Alun-Wyn gets the ideal deal

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Staying in Wales: Alun-Wyn Jones is mob-handed by England PICTURE: Getty Images A...

RFU’s shameful treatment of North

JEFF GAGE Eddie Jones says lessons will be learnt following England’s abysmal defeat against France. But the big lessons won’t be...

Too many poor games in this year’s Six Nations

COLIN BOAG All week there were adverts on television proclaiming that the Six Nations was the best rugby tournament in the...

Eddie needs to up his pack speed

EVERYTHING is about pace nowadays in rugby and England’s first eight pack is a little slow. When I saw the back...

Illegal tactics have shaped game since Otago’s innovators

MATT Everard recently highlighted in TRP the dubious art of clearing out defenders who do not have the ball. This tactic...

Stodgy England need change fast

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk I’M very concerned about...

Subscriptions…

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

Scarlets add Springbok No.8 Cassiem to their hit-list

THE Scarlets have targeted the signing of Springboks No.8 Uzair Cassiem from the Cheetahs. Cassiem, 28, has won eight South Africa...

Romania boss Howells blasts RWC qualification imbalance

By JON NEWCOMBE LYNN HOWELLS has called for European qualification for the Rugby World Cup to be run over one year...

Follow The Rugby Paper online…

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

Officials aren’t pals

IT’S time to bring greater formality to the way officials talk to players. There are times when it sounds like a...

Rolland must act to end this mis-use of his refs

HAVING made the crass error of allowing an assistant referee for England- Ireland, Marius van der Westhuizen, to referee an England...

Slow down Eddie and do job you are paid for

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK EDDIE Jones tipped a frying pan of egg over his face this week...

Les Bleues seal Grand Slam with six-try rout of Wales

■ By GEORGE LAWRENCE Wales Women …3 France Women …38 Grand! France celebrate PICTURE: TRP photographer FRANCE regained the Women’s Six...

Scots out to back up Irish win

PREVIEW Italy Women v Scotland Women Today. Kick-off 1.30pm SCOTLAND have made two changes to their lineup for the match in...

England grab second spot as Waterman sets record

■ By SAM JACKSON Take that: Tryscorer Marlie Packer takes on the Irish defence PICTURE: Getty Images ENGLAND Women ended their...

Ntamack leads France to Six Nations crown

Wales U20 …3 France U20 …24 WALES finished a lowly fifth in the U20 Six Nations after being out-muscled and out-paced...

Ibitoye inspires England’s 5-try second-half romp

■ By SAM JACKSON Six appeal: England congratulate Josh Basham after he crossed for the sixth try PICTURES: Getty Images Touchdown:...

Italy blast seven past bottom of pile Scots

Italy U20 …45 Scotland U20…31 ITALY’S attacking prowess proved too much for Scotland in Rome as the hosts won the battle...

Gallagher’s Six Nations gongs

Best newcomer: Jacob Stockdale Player of the tournament: Dead heat between Conor Murray and Guilhem Guirado. The former is consumate, calm,...

Home advantage key this season as fresh faces light up tournament

BRENDAN GALLAGHER looks back at the defining moments that swung the tournament Ireland’s way Nerveless: Johnny Sexton breaks French hearts Star...

Our fitness counted in the end says happy Townsend

SCOTLAND head coach Gregor Townsend hailed their great escape and said: “That will put us in good stead, winning away from...

So cruel for Italy as TMO sides with the Scots

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER A LATE penalty from Greig Laidlaw delivered a much-needed Scotland win on the road but Gregor Townsend’s side...

At last,there’s loads of talent for Gatland to work with

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND If I was to give Wales a mark for their Six Nations campaign, it would...

Brunel confident French on upward curve

Frustrated: Brunel FRANCE coach Jacques Brunel was frustrated after his team lost 14-13 to Wales in their last Six Nations game,...

Gatland: We’ll be ready for World Cup

WALES coach Warren Gatland believes his men will be firing on all cylinders at the Rugby World Cup despite failing to...

Slammed! But Eddie sees team improving

By GARY FITZGERALD EDDIE Jones tried his best to shrug off the mounting pressure on his shoulders after England slumped to...

Room 101 – Bath prop Nathan Catt

The loosehead runs us through the things that annoy him

Lock Parisse in to prolong career and free up Seb Negri for Italy

Brendan Gallagher suggests how Italy can transform themselves in time for the Japan Rugby World Cup

Alun Wyn Jones commits to Wales and Ospreys with new deal

Ospreys second row commits to region with Japan World Cup on the horizon

Bristol second row Joe Batley diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma and set to undergo course of chemotherapy

Terrible news for the 21-year-old who has made 11 appearances in the Championship this season

Milton Kachecha scoops HITZ Best Rugby Performer award

Old Northamptonians youngster has enjoyed a standout year on the rugby pitch as well as in education

Jackson column: North owes Saints some words of explanation

Have relations soured between Northampton and George North after his no-show against Sale?

Blackadder: Injuries make my job almost impossible

The Bath director of rugby talks to TRP about challenges spawned from his team's lengthy injury list

Guscott column: Time has come to end the Ford-Farrell 10-12 axis

The once pivotal combination is now fractured, writes Jeremy Guscott

Joe Schmidt is the best coach in the world, claims Ireland hooker Sean Cronin

Cronin makes bold claim ahead of Grand Slam decider

Harlequins centre Jamie Roberts to join Premiership rivals Bath

Roberts moves to the Rec after Tapuai's switch to the Stoop was confirmed last week

The world’s highest paid rugby players

When talking about well paid athletes, people usually focus on Premier League footballers or American sports stars with hundred million dollar...

Schmidt: Beware England athletes

IRELAND head coach Joe Schmidt warned against fans counting the Grand Slam as good as won. “History doesn’t protect you from...

Ireland put on the style as they aim for Grand Slam finale at Twickenham

■ By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Double trouble: Jacob Stockdale goes over unopposed Going solo: Conor Murray scores PICTURES: Getty Images IRELAND will...

Time has come to end Ford-Farrell 10-12 axis

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE …EVERY WEEK Big bash: Kyle Sinckler Anonymous: George Ford Changes: Ben Te’o, must start at 12...

Johnno: England must get minds right for Irish

MARTIN Johnson has warned England to “sort out the break down” or face being made to play second fiddle at an...

Altard wins battle of the French millionaires

FRENCH COLUMN DAVID BARNES One is a Syrian with a fortune of £2 billion, the other a Swiss with only £500m....

Nerveless Lennon’s boot puts Nant into last four

■ By TIM SCOTT Welsh Plate/Bowl round-up FORMER beaten finalists Nant Conwy remain on course to reach another Plate final after...

Felinfoel victory extends lead to 7 points

■ By JOHN WILSON Welsh Division One round-up ONE West league leaders Felinfoel took on secondplaced Dunvant while Gowerton, in third,...

Tuohy joins Stade Francais as medical joker

FORMER Ulster and Ireland lock Dan Tuohy has signed a short-term deal with French Top 14 club Stade Francais after being...

Pooler smash way ever closer to the title

■ By SAM JACKSON Welsh Championship round-up PONTYPOOL closed in on a second consecutive National Championship title with an emphatic 41-14...

Ravens wings clipped as Ponty snatch it late on

■ By CHRIS SMART Pontypridd …38 Bridgend …37 PONTYPRIDD avoided a shock defeat by the narrowest of margins to Bridgend, turning...

Bulls chances go west with skipper Blacker’s yellow card

■ By HUW S THOMAS Llanelli …48 Bargoed …7 WEST was best at Parc Y Scarlets, where Llanelli beat the visitors...

Steelmen take advantage of Neath ill-discipline

■ By IAN GOLDEN Ebbw Vale…22 Neath…6 EBBW Vale fought hard for a much-needed home win over strugglers Neath to continue...