Injury-hit Creed craving big role at Knights

By JON NEWCOMBE ELLIOTT Creed is looking forward to being part of something special at Doncaster after a stop-start couple of...

Scarlets pair set for national service

By PETER JACKSON WALES are close to putting the future of their national squad in the hands of their dream ticket...

Sanderson: Farrell best man to lead us to Japan

By GARY FITZGERALD EDDIE Jones has been urged to dump Dylan Hartley and keep Owen Farrell as his captain right up...

Jackson column: Lack of TV coverage makes referees the fall-guy

Peter Jackson uses the recent aerial incidents involving Israel Folau and Benjamin Fall to show how referees are sometimes tied up...

Richie Vernon brings Test pedigree to London Scottish

By Neale Harvey Marquee signing Richie Vernon is ready to spearhead London Scottish‘s charge for a top six Championship place after...

Goode column: Fine having two alphas, but they must be in sync

Andy Goode discusses whether a Cipriani-Farrell combination could be the right formula for England going forward in the November Tests

Guscott column: England’s pack has gone backwards for 12 months

Jeremy Guscott takes a look at England's problems among the forwards

Tim Visser vows allegiance to Harlequins revolution under Paul Gustard

The Harlequins wing is focussed on things at the Stoop under the new lead of Paul Gustard rather than Murrayfield

Cain column: Dean Ryan could give Eddie Jones a shoulder to lean on

Nick Cain reflects on recent comments by RFU chairman Andy Cosslett about the future of head coach Eddie Jones

Chris Ashton leaves Toulon to sign for Sale Sharks

Heading 'home' to play his rugby in the North-West

Crusaders reveal the special way they will honour veteran prop Wyatt Crockett

Super Rugby side will rename their stadium in honour of the loosehead against the Highlanders

International team sleep rough in the street ahead of World Cup qualifier

They also were held at the airport for six hours

Simon Easterby steps in for Ulster until McFarland’s arrival

The Ireland forwards coach will provide support to the province

England grab their first win in South Africa since 2000

England recently ended their five test losing streak, delivering a highly controlled performance, thereby saving face and grabbing their first win...

Relegation? No, Solomons has Champions Cup spot in his sights

ALAN SOLOMONS ON THE RECORD Q&A Widely travelled Alan Solomons, director of rugby at Worcester, tells NEALE HARVEY his plans for...

This law is pie in sky

AERIAL challenges are becoming a headache for match officials because the law at the moment is an ass. How can one...

Bristol can offer Ash the Splash route back to England

WITH one maverick repaying England’s faith in him, when Danny Cipriani’s magic cross kick bounced kindly for Jonny May in Cape...

Ryan could give Eddie shoulder to lean on

READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK NICK CAIN EDDIE Jones jokes that since England started losing games on his watch he...

DREAMTEAM

CHRIS BRIGHTWELL, MOSELEY AND FORMER BIRMINGHAM, BEDFORD, SALE & ENGLAND 7s BACK ROW, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH...

How meaningful were those summer tours?

COLIN BOAG Now that the summer tours have ground to an end, what’s the verdict on how the northern countries fared?...

Modern day giant bashing is turn off

I’M afraid that due to the style of modern play, I have to call it a day watching the professional game...

Eddie’s shown too much faith in his out-of-form players

TOO many players seem untouchable in this current England set-up. It took losing the series for Eddie Jones to give Danny...

World rankings bit of a mystery to me

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk THE World Rugby rankings...

Toulon still in discussions with Ashton

SALE Sharks have been strongly linked to making a shock move to sign former England star Chris Ashton but as yet...

Scenic route leads Davis to Saints promised land

By NEALE HARVEY DETERMINED Northampton loosehead Will Davis wants to prove why the conventional is not always best when it comes...

El Abd backs Bristol’s new recruitment policy

JOE EL ABD, forwards guru of Top 14 miracle side Castres, reckons his bunch of relative unknowns have shown his old...

McGuigan looking for a kickstart at Falcons

By JON NEWCOMBE GEORGE McGUIGAN reports for duty at Newcastle tomorrow hoping to put a frustrating final season at Leicester behind...

Hunger remains for Chiefs veteran Dollman

By NEALE HARVEY EXETER stalwart Phil Dollman will target two more years in the Premiership before turning his attention to a...

YOUNG GUNS

TIAAN THOMAS-WHEELER OSPREYS CENTRE You’ve got to be good to wear bright orange boots and Ospreys academy product Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler is...

Japan target quarter-finals

JAPAN rugby coach Jamie Joseph said his team are capable of making history by reaching the quarter-finals at next year’s World...

Stringer calls time aged 40

IRELANDgreat Peter Stringer has announced his retirement from rugby at the age of 40 and with 98 caps for Ireland. Having...

Contepomi quits Pumas

LEINSTER have confirmed, subject to being granted a work permit, that former centre Felipe Contepomi has been appointed their new backs...

Wasps name their coaches

SPECULATION Wasps were interested in the services of Graham Rowntree have been quashed by Dai Young’s confirmation of his coaching team....

Williams boys back to push Test claim

By ROB COLE THERE can be no excuses for Bernard Jackman’s Dragons next season as they can now field a match...

Exiled Bath enforcer in battle for fresh deal

DAVID BARNES FRENCH COLUMN Dave Attwood describes himself as a traditional kind of lock. In other words, he loves a scrap...

Jenkins: Injuries won’t derail Wales’ bid

ELLIS Jenkins believes he has laid down a World Cup marker after a summer to remember. Jenkins was Wales cocaptain alongside...

Codling in to replace Rowntree

Prolific: Tim Visser has scored 30 tries in 61 games for Quins PICTURES: Getty Images Lineout king: Codling HARLEQUINS confirmed that...

Visser vows allegiance to Gustard revolution

By NEALE HARVEY ACE finisher Tim Visser aims to spearhead a Quins revival this season after giving the mental grind of...

Fielding knew Huggan bravery warranted a Victoria Cross

RUGBY famously honours four Victoria Cross winners for conspicuous bravery among its former internationals – England’s Arthur Harrison and the Irish...

London Scottish 1913-14: The Club 1st XV assembled before the match against the United Services

BACK ROW Private J Ross (London Scottish Regiment): Killed November 1 1914, Messines. Won 5 Scotland caps. A Fettes boy before...

In honour of the rugby heroes of WWI

BRENDAN GALLAGHER explores the fascinating history of Scottish rugby players in World War I Paying tribute: HRH Princess Anne, with book...

Grassroots pay price for Twickenham overspend

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME As England return from a trying summer tour, the celebrations have started...

Boyd raps Hurricanes as they flop yet again

By SAM JACKSON Super Rugby HURRICANES coach Chris Boyd slammed his team’s loss to the Brumbies. The early frontrunners for the...

Former skipper Strauss calls time at Bulls

By SAM JACKSON NEWS EXTRA FORMER South Africa hooker Adriaan Strauss will retire from all forms of professional rugby at the...

Boks aside, rugby in Africa has just gone backwards

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER A weekly look at the game’s other talking points HEAVEN knows it’s a difficult enough job growing...

Scots got one over Ealing pranksters

Noisy bunch: Scots pipers THERE was some cracking banter at the Caledonian Club in London this week at the launch of...

Folau yellow highlights huge flaws in modern officiating

IT’S been a vexatious summer for referees and officialdom with the curious case of Israel Folau’s yellow card for his challenge...

Phillips promises cash boost to keep Wales competitive

WELSH rugby’s days of mere financial survival will end with the signing of a landmark deal. The existing Rugby Services Agreement...

Stadium green light renews Pirates hope

By NEALE HARVEY Coaching role: Pirates back rower Chris Morgan CORNISH Pirates are in a ‘strong place’ to challenge for the...

MY LIFEIN RUGBY

THE FORMER BEDFORD, PLYMOUTH AND DONCASTER FLANKER ADAM KETTLE My parents are fullfledged Scousers and my uncle Brian played a handful...