So near but yet so far for All Black sub Bono

THE World Cup Sevens this weekend calls to mind the strange tale of Benjamin Bono, the Uruguayan who found himself drafted...

Piutau is relishing his derby baptism

WILL CARPENTER sits down with Bristol’s marquee signing from Ulster, Charles Piutau Packing a punch: Charles Piutau celebrates a try for...

Warriors thrown to the Sharks in new cup opener

By SAM JACKSON Fan of the cup: Exeter supremo Rob Baxter WORCESTER WARRIORS and Sale Sharks kick off the Premiership Rugby...

Chudley can be the key to get Bath firing again

JEREMY GUSCOTT Super signing: Will Chudley will bring consistency to the Bath team PICTURE: Getty Images ON paper it looks like...

DREAM TEAM

SIMON McINTYRE, THE WASPS LOOSE-HEAD PROP, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST. 1. Tim Payne – As...

Rugby is the big loser when friends fall out

COLIN BOAG Black eyes: Lopeti Timani, left, had an altercation with Amanaki Mafi Everyone knows the tales of punch-ups in training,...

Alternative to the dismissal system

COLIN Boag (July 15) is rightly against replacing the red card system (dismissal) by something like the Rugby League on report...

Commentators’ use of metaphors for violence must end

ONE of the pleasures of the summer internationals were the calm and informative commentary performances by John Beattie and Chris Patterson...

Hard job replacing world class talent

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk SHOCKED and saddened to...

Super Rugby goes on ‘for too long’

By STEFFAN THOMAS UZAIR Cassiem believes more of South Africa’s top stars will turn their back on Super Rugby in favour...

Williams: Jenkins can fill that Warburton void

By ALEX BYWATER Driving force: Ellis Jenkins Choice: Martyn Williams ELLIS Jenkins is the “heir apparent” to Sam Warburton and can...

Matthews looking for a new start at Wasps

Partner: Joe Launchbury FRUSTRATED second row Charlie Matthews says the lure of working with Dai Young played a major part in...

Quins were let down by poor fitness says Saili

By NEALE HARVEY Exciting game plan: Francis Saili PICTURES: Getty Images High tempo: Paul Gustard KIWI centre Francis Saili claims Harlequins...

Phillips: I’m at Sale determined to win more silverware

SIGNED primarily for his brute strength and ballast, Sale newcomer James Phillips is also keen to show he can play a...

Lamb wants new chance to prove he’s a No1

DAVID BARNES FRENCH COLUMN Fly-half Ryan Lamb left Worcester last summer for a new life in La Rochelle and a reunion...

Change of heart for Mugford

PLYMOUTH Albion flyhalf Dan Mugford has done a U-turn on his move to France. An Achilles injury hindered Mugford’s season run...

Danny’s drive can help us find top gear says Heinz

By NEALE HARVEY Box office signing: England No.10 Danny Cipriani PICTURES: Getty Images In: Matt Banahan Out: Billy Burns GLOUCESTER came...

Success of Murrayfield saw Sevens go global

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME Reading last week’s paper brought back some good memories of England’s first...

Feeley drawn back by Wharfedale struggles

By JON NEWCOMBE Returning: Jon Feeley JON FEELEY admits the emotional pull of Wharfedale was too hard to resist as he...

Twomey quits Quins for new Irish challenge

Irish-bound: Sam Twomey SAM Twomey has signed for London Irish ahead of the 2018/19 season. Twomey’s arrival represents something of a...

YOUNG GUNS

DAN DAVIS SCARLETS FLANKER In a week in which the estimable Wales and British & Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton was...

Siam Cup rivalry ‘more intense than any other’

FOR many years the Siam Cup – started in 1920 and thought to be the second oldest Cup competition in the...

Guernsey will remain amateur despite step-up

Cup that cheers: Guernsey celebrate last season’s Siam Cup victory You would imagine running a successful rugby club on a small...

Why Jersey is an island of rugby dreams

Brendan Gallagher visits the Channel Islands to find two rugby clubs enjoying fresh success Reds on the rampage: Augustin Slowik scores...

Boyd sure his ‘Canes can go up a level in last four

By JOHN DANIELS Energised: Brad Shields Hurricanes… 32 Chiefs … 31 THE Hurricanes became the first team to qualify for the...

Jantjies shows his class to kill off Jaguares

By MARK WILSON Lions … 40 Jaguares … 23 FLY-HALF Elton Jantjies produced his best performance of the season to lead...

Ace Foley spearheads Waratahs fightback

By SAM JACKSON Waratahs … 30pts Highlanders… 23pts BERNARD Foley scored a Super Rugby personal best 25-point haul to help Waratahs...

Sharks torn to shreds by classy Crusaders

By GEORGE LAWRENCE Composed: Sam Whitelock Crusaders … 40 Sharks … 10 DEFENDING champions Canterbury Crusaders demolished the Shark in Christchurch....

All Blacks helped me revive career

MATT JESS THE FORMER EXETER, LAUNCESTON, NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS AND CORNISH PIRATES WING MY LIFEIN RUGBY Ever-present: Matt Jess celebrates a...

Neath stay optimistic

THE Welsh All Blacks are confident the financial troubles of owner Mike Cuddy won’t impact their hopes of improvement on the...

Flanagan back to bolster Blues pack after stint with Saracens

By NEALE HARVEY Boost: Alex Rae FORWARDS coach Alex Rae is banking on the return of influential lock Mark Flanagan to...

ROOM 101

MARK SORENSON THE FORMER NEWCASTLE, NORTHAMPTON AND BRISTOL LOCK TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND...

Give Piutau a reprieve after early capture by All Blacks

DAN LEO EXPERT ANALYST ON PACIFIC NATIONS The annual Pacific Rugby Players Welfare (PRPW) Board meeting took place in Bristol last...

I’ve no doubt we’d have won a World Cup under Johnno

JOHN WELLS Q&A ON THE RECORD Missed opportunity: Martin Johnson should have stayed on as England coach says John Wells Pictures:...

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Don’t knock us for promoting rugby says Exeter Uni boss

By NEALE HARVEY KEITHFleming, rugby director at Exeter University, has slammed traditionalists who claim college sides should have no place in...

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This dark side of Pontypool Park must be cleansed

THERE was a time, especially during the early Eighties, when ‘Pooler’ turned Ponty-pool Park into the most forbidding fortress in the...

But even Warburton has to bend the knee to John Dawes

THE timeless debate as to the identity of the greatest Lions captain has been given a thorough airing these last few...

You did it Sam, you’re a true Lions legend now

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Ambition achieved: Sam Warburton with the Lions in NZ PICTURE: Getty Images ■...

Merger between Hull clubs hits the buffers

By JON NEWCOMBE NOT for the first time – and probably not the last – talks about a merger between Hull...

Thomson tipped to be big hit at Scarlets

KIERON Fonotia has no doubts Blade Thomson will take European rugby by storm when he joins him at the Scarlets. The...

Evans: Brown is a freak of nature

By STEFFAN THOMAS Big and fast: New prop sensation Leon Brown PICTURE: Getty Images IAN Evans is backing the Dragons’ young...

Marshall re-joins Hurricanes after stay with Irish

Return: James Marshall HURRICANES have lured James Marshall back to Wellington for the 2019 Super Rugby season. Marshall will rejoin the...

Rugby’s all-star athletics line up

100M – CARLIN ISLES: Warren Weir might have the quickest PB on paper but he hasn’t approached that 10.02 for a...

Weir has a way to go if he’s to be rated alongside rugby’s fast men

BRENDAN GALLAGHER SUGGESTS THAT THE CLOCK MAY MISLEAD WHEN LOOKING FOR SPORTING SPEEDSTERS ANALYSIS Remarkable pace: Carlin Isles makes a break...

Tigers’ pack must find more teeth

Big loss: Ellis Genge charges upfield against Bath WHERE Leicester have come up short in the last couple of years is...

I have one rule for my TV work – call it as you see it

ANDY GOODE GUEST COLUMN FROM THE FORMER ENGLAND FLY-HALF Anyone who says they don’t miss a thing about playing rugby once...

Rebel rousers fined

SUPER Rugby Melbourne Rebels have handed £8,500 fines to Amanaki Mafi and Lopeti Timani after a fracas in a Dunedin nightclub...

Horne fund-raiser

NORTHAMPTON will play their Premiership game against Leicester on October 6 at Twickenham to raise money for centre Rob Horne. The...