Big power surge puts Ealing on trail to top

By NEALE HARVEY EALING roared to the top of the Championship with a scintillating secondhalf display that maintained their 100 per...

Langley gets the new boys over the line with a bonus

By GUY WILLIAMS FLANKER Rob Langley inspired the Championship new boys to their first league win after an impressive performance at...

Foley has a plan to upset Carnegie

Preview Y’kshire Carnegie u Doncaster Today, Kick-off 3pm CHARLIE Foley is hoping Doncaster can continue their winning start to the season...

He’s like a duck on a trapeze!

Brendan Gallgher recalls the splendid commentary of France’s rugby-playing priest Abbe Henri Pistre THERE is a smash hit TV series or...

Forgive me Father, I am about to wreak havoc

BRENDAN GALLAGHER LOOKS AT THE MEN OF THE CLOTH WHO WAGED WAR ON THE FIELD Rugby – at least outwardly –...

Opera is voice of the people

LASTweek’s column on the striking difference in ticket prices between rugby and football internationals in Cardiff prompted a veritable flood of...

Sam’s club hold on to the values that count

WITHold-fashioned values under attack from all angles, how refreshing to discover that one club has put them on display at the...

Top Cat still carries the bruises from Meads’ knee

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Clive Rowlands woke up yesterday with the same ache in his lower back,...

Elias has ability to make next Lions tour insists Owen

By STEFFAN THOMAS SCARLETS captain Ken Owens has tipped his understudy Ryan Elias for a place on the British and Irish...

Championship is tough life now says Reihana

Force to be reckoned with: Saints flyer Bruce Reihana hands off a young Jonny May in 2010 PICTURES: Getty Images BRISTOL...

Stedman’s backing Brown to be a star

By JON NEWCOMBE OLLIE STEDMAN believes Yorkshire Carnegie young gun Louie Brown has the potential to be the next Tom Biggs....

Stooke out to grab his new chance

BEHEMOTH lock Elliott Stooke reckons the faith being shown in him by Bath’s coaches will help him deliver on his early...

I joined Irish because of Venter says Franco

By NEALE HARVEY SECOND row enforcer Franco van der Merwe has revealed why the lure of working under South African legend...

Investec may return to rugby

INVESTEC could not have picked a better time to make a return to rugby sponsorship after terminating their deal with the...

Springboks want Willie to go home

WASPS could lose their second marquee signing in as many seasons with Willie Le Roux under pressure to return to South...

ON THE BLIND SIDE

BY NEILFISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler ■JUAN IMHOFF, the Argentina winger who is out of contract at the end of...

Wilson eyes Bedford link

JAMES WILSON could join the growing clan of ex-Northampton players at Championship side Bedford. The 34-year-old wing/full-back was one of a...

Hanson on his way to Gloucester

GLOUCESTER have signed Wallaby hooker James Hanson on a short term deal from the Melbourne Rebels. Hanson has just signed a...

ROOM 101

PETRUS DU PLESSIS THE LONDON IRISH PROP TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND 1. Over-zealous...

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Rhys can earn recall if he maintains early form

Impressive start: Rhys Priestland in action against Northampton PICTURE: Getty Images RHYS Priestland was unfairly treated by the Welsh rugby public....

Sam’s a huge loss but it may work out well for the future

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND SAM Warburton’s injury is a huge blow for Wales. I thought he was outstanding on...

Champions tamed by late Andrew try

In front: Johnny McNicholl runs in his try for Scarlets PICTURE: Huw Evans By RONAN O’BRIEN CHAMPIONS Scarlets fell to their...

5-try Leinster cut loose to leave Kings pointless

By ANDRE JACOBS THREE tries in a devastating 12-minute spell after half-time eased Leinster to their third bonus point win of...

Tenacious Dee stars in massive win for Dragons

By ALEX BYWATER DRAGONS hooker Elliot Dee produced a stand-out individual display as Bernard Jackman’s men recorded their first win of...

Shingler fires wide as Blues crash to another defeat

By ROGER PANTING A LATE penalty from Finn Russell condemned Blues to a third consecutive defeat. Despite the loss it was...

Lacklustre Ospreys get rocket from Tandy

By ALEX BYWATER OSPREYS head coach Steve Tandy accused his players of a lack of effort at a rain-soaked Liberty Stadium....

Cockerill Huw Evans left fuming by sloppy second half

BENETTON caused a shock to earn their first win of the season against Edinburgh on Friday night. And given that the...

Cheetahs claw back to record big kill on Zebre

Cheetahs 54 Zebre 39 IT was touch and go for a moment, but the Cheetahs – with two tries apiece from...

It’s wrong Eddie must wait a year to face those NZ bullets

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK EDDIE Jones was in full ogre-slaying mode this week, sounding like the armour-plated...

Daly back on show as Young calls for intensity

LIONS star Elliot Daly will make his first start of the season for Wasps following an extended pre-season break. Daly has...

We don’t want to be chasing game warns Clifford

BACK-ROWER Jack Clifford reckons Harlequins must fly off the blocks if they are to stop Wasps recording their third win of...

Johnson out to prove Wasps can defend

By NICK VERDIER WASPS have built a reputation as the most lethal attack in the Premiership, but Ashley Johnson has revealed...

Kennedy: Defence not good enough

LONDON Irish director of rugby Nick Kennedy admitted that their performance fell well below the required standard following a second consecutive...

Jennings shows his class as Irish show frailties

By COLIN NEWBOULT YOU KNOWit is going to be your evening when a player, who has gone 155 games without scoring,...

Gold: We showed lot of fight and spirit

WORCESTER’S director of rugby, Gary Gold, accepted that it had been a tough night for Warriors. He said: “It was very...

We’re hungry for that title again says Hepher

By ROGER PANTING EXETER ruthlessly exposed the gulf in class between top and bottom of the Premiership as they walloped Worcester...

Mallinder: We were hurt by the critics

EMOTIONAL Saints supremo Jim Mallinder took a swipe at critics who called for his head after the opening day thrashing by...

Ribbans shows Eddie he could make grade

By NEALE HARVEY SAINTS lock David Ribbans chose the right night to demonstrate his England potential with a barnstorming display in...

Bok ace Habana ready for last hurrah

EXCLUSIVE By NEALE HARVEY SOUTH Africa try scoring legend Bryan Habana has given his broadest hint yet that this season will...

Vunipola’s warning over strike splits stars

By SAM JACKSON BILLY Vunipola’s warning of strike action if the rugby season is not shortened has brought a mixed reaction...

Young Gun: Kaleem Barreto – Glasgow scrum-half

Kaleem Barreto is not sure which version of the game he will be playing this season just yet but one thing...

Brendan Gallagher: Philadelphia is next stop on rugby’s world tour

Globalisation is one of the modern day buzzwords and although sometimes I’m not exactly sure what it means the fact that...

Jeff Probyn: New RFU boss has a big job – save our game!

The news that the RFU have appointed Steve Brown as CEO should bring a sigh of relief from the whole game...

Slater glad to be back among the heavy mob

Ed Slater insists he left Leicester on his own terms after agreeing to be part of the controversial swap deal that...

Room 101: Phil Nilsen – Coventry hooker

1. Paperwork I’m currently applying for voluntary roles to strengthen my CV ahead of seeking a regular job outside of rugby...

Leinster Statement following visa issues

Leinster have released the below statement on behalf of Guy Easterby, Head of Rugby Operations, who is in South Africa with...

CONFIRMED: Northampton sign Springbok back rower

Northampton Saints have confirmed the signing of Heinrich Brussow from January. As revealed in Blindside on September 3, the Springboks flanker...

Shane Williams: Dan’s a big loss but Ospreys do have Sam

Dan Biggar is a colossal loss to Welsh rugby. It was no surprise to see his move to Northampton Saints confirmed...

Peter Jackson: Welsh rugby ticket prices are a tweeting disgrace

Ever since William Webb Ellis did his runner at Rugby School, there have been obvious differences between the football codes.  In...