugby player Gordon Langkilde has pleaded guilty to assault charges after the altercation involving members of the Wales Sevens team....

Pools for European Shield revealed

CLUBS from Italy, Georgia and Belgium will kick off the Continental Shield on October 13 with a place in next season’s...

Mercer upping power to match footwork

BEEFED-UP Bath back rower Zach Mercer is determined to show why Eddie Jones must pick him this season rather than keep...

Sam’s fuelled by frustration

By NEALE HARVEY Man on a mission: Sam Simmonds on the charge for the line against Wasps No.9 Dan Robson EXETER...

Boulton suspended for Adamson contact

COVENTRY front rower Phil Boulton has been suspended for seven weeks by an RFU disciplinary hearing. Boulton pleaded not guilty to...

Joseph puts all his focus on Japan

JAPAN head coach Jamie Joseph is set to relinquish control of Super Rugby’s Sunwolves to concentrate on the run-in to the...

Cheek fracture puts Roberts on sidelines

BATH centre Jamie Roberts will miss the next four to six weeks of the Premiership season with a fractured cheekbone. The...

Jackson gets nod for World Cup

FORMER Blues head coach Steve Jackson has been named Samoa head coach in place of Fuimaono Titimaea Tafua. Jackson is a...

Abendanon requires second operation

NICK Abendanon has been ruled out for three months as the Clermont full-back requires a hernia operation. This will be the...

Launchbury ruled out by knee knock

JOELaunchbury picked up a knee injury during Wasps’ victory over Leicester and is out for at least two weeks. Director of...

Prosser lessons put Faulkner on road to riches

Lyndon J Faulkner tells BRENDAN GALLAGHER about Ray Prosser’s lasting impression BRENDAN GALLAGHER Winner: Lyndon J Faulkner in Pooler colours RAY...

Pontypool’s past glories will live long in memory

BRENDAN GALLAGHER charts the history of Pontypool to celebrate their 150th anniversary BRENDAN GALLAGHER Fearsome: The Pooler front row of 1972...

Eddie needs to pull off a Cooke confidence trick

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME Why no drop-goal? Beauden Barrett could have won the match for New...

Top two can’t force crucial bonus point

South West Premier BOURNEMOUTH and Ivybridge made it four wins out of four to sit in the top two on 19...

Kirby treble helps keep Billingham top

Northern Premier BILLINGHAMstay at the top following 34-19 win at home to Ilkley. Matt Kirby led the way with a hat-trick...

Cook stays steady to frustrate Phoenix

Midlands Premier SCUNTHORPE and Newport Salop both maintained their 100 per cent records as they recorded a fourth win from four,...

Alboni leads way for impressive Dons

London & South East Premier WIMBLEDONincrease their lead at the top following a nine-try rout of Shelford – winning 62-6. Kane...

Hartpury kick off hat-trick bid with tough trip to Cardiff

By JAMES COFFEY BUCS PREVIEW BUCS Super Rugby returns this week following another successful showing since its maiden season in 2016....

YOUNG GUNS

CONNOR EDWARDS DRAGONS CENTRE As a 12-year-old setting out on his rugby journey with Croesyceiliog RFC in Cwmbran, Connor Edwards first...

Reds triumph in windy Guernsey

By MEGAN JONES Guernsey …15 Redruth …16 A FILTHY wet and windy evening under the Footes Lane lights produced a nail-biter...

OAs grind down Rams in thriller

By NICK HALLETT Old Albanians 18 Rams …10 WITH the Rams going into the weekend perched on top of National Two...

Redcliffians earn first win at Wild Geese

By KIERAN JACKSON London Irish 15 Old Redcliffs 35 OLD Redcliffians won their first game of the season with a resounding...

Rain can’t slow down show for Canterbury

By MATT LONG Canterbury…40pts Dings …18pts Away: Seb Roche on the charge for Canterbury Held: JJ Murray and Dan Smart halt...

Juddians survive late rally for nervy triumph

By NICK PITSON Henley…14 Tonbridge J…19 IN wet conditions, Tonbridge Juddians collected an away win at Henley Hawks with a disciplined...