Eagles are spreading wings as Gold joins

THE USA are experiencing a major upswing in fortunes since RWC2015, an improvement in form which was reflected last week when...

Dan holds nerve to keep Scarlets afloat

■ By STEFFAN THOMAS Well-worked: Paul Asquith finishes off a fine move for the Scarlets PICTURE: Huw Evans SCARLETS coach Wayne...

Georgia turn on power to close in on the title again

■ By JON NEWCOMBE Round-up GEORGIA took a massive step towards reclaiming the Rugby Europe Championship trophy with a scrappy 29-9...

England beware – Schmidt has enough ‘finishers to complete the job

ONE of the key factors in the long winning run England put together in Eddie Jones’ first two years as coach...

It ain’t broke yet for Eddie – he can fix it

NICK CAIN TALKS TO AUSSIE GREAT BOB DWYER ABOUT EDDIE JONES AND ENGLAND BOB Dwyer says anyone wanting to throw Eddie...

Falcons are league’s form team – Pellow

EXETER chase a fourth successive appearance in the Anglo-Welsh Cup final and go in on a high after beating Saracens last...

Vickers expecting more reasons to be cheerful

■ By JON NEWCOMBE PROUD new dad Rob Vickers insists he wouldn’t swap any of his team-mates for the world as...

Dickens: Red card turned the game

SAINTS head coach Alan Dickens believed Teimana Harrison’s dismissal was crucial. He said: “We made it very difficult for ourselves with...

Harrison gifts Bath their final moment

■ By ROGER PANTING TEIMANA Harrison’s night of celebration turned into one of ignominy as his moment of madness ruined Saints’...

Eddie needs to respect those who played in past

A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME JEFF PROBYN OK, I admit it, I have finally become like so many other...

DREAM TEAM

JOSH MATAVESI, NEWCASTLE FALCONS AND FIJI CENTRE, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST… 1. Mako Vunipola –...

Final round of the Prem is sure to be a cracker

COLIN BOAG All to play for: Exeter Chiefs will get a home semi - but what about the rest? When the...

Time to pick in-form players for England

THE England defeat to Scotland should really come as no surprise. This kind of performance has been on the cards for...

I’m a lucky fan who loves big games and grass roots

COLIN BOAG talks of the two distinct audiences watching rugby. The wealthy or lucky individuals who get to watch international rugby...

Eddie and the boys allowed one upset

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk SINCE Eddie Jones was...

Subscriptions…

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

Blackadder: Injuries make my job almost impossible

■ By NEALE HARVEY SAM Underhill’s season-ending toe injury is the latest hammer blow for Bath in a campaign that has...

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...

Toomua’s too good!

MATT Toomua’s fly-half masterclasses for Leicester could present coach Matt O’Connor with a selection headache. The Aussie play-maker has steered the...

Keith-Roach tribute to scrum guru who helped beat world

PHIL Keith-Roach, England’s 2003 World Cup-winning coach, will travel to Exeter on Tuesday to pay his respects to Tim Francis, the...

Make Italy play-off for right to stay in Six Nations

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK ITALY may be making progress, as Conor O’Shea insists, but their performance in...

Tigers time runs out on Mulipola contract talks

LOGOVI’I MULIPOLA has lost patience with Leicester Tigers dithering over offering him a new contract and is set to leave at...

Centre Williams set to join Irish exiles at Bath

England ambitions: Johnny Williams PICTURE: Getty Images BATH are set to bolster the number of former London Irish players in their...

Chiefs like look of Tongan ace

EXETER CHIEFS are giving a trial to former Western Force back row Onehunga Havili but could run into problems signing the...

Searle off to understudy Sopoaga

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler WASPS have completed the signing of Bristol fly-half Billy...

ROOM 101

NATHAN CATT THE BATH PROP TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND 1. The fireworks ‘season’...

Phillips confident Wales will rise to expectation

PREVIEW Wales v Italy Today. Kick-off 11.45pm WALES women head coach Rowland Phillips believes his side is close to realising its...

England crash to last minute Tremouliere try

Heartbreaker: Jessy Tremouliere scores the late winner TEAMS ENGLAND: Kildunne; Dow, Burford, Reed, Waterman; Daley-McLean, Riley; Cornborough, Cokayne, Bern, Scott, Taylor,...

Junior Azzurri finally end 20-game losing run

Wales U20 …7 Italy U20…18 ITALY produced a huge defensive display to claim an historic first Six Nations U20 win over...

Hardwick finds range to set up Ireland shootout

■ By SAM JACKSON Sliding in: Cameron Redpath scores for England TEAMS ENGLAND U20S: James Grayson (Northampton Saints), Gabriel Ibitoye (Harlequins),...

O’Sullivan scorches in for winning try double

Ireland U20 …30 Scotland U20 25 IRELAND bounced back from their madcap round three defeat to Wales with a bonus point...

Lock Parisse in to prolong career and free up Negri

Questions: Conor O’Shea Strong man: Sergio Parisse PICTURE: Getty Images Italy captain Sergio Parisse, who makes his 64th Six Nations start...

Blues still wait to get their man…and wait…and wait

THE seasons come and go and Cardiff Blues are still to find a head coach, a fact which, if nothing else,...

Gatland will hope there is no repeat of history

ANYTHING less than a home win by 30 clear points for Wales this afternoon will add up to a below-par performance....

North owes Saints some words of explanation

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Missing man: George North PICTURE: Getty Images George North has spent the week...

I’m so proud of my Azzurri says Conor

CONOR O’Shea has made just one change to his starting XV, naming Giulio Bisegni in his midfield for the first time...

Faletau: It’s time to showcase our skills

ALEX BYWATER finds the new Wales captain wants team to prove how exciting they can be Key men: Gareth Anscombe and...

Captaincy can take Faletau up to new level

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND Leadership role: Taulupe Faletau PICTURE: Getty Images WALES will beat Italy this afternoon. There’s no...

Wales are hunting £2m Italy bonus

■ By PETER JACKSON WALES will be chasing a crock of gold in Cardiff today that promises to be worth as...

The game doesn’t love us right now says Eddie

■ From CHRIS JONES in Paris EDDIE JONES claimed England were just “two or three per cent” away from their best...

Julian Salvi names the Guy to take over as Eddie’s 7

The Exeter flanker proposes one player who 'has never had a chance' so far under Eddie Jones

Wage demands will harm young talent, says Leicester coach Matt O’Connor

The Leicester director of rugby comments on wages and the recent recruitment activity at Welford Road

HITZ Young Ambassador thrilled at award

Bath's Jake Britton takes Young Ambassador gong at HITZ Awards

Farrell to captain England in Paris as Mike Brown is dropped

Changes at full-back and outside centre for England, as Hartley is ruled out with a calf injury

Guscott column: French team is so poor England can recover pride

Jeremy Guscott says England should win in Paris but selection issues ahead of next year's World Cup are clear for Eddie...

Warren Gatland doesn’t hold back in making changes to Wales squad

Ten changes make for Six Nations match against Italy includes the welcome return of Faletau

Gaffney slams missing North

GEORGE North came under fire from Saints boss Alan Gaffney for being unavailable yesterday. Gaffney questioned the Wales wing’s commitment to...

Diamond: Only a fool wouldn’t pick Denny for England

By GARY FITZGERALD Hard yards: Jonathan Ross trucks it up for Sale. PICTURES: Getty Images Testing defence: Piers Francis looks for...

Gloucs: We let win slip away

DEAN Richards praised his Newcastle side’s character after they brought Gloucester’s unbeaten home record in the league to an end. This...

Falcons find slippery roads lead to the top

Driving force: Newcastle scrum-half Michael Young breaks clear to set up a try for Ally Hogg. PICTURES: Getty Images Bulldozer: Gloucester...