Shane Williams: Scarlets can get Leigh back to his attacking best

Now the Guinness PRO14 is all sorted, I’m looking forward to the campaign ahead because I think there have been some...

Peter Jackson: Action man Alun-Wyn is charging towards record

If his track record is anything to go by, Alun-Wyn Jones will pass another landmark towards the end of the coming...

Nick Cain: Dangerous for PRO14 to copy Super Rugby conferences

The new PRO14 marks South Africa’s first steps at shifting from SANZAAR to align with the Northern Hemisphere. The inclusion of...

Dan Robson on track to go distance with Wasps

Wasps scrum-half Dan Robson says he will push the boundaries of endurance in an effort to overcome last season’s double dose...

20 Questions: Ross Neal – London Scottish centre

How’s pre-season going? Pretty well, thanks. We’ve been training at the Lensbury Hotel which is a great place to train. The...

Gloucester sign new head coach’s son

Gloucester have confirmed the signing of Ruan Ackermann, the son of incoming head coach Johan, from the Lions. The back-rower, who...

Guinness PRO14 fixtures announced

Ulster will host the Cheeaths on the opening night of the new Guinness PRO14 season as the fixtures were announced today....

Sale name club captain ahead of new season

Sale Sharks have announced that centre Will Addison will captain the side during the upcoming season. The 24-year-old, who will take...

Nick Cain gets Eddie Jones’ verdict of the summer action

Eddie Jones started the new season by announcing he intends to turn his England squad into trailblazers who will reach fitness...

Jeff Probyn: I’m puzzled why women’s game needs a World Cup

With the women’s World Cup starting this week, hope is the excitement that the tournament will generate could be great for...

Catherine Spencer: These professional Red Roses are red hot favourites to defend title

In 2008 we played France away in the Six Nations and recorded England‘s biggest victory over Les Bleus, winning 31-0. We...

Alex Lozowski fine-tuning basics for England bid

Alex Lozowksi has declared himself ready to rise to the challenge of retaining his hard-won England place after impressing on the...

Concussion forces Newcastle star to retire

Concussions suffered last season have forced Newcastle Falcons lock Mouritz Botha to call time on his rugby career at the age...

My Life in Rugby: Andy Saull – former Saracens, Newcastle and Yorkshire Carnegie flanker

Running out first in front of an 80,000-plus world record crowd at Wembley to mark my 100th appearance for Saracens was...

England name side for World Cup opener

England head coach Simon Middleton has named his matchday 23 for England‘s opening pool game of the Women’s Rugby World Cup....

Ruaridh Jackson returns to Glasgow

Ruaridh Jackson has left Harlequins with immediate effect to return to Glasgow Warriors. The fly-half joined Harlequins in July 2016 after...

International Sio signs for Nottingham

Nottingham have announced the capture of Samoan international prop Aniseko Sio on a one-year deal. The 24-year old loosehead had been...

Leicester and Gloucester confirm May and Slater switch

Leicester Tigers have confirmed the signing of England international Jonny May from Gloucester for the start of the 2017/18 season. His...

Tuilagi and Solomona kicked out of England camp

Denny Solomona and Manu Tuilagi have been sent home today from England‘s training camp following breaches of the team culture. While...

Saracens fear explosion in wages could wreck team

Saracens coach Alex Sanderson fears the club may struggle to retain their galaxy of England and Lions stars, with the likes...

Watch: INSANE Danny Care trick-shot during Harlequins training camp

Danny Care has been sharing trick shot from the Harlequins training camp for the past three days but he has taken...

Dream Team: Rory Pitman – Jersey No.8

1. Phil John – A Scarlet legend who’s been very reliable over the years. He started playing in 1999 and must...

Molloy takes charge after Ireland hit by Briggs withdrawal

New skipper: Claire Molloy Ireland CLAIRE Molloy will have the honour of leading Ireland at their home World Cup following the...

These professional Red Roses are red hot favourites to defend title

CATHERINE SPENCER Ordinary people: England lift trophy in 2014 In 2008 we played France away in the Six Nations and recorded...

Confidence is booming after beating world’s best

By NICK VERDIER ENGLAND will be the team with a target on their back following their successful tour of New Zealand,...

Underdogs Wales to unleash teenage sensation George

Wales WALES face a huge battle to get out of their pool but head coach Rowland Phillips is desperate to put...

Freddie’s coming home with a game to boost Bath

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE…EVERY WEEK FREDDIE Burns has arrived at Bath as an experienced 10 who has made big improvements...

DREAM TEAM

ARTHUR ELLIS, THE EALING & FORMER OSPREYS AND WASPS OPENSIDE, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST… 1....

New-fangled PRO 14 is disaster waiting to happen

COLIN BOAG There is no shortage of top-class rugby players, but my goodness the game seems to be very light on...

Extra little gem to celebrate Mobbs

I HAVE just read and enjoyed Brendan Gallagher’s article on Edgar Mobbs. Brendan did not mention the long-held belief that Edgar...

Old front row club agree, give us back our straight put-ins

A LOT of fans – and especially old frontrowers – are getting increasingly turned off by the time-wasting of scrums. But...

Money on O’Connor to recapture his best

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk I READ with interest...

England call has given me a new perspective – Buchanan

HARLEQUINS hooker Rob Buchanan reckons his career is ready to peak in the wake of last season’s shock England call-up. Buchanan,...

Williams working hard to put heat on No.9 rivals

TOMOS Williams says he is ready to add more strings to his scrum-half bow as he hopes to make a big...

Robson on track to go distance with Wasps

By NEALE HARVEY WASPS scrum-half Dan Robson says he will push the boundaries of endurance in an effort to overcome last...

Academy players granted greater freedom

PREMIERSHIP clubs will have more opportunity to give their youngsters game time next season with the RFU changing the registration rules...

Ashton try eases pain of Toulon dilemma

DAVID BARNES FRENCH COLUMN Former England and Saracens winger Chris Ashton has scored his first try in the colours of his...

Hooper honoured to be Wallaby skipper

MICHAEL Hooper has been named as the new Australia captain, taking over from hooker Stephen Moore. Flanker Hooper has won 68...

Bradley returns to club game in Italy

FORMER Ireland scrum-half Michael Bradley has been named head coach of Italian PRO14 side Zebre. Former Italy players Carlo Orlandi and...

Ex-Tiger Mauger takes top job at Highlanders

FORMER Leicester boss Aaron Mauger has been hired as head coach of the Highlanders on a three-year deal. Mauger will replace...

Shock to be axed after All Blacks win

MY LIFEIN RUGBY JAN WEBSTER THE FORMER ENGLAND, MOSELEY, STAFFORDSHIRE & BARBARIANS SCRUM-HALF After all these years, I’d like to put...

20 QUESTIONS

MATT PROTHEROE BRISTOL FULL-BACK How’s the move to Bristol going? Really well thanks. I’m getting used to everything around the club...

Flood backed to reclaim his England jersey

NEWCASTLEcoach Micky Ward reckons fly-half Toby Flood can stamp his class on this season’s Premiership and fire his way back into...

Lozowski fine-tuning basics for England bid

By NEALE HARVEY ALEX Lozowksi has declared himself ready to rise to the challenge of retaining his hard-won England place after...

I’m puzzled why women’s game needs a World Cup

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME With the women’s World Cup starting this week, hope is the excitement...

Women’s Premiership fixtures

Round 1 - September 16/17 Loughborough Lightning v Worcester Valkyries Firwood Waterloo Ladies v Saracens Women Wasps Ladies v Harlequins Ladies...

Melville: Premier league will support growth at elite level

THE new Women’s Premiership competition is taking shape with the announcement of the fixtures list as well as the title sponsor...

Pitman out to prove how good he can be

By NICK VERDIER RORY Pitman is loving his new life in Jersey but the big Welsh No.8 has revealed he needed...

Rupert will bring harder edge to Hartpury – Evans

DAN MURPHYreckons the recruitment of former Gloucester prop colleague Rupert Harden will give Hartpury a vital forward edge in this season’s...

Dusty to leave Franklin’s Gardens

DUSTY Hare will be leaving Northampton Saints at the end of September. Hare, 64, has been at Franklin’s Gardens since January...