Tigers’ pack suffer mauling at the death

By ROGER PANTING Comeback: Freddie Burns scores Bath’s opening try PICTURE: Getty Images Threat: Tigers’ Harry Simmons makes a break THE...

Vesty rules himself out of filling the Gold void

By NEALE HARVEY Buzzing: Elia Elia WORCESTER backs coach Sam Vesty has revealed he has no interest in becoming the club’s...

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Hogan insists Newcastle will make the grade

NEWCASTLE managing director Mick Hogan insists his club will meet its English-qualified player (EQP) targets despite falling short over the first...

Plans to expand Tier Two to 14 on hold says Melville

By NEALE HARVEY PLANS to expand the Championship from 12 to 14 teams next season have been postponed after clubs failed...

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Keep in touch with The Rugby Paper wherever you are at home and abroad! It is now available as an online...

Blues are demolished as Falcons fly to top

By ALAN HEDLEY NEWCASTLE Falcons crushed Cardiff Blues to top their pool in the Anglo-Welsh Cup. The Falcons followed up a...

Gloucester big guns blast Irish to shreds

By ROGER PANTING Rout: Jake Polledri, left, celebrates with teammates after scoring his late try PICTURE: Getty Images GLOUCESTER have their...

Pisi’s pacy tricks too sharp for Dragons

By ROB WILDMAN He’s in: Juan Pablo Estelles scores Saints first try despite the efforts of Joe Goodchild PICTURE: Getty Images...

Springbok Carr makes presence felt on debut

By ALEX BYWATER NIZAAM Carr showed why Wasps fans should be hugely excited by his arrival as he scored a try...

Schoolboy Sevens event to mark Armistace centenary

A QUICK shout out for any school teams – U16 and U18 –wishing to compete at an international Sevens tournament over...

Stream of Italian Pumas has run dry… but for how long?

A new weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER RUGBY MATTERS ITALY play their blood brothers Argentina next...

O’Brien’s miracle try gets my vote

Pick: Sean O’Brien try AN outstanding shortlist for the prestigious International Rugby Players Association (IRPA) try of the year has been...

It’s nothing compared to the All Blacks of ‘49

LIFE is hectic for New Zealand national sides right now, what with the Gallaher Cup match against France in Paris last...

DREAMTEAM

ALEX O’MEARA, CORNISH PIRATES AND FORMER HARTPURY WING, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST… 1. Alan Paver...

Ireland response far from ‘positive and respectful’

COLIN BOAG It was a week for sore losers. They haven’t actually lost yet, but the Irish and French Unions threw...

Respect the kicker with total silence

AS an ‘old school’ believer in the need to treasure the game’s ethos and values, I was saddened at the failure...

Cain’s right, South Africa sport needs World Cup boost

NICK Cain made a compelling case for South Africa hosting the 2023 Rugby World Cup (“World Cup vote would save Boks...

Discipline players Rugby League way

I READPeter Jackson’s piece ‘How do refs miss so much’ on Oct 29 and he’s absolutely right. Surely we chould go...

First half power play ends French hopes

JAMES CANDY From JAMES CANDY in Paris A RUTHLESS firsthalf blitz from New Zealand was enough to hold-off a spirited French...

Five-tries for Scots but alarm bells still ringing

By GARY HEATLY Fast start: Scotland full-back Stuart Hogg dives over for the opening try after two minutes PICTURE: TRP photographer...

Matiashvili stars as Georgians fire warning to Wales

By TOM SCOTT Georgia…………54 Canada …………22 THE Georgians hammered out a six try warning to Wales ahead of their clash at...

Cash pours in for Doddie

SOME 1,300 people crammed into Battersea Evolution in London on Monday to honour Doddie Weir, the former Scotland and Lions lock,...

Wallaby player gag does their game a disservice

YOU would have thought that with Rugby Union in Australia languishing behind Aussie Rules, Rugby League, and soccer, the Wallabies would...

Eddie’s tunnel vision over Hartley is harmful

CAPTAINCY has often caused controversy in Rugby Union, and there is one which has been brewing for some time with Eddie...

Ireland turn the screw with three-try flourish

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER IRELAND, with a performance of growing authority and excellence, dismissed South Africa from their presence to get their...

Debutant McKinley closes out the victory for Italians

By GEORGE LAWRENCE Italy………………19 Fiji …………………10 ITALY got their November Test series off to a winning start with a 19-10 victory...

Gatland’s boys unveil new tricks but Beale’s Gatland’s boys unveil new tricks but Beale’s

PETER JACKSON PETER JACKSON COMMENT Magician: Wallaby full-back Kurtley Beale As part of their pre-match entertainment, the Wales management treated their...

Don’t despair, Wales moving in right direction

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND SHANE WILLIAMS New 10-12 axis: Owen Williams and Dan Biggar combine CLOSE, but no cigar!...

Injury blow to Davies as Gatland woes grow

Just like that: Nathan Hughes stretches out to score England’s first try against the Pumas PICTURE: Pinnacle JONATHAN Davies is a...

Eddie in four-letter fury over ‘grindathon’

By GARY FITZGERALD EDDIE Jones last night condemned his side’s latest defeat of the Pumas as “a grindathon” after blowing his...

Hansen recalls Kieran Read to All Blacks squad for Paris visit

New Zealand coach makes 12 changes to matchday squad to take on France

England rest Farrell and Itoje for Test against Los Pumas

Henry Slade beats Alex Lozowski to start in place of kicking ace, with George Ford at 10

Williams column: Give Liam the key to drive Wales’ attack from full back

Shane Williams is teeming with curiosity how Warren Gatland will experiment with the Wales back three

Cain column: World Cup vote would save Springboks from disaster

(Photo: Getty Images) By Nick Cain With South African rugby on the road to the cliff-edge, the Rugby World Cup board...

Jackson column: Can Wales rise from the Ashes of defeats to Wallabies?

Wales have lost their last 16 matches against Australia

Guscott column: Still time for Yarde to turn his image around at Sale

Jeremy Guscott on the shootout between Yarde and team-mate Denny Solomona to win Jones' favour

Has any coach ever had more riches to choose from than All Blacks’ Hansen?

BRENDAN GALLAGHER VERDICT The All Blacks might only have prevailed by nine points against a wonderfully spirited and inventive Barbarians but...

Absent England players missed great chance says Baa-baas coach Deans

BARBARIANS coach Robbie Deans, right,insists England missed an opportunity to test their players against New Zealand by preventing them from representing...

Look North, Barbarians, before it all goes South

From NICK CAIN at Tiwckenham Opener: Richie Mo’unga scores the first try THIS was more like a New Zealand trial match...

JEREMYGUSCOTT

Still time for Yarde to turn his image around at Sale OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE…EVERY WEEK New start at Sale: Marland Yarde...

DREAMTEAM

TOMMY TAYLOR, THE WASPS, ENGLAND AND FORMER SALE SHARKS HOOKER, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST… 1....

Robshaw so honest in messy Marland affair

COLIN BOAG The saga of Marlon Yarde’s ignominious departure from Quins, and his move to Sale, finally got resolved last week,...

Who do loan deals benefit in long run?

WHEN is a rugby club not a rugby club? When it is merely an accommodation for a Premiership club. Last week...

Increased funding would help us to house more teams

IT WAS disappointing to read Jeff Probyn’s apparent dismissal of the benefit to be had from the proposed increase in RFU...

Backwards step to block 17-year-olds

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk I’VE learned recently during...

Watson ready to home in on Scots No.7 role

By GARY HEATLY HAMISH Watson knows the upcoming Autumn Tests are a chance for the Scotland team to show supporters how...

Bolter Malouf pays tribute to O’Connor

By NEALE HARVEY A work in progress: Nick Malouf LEICESTER surprise package Nick Malouf admits he owes Tigers boss Matt O’Connor...

Abendanon staying at Clermont

NICK Abendanon has signed a two-year contract extension with French champions Clermont. The 31-year-old has the option of a third year...

Lance battling to build his case for Wallabies recall

By NEALE HARVEY Wallaby ambitions: Worcester’s Jono Lance FIRED-UP Aussie flyhalf Jono Lance has vowed to haul Worcester off the foot...