Carnegie’s old boy Beech has sting in tail

By PAUL SMITH FORMER Yorkshire Carnegie prop Charlie Beech forced his way over from close range 13 minutes from time to...

Opportunism from Spittle steals Ealing momentum

■By ROB WILDMAN NOTTINGHAM recorded a notable triumph over high-flying Ealing thanks to another speedy display led by their emerging backline....

Pirates eye promotion before the big move

■By LUKE JARMYN Coach: Gavin Cattle CORNISH Pirates believe the buzz around the Stadium for Cornwall development has given them a...

Brave Batley battles back after cancer treatment

By JOHN HARDING Rising star: Joe Batley wins clean lineout ball for Bristol against Zebre PICTURES: Getty Images SEVENTEEN months ago...

’Dumb things’ cost the Wallabies

MICHAEL Cheika lamented the Wallabies’ poor discipline after a yellow card cost Australia a foothold in the third Bledisloe Cup Test....

Barrett masterclass keeps Kiwis on top

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Hitting the afterburners: Beauden Barrett runs the arc to touch down in the corner for New Zealand PICTURES:...

Maori wanderlust thrilling the world for 140 years

Brendan Gallagher is left to marvel at the missionary zeal of the game’s great tourists Famous win: NZ Maori beat England...

Why altitude sickness is the main Irish enemy now

BRENDAN GALLAGHER IDENTIFIES AN ONGOING SENSE OF CAUTION IN A NATION’S RUGBY PSYCHE Needs starts: Jordan Larmour Ireland and the Irish...

Scots have found new star with Hastings

WALES should have enough to beat Scotland in their first clash of the Autumn series on Saturday. But I think Gregor...

Thoughts arewithWarren,we knowwhat family means to him

I WOULD like to extend my deepest condolences to Warren Gatland this week following the sad passing of his father. I...

Why RFU’s new season may benefit the Welsh

WALES AND LIONS LEGEND SHANE WILLIAMS Welsh Lion: Taulupe Faletau barges through the New Zealand defence to score a try PICTURE:...

Dress rehearsal in Italy

ENGLAND will hold warm weather training camps in Italy next summer to prepare for the conditions expected at the World Cup...

Falcons swoop for Hardie

NEWCASTLE have signed flanker 16-cap Scotland John Hardie to help cover for the absence of club captain Will Welch, who will...

Wales use Autumn as recce for World Cup

■By ALEX BYWATER Previous: Wales beat Scotland 34-7 in last season’s Six Nations PICTURES: Getty Images KEN Owens believes the days...

Kinghorn up for challenge of filling the Hogg void

By GARY HEATLY BLAIR Kinghorn is relishing the step up as he prepares to fill Stuart Hogg’s boots for the Autumn...

THREE KEY ENGLAND v SOUTH AFRICA HEAD-TO-HEAD MATCH-UPS

MARO ITOJE v EBEN ETZEBETH Both second rowers are relatively young, but already have a wealth of experience under their belts....

Don’t call us bullies, we play to our strengths …

FORMER SARACENS AND SPRINGBOKS SCRUM-HALF NEIL DE KOCK Has added game control to his fighting qualities: Cobus Reinach PICTURE: Getty Images...

Solomons fears coaches will burn out, too

Plea: Alan Solomons WORCESTER supremo Alan Solomons says Premiership coaches are at risk of burnout unless steps are taken to align...

Injuries take their toll but I’m back says Te’o

By NEALE HARVEY Raring to go: Ben Te’o, right, training for England in Portugal with George Ford PICTURE: Getty Images HARD-hitting...

Cliff: It’s no hardship when Faf comes in

LIKE the rest of the northwest’s rugby public, Will Cliff has welcomed the return of Springbok Faf de Klerk with open...

Subscriptions…

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

Want a holiday from rugby? There’s always August!

THE new-look domestic structure, beginning in 2019-20, will extend the next three English seasons into June but will also offer guaranteed...

Clubs chief insists there is no threat to future of Lions

■By ADAM HATHAWAY Help: Mark McCafferty PREMIERSHIP chief executive Mark McCafferty has poured cold water on fears that the British &...

Follow The Rugby Paper online…

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

Irish heritage a Test ticket

DURING the 2012 Junior World Cup at Stellenbosch, Will Addison stood at outside-centre for England in a 20-15 win over an...

Rugby status under siege

CARDIFF Blues had hoped to sell out the 13,000-capacity Arms Park last Sunday for their Champions’ Cup tie against Glasgow. Instead...

Picamoles escaped but Montpellier did not …

BACK in the day when Tommy Smith, Ron ‘Chopper’ Harris and their apprentices ruled English football with a rod of iron...

Lions being sacrificed on altar of commercialism

The first post-war Lions tour of South Africa lasted for more than three months, from the middle of June until the...

How Robin kick-started a revolution with his round-the-corner style

THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW PETER JACKSON ROBIN Williams probably did more to revolutionise the art of goalkicking than anyone....

Mallinder rejected top-flight offers for role with RFU

Passion: Jim Mallinder ENGLAND pathway coach Jim Mallinder has revealed why he turned down topflight coaching jobs in order to drive...

Stooke aims to cap off his resurgence at Bath

By NEALE HARVEY Abrasive: Elliott Stooke aims to bring his hard edge to the England pack PICTURES: Getty Images ELLIOTT Stooke...

Wood not giving up on adding to his 50

By ALEX BYWATER TOM Wood has not ruled out answering an England injury SOS call this autumn, even though the Northampton...

Scannell saves the day with halfway howitzer

By DECLAN ROONEY Munster …25 Glasgow…24 RORY-Scannell hit the winning penalty from halfway with the last kick as Munster turned this...

Blues left in the blocks by deadly Cheetahs

■By STEFFAN THOMAS CARDIFF Blues were the architects of their own downfall as they slipped to a comprehensive defeat at the...

Edinburgh collapse leaves Cockerill frustrated

By GARY HEATLY Zebre…34 Edinburgh…16 DEFLATED Edinburgh head coach Richard Cockerill says his players must take responsibility for their second half...

Dragons long wait for away victory continues

By RONAN O’NEIL DRAGONS head coach Bernard Jackman maintains he sees improvement in his side despite shipping another heavy defeat at...

Drama at the death as Evans steals win

■By ALEX BYWATER Fast start: Ospreys wing Keelan Giles scores after just two minutes PICTURE: Huw Evans DAN Evans’ try in...

Pivac proud as Scarlets’ late show stuns Kings

By JAMES CANDY WAYNE Pivac hailed his Scarlets’ resilience after they mounted a secondhalf fightback to topple the Kings in Port...

Forward platform provides Leinster lift-off

Benneton …3 Leinster …31 By JON BYRNE SCRUM-HALF Jamison Gibson-Park put in a starring performance behind a dominant pack as Leinster...

ROOM 101

THE NORTHAMPTON HOOKER TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND. REECE MARSHALL 1. Balding desperados People...

Wales prop Francis gets the best of both worlds

TOMAS Francis will stay at Exeter and continue to play for Wales next season. Tighthead prop Francis is out of contract...

Solomons to open contract talks with England ace Te’o

Wanted at Warriors: Ben Te’o WORCESTER Warriors are desperate for England and British Lions centre Ben Te’o to stay with the...

Qera set for another spell in West Country

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEILFISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler FORMER Gloucester player of the year Akapusi Qera is set...

Cordero may be the next Chief off to Wasps

Flyer: Santiago Cordero WASPS are keeping tabs on Exeter Chiefs winger Santiago Cordero as they continue to seek a long term...

Solomons defends selection policy

WORCESTER director of rugby Alan Solomons fought his corner after fierce criticism from Sale for his starting XV. “We have had...

Full-strength Warriors tear Sharks to shreds

■By ROGER PANTING Midfield power: Francois Venter strectches over for Worcester’s third try PICTURES: Getty Images SALE SHARKS academy coach Neil...

RUGBY MATTERS

So Eddie, where have your bullying forwards got to? BRENDAN GALLAGHER A weekly look at the game’s other talking points WHEN...

An Eagle from Pago Pago via Toulouse?

Prospect: David Ainu’u IS David Ainu’u, 18, set to be the next American Samoan to play in Tests? The boyish looking...

Canadians have to be wary of Halloween

HALLOWEEN is nearly on us and in rugby terms October 31 has often been accompanied by shocks, drama and tales of...

Quins unearth another Easter

MARK Mapletoft gave bruising back rower Alex Dombrandt the ultimate compliment. The 21-year-old was making only his second first-team appearance and...