20 QUESTIONS

HAYDEN THOMPSON-STRINGER SARACENS PROP How’s your summer going? Pretty good thanks. I’ve kept up with training even if it was nice...

End this aimless kicking, Zinzan tells Gat

By GARY FRITZGERALD Advice: Zinzan Brooke ZINZAN Brooke has warned the Lions they will be smashed by the All Blacks if...

Mauger thanks Lions for mentoring Kiwi fans

By JON NEWCOMBE Best about: Lions fans in full voice AS the army of Lions fans continues to swell, former All...

Sam’s still main man for me says Kronfeld

From ALEX BYWATER in New Zealand Finding form: Sam Warburton PICTURES: Getty Images FORMER All Black openside star Josh Kronfeld believes...

Dismiss these mind games, it’s penalties that will count

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME Hearts and minds time as the Lions approach the first Test; that’s...

Cross link puts Mose on track for promotion

MOSELEY’SNational One title bid will be boosted by some of Worcester’s top young talent next season. New head coach Simon Cross,...

Will Bristol pass Lam’s three-step challenge?

Pat Lam tells Neale Harvey how he plans to lift his new club into Europe’s elite EXCLUSIVE In-bound Bristol head coach...

Beale ready to influence Wallaby revival

NEWS EXTRA WALLABYsuperstar Kurtley Beale reckons he has returned to Australia a more rounded individual following his year at Wasps. Beale,...

Bath head chase for Halfpenny

BY NEILFISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler ■SALE SHARKS have finally resolved their dispute with Castleford Tigers over the signing of...

Wilson on the radar at Tigers and Saints

Impressive: Wilson MARK WILSON’S fine England debut against Argentina last weekend won’t have gone unnoticed by a host of admiring clubs...

New Zealand 39 France 26

■NEWZealand are 80 minutes away from their sixth Junior World Cup crown after a demonstration of pure force against France on...

Mercer tries top and tail dogged England display

By NICK VERDIER ZACH Mercer proved captain fantastic once again on Tuesday with his late try – and Max Malins’ conversion...

Robson gearing up for an explosive finale

ROUND-UP WALESU20s fly-half Arwel Robson is determined to finish the Championship on a high following Tuesday’s devastating 29-25 defeat to Scotland....

Tough run makes us hard to beat – Malins

By NICK VERDIER ENGLAND have scrapped their way through the World U20s Championship and Max Malins is hoping they have one...

YOUNG GUNS

RALPH ADAMS-HALE ENGLAND U20S PROP TThe road to glory is a long one for a young prop so all Ralph Adams-Hale...

ROOM 101

THE HUDDERSFIELD CAPTAIN AND FRONT-ROWER TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND ALEX BATTYE 1. Football...

England W 27 Canada W 20

■Lydia Thompson scored two tries as England beat Canada and made it two from two in the 2017 International Women’s Rugby...

Red Roses land five tries in big World Cup alert

By NICK VERDIER ENGLAND have made a big “statement of intent” ahead of the World Cup with the Red Roses yesterday...

Carpenter challenges Canucks to lose nearly men tag

By JON NEWCOMBE CANADA’s joint most-capped player Aaron Carpenter admits failure to qualify for the World Cup for the first time...

‘Rusty’ All Blacks warm up with 12-try rampage over Samoa

By NICK VERDIER THE All Blacks sent the sternest of warnings to the British and Irish Lions by scoring nearly a...

Sam grows into the job to guide Wales home

By ALEX BYWATER SAM Davies believes the experience of his first Wales start will make him a better player after he...

Volavola drop goal denies Italians

By ROGER REES Fiji 24 Italy 21 BEN Volavola kicked a drop goal two minutes into injury time to give Fiji...

Irish sizzle in the sun to roast Japan with 7 tries

By JOSEPH ROSS IRELAND racked up seven tries to demolish Japan on Saturday in the second of their threematch summer tour....

Kolisi try magic sets up series win for

By NICK VERDIER SOUTH Africa put four tries past France for the second week running to clinch their three-Test series in...

England’s reserves put on first class style to maul Pumas for second time

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER ENGLAND’S highly effective mix of gnarled veterans and young pups claimed their second win in a week over...

Watson grabs revenge for Scots’ World Cup misery

By SAM JACKSON A SENSATIONAL try by Hamish Watson helped Scotland beat Australia in Sydney and avenge two consecutive narrow defeats,...

Mills finally honoured with his cap from Top Cat

THEWelsh Rugby Union have dragged the good name of the game through the mud of some shameful episodes, not least their...

Watch out Wayne, Hansen’s from that Sir Alf old school

Too easy: Sam Cane is congratulated on his try by Israel Dagg PICTURE: Getty Images STEVE Hansen presided over the All...

Bank on Sam to make up distance like a champion

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW On a wintry Sunday evening late last summer, a bedraggled figure put his...

DREAM TEAM

RICH LANE, THE BEDFORD AND FORMER BATH AND JERSEY WING, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST… 1....

I do feel for Fearns, but he handled it all poorly

COLIN BOAG The old saying goes that an Englishman’s word is his bond, but those days are long gone as the...

Gatland wrong to call up more Welsh

SO FOUR more Welsh players (not bad for a team that finished just above Italy in the Six Nations!) and two...

No wonder England are so strong with this production line

THE U20 World Cup has been compelling viewing as ever and I hope the lads can finish the job against New...

Babbler Barnes has to taper his critique

DISAPPOINTING though it was on Tuesday, it’s building into an absorbing and exciting tussle in the Land of the Long White...

Subscriptions…

You can subscribe to The Rugby Paper. Just fill out the form below and send your cheque for £20, £40 or...

Marfo’s off to join the Edinburgh front row

By NICK VERDIER PROPDarryl Marfo has left Bath to join Edinburgh on a one-year deal. The loosehead, 26, started last season...

Sorry Gloucester but I had to put family first – Fearns

By NEALE HARVEY CONTRACT renegade Carl Fearns says securing his family’s future outweighed all other considerations once it became apparent that...

Follow The Rugby Paper online…

Follow us at: @TheRugby Paper like us at: www.facebook.com/ the rugbypaper Keep in touch with The Rugby Paper wherever you are...

It’s a long old unbeaten run at Eden Park

NEW ZEALANDhave played 37 Tests at Eden Park over the course of 23 years since they last lost there – the...

Get ready for the fireworks …and some dubious calls!

BRENDAN GALLAGHER sets the scene for next week’s Test opener with a tour through the ages Experience shows us there is...

Long-distance runner Webb can be lethal off the bench

Legs and lungs: Super-fit Rhys Webb RHYS Webb says he is in the shape of his life. That is just as...

Lions can cut All Blacks warp speed down to slow motion

Nick Cain says the Lions CAN beat the All Blacks – and this is the way to do it on Saturday...

Ref was wrong on penalties insists Sinckler

KYLE SINCKLER questioned how referee Angus Gardner decided the Highlanders had gained a dominance in the scrum that brought the two...

Dirt-trackers destroyed at death as pack malfunctions

From NICK CAIN at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin Highlanders 23pts Tries: Naholo 26, Coltman 60 Conversions: Sopoaga 27, Banks 62 Penalties:...

Sexton: I’m happy to get my mojo back

JOHNNY SEXTON spoke about his improved form after the Lions victory over the Maori. “The Barbarians game was tough because we...

I understand fury over late call-ups

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND Kept quiet: Nehe Milner-Skudder PICTURES: Getty Images First things first. This was a fine Lions...

PUB TALK

Breakfast in the local… a light-hearted look at how the Lions unite the country It was at half time as the...

Warburton can still lead in first Test

John Taylor, the 1971 Lions openside, casts his expert eye over Warren Gatland’s back row options The front page of the...

England’s new boys whitewash the Pumas

By NICK VERDIER ENGLAND made sure of a 2-0 whitewash of Argentina with a 35-25 over the Pumas in Santa Fe...

All Blacks have got jitters claims Gatland

From NICK CAIN in Rotorua Victory roll: Referee Jaco Peyper awards a penalty try as the Lions drive forward against the...