BRITS ON…

…SARACENS BREAKING NEW GROUND Off the pitch it’s also been a special time. Where else could you go to a club...

Erasmus will fire the Boks and gear them up for World Cup

NICK CAIN TALKS TO SHALK BRITS ABOUT SARACENS AND THAT ENGLAND TOUR TO SOUTH AFRICA NTERVIEW World class: Billy Vunipola SCHALK...

Trailfinders strengthen midfield

EALING have signed experienced centre Pat Howard from the Dragons for next season. The South African has been with the Dragons...

Falcons never doubted Richards’ masterplan

By JON NEWCOMBE JOEL HODGSON dismisses talk of Newcastle being this season’s surprise package, saying the Falcons are only living up...

RUGBY MATTERS

Drugs… the worrying stories keep on coming BRENDAN GALLAGHER A weekly look at the game’s other talking points Self-medicating: James O’Connor...

Glad a few still making the 300 club

Retiring: Schalk Brits THE professional game is rightly concerned with the proliferation of serious injuries and must remain ever vigilant on...

Spare some thought for Gatland’s Forgotten 4

WE are constantly told that it’s a 23 man game these days but that principle appears to have been sidestepped this...

Mitchell’s men sling it out with Samoa in Singapore quarters

ENGLAND topped Pool B on the first day of the Singapore Sevens with victories over Kenya, USA and France. They will...

Paice calls for reaction from Irish youngsters

By NEALE HARVEY RETIRING London Irish hooker David Paice has urged the club’s youngsters to pick up the baton and right...

Wasps go on raiding mission to Championship

By JON NEWCOMBE WASPS have raided the Championship to bolster the strength in depth of their thinly-stretched squad. Having enjoyed success...

Mermoz told he can move by Deano

Off: Maxime Mermoz NEWCASTLE FALCONS have told French centre Maxime Mermoz they will not be taking him up on the second...

French aces vie to land Cipriani

RACING 92 are ready to battle Paris rivals Stade Francais as they look to tempt Wasps fly-half Danny Cipriani to the...

Tigers on the verge of re-signing Mafi

LEICESTER TIGERS should find out tomorrow if they have been successful in their bid to re-sign flanker Steve Mafi. The Tigers...

ON THE BLIN SIDE

Come to Wales, Gatland tells Sam BY NEIL FISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler WARREN GATLAND wants Welsh regions to buy...

ROOM 101

DAVE ATTWOOD THE TOULON AND BATH LOCK TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND 1. Children...

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Booy’s sure his Bears will thrive in new environment

By NEALE HARVEY BRISTOL’S planned new £10m training ground will underpin the club’s rise to the top echelon of domestic and...

Judgement Day must be moved to Easter weekend

JUDGEMENT Day is the highlight of the Welsh rugby calendar and I’m fully supportive of the concept. I think it’s been...

George can bring good times back to Ospreys

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND IT’S BEEN a fantastic week for the Ospreys, and one thing is for sure –...

DREAMTEAM

EXETER CHIEFS PROP BEN MOON CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST… 1. Marcos Ayerza – Technically very...

Marchant’s physical gains outweigh pain

By NEALE HARVEY Bulked up: Quins centre Joe Marchant PICTURES: Getty Images GIFTED centre Joe Marchant believes a challenging season at...

Tupai urges caution over pursuing top flight dream

Been there, done it: Bedford enforcer Paul Tupai AMBITIOUS Championship clubs must beware following London Welsh into the financial abyss in...

Best’s double is not enough for Ulster

By DECLAN ROONEY Munster …24 Ulster …24 TWO Rory Best tries were not enough for Ulster to reach the PRO14 knock-out...

Edinburgh set for Munster battle

By JACK WILLIS Edinburgh …24 Glasgow …19 EDINBURGH beat Glasgow Warriors to clinch the 1872 Cup in a pulsating Murrayfield battle....

Muldoon given dream send off

By DARAGH SMALL Connacht …47 Leinster…10 CONNACHT ran in seven tries to send retiring captain John Muldoon off in style –...

Brilliant Biggar gets the drop on his Cardiff rivals

By STEFFAN THOMAS Star man: Dan Biggar OSPREYS captain Alun Wyn Jones praised the performance of Dan Biggar as the Wales...

Coleman yellow lets Scarlets off the leash

By ROB COLE Over the top: Steff Evans beats Arwel Rosbon to score for Scarlets PICTURE: Huw Evans THE SCARLETS made...

Marais puts boot into Kings in playoff decider

By ROB JOHNSON Cheetahs 29 Kings 20 NIEL Marais contributed 14 points as the Cheetahs beat the Kings to book their...

O’Connor frustrated by late try

LEICESTER coach Matt O’Connor was frustrated with a couple of decisions, including the winning try, against them, but admitted they were...

Thompson wary of the Horne factor

WASPS flanker Guy Thompson knows his side’s Premiership title hopes could go up in smoke if they fail to defeat fired-up...

Relentless Falcons end Tigers’ run

By COLIN NEWBOULT THE Tigers’ incredible 14-year run of qualifying for the play-offs is effectively over – yet it almost seems...

Billy’s back to help Sarries secure home semi-final

By NEALE HARVEY Target: Michael Rhodes ENGLAND No.8 Billy Vunipola returns for Saracens as back rower Michael Rhodes aims to throw...

Deano does it yet again

NEWCASTLE’S late win at Leicester on Friday night which helped put them into the Premiership play-offs will have given Dean Richards...

Re-born Lancaster is leaving selection to others

IT’S good to see Stuart Lancaster making such a fine fist of coaching Leinster, with praise being showered on the former...

Nothing Super about a closed-shop format

THE word from South Africa is that Super Rugby is dying on its feet. This sends an unequivocal message to the...

It’s time to play with my kids now

DONNCHA O’Callaghan spoke emotionally at the end of the match about his retirement. “It hasn’t sunk that it’s the end for...

Donncha signs off on a day of future promise

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER SIXWAYS was en fete yesterday with the Warriors banishing any mathematical threats of relegation with a vibrant performance...

Wales get £1.25m payment from Lions

By PETER JACKSON WALES are to receive a seven-figure windfall as their share of the profit from last summer’s Lions tour...

Gatland on RFU radar to take over from Eddie

By NICK CAIN Bragging rights: Tom Homer finishes his 60 metre run to score Bath’s fourth try in the derby win...

Players test their skills ahead of resuming Judgement Day rivalries

With Welsh Rugby‘s big calendar date, Judgement Day, just around the corner, the team at Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer have sat...

Young Gun – Wasps scrum-half Will Porter

The on-loan Rotherham back talks Wasps and his hopes of making the England U20 World Cup squad this summer

Probyn column: If this is how pros run our game, give me amateurs

Jeff Probyn takes at look at how the PR machines of national governing bodies and player Unions haven't got things right...

Stirling wants Yorkshire Carnegie to savour local favour

(Photo: Getty Images) By Jon Newcombe AS Chris Boyd stands by to usher in the winds of change at Northampton, another...

Nehe Milner-Skudder returns for Canes ahead of All Black series against France

Photo: (Getty Images) By Jake Jones Nehe Milner-Skudder is set to return for the Hurricanes in their upcoming fixture against the...

Wales’ ground-breaking match against South Africa in Washington DC in doubt due to poor ticket sales

Photo: (Getty Images) By Jake Jones Wales‘ June Test in the USA is feared to be in serious doubt as unrest...

British & Irish Lions mark 130th anniversary with one-off ceremonial caps

Lions chiefs launch idea to honour all current and previous players to have donned the famous jersey

Take Chris Ashton to South Africa, Dallaglio urges Eddie Jones

Chris Ashton has been on hot form for Toulon in the Top 14 this season

We’re aiming for 3-0 against the Springboks, says Exeter Chiefs Sam Simmonds

The Exeter back row is building up some steam ahead of a tour of redemption to South Africa in June

Dragons sign prop Aaron Jarvis from Clermont

Aaron Jarvis to return to Wales to link up with former Ospreys front row teammates Hibbard and Bevington

George North to return to Welsh rugby with Ospreys

George North to return to Wales with the Ospreys next season