Tyro Irish to take on the Welsh

THE new Welsh development regional sides will face the Irish provinces in a cross-border competition next season. The Welsh Rugby Union...

French call for 12 subs

DESPITE calls from some leading ex-players and officials to limit the number of replacements used in a match to cut down...

Owens: Big screen replays bring reaction

By PETER JACKSON Battle: Nigel Owens THE world’s best referee Nigel Owens has stepped into the debate about player behaviour. Last...

We can thank the legendary Fry for late great O’Connor

CB FRY had so many claims to fame that it’s impossible to squeeze them all into one paragraph. He captained England...

Rugby still long way off going global

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Shaking up the world: South Korea celebrate victory over Germany At the FIFA...

Women miss out to Ireland

ENGLAND women finished fourth in Marcoussis after a 39-7 defeat to Ireland in their bronze final. England beat Wales 26-14 in...

Russia win seals bronze for the men

EUROPEAN GRAND PRIX 7s ENGLAND 7s secured bronze last Sunday at the Euro Grand Prix Series event in Marcoussis, France, after...

Summer heatwave has put Hunt in high spirits

■ By NEALE HARVEY DEFIANT England 7s star Natasha Hunt says her side are ready to come out “all guns blazing”...

Amor’s outsiders take inspiration from their football counterparts

Top young talent: Ryan Olowofela ENGLAND7s head coach Simon Amor hopes the feel-good factor created around English football by good friend...

Wasps’ great entertainers need proper forward clout

NICK CAIN ANALYSES THE WASPS SET-UP AND HIGHLIGHTS KEY AREAS THEY MUST IMPROVE TO BECOME CHAMPIONS AGAIN Key signing: former England...

Malielegaoi mind game brings best out of Samoa

DAN LEO EXPERT ANALYST ON PACIFIC NATIONS Local hero: Melani Matavao finishes a great Samoa move to score against Germany No...

Jones’ experience makes him the perfect fit

By JON NEWCOMBE LYN JONES is the perfect man to lead Russia into the 2019 World Cup, according to namesake and...

Hong Kong heroes dream about Japan

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Now for France: Hong Kong players celebrate HONG KONG served notice that there could be a second Asian...

MY LIFEIN RUGBY

ROB ELLOWAY THE FORMER GLOUCESTER AND CORNISH PIRATES HOOKER From the age of about 14 all I ever wanted to do...

Russia can cause a World Cup stir under maverick Lyn

LYN JONES is a maverick coach, one of the strangest men I’ve worked with, but also one of the best. He’s...

Southgate boys have our spirit from 2011

I’VE WATCHED with interest England’s campaign in the World Cup in Russia. For me it’s eerily similar to when I was...

Why I’m rooting for both Tom and Alex

Power: a fully recovered Tom James can excel again Alex Cuthbert became an easy target for fans towards the end of...

Former Wales back row Oakley facing cancer battle

Shock: Rhys Oakley HARTPURY captain Rhys Oakley has been diagnosed with a form of testicular cancer. After going to hospial for...

Cuthbert: I’m only 28 and have a lot to offer

By NEALE HARVEY Size and speed: Alex Cuthbert in action for Wales against Tonga PICTURES: Getty Images HAVING escaped the critic-filled...

Scarlets are preferred pick for converted Kiwi Collins

By STEFFAN THOMAS AUCKLAND Blues utility back Michael Collins wants to return to Wales and forge an international career in the...

Fund the TMOs properly to end the guessing game

THE TMO system is being pilloried, and justifiably, after a series of decisions over the summer internationals which have highlighted its...

Smith injury will send the Bears a tremor

Father Time catches up: George Smith is 38 this month PICTURE: Getty Images BRISTOL coach Pat Lam will have winced when...

Williams: I’ll miss the boys but I needed to get out

By STEFFAN THOMAS Moving on: Scott Williams scores for Scarlets SCOTT Williams hopes he can get the Ospreys back on the...

Ewels working to be stronger, faster, fitter

By NEALE HARVEY Powering up: Bath second row Charlie Ewels PICTURES: Getty Images BEEFED-UP Bath lock Charlie Ewels has been piling...

Injury-hit Creed craving big role at Knights

By JON NEWCOMBE ELLIOTT Creed is looking forward to being part of something special at Doncaster after a stop-start couple of...

Scarlets pair set for national service

By PETER JACKSON WALES are close to putting the future of their national squad in the hands of their dream ticket...

Sanderson: Farrell best man to lead us to Japan

By GARY FITZGERALD EDDIE Jones has been urged to dump Dylan Hartley and keep Owen Farrell as his captain right up...

Jackson column: Lack of TV coverage makes referees the fall-guy

Peter Jackson uses the recent aerial incidents involving Israel Folau and Benjamin Fall to show how referees are sometimes tied up...

Richie Vernon brings Test pedigree to London Scottish

By Neale Harvey Marquee signing Richie Vernon is ready to spearhead London Scottish‘s charge for a top six Championship place after...

Goode column: Fine having two alphas, but they must be in sync

Andy Goode discusses whether a Cipriani-Farrell combination could be the right formula for England going forward in the November Tests

Guscott column: England’s pack has gone backwards for 12 months

Jeremy Guscott takes a look at England's problems among the forwards

Tim Visser vows allegiance to Harlequins revolution under Paul Gustard

The Harlequins wing is focussed on things at the Stoop under the new lead of Paul Gustard rather than Murrayfield

Cain column: Dean Ryan could give Eddie Jones a shoulder to lean on

Nick Cain reflects on recent comments by RFU chairman Andy Cosslett about the future of head coach Eddie Jones

Chris Ashton leaves Toulon to sign for Sale Sharks

Heading 'home' to play his rugby in the North-West

Crusaders reveal the special way they will honour veteran prop Wyatt Crockett

Super Rugby side will rename their stadium in honour of the loosehead against the Highlanders

International team sleep rough in the street ahead of World Cup qualifier

They also were held at the airport for six hours

Simon Easterby steps in for Ulster until McFarland’s arrival

The Ireland forwards coach will provide support to the province

England grab their first win in South Africa since 2000

England recently ended their five test losing streak, delivering a highly controlled performance, thereby saving face and grabbing their first win...

Relegation? No, Solomons has Champions Cup spot in his sights

ALAN SOLOMONS ON THE RECORD Q&A Widely travelled Alan Solomons, director of rugby at Worcester, tells NEALE HARVEY his plans for...

This law is pie in sky

AERIAL challenges are becoming a headache for match officials because the law at the moment is an ass. How can one...

Bristol can offer Ash the Splash route back to England

WITH one maverick repaying England’s faith in him, when Danny Cipriani’s magic cross kick bounced kindly for Jonny May in Cape...

Ryan could give Eddie shoulder to lean on

READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK NICK CAIN EDDIE Jones jokes that since England started losing games on his watch he...

DREAMTEAM

CHRIS BRIGHTWELL, MOSELEY AND FORMER BIRMINGHAM, BEDFORD, SALE & ENGLAND 7s BACK ROW, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH...

How meaningful were those summer tours?

COLIN BOAG Now that the summer tours have ground to an end, what’s the verdict on how the northern countries fared?...

Modern day giant bashing is turn off

I’M afraid that due to the style of modern play, I have to call it a day watching the professional game...

Eddie’s shown too much faith in his out-of-form players

TOO many players seem untouchable in this current England set-up. It took losing the series for Eddie Jones to give Danny...

World rankings bit of a mystery to me

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk THE World Rugby rankings...

Toulon still in discussions with Ashton

SALE Sharks have been strongly linked to making a shock move to sign former England star Chris Ashton but as yet...

Scenic route leads Davis to Saints promised land

By NEALE HARVEY DETERMINED Northampton loosehead Will Davis wants to prove why the conventional is not always best when it comes...

El Abd backs Bristol’s new recruitment policy

JOE EL ABD, forwards guru of Top 14 miracle side Castres, reckons his bunch of relative unknowns have shown his old...