Super Rugby Pacific Round up: Battling Brumbies demolish Waratahs

By Ben Jaycock The Brumbies showed why they are Australia’s top-ranked side as they blew away the Waratahs 40-17 in Canberra....

Knights and Spears end up all square after hard battle

Japan League One round-up ■ By BEN JAYCOCK IN the top-of-the-table clash, Saitama Wild Knights and Kubota Spears could not be...

Forthcoming fixtures

SUNDAY, MAY 4 EUROPEAN COMPETITIONS Champions Cup Bordeaux Begles v Toulouse (3pm) Challenge Cup Lyon v Racing 92 (12.30pm) FRIDAY, MAY...

Barnstaple too good for Brixham

Papa Johns Cup round-up OUNDLE and Syston concluded the Papa Johns Regional 1 Championship joint top of the table despite not...

TRP

Probyn: The women’s game is not paying for itself Jones taking on desert walk to raise funds to fight cancer ■...

Law fearful of franchise plan

■ By BEN JAYCOCK LONDON Scottish scrum-half Jonny Law fears the rumoured Premiership franchise league could leave the Championship without a...

Champions Cup semi-finals: Best head-to-head matchups

The Champions Cup semi-finals take place this weekend, and the squad lists look more like Test squads than club ones.  Leinster...

Champions Cup and Challenge Cup semi-finals: Fixtures, Where to Watch and Previews 

European rugby is well and truly back, with the semi-finals of both major competitions in continental rugby taking place over the...

The summer sporting events to look forward to in 2025

As spring gives way to summer, the UK begins to bask in longer days, warmer evenings, and a collective sense of...

Super Rugby Americas Round Nine Review: League-leaders Pampas secure comeback win

By Joe Santamaria For exclusive stories and all the detailed rugby news you need, subscribe to The Rugby Paper website, digital edition, or...

England’s Summer Tour: Max Ojomoh headlines potential debutants and new coaches appointed

By Charlie Elliott For exclusive stories and all the detailed rugby news you need, subscribe to The Rugby Paper website, digital edition, or...

British and Irish Lions stock risers and fallers: Taulupe Faletau rolls back years to put himself in contention

By Charlie Elliott It’s only a few weeks until the British and Irish Lions‘ full squad is announced.  Recency often plays a...

Social Media Moments of the Week: Ardie Savea and Arron Reed score solo stunners

By Charlie Elliott Rugby‘s social media never fails to deliver.  Whatever the moment, people will be talking about it in great detail and sharing...

How Artificial Intelligence Helps Football Commentators Analyze Matches in Real Time

Imagine if a commentator could gauge a player’s sprint speed the moment he makes a run or could spot a tactical...

Premiership Round 15 Team of the Week: Ciaran Donoghue dazzles in Prem debut

By Charlie Elliott The Premiership’s 15th round took place over the weekend, as the intensity rose and teams either rose to the...

Rugby Positions Explained: Who Does What on the Field?

Rugby is a physically demanding and highly strategic sport played by two teams of 15 players each (in Rugby Union) or...

Rob Valetini’s Return to Strengthen Brumbies for Crucial Upcoming Battles

The return of Rob Valentini to the ACT Brumbies side is a major boost for the team. They’re looking to improve...

Magnifique! Another Grand Slam for Red Roses

By George Wellbelove at Twickenham England secured their seventh straight Six Nations title and fourth Grand Slam in a row as they...

Johann van Graan targets a double top finish for Bath

By Jon Newcombe Johann van Graan insists there won’t be any let-up in Bath’s bid to win the European Challenge Cup...

Dave Reddin will help find Warren Gatland replacement for Wales

By Sam Jackson The Welsh Rugby Union has appointed Dave Reddin as director of rugby and elite performance. He will oversee...

Luke Northmore still in the England reckoning

By Paul Rees Luke Northmore is due a break after a succession of injuries have so far thwarted the Harlequins centre’s...

Bath owner, Bruce Craig, backs franchise system

Bath owner Bruce Craig argues that scrapping relegation and relaunching the Premiership as a collection of centrally licensed franchises would bring...

Women’s Six Nations: Francesca McGhie is on hand to snatch it for Scotland

By Sam Jackson Scotland ...........26pts Tries: Skeldon 25, Orr 42, McLachlan 58, McGhie 81 Conversions: Nelson 43, 59, 82 Ireland...............19pts Tries:...

Women’s Six Nations: Red Roses set sights on World Cup after nervy win

By Ben Jaycock England ...........................43pts Tries: Dow 4, 58; Sing 8, 18; Atkin-Davies 12, MacDonald 23, Aldcroft 49 Conversions: Harrison 9,...

Wales face tough fight to avoid last place

By BEN JAYCOCK PREVIEW... Italy v Wales Today. Kick-off 11.30am Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi SEAN Lynn’s Wales are gearing themselves up for...

Champions Cup: Rory Hutchinson eying Leinster surprise

By Paul Rees Rory Hutchinson says Northampton regard Saturday’s Champions Cup semifinal against Leinster at the Aviva Stadium as an opportunity...

Ollie Chessum glad to be back in the middle

Ollie Chessum made his long-awaited return to Premiership action in last Sunday’s win at Bristol. The England lock last featured in...

Jeremy Guscott: I’m just so excited by Bath’s brilliance

By Jeremy Guscott - Outspoken and unmissable every week... Where Bath are now, compared to where they have been, leaves me...

Leicester Tigers 40-7 Harlequins: Adam Radwan’s hat-trick fires up Tigers

By Adam Hathaway Leicester Tigers ............ 40pts Tries: Radwan 16, 46, 57; Hassell-Collins 30, 54; Liebenberg 73 Conversions: Pollard 31, 46,...

Michael Cheika: We can’t afford to be slow out of the blocks

Leicester boss Michael Cheika warned his side they cannot afford to be slow out of the blocks at the business end...

Northampton Saints 48-31 Bristol Bears: Alex Mitchell gets Saints in mood for Leinster

By Rob Wildman Northampton Saints ..... 48pts Tries: Mitchell 12, Langdon 19, Freeman 23, 36; Iyogun 46, Augustus 59, Pollock 76...

We’ll use whole squad, says Bath boss Johann van Graan

Bath boss Johann van Graan intends to use his mighty squad to the full as they look to add another two...

Bath 55-19 Newcastle Falcons: Ciaran Donoghue assures Bath of top billing

By Brendan Gallagher Bath .................................... 55pts Tries: Donoghue 2, Carr-Smith 32, Roux 44, Underhill 50, Emens 57, 59; Hennessy 67, Redpath...

Nick Cain: Invest in the Championship – as well as women’s game

The money cut from the funding to Championship clubs in the last five years is believed to be very close to...

Nick Cain: Bruce Craig’s protectionism is not what we want

The decision by Bath owner Bruce Craig to break cover by jumping on the franchise bandwagon this week is no revelation,...

George Ford sets his heart on Australia with British and Irish Lions

George Ford admitted he would “die” for a place on this summer’s Lions tour. The Sale fly-half produced another superb display...

Ford puts impressive case for a Lions spot

■By ROSS HEPPENSTALL Sale Sharks ..................... 25pts Tries: Ma’asi-White 2, Ford 17, Reed 27 Conversions: Ford 18, 28 Penalties: Ford 6,...

Clark: We won’t hit panic button

■By JON NEWCOMBE Gloucester v Exeter Chiefs PREVIEW... Today. Kick-off 3pm, Kingsholm Fighting fit: Arthur Clark in action for Gloucester against...

Baxter wants strong finish with eye on next season

■By PAUL REES EXETER may be out of the running for the play-offs but Rob Baxter is expecting a strong finish...

Ben Youngs – It’s been an awesome ride and I feel privileged

Paul Rees talks to Ben Youngs as he prepares to call time on his career after 18 years at Leicester and...

Chris Hewett: If there is any justice, George Ford will be a British and Irish Lion

By Chris Hewett - Thinking Allowed The difference between time and eternity? It’s all relative – get it? – but in...

Chris Hewett: Players moving north is no shock

If it takes at least seven years to train as an architect – and a minimum of 70 to negotiate the...

Ulster 19-22 Sharks: South Africans steal it at the death

By John Evans Sharks .............22 Ulster led until the 77th minute but were left heartbroken after Jordan Hendrikse kicked a penalty...

Taulupe Faletau leads the charge as Cardiff snatch fightback win

By Roger Panting Munster's winning run of 10 games against the Welsh regions came to a halt as Cardiff fought back...

United Rugby Championship: Nine-try Ospreys demolish Dragons

By Simon Thomas The Ospreys secured the bonus point win they needed to keep their URC play-off hopes alive as they...

Lions 26-7 Connacht: South African hosts in league of their own

By David John Lions ................26 Connacht........... 7 Connacht's play-off hopes were dealt a blow with a second consecutive defeat in South...

Warriors salvage a late bonus as Bulls power on

By BRYN PALMER BULLS flexed their muscles with a fourth straight URC win to turn up the heat on Glasgow in...

Scott on target to rescue a draw

By SAM JACKSON CAMMY Scott saved Edinburgh the ignominy of being doubled by Zebre with a difficult last-kick conversion to earn...

I’m free for Wales, says Gabriel Hamer-Webb

By Simon Thomas Ask Gabriel Hamer-Webb whether he is available for Wales this summer, and he delivers a telling answer. “I’ve...

Dan Lydiate is moving over to a coaching role at Dragons

By Sam Jackson Dan Lydiate will move into a coaching role at Dragons after yesterday playing his final game for the...