Deano: Crowd were just brilliant

DEAN Richards hailed the occasion and was relieved to come away with the four points that lift his side to third...

CLOSE-UP

WILL WELCH Newcastle flanker JAMIE GIBSON Northampton flanker Both were at their industrious best, winning lineouts, slowing ball down at the...

Flood sets Toon alight as Goneva gives salute to Shearer

By JON NEWCOMBE FORMER Newcastle United ball boy Toby Flood returned to St James’ Park the hero as the Falcons rewarded...

McCall: Maro’s full of beans

MARK McCall described Maro Itoje’s display as ‘brilliant’ and added that Itoje’s energy did not surprise him. “Maro looked full of...

CLOSE-UP ALEX GOODE MIKE BROWN

Saracens full-back Harlequins full-back Goode, by a whisker. He has tap-dancing feet, and was a constant threat, including the scoring pass...

Itoje takes a nap as fans are put to sleep

From NICK CAIN at London Stadium MARO Itoje may have stolen the headlines with a soft first-half run-in, which he then...

Cut the number of subs to see the game improve

JEREMYGUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK No more of this: England captain Dylan Hartley is substituted after 57 minutes against Ireland...

Bigger club squads would aid England

Potential stars: Lower league players like Jake Polledri deserve a chance PICTURE: Getty Images COLIN BOAG It’s been open season on...

Players need rest but clubs can’t afford it

YOU probably have to agree with the observation that England’s players need a rest, especially after a British & Irish Lions...

Why not expand Premiership but split conferences?

ANY reformatting of the Premiership has to take into account many conflicting requirements. Ring-fencing the league is an aim for many...

Drop the tired Lions

AH, pity poor England who have to pick their Lions even though they are tired out and shadows of their former...

Ireland got rub of the green

WOULD Ireland have won the Grand Slam if four things had been different on Saturday. 1. The TMO had checked properly...

Eddie must adopt Japan style

I AGREE with Jeff Probyn’s points regarding the coaching and selection of the England team over the past 12 months, especially...

Mallinder focused on wearing No.15 jersey

Choice: Harry Mallinder HARRY Mallinder is ready to launch a bid to oust Mike Brown and Anthony Watson from England’s starting...

Armand eager to build on his Ireland cameo in South Africa

Abrasive: Exeter back rower Don Armand EXETER back row Don Armand says being restricted to just 13 minutes of Six Nations...

Saints to part ways with Myler

NORTHAMPTON standoff Stephen Myler is to leave the club at the end of the season with Wales No.10 Dan Biggar joining...

Diamond upbeat despite Charnley project failure

By JON NEWCOMBE SALE SHARKS boss Steve Diamond says he wouldn’t hesitate to make another crosscode raid – if the right...

Highlanders led to slaughter by Lam’s brilliant strikes

By SAM JACKSON THE Hurricanes delivered a lesson in clinical finishing to beat the Highlanders 29-12 in a fierce match in...

Steffon stars but Stade continue to feel the pain

Man of the match: Steffon Armitage starred for Pau against Oyonnax Stade Francais, the one-time giants of French rugby, launched a...

Hamer stars as Gowerton close gap in West

Welsh Division One round-up GOWERTON moved into second place in One West with a 30-3 victory over struggling Tycroes. Josh Hamer...

Castle puts Ystalyfera into the Plat semi-finals

Plate and Bowl YSTALYFERA booked their place in the semifinals of the WRU National Plate with a 28-17 victory over One...

Pooler retain title with five games remaining

Welsh Championship round-up PONTYPOOL sealed a second consecutive Championship title with a huge 54-10 win at Cardiff Met. Jordan Thomas was...

Merthyr come roaring back to claim the honours

By JAY BAYFORD Merthyr …29 Bridgend …15 MERTHYR came from behind to claim an important victory over Bridgend at The Wern....

Patched-up Bedwas can’t live with fast-starting Quins

By IAN GOLDEN Bedwas …17 Carmarthen Q 31 CARMARTHEN Quins got back to winning ways, doing enough in the first half...

All-action Thomas leads the charge for Llanelli

By HUW S THOMAS Llanelli …24 RGC 1404 …6 LLANELLI were deserved winners in a highly entertaining game between two sides...

Patience pays off as Ebbw Vale go through the phases

By PAUL HOPKINS Ebbw Vale…43 Swansea …3 EBBW Vale ran out convincing winners over Swansea in a magnificent display at Eugene...

Worrall’s late try eases the pressure for Drovers

By CARL FIELD Pontypridd …10 Llandovery …30 LLANDOVERY made it four second phase wins out of five with a bonus-point victory...

Three tries and Thompson’s boot keeps Cardiff cruising

By JAY BAYFORD Cardiff …25 Aberavon …3 CARDIFF’s fine form continued as they rolled Aberavon aside in the Principality Premiership at...

PREVIEW Newport v Neath

Sunday March 25 Kick-off 2.30pm CRAIG Warlow is expecting a tough battle when Neath visit Rodney Parade to take on his...

Cross Keys …9 Bargoed …0

By PETER HUGHES THREE penalties from flyhalf Josh Prosser earned Cross Keys victory – but this is unlikely to be a...

Blundell’s win the Vase, Hampton settle for Plate

Oustanding: U18 Vase winners Blundell’s School BLUNDELL’S School sealed two days of excellent performances with a 24-20 win over St Peter’s...

Sedbergh save best for the final to deny Cranleigh hat-trick

Open champions: Sedbergh with the U18 Cup SEDBERGH claimed their first Rosslyn Park School 7s U18 Cup title since 2013 with...

Fletcher’s lads look to build on Scots drubbing

NEWS EXTRA ENGLAND U18s face Wales today at Sardis Road looking to build on last weekend’s emphatic 64-0 victory at Murrayfield....

Hartpury reunion as Red Rose face Wales

PREVIEW Wales v England ENGLANDU18s face Wales today at Sardis Road in Pontypridd looking to build on last week’s emphatic 64-0...

Good Friday Cup final

A NEWdate and time has been confirmed for the Anglo-Welsh Cup final after Sunday’s fixture at Kingsholm was postponed due to...

England U20s face Boks in World Cup warm-up

By SAM JACKSON ENGLANDU20s are to play their South Africa counterparts at Sixways Stadium on Friday May 11 ahead of the...

Six Nations will have no bearing on World Cup insists Kidney

FORMER Ireland head coach Declan Kidney believes Eddie Jones’ England will come roaring back from their Six Nations disaster after dismissing...

Itoje isn’t tired, he just needs new tricks

By NEALE HARVEY Positive: Alex Sanderson SARACENS coach Alex Sanderson has challenged Maro Itoje to get to grips with revised breakdown...

Eddie paid for obsession with fitness says Cueto

By GARY FITZGERALD Critical: Mark Cueto MARK Cueto insists England’s Six Nations “disaster” is down to the head coach’s obsession to...

New Zealand flanker Mika dies aged 45

FORMER New Zealand international Dylan Mika has died suddenly at the age of 45. Flanker Mika played seven Tests for the...

Pirates take Cullen on loan from Bristol

THECornish Pirates have signed scrumhalf Reiss Cullen on loan to the end of the season. Cullen, 21, he is due to...

Barrow to Saints after short stay in France

LEICESTER Tigers second row forward Dom Barrow is set to join French outfit La Rochelle as injury cover before joining Northampton...

Georgia skipper to give Ospreys cover

OSPREYS have signed Georgia captain Giorgi Nemsadze – a lock or flanker – on a deal from Bristol until the end...

Van der Merwe joins for Warriors title bid

DTH van der Merwe has set his sights on a third league title in four years, saying he “fully believes” Glasgow...

Ritchie confirmed as Kurdi successor

FORMER RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie has been named as Premiership Rugby’s new chairman. Ritchie, who oversaw the appointment of Eddie...

RFU are right to let Eddie sort out this sorry mess

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME Even before the echos of the Fields of Athenry had faded from...

Crusaders take crown with three to go

South West Premier DINGS Crusaders were crowned champions after returning to winning ways with a convincing 24-0 victory over Newbury Blues....

Lamprey hat-trick helps rescue Hoppers

Northern Premier IT was a real humdinger at Beechwood, where league leaders Preston Grasshoppers were forced to come from behind to...

Lions come roaring back to win the day

Midlands Premier PETERBOROUGH Lions took another step towards the promotion play-off place as they turned around an early 17-0 deficit to...

Battling Barnes rock the league leaders

London & South East Premier IN the battle of the top two, Barnes took the scalp of the league leaders, beating...