Shrinking gates should be a worry for the regions

THE PRO14’s decision to take the money and put their competition behind a pay wall meant their audience was always going...

Wales must find more to beat these Boks

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Real Test: Jonathan Davies expects to win PICTURE: Getty Images Wales had beaten...

Barnes and Smart opted for England in a good way

THE question of allegiance to one country rather than another has raised its ugly head again with Gary Graham’s double defection,...

World Cup bolter? Ollie Thorley scored a peach

Try of the week: And of the season thus far, Ollie Thorley’s sensational second try against Leicester, stepping and burning off...

How Burgess shattered the All Blacks mystique

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER A weekly look at the game’s other talking points Heroes all: The North West Counties team leave...

TMO Jonker made himself look a right plonker

REFEREES of yesteryear were divided on the Courtney Lawes call last week. England’s Ed Morrison thought he was offside, South Africa’s...

‘We spent all match on the back foot’

A FRUSTRATED Alan Solomons bemoaned his side’s poor set-piece, which he said cost Worcester the match. He said: “We had no...

Bath locks are key to Warriors demise

By TOM BRADSHAW Building a lead: Semesa Rokoduguni touches down Bath’s first try PICTURES: Getty Images BATH ended a sevengame winless...

Subscriptions…

You can subscribe to The Rugby Paper. Just fill out the form below and send your cheque for £20, £40 or...

Using Lawes at 6 ‘impacts on make-up of the bench’

By ALI STOKES ED SLATER believes Eddie Jones will stick with Courtney Lawes as his preferred blindside option due to his...

Follow The Rugby Paper online…

Follow us at: @TheRugby Paper like us at: www.facebook.com/therugbypaper Keep in touch with The Rugby Paper wherever you are at home...

Deano: It’s been bumpy season

HARLEQUINS supremo Paul Gustard was satisfied with the defensive display despite Andrew Davidson’s try for Newcastle in the final ten minutes...

Quins courage earns praise from Gustard

By STEWART McCULOUGH Impressive: Francis Saili scores for Quins PICTURE: Getty Images TEAMS HARLEQUINS: Brown 7, Earle 7, Marchant 7, Tapuai...

Luatua confident Bristol’s million pound man Piutau can shore up leaky defence

By JON NEWCOMBE AFTER a couple of runouts in the Cup, Bristol’s million-pound man Charles Piutau will be unleased on the...

Cipriani: We knew how they would play

DANNY Cipriani returned after a three week suspension to steer his side to an emphatic win. He said: “Former Leicester players...

Razor-sharp Thorley rips poor Tigers to shreds

By ROGER PANTING OLLIE Thorley scored two breathtaking tries to celebrate his return to Premiership rugby as Gloucester produced a season’s...

Work is the only cure says Young

DAI YOUNG ordered his struggling Wasps squad to work harder after this dispiriting seventh successive defeat. “Northampton were good and we...

19st Taqele barrels in to show he finally gets the game

By ROB WILDMAN HEAVYWEIGHTWallaby Taqele Naiyaravaro made his powerful presence fully felt in this uplifting win for Northampton. The Wallaby wing...

Diamond: Now we must beat Saints

STEVE Diamond was left frustrated as Sale blew a wonderful chance to bring the champions down to earth. The Sale boss...

Wyles leaves the bar long enough to star

By GARY FITZGERALD CHRIS Wyles thoroughly enjoyed his surprise return to Allianz Park as Saracens scrapped and battled their way passed...

We’re still waiting for Lions to roar their complaint

THE silence of the Lions is deafening. We are not talking here about the former Lions players, coaches, and administrators –...

Why not call for Spencer?

RICHARD Wigglesworth did not play badly when he came on for Danny Care in the second half of yesterday’s win over...

Exit of Brown exposes growing split in rugby

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK STEVE Brown’s decision to stand down as the RFU’s chief executive is undoubtedly...

DREAMTEAM

GREG HOLMES, EXETER AND FORMER AUSTRALIA AND QUEENSLAND REDS PROP CHOOSES HIS BEST XV PLAYED WITH OR GAINST… 1. James Slipper...

Twiggy’s Rapid Rugby may be fashionable in Oz

COLIN BOAG Ducking the issue: Jerome Garces let TMO Marius Jonker take control Super Rugby, the Southern Hemisphere’s troubled and unloved...

Haka is just giving All Blacks a leg up

REGARDING Colin Boag’s comment on the Haka – I have waited a decade to see in newsprint someone who agrees with...

Eddie should lead by example and show more respect

THAT Try. For heaven’s sake let’s forget it. As Owen Farrell said immediately after the game: ‘That’s not my decision. It’s...

Lineout problems or illegal tactics?

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk IT HAS been suggested...

Hong Kong and Canada in decider

REPECHAGE CANADA are one point away from a place at next year’s World Cup in Japan after beating Germany 29-10 in...

Aussies suffer Pocock blow

By ADAM ELLIS Italy....................7 Australia ........26 VICTORY celebrations within the Wallabies’ camp could end up being short-lived as they await news...

Stockdale stunner has Dublin delerious

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER IRELAND, for the first time on home soil, beat New Zealand amid extraordinary scenes at a riotous Avia...

French hit winning form as Thomas lands double

By GARY FITZGERALD TEDDY Thomas cruised over for a brace of tries as France finally rediscovered winning ways and comfortably overcame...

Pollard is on points duty to steer Boks to narrow victory

By GARY HEATLY SOUTH Africa edged out Scotland in a thrilling Test at Murrayfield last night but the Scots will rue...

Liam should face Boks – but who’d be a selector?

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND How do you solve a problem like Liam Williams? I’m guessing you’ll all be thinking...

We must be more clinical in attack – Anscombe

By STEFFAN THOMAS GARETH ANSCOMBE has warned Wales not to rest on their laurels and insists they must sharpen up their...

Now for the clean sweep says Liam

LIAM WILLIAMS challenged Wales to complete a first Autumn clean sweep by overcoming South Africa on Saturday after he marked his...

He’s the right Joe for England

Roaring in: Joe Cokanasiga enjoys his try PICTURE: Getty Images EDDIE Jones predicted a bright future for Bath wing Joe Cokanasiga...

Big-spender Eddie was a factor in Brown exit

By NICK CAIN AN OVERSPEND of £900,000 by Eddie Jones’ England set-up was yesterday identified as compounding the financial problems which...

Is technology improving or spoiling the game?

Love it or hate it, there has been no escaping the technology in England’s autumn series so far. Both of their...

RFU chief executive Steve Brown to step down

Leaving the RFU at the end of 2018

Guscott column: England are finding their courage again

Tenacious performance against the All Blacks is building hope again

Liam Williams to win 50th cap for Wales in team named to face Tonga

Ellis Jenkins named as captain by Warren Gatland

Jack Nowell to start at 13 for England in new-look XV named by Jones

Eddie Jones bluffs saying he will name 'full-strength' England side

Bath’s Matt Garvey craving a trophy finish for mentor Booth

The early announcement of Booth and Darren Edwards' exit haven't destabilised the Bath dressing room

Huw Jones back for Scotland as Gregor Townsend makes six changes

See Scotland's squad to take on South Africa at Murrayfield

Connacht’s Kieran Marmion chasing selection for All Blacks clash

The battle is on for who will be Ireland's second-choice scrum-half

Cain column: Don’t sacrifice Lions Tour for a duff cup competition

Killing off the Lions Tour is criminal, writes Nick Cain

Huge boost for Bath as Anthony Watson and three other senior players agree new deals

Todd Blackadder talks about moves which sees key members of forward and backs sign

Japan head coach reveals players are paid £14-a-day ahead of match with England

England players receive £28,000 for each international they play in

Scotland full-back Stuart Hogg to move to Exeter Chiefs at the end of the season

Rob Baxter admits to previous pursuit of Glasgow Warriors back