I still feel the stress of that French fightback in ‘99

BRENDAN GALLAGHER A weekly look at the game’s other talking points Comeback kings: France beat New Zealand in 1999 RUGBY MATTERS...

Thrills and spills but no score on the board

A 0-0 draw is a collector’s item these days so we should cherish London Welsh’s scoreless London Three Northwest encounter with...

Marchant back on track for World Cup place

PAUL Gustard reveals how a pre-season kick up the backside has pushed electric centre Joe Marchant back towards England selection. With...

We’re 6/10 so far but still have a way to go

NEALE HARVEY sits down with supremo Paul Gustard to assess Harlequins’ start to the new campaign Big job on: Quins head...

RUGBY SHORTS

Du Plessis to Glasgow GLASGOW have signed South African prop Petrus du Plessis from London Irish until the end of the...

ROOM 101 OLLY WOODBURN

THE EXETER CHIEFS WINGER TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND 1. Poor connectivity I’m always...

Montpellier give Skelton yet another option

MONTPELLIER are the latest French club to ask Will Skelton about his plans for next season with his Saracens contract coming...

Tigers join the hunt for Bok superstar Eben

Best in world: Eben Etzebeth LEICESTER Tigers have enquired about the post- World Cup availably of Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth. The...

Saints ‘make an offer’ to Fekitoa

BY NEILFISSLER ON THE BLIND SIDE Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler Choice: Malakai Fekitoa NORTHAMPTON Saints have joined the race to...

Ambitious Ealing on the trail of Simpson

Wanted: Joe Simpson EALING Trailfinders are again hot on the hunt for Wasps scrumhalf Joe Simpson who is out of contract...

Gustard: Chisholm is ready for Eddie

By GARY FITZGERALD PAUL Gustard claims Eddie Jones could do a lot worse than give James Chisholm a chance with the...

Russians concede 12 tries Round-up

Gain and pain: Nathan Earle touches down for Quins’ fourth try despite the efforts of Loris Tolot, but injured himself in...

Emphatic first 40 sets Bristol up for big win

By WILL CARPENTER PAT Lam called for a big response from his players after last week’s defeat to Worcester and the...

Subscriptions…

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

Nelson outraged by unfair RFU ‘attack on Lancashire’

By NEALE HARVEY Frustrated: Mark Nelson LANCASHIRE head coach Mark Nelson has accused the RFU of launching an attack on county...

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...

Warriors make big statement in Paris

By TIM LEWIS WORCESTER made a blistering start to their European campaign with a bonus point win in Paris. A brace...

North stars as debut boy Harri makes history books

By STEFFAN THOMAS Pool 2 ALLEN Clarke praised the performance of George North as the Wales wing crossed for his fifth...

Dee’s double helps Dragons earn the maximum

By ROB COLE THE Dragons quickly put the bitter disappointment of losing at home to Cardiff Blues last weekend behind them...

Too big and too strong, Clermont bash Saints

By NEALE HARVEY Joy: Peceli Yato of Clermont celebrates scoring Consolation: Tom Collins breaks away to score for Saints PICTURE: Getty...

Sharks tear chunks out of 14-man Perpignan

By SAM JACKSON BYRON McGuigan’s hattrick helped Sale Sharks to a bonus-point victory to start their Challenge Cup campaign on Friday,...

Bealham try seals win after pair from Godwin

Pool 3 KYLE Godwin scored tries in each half as Connacht got their Cup campaign off to a convincing start at...

Give Lane a run but continuity is key now

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND Test calibre: Cardiff Blues winger Owen Lane PICTURE: Getty Images WARREN Gatland names his Wales...

Limit numbers at the breakdown to reduce brutality

RHYS Webb insists rugby hasn’t gone soft and has proposed an innovative idea as a means of improving player welfare. Webb...

Rhys is raring to light Toulon touch paper

ALEX BYWATER catches up with exiled Wales star Rhys Webb in the South of France Excited for Europe: Toulon No.9 Rhys...

Kennedy making a big mark at Scarlets

By STEFFAN THOMAS JAKE Ball says new Scarlets recruit Ed Kennedy has all the ability to follow in his footsteps and...

Hughes is a tweet for misjudging the mood

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK NATHAN Hughes may feel that a relatively light right-handed punch from a prone...

Young unfazed by Toulon galacticos

By JON NEWCOMBE Big game experience: Falcons scrum-half Micky Young PICTURE: Getty Images Ace: Julian Savea A TRIP to the Mediterranean...

Cockerill rues the famous victory that got away

By PETER WILLIS EDINBURGHmissed a golden chance to cause a major Champions Cup upset in Montpellier after dominating their hosts. As...

Pivac: I don’t blame Davies

WAYNE Pivac insisted his team’s slow start to the game – and not the late penalty try – cost the Scarlets...

Gareth’s fatal error costs his Scarlets in late drama

By ALEX BYWATER Determined: Racing No. 8 Antonie Claassen can’t stop Scarlets’ scrum-half Gareth Davies going over PICTURES: Getty Images Opening...

Murphy: We were bullied up front

GEORDAN Murphy admitted his Tigers pack has come off second best at Kingspan Stadium. “We did a lot of things well...

Tigers suffer a mauling but Tuilagi’s hitting form

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER He’s through: Manu Tuilagi breaks clear to score a second half consolation try PICTURES: Getty Images Touchdown: Alan...

Evans expects another early onslaught

By STEFFAN THOMAS JARROD Evans believes weathering an early storm holds the key to claiming another famous French scalp as Cardiff...

Stretts: No regrets, but now let’s win it

By ADAM HATHAWAY Second spell at Sarries: David Strettle PICTURE: Getty Images DAVID Strettle has been on the receiving end of...

Gloucester prepared to live or die by the sword

By NEALE HARVEY Confident: Tom Hudson FULL-BACKTom Hudson promises Gloucester will adopt a rip-roaring approach to their first Champions Cup campaign...

Munster delight at points on road

MUNSTER’S head coach, Johann Van Graan was overjoyed to pick up two points on the road. “Nobody gave us a chance...

We could have nicked that at end says Baxter

By ROGER PANTING Driving in: Luke Cowan-Dickie goes over to score for the Chiefs PICTURES: Getty Images On the run: Phil...

Moriarty deserves chance says Ryan

By PETER JACKSON ROSS Moriarty is being given expert backing in his bid to step into the shoes of Taulupe Faletau....

Freddie’s horror show

PICTURE: Getty Images Freddie Burns drops the ball over the line after blowing kisses in a display of showboating that cost...

Eddie stays no matter what insists RFU chief

By NICK CAIN EDDIE Jones has been given an unequivocal assurance by RFU chief executive Steve Brown that “come what may”...

Dream Team: London Irish and former Wasps and Leinster centre Brendan Macken

This is some team...

Court rejects appeal over sale of Ricoh Arena to Wasps

A four-year legal battle lodged by the owners of Coventry City Football Club appears to be over

Dean Richards can’t wait for Newcastle’s return to big time after a wait of his own

The Falcons travel to Toulon for Sunday's opener

Brian O’Driscoll backs a team not named Leinster or Saracens for Champions Cup glory

Exeter Chiefs strength on home soil gives them an advantage over the other contenders, says the three-time champion

Champions Cup preview: A look at all five pools as Leinster seek to retain European crown

Leinster and Wasps kick things off on Friday night at the RDS

Guscott column: Alex Goode and Liam Williams can be European Player of the Year nominees when they set the Champions Cup alight

Jeremy Guscott makes his picks of players to watch in this season's Champions Cup

Horwill: More international stars may follow Joe Marler’s lead

The Harlequins vice-captain also talks about Michael Cheika's job security

It would be special to add Champions Cup title to my Super Rugby medal, says Wasps fly-half Lima Sopoaga

Three years on from winning Super Rugby with the Highlanders, Sopoaga wants to win the equivalent in the Northern Hemisphere

Shane Williams column: High injury toll may scupper Scarlets chances of a Champions Cup repeat

Are last year's semi-finalists down on their luck heading into their Pool 4 opener against Racing 92