Savage: Cure travel bug and we’ll soar

■By NEALE HARVEY SOLVINGGloucester’s abysmal away record holds the key to challenging for a Premiership play-off place, according to lock Tom...

Bath prop Auterac a target for Quins

Wanted: Auterac HARLEQUINS are believed to be heading a queue of clubs interested in signing loose-head prop Nick Auterac from Bath...

Scottish RFU could step in to boost Worcester

WORCESTER Warriots could find an unlikely saviour in the form of the Scottish Rugby Union according to Blindside sources. We understand...

ON THE BLINDSIDE

BY NEILFISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler ■VETERAN Western Force prop Pek Cowan appears to be unlikely to be heading to...

ROOM 101

THE VERSATILE CALDY FORWARD TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND JACK COLLISTER 1. 5p supermarket...

Is art of post-match interview disappearing, like objectivity?

PLAYERS have been taking umbrage at post-match questions almost ever since Billy Webb Ellis ran off with the football at Rugby...

Alun-Wyn’s whingers put rugby morality to shame

IN SWANSEA last weekend, rugby surrendered another piece of the moral high ground they like to think separates them from football....

Why no one is quite able to wing it like the All Blacks

Of all the assembly lines in all the world, there is none to compare with New Zealand’s mass production of Test...

Youthful Exiles are roasted by Rasolea

■By JAMES LLOYD Final blow: Edinburgh back row Luke Crosbie breaks the tackle of Ben Ransom to score PICTURE: PA Images...

Te’o injury takes gloss of hat-trick by Taufete’e

■By STEFFAN THOMAS WORCESTER head coach Carl Hogg was delighted with his side’s first win of the season and their bonus...

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Wage inflation for top players is shrinking squads says Hare

■By NEALE HARVEY Concerns: Dusty Hare FORMER Northampton academy boss Dusty Hare insists England player development can be improved and has...

Five-try Connacht put on style in France

■By DECLAN ROONEY CONNACHT claimed an impressive bonus-point win as two Matt Healy tries helped them past a poor Oyonnax outfit...

Sale miss big chance to hit weakened French giants

■By COLIN NEWBOULT THIS Challenge Cup pool was never going to be a stroll for the Sharks and, despite a creditable...

Big shock as Stade killed off by Krasny

ROUND-UP KRASNY YARproved they will be a match for everyone in this season’s competition after running in five tries to beat...

Gloucester leave it too late to make great escape

■By NICK WILLIAMS FORMER All Black Colin Slade scored 15 points as Pau saw off Gloucester on Thursday night. Trailing 20-0...

Wilson try staves off Dragons fightback

■By COLIN NEWBOULT THIS was a rather apt time for Newcastle to produce their worst performance of the season. At times...

Blues fail to cash in on supershow from Garyn

■By ROGER PANTING GARYNSmith took his chance to impress by spearheading Blues to a bonus point victory over the Top 14...

McNicholl not right for Wales just yet

I WAS delighted – and a little surprised – to read some excellent comments from Scarlets wing Johnny McNicholl this week...

Time for Warren to blood new Dragons

NOW IS the time for Wales to roll the selection dice. Warren Gatland will name his squad for the November Tests...

Ospreys positive despite poor run

■By STEFFAN THOMAS Great challenge: Olly Cracknell OSPREYS back row forward Olly Cracknell is confident his team can put their woeful...

Davies must spike big guns of Nonu and Bastareaud

■By ALEX BYWATER JONATHAN Davies is used to the big occasion. Six consecutive Test starts for the British & Irish Lions...

‘We must improve to beat Scarlets’

CHRIS Cook claims Bath must move up a gear or two if they are to be serious European contenders. The scrum-half...

Underhill suffers as Bath run lukewarm

■By GARY FITZGERALD TODD Blackadder had mixed emotions after Bath made heavy weather of seeing off European minnows Benetton and failed...

O’Connor: Bonus point will be vital

LEICESTER director of rugby Matt O’Connor insisted the Tigers’ losing bonus point could prove vital in Pool 4. Tigers had their...

Magical Nakawara casts his spell over Leicester

■By BRENDAN GALLAGHER FIJIAN superstar Leone Nakarawa, playing rugby but not as we know it, was the difference between Racing and...

Robbie’s praise for Leinster stand-ins

ROBBIE Henshaw paid tribute to his young teammates who stepped up for yesterday’s Champions Cup opener. Without Johnny Sexton, Scott Fardy...

Montpellier mauled by hit-man Henshaw

■By DECLAN ROONEY First blood: Joey Carbery goes over to score Leinster’s first try PICTURES: Getty Images RUAN Pienaar nailed a...

Anniversary of Foley’s death can give Munster energy to topple Castres’ big guns

■By SAM JACKSON MUNSTER coach Rassie Erasmus wants his men to mark the first anniversary of Anthony Foley’s death with a...

Simmonds leaves it to clinch Chiefs win

■By ROGER PANTING EXETER made hard work of getting their Cup campaign off to a winning start as it took them...

Cut the bench to reduce the risk of injuries

AS the broken body count in the Premiership rises, with a growing consensus that the greater ball-in-play time under the new...

Teflon Rob could have done so much more

ROB Andrew’s reputation as the Teflon man of English rugby may have taken a knock when he was sacked as the...

Saints old boy Clark getting up to pace with Sarries

■By NEALE HARVEY CALUMClark admits he is still adjusting to the hectic pace of life at Saracens after relaunching his career...

Kruis confident he can regain his England place

■By GARY FITZGERALD GEORGE Kruis is convinced his injury nightmares and disappointing Lions tour are firmly behind him, and that he...

Gruff set for job swap with the Blues

■By STEFFAN THOMAS AND ALEX BYWATER OSPREYS backs coach Gruff Rees looks set to take up the same role with Cardiff...

Six Nations lose £5m as sponsors slash deal

By PETER JACKSON THE full extent of the Six Nations title sponsorship loss can be revealed today – £5ma- year with...

Yes, it’s time for Jamie George to become king

Dylan Hartley or Jamie George? Past England hookers have their say

Golden Lions offer water aid relief as drought and wildfires hit Cape Town

By Adam Ellis South African provincial side Golden Lions have offered their full support in assisting their Cape Town rivals Western...

‘We learnt our lesson’ says Cipriani, as Wasps prepare for Ulster test

By Adam Ellis Ahead of Wasps‘ trip to face Ulster in the Champions Cup under the lights of the Kingspan Stadium...

Hat-trick man Jamie George signs new Saracens deal

By Adam Ellis Jamie George has signed a new deal with Saracens to stay at Allianz Park until 2021. The British...

Jackson column: Time to end Scarlets’ Euro Cup heartbreaks

By Peter Jackson No contender for Europe’s blue riband trophy can have endured more heartache in their pursuit than the Scarlets,...

Williams column: Losing one is unfortunate, losing two may be catastrophic

Shane Williams on the situation at Ospreys with Biggar and Webb set to leave

Cain column: Kyle Sinckler can consider himself lucky as inconsistency in bans perpetuate

By Nick Cain KYLE Sinckler can consider himself fortunate to get off with a seven-week ban after making contact with Northampton...

Guscott column: Champions Cup pools draw make it sure to be a thrilling start

By Jeremy Guscott THE European Cup is a tougher, harder tournament under EPCR than it was four years ago when the...

Byron McGuigan’s out to steal march on Scotland

By Jon Newcombe BYRON McGuigan is hoping his terrific try-scoring form with Sale Sharks will catch the eye of the Scotland...

Sale’s Josh Beaumont sidelined for months

By Adam Ellis Sale Sharks have been dealt a blow with second row forward Josh Beaumont ruled out for three months....

Sam gets tipped for England call-up

EXETER forwards coach Rob Hunter would be delighted to see No.8 discovery Sam Simmonds force his way into England contention as...

All White for Chiefs as slick Nic helps put them top

By MIKE SINCLAIR EXETER’S former Australia scrum-half Nic White produced two inspired moments which left Newcastle, this season’s Premiership shock side,...

’Henry can use this to keep on improving’

GLOUCESTER coach Johan Ackermann saluted Henry Trinder’s influence in Gloucester bouncing back from last week’s trouncing at Sale. He said of...

Trinder’s box of tricks too much for Saints

By NICK CAIN HENRY Trinder put his horrendous run of injuries – including two knee reconstructions – behind him to light...