Blow for Exeter Chiefs as Rusi Tuima faces two months out

By Mark Stevens Exeter Chiefs have been dealt an untimely blow with the news that powerhouse forward Rusi Tuima could be...

Pat Lam’s work ethic drives Bristol Bears – Jake Heenan

By Paul Rees When Pat Lam took charge of Connacht in 2013, one of his first acts was to take Jake...

Goggleboxers must not lose sight of reality

By Chris Hewett - Thinking Allowed There was an overpowering whiff of something significant in the air as the 1984 John...

Jim Ratcliffe more into money than love

It may be a very old joke – “The best of way of becoming a millionaire is to start as a...

Benetton send Ulster packing

By Ben Jaycock Benetton ....... 34 Ulster ............... 19 Ulster were punished for woeful ill-discipline as they slipped up in Italy...

Edinburgh left to sweat after Zebre’s final flourish

By Ben Jaycock Edinburgh ........ 17pts Tries: McCann 12, Tuipulotu 56, Crosbie 69 Conversion: Thompson 57 Zebre .................22pts Tries: Trulla 7,...

Cardiff go close but Connacht snatch it

By Simon Thomas Connacht ........... 24pts Tries: Murphy 7, Hurley-Langton 17, Heffernan 48, Tierney-Martin 76 Conversions: Ioane 8, 18 Cardiff ....................

Gavin Coombes gives Munster the edge over Scarlets

By Sam Jackson Munster ............29pts Tries: McCarthy 21, Coombes 45, 64, Kendellen 52, Farrell 80 Conversions: Burns 22, 53 Scarlets .................

Leinster manage to hold off Ospreys

By Roger Panting Ospreys ............. 19pts Tries: Deaves 36, Lewis 47, Jones 74 Conversions: O Williams 36, Walsh 74 Leinster .............22pts...

Sharks stun Bulls in South African derby

The Sharks scored three unanswered tries in the second half to stun the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld. The Bulls led 12-10...

Lions hold off Stormers second half fightback

A dominant first-half show from the Lions was enough to secure a comfortable victory over their South African rivals. The Lions...

Dragons without their big names

Preview ■By BEN JAYCOCK Dragons v Glasgow Today. 2pm DRAGONS’ injury crisis continues as the league’s bottom side go into today’s...

Josh McNally – Too tall to be a pilot, I found lift-off in rugby

Jon Newcombe talks to Josh McNally who says that, without the RAF, he would not have achieved anything in the game...

Six Nations: Warren Gatland broken by assembly line failure

By Peter Jackson - The man truly in the know February 11, 2025 will go down in Six Nations history as...

Come in No.10! – Jarrod Evans, ninth time the charm?

By Nick Cain Should Marcus Smith’s understudy at Harlequins find himself back on Six Nations duty this weekend at long last,...

PWR: Exeter Chiefs blown away by classy Saracens

By Will Roberts Saracens .............. 21pts Tries: Bridger 12, Campbell 31, P Cleall 37 Conversions: Harrison 12, 31, 37 Exeter .......................

PWR: Christiana Balogun lifts Bristol Bears to new heights

By Stewart McCullogh Harlequins ...... 10 Bristol ..............19 Bristol are still in the play-off conversation with following this impressive victory at...

PWR: Leicester Tigers outlast Trailfinders in 88 point thriller

By Ollie Aust With play-off places out of reach for both sides, they put on an entertaining points fest with Tigers...

PWR: Gloucester-Hartpury secure home semi-final with dominant display over Sale

By Sam Bytheway Gloucester-Hartpury secured a home PWR semi-final with a bonus point victory at Sale. First-half tries from Zoe Aldcroft,...

Six Nations sides singin’ in the rain – and I’m loving it

Rugby Matters - A weekly look at the game's other talking points, by Brendan Gallagher It was raining all over Europe...

Belgium looking good for RWC 2027

As signposted in this column a few weeks back, the four automatic qualifiers from Europe for RWC 2027 were decided in...

Two X-Factor players, one goal

PAUL REES SAYS ENGLAND’S NO.10 JERSEY WILL BE FIN SMITH’S FOR SOME TIME BUT MARCUS STILL HAS KEY ROLE TO PLAY...

Strong start wins contest for the National League One leaders Richmond

By Jean Bull Leicester L ...... 10 Richmond ........26 Richmond consolidated their position at the top of National League One with...

Fergus Mulchrone brace for Sale FC sinks strugglers Darlington MP

By Gareth Daniels Sale FC.....................33 Darlington MP ......... 7 Sale continued their recent revival with victory over bottom club Darlington. The...

Aquile Smith celebrates landmark in style for Birmingham Moseley

By Jon Meadows B Moseley .............. 19 Rams ...........................0 With 15 minutes left, Aquile Smith, marking his 100th appearance, effectively killed...

Rosslyn Park savour half-century securing of points

By Baz Johnson Dings C............... 19pts Tries: Rivers 2, Gollop 12, Caven 49 Conversions: Elswood 12, 49 Rosslyn Park ...50pts Tries:...

Richard Hayes on hand to guide Rotherham Titans to the triumph

By John Allanson Bishop’s S ................11 Rotherham T ......... 17 Rotherham took full advantage of poor conditions, favouring their forward-orientated game...

Blackheath send Esher crashing

By Conor McLarnon  Esher.........................22 Blackheath.............64 Blackheath bounced back from their narrow loss to Plymouth last week as they obliterated hosts Esher...

Morgan heroics written in Stone: Plymouth make it eight in a row

By John Butcher Plymouth A.............38 Sedgley Park.........35 Plymouth made it an eight-match unbeaten run against spirited visitors Sedgley Park. Albion dominated...

Brough is so Hungary to build on early adventure

■By CHRIS COLLYER Speedy: Birmingham Moseley winger Daniel Brough BIRMINGHAM Moseley winger Daniel Brough says his love for rugby was solidified...

Harrogate hang on to claim full five in a thriller

■By MARK GARRET Harrogate.........27 Fylde................. 24 THE crowd at a damp and cold Apollo Capital stadium were rewarded with a narrow...

Jake jinks in to clinch it for Hull

■By RICHARD GORE Hull............................41 Preston G.................24 A DOMINANT second-half performance by the pack and two spectacular tries by substitute winger Jake...

Lymm suffer as Otley finally click

■By NICK DOYLE Otley.......................... 31 Lymm.......................... 7 OTLEY warmed their supporters’ hearts with a much-needed win over Lymm. The visitors made...

Tykes take the spoils in nervous top of table clash

■By BEN CROPPER Leeds Tykes.... 24pts Sheffield............ 18pts Brilliant Sheffield defence keeps Leeds out and, right, George Castledine on his way...

Lewis is difference as Hull back up last week’s win

■By ANDREW SMITH Sheffield Tigers.... 17 Hull Ionians............27 HULL IONIANS’ extended losing streak was made to look like a distant memory...

Dale lack power to halt Chester cruise

■By BRIAN TILLEY Tynedale.................29 Chester..................... 31 DESPITE the narrow scoreline Chester were on top for most of the game, and it...

Ref and forwards make the Bills pay

■By MIKE BROWN Billingham.............. 14 Wharfedale............32 WHARFEDALE’S forward power won the day as they crushed a Billingham pack which struggled to...

Maturing Ben is loving life as Sheffield eye a title run

■By BEN JAYCOCK On the run: Sheffield prop Ben Whitney BEN Whitney is a key part of a Sheffield scrum that...

Raiders go down to a rare reverse at home

■By JOSH THOMAS Guernsey.......... 21 Old Albanians.28 OLD Albanians claimed victory over Guernsey to inflict the Raiders’ first home defeat of...

Richardson is in the right place

■By STEPHEN FITZMAURICE Sevenoaks..............24 Henley......................22 SEVENOAKS held on for a tight win over Henely after a compelling second-half comeback by the...

Worthing hold off a late Bury blitz

■By ABI BENCE Worthing..................38 Bury St Edmunds..35 WORTHING secured a narrow victory over Bury St Edmund’s. The foundations for victory were...

Quins win to ease fears of the drop

■By ED MARRIAGE Colchester....... 34pts Oxford H.............40pts OXFORD Harlequins significantly boosted their hopes of league survival with a six tries to...

Osborne on hand to guarantee a top Finnish

■By KEVIN BEAL Dorking.....................45 Westcombe Park..23 DORKING overcame Westcombe Park in a hard-fought contest at the Big Field, outscoring them by...

Visitors savour a Holling hat-trick

■By ADAM CLEARY Canterbury..............23 Tonbridge J............46 TONBRIDGE Juddians record a comprehensive victory on the road with a bonus-point win over Canterbury....

Matt puts gloss on win for Barnes

■By PETE MAYHEAD Havant......................29 Barnes......................36 ANOTHER bumper crowd at the Lane witnessed a stirring comeback from Havant, only to fall short...

Strength in numbers is the key for Oaks’ Olly

■By BEN JAYCOCK Confident: Sevenoaks second row Olly Green RUGBY is often a balancing act, and Sevenoaks second row Olly Green...

Students get their systems right for easy win

■By SAM SMITH L’ghboro S....... 34 O Redcliffians... 7 LOUGHBOROUGH Students welcomed opponents Old Reds to Epinal Way in the reverse...

Moyle leads way in one-sided affair

■By RORY MORROW Camborne................52 Bournville................. 5 CAMBORNE full-back Kyle Moyle was the star as he scored 22 points in his side’s...

Joy as Services end barren run

■By MO SHER Devonport S............28 Hinckley..................22 THERE was relief – and palpable joy – at Rectory Field, as Devonport held on...

Coach hails his King for the day

■By BILL HOOPER Redruth..............17pts Cinderford......... 10pts REDRUTH had to dig deep to see off a physical Cinderford side who deservedly took...