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...

Pure farce as Wales play the crocked prop card that drew jeers in Paris

PETER JACKSON COMMENT Held: Kristian Dacey tries to break through The Georgian Prime Minister had promised to declare tomorrow a public...

Tipuric is key if we want to beat the All Blacks

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND Clean ball: Cory Hill rises highest to claim a lineout for Wales There is no...

Lydiate: All Blacks need our A game

Gatland: We didn’t cheat over scrums DAN Lydiate has warned Wales they must bring their A game or risk being hammered...

’Steaming’ Cheika in a bust up with fans

We played it smart in the rain says Eddie By GARY FITZGERALD MICHAEL Cheika accused Twickenham fans of giving him a...

From Exiles junkyard to Test starter for Scotland

Neale Harvey talks to Scotland new cap Darryl Marfo about his time with the Exiles and working with Richard Cockerill

Aussies offer acid test of England’s back row mobility

Nick Cain analyses the challenge of the Wallabies who have a 'score to settle'

Jackson column: Beal lit up Arms Park long before Twickenham

From Bridgend and Welsh schools to Northampton and the Lions, Peter Jackson speaks with the former full-back

Cain column: Eddie’s tunnel vision over Dylan Hartley is harmful

Nick Cain writes his opinion on how the England head coach has set a precedent that risks locking him in

Michael Cheika picks power over playmaker in Wallabies midfield

Samu Kerevi gets the nod to start at inside centre alongside Tevita Kuridrani

Lydiate to captain Wales as Gatland makes 14 changes

All the team news for the Test against Georgia at the Principality Stadium

Verdict: Pumas need a re-boot starting with their selection policy

Brendan Gallagher analyses a team performing below expectations

Guscott column: Watson closes in on Brown for vote at full-back

Mike Brown’s early replacement gave us a glimpse of what a new back three may look like with Anthony Watson switching...

Freddie Burns admits England days are numbered under Eddie

By Neale Harvey Freddie Burns will put body and soul into winning silverware at Bath after accepting his chances of an...

Eddie Jones receives telling off from his mother…

England head coach Eddie Jones might be 57 years old but that wasn’t enough to save him from a stern dressing...

PLAYER WATCH…

WALES 1. ROB EVANS Good with ball in hand, ran hard and got to grips with scrum in the end Rating:...

It’s the same old song for Wales but they do hit some high notes

By ALEX BYWATER THE HOODOO continued as Wales suffered a 13th straight defeat to Australia who again emphasised their dominance over...

England warned over new Aussie star Alaalatoa

By NEALE HARVEY ENGLAND’S front row must brace for a torrid time from up and coming Wallabies tight-head Allan Alaalatoa at...

Pumas rugby needs a re-boot starting with new selection policy

BRENDAN GALLAGHER Misfiring: Juan Martin Hernandez VERDICT Patience is a virtue – as the Pumas discovered when they went through 30...

Watson closes in on Brown for vote at full-back

OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE…EVERY WEEK JEREMY GUSCOTT Impressive skillset: Anthony Watson, tackled here by Emiliano Boffelli, shone at full-back PICTURE: Getty Images...

NICK CAIN’S PLAYER WATCH…

ENGLAND 1. MAKO VUNIPOLA At the top of his game. Great ball-playing prop, made 20 tackles and multiple hard yards Rating:...

Quins still perfect thanks to prolific Breach

By AILISH CLARKE Richmond……….5 Harlequins……43 HARLEQUINS continue their reign at the top of the Tyrrells Premier 15s table after a big...

Two wins on the spin as Lightning tough it out

By SARA MURRAY Bristol …………….8 L’boro L’ning …12 LOUGHBOROUGH Lightning secured back-to-back wins with a hard-fought victory over Bristol at Cleve...

Clealls show the way for unbeaten Sarries

By ALEX MARROW Saracens …………44pts Darlington MP….19pts Saracans’ standout: Bryony Cleall BRYONY Cleall starred as Saracens continued their winning start to...