More key skills for Marcus to master

MARCUS Smith’s gamemanagement in the face of blitz defence will be one of the defining factors in whether he makes the...

Cowan-Dickie’s back and gunning for Dunn’s spot

By NEALE HARVEY FORGOTTEN England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie is ready to ramp-up the pressure on Dylan Hartley by roaring back into...

Kirby holds nerve towin kickfest for Richmond

By ANDREW BEACHAM THIS was not a game that will linger in the memory, although that will not concern Richmond who...

Burns turns up the heat to deny 14-man Knights victory

By STEVE HOSSACK SECONDrower Matt Challinor joined Doncaster’s exclusive 200 Club – but unlike when prop Richard List reached the same...

Exiles back to winning ways with Atkinson double

By LUKE JARMYN SCOTTISHNo.8 Joe Atkinson scored two tries and put in a man of the match display as Exiles showed...

Rotherham facing upto titanic fight for survival

By GUY WILLIAMS ROTHERHAM’S hopes of avoiding relegation suffered a massive blow when the league’s bottom club lost a must-win game...

Carnegie caned as new-style Bristol take on Lam philosophy

By COLIN NEWBOULT EVENat this stage of the season, Bristol appear a certainty for promotion. And the concerning thing for their...

Fowkes demands big effort for Ealing

Preview Nottingham v Ealing T’finders Today, Kick-off 3pm. Lady Bay NOTTINGHAM forwards coach Neil Fowkes insists no-one is patting themselves on...

Aki opens his Test account in some style

BUNDEEAki’s shuddering launch of his international career in Dublin last weekend would have been felt 12,000 miles away back home in...

Sadly Ireland couldn’t match the big money

ONCE those behind the unsuccessful bid to land the 2023 World Cup stop feeling sorry for themselves, Irish rugby will have...

How Clem seized once in a lifetime opportunity

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Even now, more than 20 years after his death, Clem Thomas remains as...

Fearless Glaws target top four

ATTACKcoach Tim Taylor believes Gloucester are genuine top-four contenders after another top-half team succumbed at Kingsholm. “Yes, top four is our...

Bench men make big impact at Kingsholm

By TOM BRADSHAW THIS was an evening of implausible stories. It was implausible that Gloucester should beat table-topping Saracens despite having...

YOUNG GUNS

HARRY SIMMONS LEICESTER TIGERS SCRUM-HALF Harry Simmons recently announced himself as a scrum-half of huge potential when, under his expert guidance,...

Premiership start against old club

Tom Dunn and Zach Mercer return to the Bath line-up. The duo who have been away on international duty with England,...

Festive run-in key to Quins’ season

By NEALE HARVEY HARLEQUINS stalwart Mark Lambert has urged his side to dig in ahead of a “massive” period of league...

Fit-again flanker Northcote-Green gets first

By NEALE HARVEY LONDON Irish flanker Max Northcote-Green will put a year-long injury nightmare behind him today when he lines up...

Sharks in pursuit of big away day catch

By JON NEWCOMBE SALE talisman Faf de Klerk Still harbours hopes of playing in the next World Cup for South Africa...

MY LIFEIN RUGBY

MARTYN WOOD THE FORMER WASPS, BATH AND ENGLAND SCRUM-HALF Flying out to Australia for the 2003 World Cup as standby injury...

Eastmond deserves success says Dai

WASPS boss Dai Young hopes Kyle Eastmond will make a quick recovery from a head injury sustained when making a try-saving...

High-speed Wade gets impressive Wasps off to a flyer

By ROB WILDMAN WASPS blew away Newcastle last night to demonstrate that they are beginning to find their best form after...

Spencer is simply sublime says Gold

WORCESTER director of rugby Gary Gold believes that lock Will Spencer should be in the England reckoning following his performance against...

At last! Warriors get reason to be cheerful

By COLIN NEWBOULT AFTER all the pain, disappointment and frustration that has enveloped Worcester’s season, the fans – finally – have...

Don’t miss this night of Lions magic

SPECIAL OFFER Tour heroes: Sam Warburton, centre, hails the fans TWO great Lions captains are coming together for a night to...

Mugabe’s thugs sent Don on the rugby trail

NICK CAIN TALKS TO DON ARMAND ABOUT STRIFE IN ZIMBABWE AND HOPE IN ENGLAND MEET Don Armand, Mr Adaptable. The rangy...

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England Women win opening battle of Autumn

ENGLAND Women have secured a pay deal with the Rugby Football Union before the autumn internationals. For the first time, the...

Wallaby star confident he’ll find extra gears at Tigers

By STEFFAN THOMAS TATAFU Polota-Nau has told Leicester fans he plans to become an even better player when he joins the...

OLLIE THORLEY

ROOM 101 THE GLOUCESTER CENTRE/WING TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND 1. Barriers to Nuclear...

Wasps eye fly-half McAlister

Move? Luke McAlister WASPS search for a new fly-half could lead them to sign either of the Toulon pair Luke McAlister...

Moriarty decides – it’s the Dragons

THE DRAGONS have won the drawn-out battle to make Wales and Lions flanker Ross Moriarty, the highest paid player in Wales....

Toulon in late grab for prop Mulipola

TOULON look to have been successful with a late bid to snatch Leicester Tigers prop Logovi’i Mulipola from under the noses...

ON THE BLIND SIDE

Toulon in late grab for prop Mulipola BY NEILFISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler SALE SHARKS are looking to improve their...

DREAM TEAM

LEICESTER TIGERS CENTRE MATT SMITH CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST… 1. Marcos Ayerza – Consistently one...

Change the rules or let Anglo-Welsh Cup die

COLIN BOAG The Anglo-Welsh Cup is surely the most unloved competition in rugbxe bothering? Look at their games against English opposition:...

I chose Richmond over Twickenham

LAST Friday it was my pleasure to be at Richmond against Doncaster in the Championship. It was a close victory for...

Hartley’s not clear favourite at Saints, let alone England

I WOULD like to congratulate Nick Cain for his excellent article on the Dylan Hartley captain saga, never have truer words...

Give players time to catch breath

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk IT MUST be because...

RUGBY MATTERS

Nobody ever refuses an offer from Steele-Bodger BRENDAN GALLAGHER A new weekly look at the game’s other talking points IT’s rare...

Prop stars deserve more Prop stars deserve more recognition

Leader: Owen Farrell WHINGEalert. For the 17th season in succession since the World Player of the year award was introduced by...

Faux pas to undervalue French infuence

THERE was, predictably, a deal of moaning and mourning from some quarters about the decision of World Rugby’s delegates to vote...

Plundered Islanders will still pack a punch

Nick Cain assesses the threats that ‘bankrupt’ Samoa will pose England at Twickenham on Saturdfay GIVEN the rate at which Pacific...

Wade aims to top the charts before jaunt in France

By NEALE HARVEY Ace: Christian Wade CHRISTIAN Wade admits he would love to end his career in France – but only...

Gregor so proud of team’s courage

GREGOR Townsend hailed a great performance from his side. “I’m very proud, the way we defended in the first half and...

Bravehearted Scots fall just short of first All Blacks win

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER SCOTLAND the brave gave New Zealand plenty to think about in this wonderfully vibrant game but even at...

Serin’s late try can’t stop the Boks narrow win

By LUKE JARMYN IN A GAME between two under-performing sides it would have been asking a lot for this to be...

Magnificent Mickey, 93, digs in for another day to cherish

MICKY Steele-Bodger is a name to conjure with, one of those you might find in a ‘Flashman’ novel. What the 93-year-old...

It’s a mad, mad world as Bernie bashes Bill

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK THE international administration of Rugby Union was left embarrassed and in abject disarray...

Super sub Keatley kicks Irish to victory

By DECLAN ROONEY IAN Keatley showed admirable nerve to kick two late penalties and deny Fiji a first win over Ireland....

Late try double ends bad run for Pumas

By SAM JACKSON Italy…15 Argentina …31 ARGENTINA scored two tries in the last 10 minutes to claim a 31-15 win over...