Deacon left red-faced by toothless display from his Tigers

■ By ROB WILDMAN BRETT Deacon did not hold back after a tame Leicester performance left the big home support stunned....

Now Dan needs run of games says Lam

BRISTOL head coach Pat Lam hailed the performance of man of the match, Dan Thomas. He said: “He’s a phenomenal athlete...

Thomas inspires Bears to maul his old mates

■ By ROGER PANTING Triumph: Nick Haining crashes over for Bristol Held: Bristol’s Charles Piutau is tackled by Henry Trinder DAN...

Jake aims to shake up Wasps cup hopes as Saints promise a high-tempo

■ By NEALE HARVEY FRUSTRATED prop Jake Cooper-Woolley is set for his first run-out since May as Wasps aim to inject...

Bath will click soon insists Wilson

TWO-TRY winger Jack Wilson believes Bath are not far away from getting it right. Following their second successive Premiership Cup defeat...

Chiefs go surging along with their prop power

■ By MIKE SINCLAIR Going over: Tom O’Flaherty beats Alex Davies to score for Exeter Chiefs PICTURES: Getty Images EXETER’S dominant...

Eddie works wrong way

A NEW book, Eddie Jones: Rugby Maverick, by Aussie journalist Mike Colman reveals some stark criticism of the England coach by...

Provocation should be as bad as retaliation

LAST weekend Australia’s hooker Tolu Latu spiked any chance of a comeback against New Zealand in Tokyo after being sinbinned midway...

Don’t sacrifice Lions for a duff Cup competition

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK “The Lions would be turned from a living, roaring success into a moth-eaten...

Laumape leads way for Kiwi deputies

■ By BRENDANGALLAGHER Hat-trick hero: Ngani Laumape scores one of his three tries for New Zealand PICTURE: Getty Images NEW Zealand...

Penney in pole to take Scarlets job after Pivac

ROB Penney has emerged as the strong favourite to succeed Wayne Pivac as Scarlets head coach. The 54-year-old New Zealander spent...

Larmour hat-trick blows the Italians away in Windy City

■ By DAVID JOHN LEINSTER star Jordan Larmour blew red hot in the Windy City as the Irish went on an...

Wales will be ready for the Aussies now

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND Masterclass: Justin Tipuric ‘shone like a beacon’ PICTURE: Getty Images Let’s hear it for the...

Gat aims for 14th time lucky vs Australia

WARREN Gatland insisted Wales can take on Australia in confident mood after watching his team win their opening match of an...

Now for NZ roars Eddie as Farrell escapes

■ By GARY FITZGERALD Crunch: Owen Farrell hits Andre Esterhuizen with his shoulder but escaped unpunished OWEN FARRELL survived a last-moment...

Johnny Sexton the lone ranger in World Rugby Player of the Year shortlist dominated by All Blacks and Boks

Sale Sharks scrum-half Faf de Klerk one of five stars shortlisted

Gallagher column: Where have Eddie’s bullying forwards got to?

Time is running out for Eddie to sort out his pack

Dream Team: Bath second row Dave Attwood

Attwood picks a XV from his time at the Rec, Bristol, Gloucester and Toulon

Voting is open as Rhino Prop Star finalists are announced

Over 200 nominations have been narrowed down to three...

Eddie Jones turns to Mark Wilson as England’s solution at number 8

The England team named to take on the Springboks

Danny Cipriani opens up on the frustration of being overlooked by England

'I know my skillset'

Wales record cap-holder Gethin Jenkins to retire from rugby

The prop has been suffering from a chronic knee injury

Franco Mostert in line for first Gloucester start after ‘touchy’ negotiations

The Lions had disputed the lock's move to Kingsholm

Rassie Erasmus to test homegrown talent with England match falling outside international window

Only South Africa and Japan based players are available to South Africa

Vesty hails his half-back pairing

BRISTOL had no answer to Saints’ twin terrors Alex Mitchell and James Grayson at 9 and 10. “Mitch and Grayse managed...

Academy boys push case for first team honours

By NEALE HARVEY Livewire: Alex Mitchell brings home the bonus for Saints PICTURES: Getty Images ■ England forward Courtney Lawes, 29,...

’Cursed’ Veainu forced off again

BRETT Deacon hopes Telusa Veainu will not face another lengthy spell out of action. The Tongan international had just returned form...

Tigers feel full force of Tongan wrecking ball

By GARY FITZGERALD Force of nature: Sione Vailanu looks to punch through the Tigers defence PICTURES: Getty Images ADAM Powell paid...

Picking Tuilagi at 12 will give the forwards a target

OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE…EVERY WEEK JEREMYGUSCOTT Firing on all four: Manu Tuilagi has brought a new dimension to Leicester’s play in Europe...

DREAMTEAM

DAVE ATTWOOD, THE BATH, ENGLAND AND FORMER BRISTOL, GLOUCESTER & TOULON LOCK, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR...

Tackle flaws have already devalued European Cup

COLIN BOAG No escape: Danny Cipriani just braced himself for impact It is hard to overstate the parlous situation that rugby...

More clarity please between kit colours

I WATCHED Cardiff Blues v Glasgow last weekend and how on earth can anyone, especially the officials, allow the two teams...

Big fear that season ticket holders may be short-changed

THERE IS no consideration for the fans with these attempts to unify Northern and Southern Hemisphere seasons. With future seasons ending...

Tier 4 commitment can’t be questioned

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk JEFF Probyn mentioned the...

Versatile Anscombe’s plea for stint at No.10

■By ALEX BYWATER GARETH Anscombe has issued a stark warning to Cardiff Blues and revealed his frustration at continually being switched...

Clermont win again but Parra’s ruled out

FRENCH COLUMN DAVID BARNES Hammer blow: Morgan Parra has broken his wrist and misses the Autumn Clermont strengthened their grip on...

Heol y Cyw lay down a marker in Plate

Welsh Plate/Bowl round-up By STEFFAN JAMES FORMER winners Heol y Cyw thrashed Taffs Well 50-0 to progress into the third round...

Scott’s hat-trick sends Pooler to the top

Welsh Championship round-up By CARL FIELD CHAMPIONS Pontypool returned to the summit in the WRU National Championship with a 39-13 win...

Ironmen forging strong bid for title before halfway

By ROB COLE Ebbw Vale …0 Merthyr …20 THE sheer size and power of the Merthyr pack was too much for...

Ravens have no answer as slick Carmarthen cut loose

■By STEFFAN THOMAS Carmarthen Q44 Bridgend …6 QUINS crossed for six unanswered tries as they thrashed a lacklustre Bridgend side in...

Warren double decisive as Drovers take honours

■By PAUL HOPKINS Swansea 37320310 Llandovery 323 TWO Aaron Warren tries sealed a hard-earned victory for Llandovery over Swansea. The Drovers...

Morris dashes over to give Newport three wins in a row

By JAY BAYFORD Neath…17 Newport 37320 THEY say things come in threes and that proved to be the case for Newport...

Bargoed bemused as RGC are off to flying start

By DEAN JONES RGC …40 Bargoed 37 A SENSATIONAL start helped RGC get back to winning ways. It took just two...

Ponty onslaught sets up intriguing clash with leaders

By GEOFF CHAMPION Pontypridd …73 Cross Keys …12 PONTYPRIDD put Cross Keys to the sword. They ran in 11 tries in...

Principality Premiership

Aberavon …12 Cardiff …39 CARDIFF ran in five tries to make it five wins in a row and send Aberavon crashing...

Quins looking to build

PREVIEW: Richmond v Harlequins Sunday 28 October. Kick-off 1pm HARLEQUINS got their season well and truly up and running last weekend...

Glos wary of Sarries

PREVIEW: Saracens v Glos-Hartpury Sunday 28 October. Kick-off 3.45pm GLOUCESTER-HARTPURY know that Saracens will be gunning for revenge as they look...

Attwood hat-trick inspires the Bears

By ART DE ROCHE Worcester V…10 Bristol Bears…50 BRISTOL Bears Women secured their first away win of the season by beating...

Sharks held scoreless as Molloy thrives

■By TOM BULMER DMP Sharks 30 Wasps…38 Hard yards: Wasps Alice Sheffield set up Claire Molloy for her second try WASPS...

Hunter at the double for the Lightning

By JAMES LEWIS F Waterloo…20 L Lightning…51 ENGLAND captain Sarah Hunter helped herself to a double as Loughborough Lightning continued to...