Saints crying out for drop-goal specialist

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk MANY thanks for Peter...

Owen can be Wales’ flexible friend says partner Billy

By NEALE HARVEY OWEN Williams’ flexibility across the back-line can propel him into Six Nations starting contention for Wales, says Gloucester...

Doh! Now Abendanon hits back at Goode

DAVID BARNES FRENCH COLUMN Clermont star Nick Abendanon has poked a bit of gentle fun at the embarrassing plight of his...

Brynmawr narrow the gap to just one point

Welsh Division One round-up ■By JAY BAYFORD BRYNMAWR closed the gap on One East leaders Brecon to three points after beating...

Griggs double seesTata climb up the table

Welsh Championship round-up ■By JAY BAYFORD TATA Steel took advantage of the top-of-the-table postponement to climb up to second. The clash...

Pury take the derby honours despite the rain

Glos-H’pury …34 Bristol …17 ■By LOTTIE HIGGINSON First try: Ellie Kildunne GLOUCESTER-HARTPURY took the West Country spoils after a hard fought...

Pearce at the double against old team

F Waterloo …0 L’boro …29 ■By HELEN DUGGAN CHARLOTTE Pearce came back to haunt her former club as Loughborough Lightning produced...

Birthday girl Dani ends Sarries run

Wasps…5pts Saracens …0pts ■By OLIVER COOK Match-winner: Danielle Waterman SARACENS might have hit three figures last weekend, but their unbeaten record...

Clinical Richmond enjoy road success

Worcester V…5 Richmond…29 ■By ART DE ROCHE RICHMOND leapfrogged Darlington Mowden Park Sharks in the table with this victory on the...

ROOM 101

TOM COLLINS THE NORTHAMPTON WINGER TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND 1. Messy people It...

Succession planning only way after that 12-year blip

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME Sideways star: Harlequins No.10 Marcus Smith PICTURE: Getty Images Don’t you just...

Kingsley fine tunes Canucks ahead of World Cup qualifier

Star of the show: Ospreys wing Jeff Hassler Old mates: Kingsley Jones, left, with Phlippe St Andre WITH Canada largely covered...

England call up for Saracens flier Ellery

WORLD SERIES 7S SIMON Amor has named an experienced squad for next weekend’s Sydney Sevens. Currently fourth in the World Series,...

RUGBY SHORTS

Smith facing assault rap WALLABY George Smith has been released from detention in Japan – but prosecutors say investigations into his...

Rokoduguni ruled out for entire Six Nations

SEMESA Rokoduguni will be out for longer than expected after shoulder surgery and will miss the entire Six Nations. The Bath...

Haskell frustrated to be hit for four

ENGLAND flanker James Haskell believes his disciplinary record should have counted more in his favour after he received a four-week ban...

Old king Cole gets set to repel youngsters

By NEALE HARVEY FIRED-UP tight-head Dan Cole says he is relishing his ninth Six Nations campaign as much as his first...

Harry thanks Leinster toughs for giving him a good kicking!

Unbeaten for England: Harry Williams ENGLAND tight-head Harry Williams claims having his backside kicked during Exeter’s recent defeats by Leinster could...

Jones wants his succesor to grow legacy

By GARY FITZGERALD EDDIE Jones has outlined why it is so important his successor is taken under his wing in order...

Italy get dumped on, but at least they have a great venue

Venue: Velodrome, Marseilles IT’S tough being Italy. Guess who are the one team in this year’s Six Nations required to play...

RUGBY MATTERS

The game must face up to its possible drugs problem BRENDAN GALLAGHER A new weekly look at the game’s other talking...

Noves’ players are history as well!

Slight: Guy Noves HOW the mighty have fallen. Not only has Guy Noves, boss at Toulouse for over 20 years, been...

Top 14 helps top refs to learn right language

THE France national rugby team might be all over the place at present but French referees are flying the flag in...

Crusaders have to dig in to claim victory

South West Premier TABLE-topping Dings Crusaders increased their lead at the top after a 17-14 victory over title challengers Newton Abbot....

Hoppers look almost out of sight now

Northern Premier WITH four games postponed due to the weather, on top of other matches still to be caught up, the...

Tei hat-trick puts Lions on leaders’ heels

Midlands Premier SEMISI Sitanislei Tei claimed a hat-trick as Peterborough Lions took full advantage of Birmingham and Solihull Bees having their...

Islanders sitting pretty as Hertford slip

London & South East Premier GUERNSEYare still looking odds-on favourites for promotion after seeing off Dorking 24-11. Guernsey scored tries through...

Northumbria grab points after Howarth try clinches it

BUCS ROUND-UP ■By JOE BYRNES WITH the festive break over, Wednesday marked the return of BUCS Super Rugby. But the first...

YOUNG GUNS

JOE SNOW EXETER SCRUM-HALF As one of five scrum-halves fighting for firstteam game time at Exeter, Joe Snow might be forgiven...

Five in a row for 14-man Juddians

London IWG …12 Tonbridge J …28 ■By GARETH WITHERS TONBRIDGE Juddians made it five wins in a row with another impressive...

Chinnor storm to win with late surge

Chinnor …50 Worthing…10 ■By KEN VAUGHAN CHINNOR racked up eight tries as they scored a half-century of points against Worthing. The...

Defensive dilligence pays Reds dividends

Old Redcliff’ 34 Clifton …0 ■By BEN RODEN OLD Redcliffians took the Bristol derby by the scruff of its neck to...

Cinderford edge out Redings in title battle

Cinderford …26pts Redingensians…5pts Mud bath: No.8 Harry Hone touches down Cinderford’s first try. ■By NIGEL WILCE CINDERFORD maintained their place at...

Hawks soaring high on Tibbatt’s hat-trick

Broadstreet …12 Henley …42 ■By JAMES GOLD MATTHEW Tibbatts scored a hat-trick as Henley cruised past Broadchurch with a comfortable bonus...

Laventure gives Don vital success

Wimbledon …32 Bury St Eds …12 ■By FRANCIS PEARSON STRUGGLING Wimbledon earned a bonus-point try over Bury St Edmunds as their...

Reds come from behind for victory

Redruth…38 Taunton T …22 ■By BILL HOOPER REDRUTH overcame a seven-point first-half deficit to overpower Taunton with four second-half tries. Taunton...

Hayler helps Barum end loss streak

Barnstaple …24 Canterbury…7 ■By ANDREW JONES BARNSTAPLE ended their four-game losing streak with a dominant display against Canterbury. With Jake Murphy...

MY LIFEIN RUGBY

THE FORMER CARDIFF, PONTYPRIDD, TREORCHY, NEATH AND BRIDGEND FLANKER JUSTIN BURNELL I’m thoroughly enjoying my third spell back at Pontypridd, having...

Rowntree spot-on to see Otley home

Huddersfield …18 Otley …22 ■By ANDREW SMITH A SUPERB display with the boot from Otley’s Joe Rowntree proved to be decisive...

Fresh kit helps as Chester clean up

Chester…24 Stourbridge …12 ■By BEN GODDARD CHESTER returned to winning ways to disrupt Stourbridge’s promotion push and send them to their...

Sale finish with flourish to remain at the top

Sale …39 South Leics …7 ■By STEFAN JONES SALE have blasted their way to the top of the table and only...

Wilkinson’s undaunted after agony of late try

Sedgley Park …23pts Tynedale…22pts ■By LUKE MADEIRA SEDGLEY Park coach Matt Bebbington admitted there was lots of room for impovement despite...

Hooker Dan gets game on with his harrow

Wharfedale …16 Sheffield …10 ■By ED WILLIAMS TWO penalties from Tom Barrett gave Wharfedale victory in this battle of the basement...

Hinckley provide perfect response

Sheffield T…5 Hinckley…36 ■By STEVE SMITH FOLLOWING a shock home defeat last weekend, Hinckley needed to bounce back to keep their...

Macclesfield edge battle of forwards

Leics Lions…7 Macclesfield 14 ■By ROSS BARNETT TRIES from Samuel Moss and Ryan Parkinson were enough as Macclesfield edged out Lions...

Mapletoft backing Boyce to grab his big chance

NEWS EXTRA ■By NEALE HARVEY SHOCK England call-up Lewis Boyce has all the attributes to succeed but must prove himself quickly...

Fotuali’i: Change eligibility rules to aid Tier 2

NEWS EXTRA ■By NEALE HARVEY SAMOA star Kahn Fotuali’i has urged World Rugby to ease their eligibility rules and allow players...

Cov back on track with nine-try cruise

Coventry …57 Esher …12 ■By JOHN WILKINSON IT WAS business as usual for Coventry who bounced back from their heavy defeat...

Mose back row overpowers OAs

B Moseley …34 O Albanian …13 ■By PAUL SMITH LED by sparkling displays from back-rowers Laurence Cowen and Ciaran Moore, Birmingham...

Oli’s on song as in-form Park pile more pressure on Fylde

Rosslyn Pk …31 Fylde …15 ■By CHARLIE PEAT ROSSLYN Park continued their fine run of form with a dominant five-try victory...