DTH ready to turn up the heat for Falcons

By JON NEWCOMBE NEWCASTLE signing DTH van der Merwe plans to blaze a trail in the Premiership before putting out fires...

Super Sene is as inspiration for Ireland and the Islanders

WITHthe Women’s RWC in full flow, one person who has left her mark is Kiwi-born Samoan, now Irish player, Sene Nauopu....

Alcohol abuse no laughing matter for players in Pacific

DAN LEO EXPERT ANALYST ON PACIFIC NATIONS I’ll admit, it hasn’t been a great month off the field for my fellow...

Bedford toughening up for promotion bid

BEDFORD player-coach Alex Rae reckons adding grit to his side’s traditional running game will ensure Championship favourites Bristol do not have...

Morahan happy Bristol match his ambitions

By NEALE HARVEY FORMER Wallabies star Luke Morahan reckons Bristol’s signing of former All Black Charles Piutau has reinforced his decision...

Portuguese pathfinder Vieira quits Italy for Rotherham

IT’S A brave decision to swap the sunshine of the Portuguese coast for industrial South Yorkshire, but that’s the choice of...

MY LIFEIN RUGBY

CHRISTIAN LOADER FORMER WALES, SWANSEA, PONTYPRIDD, ROTHERHAM AND BATH PROP Believe it or not, I started out as a full-back at...

Yes, it looks like something is really starting to happen for Coetzee’s Springboks

By NICK VERDIER SOUTHAfrica did not have it all their own way like they did against France in the June Test...

Wallabies smashed for six in first half blitzkrieg

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER NEW ZEALAND dismissed Australia from their presence with a remarkable six-try first half burst in Sydney which left...

ROOM 101

PETER SOUTHERN THE TYNEDALE PROP TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND 1. Cry-offs I’ve played...

Southern stars shine in their adopted skies

TWO more recruits from what used to be the British Empire take up residence this week in Scotland’s training squad. Anton...

Bell rings with praise for his indestructable prop mate

OUR story last week on Taufa’ao Filise’s achievement as the first fulltime pro to have his contract renewed at 40 prompted...

Ronaldo’s just lucky it wasn’t on rugby field

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Cristiano Ronaldo may never have heard of Neil Back nor Percy Montgomery but...

You won’t outscrum us warns Du Plessis

NEALE HARVEY finds London Irish’s veteran prop star in defiant mood ahead of the new season NEALE HARVEY Indestructible prop Petrus...

Kings and Cheetahs ‘to turn up the heat in PRO14’

SAREL Pretorius says his former side Toyota Cheetahs will be ready to give their opposition a warm reception in the first...

Captaining my beloved Saints should boost England claim

DYLAN HARTLEY ENGLAND & NORTHAMPTON CAPTAIN Q&A England and Northampton captain Dylan Hartley tells NEALE HARVEY why Saints are targeting the...

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Wales face more woe over Walker

By PETER JACKSON WALES are concerned over the immediate future of the wing they have been trying to pick for the...

Pumas must let players go abroad

I HAVE never understood the rationale behind Argenina’s recent insistence on picking only from home based professionals in their Jaguares Super...

Poublan v Scarrett will thrill

THE list of classy modern centres from France is a long and distinguished one, ranging through Joe Maso, Denis Charvet, Philippe...

Beware, 27 has become a dangerous age for stars

BRENDAN GALLAGHER A DIFFERENT TAKE ON THINGS IF I was a betting man I would wager that Julian Savea –who currently...

Malouf jets in to feed Tigers need for speed

AUSSIE Sevens specialist Nick Malouf has vowed to pose a wing threat to England’s Jonny May as the converted flanker bids...

Matson has total faith in rejuvenated Lion Joseph

By NEALE HARVEY BATH head coach Tabai Matson reckons Jonathan Joseph’s best is yet to come as the gifted outsidecentre looks...

Test stars are back in best shape ever warns Pivac

By ALEX BYWATER Winners: Scarlets celebrate their PRO12 success DEFENDING champions Scarlets have sent out an ominous warning ahead of the...

Jonny on rampage Down Under

BRENDAN GALLAGHER REMEMBERS THE OUTSTANDING ENGLAND SCHOOLS TEAM OF 1997 It’s 20 years ago this month that one of the strongest...

Wales win pool finale but coach frustrated by slack approach

Game 3 round-up WALESscored four tries in the final half hour to beat Hong Kong 39-15 and break their duck in...

Yes, England are into the last four but we’ve not been tested yet

Pack power: England No.8 Sarah Hunter on the charge CATHERINE SPENCER Former England captain It’s job done for England. We’re into...

Emily taking pool lessons on board for French test

Semi-final Preview England v France By NICK VERDIER ENGLAND might have beaten France twice already this season but superstar centre Emily...

Red Roses cash in as USA crushed by forward power

England …47 USA …26 A BLISTERINGstart helped England beat the USA and secure their place in the semi-finals of the Women’s...

Huge plus seeing our young lads triumph in South Africa

ANY WIN over a major rugby nation should be celebrated in Wales and that’s why I was delighted to see our...

Martin’s right to be excited about his new product

I’VE ALREADY said in my column ahead of the new season that I’m hugely excited about the Guinness PRO14 kicking off....

Shelve the axes, players have a right to choose

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND THE NATIONAL dual contract system isn’t perfect, but without it Welsh rugby would be signficantly...

Exiles exposed by Blues flier Summerhill

By LUKE JARMYN L Scottish…23 Cardiff Blues …34 A HAT-TRICK from wing Aled Summerhill set up this opening warm-up game victory...

Brits hits treble to steady Sarries ship

By MATT WRIGHT VETERAN hooker Schalk Brits grabbed a hat-trick as Saracens eventually showed their class against a dogged Bedford side...

20 QUESTIONS

ETHAN WALLER WORCESTER LOOSEHEAD How’s pre-season going? Very well. We’ve kicked things off in terms of warm-up games and everything is...

Coventry …50 Sale FC …0

FULL-BACK James Stokes claimed a first half hattrick to set up an eight-try win over a Sale side that narrowly missed...

Coventry …57 Broadstreet…24

COVENTRY, fielding a largely development academy side, proved too strong for city neighbours Broadstreet, who were promoted back to National Two...

Class tells from Faf but Cockerill pleased his new boys ‘puggy-up’

By ALEXANDER MCLEMAN Edinburgh …20 Sale …24 EDINBURGH flashed glimpses of a possible reversal of fortunes but ultimately Richard Cockrill’s first...

Lovobalavu power surge signals Wasps fightback

By JACK REES Ulster …15 Wasps …26 WASPS began their preseason showing great signs of resilience by coming back from behind...

Yarde ‘hurt’ by Eddie’s snub says Kingston

By GARY FITZGERALD Harlequins…47pts Jersey Reds…21pts JOHN Kingston admits Marland Yarde is “hurting” after being snubbed by Eddie Jones again for...

Warriors muscled out by Moseley lock stars

By ROGER PANTING Moseley…24 Worcester …15 WORCESTER suffered an embarrassing defeat in the incessant rain at Billesley Common but Moseley’s victory...

Heavy artillery rolls through to give Harrison armchair ride

By COLIN NEWBOULT Leicester …47 Treviso …12 THIS convincing seventry victory set an ideal benchmark for Matt O’Connor’s troops to build...

Grayson junior states his case at Saints

By SAM JACKSON Northampton…32 Nottingham …21 NORTHAMPTONkicked off their busy two-game week with a win against Nottingham on Thursday at Franklin’s...

Benefactor set to offer Red Roses contracts

By NICK VERDIER INVESTOR Simon Pennock will fly to Belfast on Tuesday to present the England Women squad with an ambitious...

Premiership planning for 22-match A-League

By NEALE HARVEY LEICESTER chief Simon Cohen says he would welcome plans to revamp the Premiership A-League by making it a...

England tour was just what I needed after Lions setback

England lock and Wasps captain Joe Launchbury tells NEALE HARVEY how he has overcome his Lions disappointment and is targeting silverware with...

Young Gun: Billy Scannell – Munster hooker

This year will live long in the Scannell household’s memory with Niall and Rory making their international debut for Ireland and...

Lions prop commits to Harlequins until 2021

Harlequins have today announced that England and British and Irish Lions prop Joe Marler has committed his long-term future to the...

Peter Jackson: Cricket lost out in battle of tortoise and Hare…

Had everything gone the way he and others planned it, Dusty Hare would never have played rugby for England. He would...

Shane Williams: Quest for Autumn success starts now

The Rugby Championship is a tournament I’ve always enjoyed watching. Its brilliant rugby, played in great conditions and it involves some...