Williams is lean, keen and ready to fight for England dream

London Irish midfielder Johnny Williams has vowed to come back fitter, stronger and faster as he aims to get his England...

Shane Williams: Break the bank to keep Biggar at Ospreys

Here’s my message to the Welsh Rugby Union; you have to try and pull out all the stops to help keep...

My Life in Rugby: Kurt Johnson – former Coventry and Orrell wing

With my hair dyed pink and the No.14 shaved into the back of my head, people might have wrongly assumed I...

Top Boks will follow ‘exodus to Europe’

Super Rugby‘s fading appeal is likely to provoke South Africa‘s major provinces to follow the lead of the Cheetahs and Kings...

EXPLAINED: How the new Pro14 will work

REACTIONS to the Pro12 expansion

Martin Anayi, CEO of the Guinness PRO14, said: “The arrival of the Toyota Cheetahs and the Southern Kings marks a bold...

CONFIRMED: South African teams to join Pro12 this season

Celtic Rugby and the South African Rugby Union have today confirmed that the Toyota Cheetahs and the Southern Kings will join...

Dream Team: Nick Selway – Jersey hooker

1. Sam Lockwood – The first of many in this team who went from Jersey to the Premiership. Impressive scrummager with...

Late Collins try earns local bragging rights for Saints

BOWL ROUND-UP NORTHAMPTON won the first East Midlands derby of the season as a late try from Tom Collins helped them...

Livewire Randall presses case for first team action

PLATE ROUND-UP A BLISTERING start handed Gloucester a 22-12 win over Saracens to win the Plate at the Premiership Sevens in...

Freestyle Wasps are cut above the rest

By NICK VERDIER Back-to-back: Wasps lift the Premiership Sevens trophy for the second year running PICTURES: Getty Images WASPS will once...

Abington celebrates the life of Saints hero Mobbs

THE 100th anniversary of Edgar Mobbs’ death at the Third Battle off Ypres falls tomorrow and the town of Northampton will...

Only world beaters will get tickets for this ride

THIS week heralds the announcement of the 45- strong England EPS squad and it feels like a big staging post, the...

RFU: Players knew their contracts would end

IN relation to the article ‘World Cup stars left high and dry by RFU’ there are a number of points we...

Call me a misogynist but I’m backing RFU stance

COLIN BOAG Thuggery: Sonny Bill Williams hits Anthony Watson The furore over the RFU’s decision not to renew contracts to the...

It’s called Premiership Sevens for a reason!

PREMIERSHIP rugby has to rethink the rules of the Premiership Sevens and force Premiership teams to actually pick Premiership players. The...

My rugby SOS: Save our Scrums from annilihation

I WRITE in support of Colin Boag’s piece from July 21 regarding crooked feeds in to the scrum. This is an...

Whatever the price, they aren’t machines

DAVID Short’s letter about Premiership club owners is rehearsed at every gathering of supporters. Whatever they get paid, the players are...

Wales still a target for new Scarlet Prydie

TOM Prydie is relishing the start of a new chapter at the Scarlets after joining the PRO12 champions from Newport Gwent...

Smith taking a breather

ALL Blacks star Ben Smith is set for a sabbatical following next month’s back-to-back Bledisloe Cup Tests against the Wallabies. Smith...

Wallaby skipper steps down

AUSTRALIA captain Stephen Moore has decided to call time on his 12-year international career at the end of the season. Moore,...

O’Connor: Sale culture can get me back to top

By JON NEWCOMBE Trust: Steve Diamond STAR signing James O’Connor says he wants to follow in the footsteps of good mate...

Sarries rocket helps Nick hit new heights

By NEALE HARVEY Impressive start: England boss Eddie Jones congratulates Nick Isiekwe after his debut against the Barbarians PICTURES: Getty Images...

Joseph has to reinvent himself now says Mears

Critic: Lee Mears LIONS flop Jonathan Joseph must take a leaf out of Brian O’Driscoll’s book by re-evaluating his game in...

McMahon set to miss World Cup

HIGHLY-RATED Wallaby back row Sean McMahon has signed a ‘lucrative’ two-year contract to play for an unnamed club in Japan. The...

Ford’s no loss with Freddie at the helm says Banahan

By NEALE HARVEY Leaders: Freddie Burns and Matt Garvey, right MATT Banahan is convinced Bath have emerged far stronger from the...

Far from fun as Wild era kicks off in controversy

In the spotlight: Stade’s Fijian wing Waisea Nayacalevu PICTURE: Getty Images It wasn’t quite what Dr. Hans- Peter Wild ordered this...

Aussie Meehan bowled over by family feel at Irish

SUMMER signing Ben Meehan is settling in fast at London Irish and is chomping at the bit to get started since...

It’s tough to replace that old rugby buzz

ALEX BYWATER talks to Matthew Pewtner about life after rugby following shock early retirement Sevens star: Matthew Pewtner in action for...

20 QUESTIONS

ROSS NEAL L. SCOTTISH CENTRE How’s pre-season going? Pretty well, thanks. We’ve been training at the Lensbury Hotel which is a...

‘World class’ Vunipola flying again – Sanderson

Rested: Billy Vunipola BILLYVunipola is ready to brush off his Lions disappointment and reassert his position as the world’s dominant No.8,...

Captain Sam gets Wembley honour

SPURS have invited Sam Warburton to be guest of honour at Wembley for their opening home match of the new Premier...

Lean, keen and ready to fight for England dream

By NEALE HARVEY World beaters: Johnny Williams scores against South Africa at last summer’s U20s World Cup, with Joe Marchant in...

Replace women’s contracts with individiual match fees

World cup captain: England No.8 Sarah Hunter, World Rugby’s player of the year for 2016 PICTURE: Getty Images As I prepare...

2017-18 pre-season fixtures

It is advisable to check matches and kick-off times with the clubs Thursday August 3 Leicester Lions v Coventry Friday August...

Knee injury ended my England hopes

MY LIFE IN RUGBY ANDY SAULL THE FORMER ENGLAND SAXONS, SARACENS, NEWCASTLE AND YORKSHIRE CARNEGIE FLANKER Saracens titan: Andy Saull shared...

DREAM TEAM

RORY PITMAN, THE JERSEY AND FORMER SCARLETS AND WASPS NO.8, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST… 1....

Arscott excited by coaching challenge at Dings

NEWS EXTRA By NEALE HARVEY DINGS Crusaders coach Luke Arscott believes the club’s impressive new £8m facility at Shaftesbury Park will...

When Briggs made us all believers

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? BEDFORD 1975 THE RFU CUP WINNERS By NEIL FISSLER Mastermind: Pat Briggs DEREK Wyatt, the former England...

Charitable mindset has held back Pacific rugby

Fifty up: Akapusi Qera, with insets David Lemi, Census Johnston and Nili Latu PICTURE: Getty Images Much of the kiwi media-fare...

Gold excited to have captain GJ back to lead battle

WORCESTER hope concussion problems to a trio of key players are a thing of the past as they look set to...

Denton: I had to quit Bath for Test dream

By NICK VERDIER Hungry for game time: David Denton PICTURES: Getty Images DAVID Denton wants to wear the Scotland jersey again...

Gloucester honing killer instinct says Woodward

By NEALE HARVEY Aiming high: Jason Woodward GLOUCESTER full-back Jason Woodward reckons squad depth and the discovery of a killer instinct...

New recruits could get Bristol home by Xmas

Nick Verdier assesses the Championship squads after another summer of high activity Exiled: Ben Mosses left Bristol for London Scottish this...

Fixtures putting players in impossible position

WHEN Perpignan reached the 2009 Top 14 final, Perry Freshwater made a stand. The England prop put club before country and...

Johnny lost to Wales because of his colour

Halifax record-breaker: Cardiff’s Johnny Freeman They carried Johnny Freeman from St. Mary’s church last week and out of what used to...

Navidi charged for positive season after Test recall

JOSH Navidi insists he’ll play anywhere for Cardiff Blues if it helps him add to his three Wales caps. Back rower...

Kalamafoni confident he’ll crack it at Tigers

By NICK VERDIER Physical specimen: Sione Kalamafoni PICTURES: Getty Images New boss: Matt O’Connor POWERHOUSE back row Sione Kalamafoni will not...

Ball targeting leadership role for club and country

By ALEX BYWATER Calling the shots: Jake Ball JAKE Ball says the pain of missing out on the Scarlets’ PRO12 title...

Joe ready to take his chance alongside George

ONE downside of going to America is that I won’t be able to see George and Joe play for Leicester as...