McIntosh: League restructuring doomed to fail

WELSH rugby’s new toptier league structure will ‘fall flat on its face’ says a leading coach. The 2018/19 campaign will see...

Anxious Skewen edging closer to the drop

Welsh Championship round-up By JAY BAYFORD SKEWEN’S National Championship safety is hanging by a thread after a 22-19 defeat to Rhydyfelin....

PLATE FINAL PREVIEW: Brynmawr v Nant Conwy

LIFTING the WRU National Plate this afternoon would mark redemption for Nant Conwy and their flanker Ifan Pyrs. Nant were beaten...

Merthyr searching for cup history

CUP FINAL PREVIEW: Newport v Merthyr April 29. Kick-off 5.35pm, Principality Stadium MERTHYR captain Craig Locke says his side are determined...

BOWL FINAL PREVIEW: Pembroke v Porthcawl

PEMBROKE captain Scott Powell will be immensely proud to lead his team out at the Principality Stadium this afternoon after a...

Sieniawski spoils Quins party with last-gasp try

By JAY BAYFORD Pontypridd … 24 Carmarthen Q20 MORGAN Sieniawski dented Carmarthen Quins’ title hopes as his late try secured a...

Maynard holds nerve to move Drovers up to fifth place

Llandovery … 28 RGC1404… 26 By HUW S THOMAS A LAST-GASP penalty from fly-half Jack Maynard secured a win that sees...

Lock O’Rourke snatches late win for the Ravens

Llanelli … 22 Bridgend … 25 By JON DALY SECOND row Shaun O’Rourke’s try two minutes from time earned Bridgend only...

Wizards’ magical first 40 sees them beyond Ebbw Vale

By JAY BAYFORD Ebbw Vale… 26 Aberavon… 30 ABERAVON held off a brave second-half comeback from Ebbw Vale to claim a...

Bedwas’ late blitz for victory

Bedwas … 34 Bargoed … 19 FOUR second-half tries helped Bedwas ease past Bargoed at the Bridge Field and make it...

Clapp: We’ve learnt from Quins defeat

FINAL By GEORGE LAWRENCE PREVIEW… Saracens v Harlequins Today. Kick-off 3pm, Trailfinders Sports Club Bragging rights: Jess Breach’s Harlequins beat Saracens...

O’Connor brought a hint of terror to his writing

NEWS EXTRA By PETER JACKSON ENGLAND had fallen to an abject home defeat in the early Seventies when the coach, captain...

It was a long old wait for Test lift-off

MY LIFEIN RUGBY TOM PALMER FORMER ENGLAND SECOND ROW Pinnacle: Tom Palmer playing for England in the 2012 Six Nations PICTURE:...

West Country production line keeping Chiefs in pole position

By NEALE HARVEY EXETER backs coach Ricky Pellow believes the “virtuous circle” being forged between Chiefs and other West Country sides...

Sorry, but this Shields talk just smacks of desperation

A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME JEFF PROBYN Pinning his colours: Brad Shields was part of the New Zealand U20...

Freestyle has put Gloucester back in the swim

No fear: John Afoa JOHN Afoa is hell bent on leaving Gloucester a trophy winner after revealing how he has revelled...

Blackadder is a hero to the players here, he’s got to stay insists Stooke

By NEALE HARVEY Keep him on: Elliot Stooke has flourished under the eye of former All Black back row Todd Blackadder...

Dixon treble does job for Billingham

REGIONAL PREMIER LEAGUES DAN Dixon led the way with a hat-trick as Billingham were 46-21 winners at home to Kendal. Luke...

Leinster set to part with to old warriors

LEINSTER captain Isa Nacewa and hooker Richardt Strauss will retire in the summer. Back Nacewa, 35, retired in 2013 after five...

Beart on board to run Nuns Academy

NUNEATONRFC’s plans to launch an Academy next season are taking shape with the appointment of John Beart as coach. Former Nuns...

Long-term deals for Bristol’s loanee duo

JAMES Lay and Ed Holmes have signed permanent deals with Bristol following successful loan spells. Samoa prop Lay, 24, has signed...

Ambitious Coventry sign up Halaifonua

GLOUCESTER’S Tongan flyer David Halaifonua’s move to Coventry has been confirmed by the National One champions. The 25-cap international, 30, covers...

Warriors to reward Pennell’s loyalty

WORCESTER full-back Chris Pennell has been awarded a testimonial season for the 2018-19 campaign. Pennell, 30, made his debut for the...

McNicholl back for Scarlets title push

WAYNE Pivac hopes the return to fitness of Johnny McNicholl can help his side claim the PRO14 title. The wing/full-back has...

Lions promoted after Hull triumph

By PAUL JONES North v Midlands Hull………22 Peterborough 31 PETERBOROUGH deservedly took the honours and promotion following an away win at...

Islanders create history in play-offs

By GEOFF LIGHTFOOT London v SW Guernsey……38 Bournemouth 23 GUERNSEY take a place in National Two South for the first time...

14-man TJs do double over the Bury

By GARETH WITHERS Tonbridge J …38 Bury St Ed……26 TONBRIDGE Juddians secured a sixth-place finish with their 17th win of the...

Rams smash an easy half-century

By CAMERON TEMPLE Red’nsians……51 Henley……0 THE Rams were dominant throughout as they thrashed Henley, scoring a half-century with no reply at...

Cooke saves the Geese from drop

By WARREN MUGGLETON London IWG…19 Worthing……26 JACK Cooke’s late try secured Geese’s league survival despite losing to a resurgent Worthing at...

Worthy champions toast title with victory

By DANIEL BOULTON Cinderford …34 Canterbury …12 CHAMPIONS Cinderford celebrated their successful season with a comfortable win over Canterbury to conclude...

Reds save the best till last to beat drop

By BEN RODEN Old Redcliffians…34pts Redruth………12pts Touchdown: Old Redcliffians crash over Held: Redruth wing Lewis Vinnicombe is stopped PICTURES: John White...

Chinnor demolish Clifton in very fine display

By KEN VAUGHN Chinnor…52 Clifton……14 SOUND second-half performance by Chinnor will give them confidence ahead of facing Sedgley Park in the...

Rice is boiling hot with fine brace

By CALLUM BURNS Broadstreet…21 Taunton T……26 BROADSTREET came close to a shock victory to sign off their time in National 2...

Barnstaple down despite success

By DAVE REED Barnstaple……17 Wimbledon…14 BARNSTAPLE won this battle at the bottom but they and Wimbledon were relegated from National 2...

YOUNG GUNS

EHREN PAINTER NORTHAMPTON TIGHT-HEAD PROP Ehren Painter’s first two Premiership matches for Northampton could hardly have been more contrasting. Making his...

Dale edge closer to safety with win

By ED WILLIAMS Wharfedale…30 Macclesfield…21 WHARFEDALE crept closer to safety as they downed Macclesfield at the Avenue. The result keeps Wharfedale...

Five-try Stour too good for Otley

By NICK PULLEN Stourbridge…31 Otley………5 STOURBRIDGE shrugged off their ill-discipline to record a comfortable victory over mid-table Otley. The hosts started...

Sedgley run riot

Bubbling: Sale celebrate winning the title PICTURES: Ian Palfreyman Looking for gaps: Sam Stelmaszek tries to break through There was no...

Collins and Harrison help

By LEE SIMS Sedgley P…80 Sheffield T…19 SEDGLEY Park head into their promotion play-off in fine form after racking up 80...

Five-star Sale maul Lions to claim title

By ROSS BARNETT Leicester L…5pts Sale……37pts SALE secured the National League Two North title with a bonus-point win away to Leicester...

Lucs hammer Sheffield to stay alive

By GEOFF VICKRESS Luctonians…76 Sheffield…12 LUCTONIANS gave themselves a lifeline and a mathematical chance of avoiding relegation with a 12-try demolition...

Field score six to wrap up season

By ANDREW SMITH HUDDERSFIELD’S first season back in National Two North came to a lively end with a six-try win at...

Chester survive late Dale fightback

By TOM GALLAGHER Chester…34 Tynedale…33 CHESTER held off a late fightback from Tynedale to win by a single point and finish...

Hinckley snatch late win to down Blaydon

By JOHN BRENNAN Blaydon…36 Hinckley…40 MARK Deaville’s last-gasp try helped Hinckley see off a spirited comeback from Blaydon. For 40 minutes...

Coventry are set to sparkle now says Nilsen

By NEALE HARVEY NEWS EXTRA TOP-CLASS facilities and a host of impressive new signings will ensure Coventry thrive in next season’s...

Ill-discipline costs Club on travels

By PADDY MARSH Plymouth A…29 Blackheath …5 PLYMOUTH Albion kept up their pursuit of a third-place finish in National One as...

Esher sparkle to whitewash OEs

By JON EDWARDS Old Elthamians0 Esher …30 ESHER ended the season in some style with a fourtry victory and performance every...

Students survive despite defeat to Mowden

By OSCAR MORTIMER L’boro St …17 Darlington MP24 THEY may have lost but a losing bonus point was still enough for...

Record crowd sees Cov consign Hull to the drop

By JOHN WILKINSON Coventry …38 Hull Ionians …21 CHAMPIONS Coventry wrapped up their season on a winning note in front of...

Park ditch the arrogance to secure their survival

By NEALE HARVEY Opener: Nick Lovell scores Park’s first try PICTURES: David Whittam HEAD coach Kieran Power vowed to improve Rosslyn...