Women face Canada Test

ENGLANDWomen’s fixtures for the Old Mutual Wealth Series have been confirmed, with the side playing three home games against Canada this...

Sharples out ‘til Christmas

CHARLIE Sharples is set for up to three months out with a finger injury picked up against Worcester. The winger snapped...

Charteris keeps chin up despite defensive frailty

Feeling fresh: Luke Charteris LUKECharteris knows last week’s defensive nightmare against Newcastle cannot be repeated at Wasps today if Bath are...

Simpson desperate to kick-start season

By NEALE HARVEY FIRED-UP Wasps No.9 Joe Simpson has urged his side to “get cracking” after admitting complacency may have been...

Johan: They blew us away

GLOUCESTERhead coach Johan Ackermann insisted that the team’s errors in the first half caused their capitulation after the break. The Cherry...

Sharks take a bloody revenge for past indignities

By COLIN NEWBOULT NOT TOO many saw this coming. Gloucester may well have a lengthy injury list but there have been...

Top, but Richards sees only Exeter

DEAN RICHARDS glossed over the fact his team had gone top of the table – for 24 hours at least, knowing...

Shrewd Deano builds another tilt at the title

By JON NEWCOMBE Strong running: Juan Pablo Socino on the break for Newcastle to set up a try for Niki Goneva...

Let’s get Saturday back as match day

THE Premiership’s ‘long weekend’ fixture experiment which is pushing club rugby fans from pillar to post with matches played on Friday...

A nine-month season is long enough for everyone

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK PLAYERS and coaches in the Premiership have started to align in their resistance...

We need a bit of luck says Gold

WORCESTER head coach, Gary Gold accepted his side had failed to capitalise on their chances and the final score line had...

Sarries are frustrated by battling Warriors

By ROGER PANTING Into their stride: Alex Goode scores in the corner PICTURES: Getty Images Close call: Warriors wing Josh Adams...

Fearns: French lead in welfare

By NEALE HARVEY Going top: Ahsee Tuala breaks away to score Northampton’s fourth try against Quins PICTURE: Getty Images CARL Fearns...

Sinckler’s ‘gouge’ row could cost England slot

By NEALE HARVEY HOT-HEAD Harlequins prop Kyle Sinckler faces an anxious wait to see if he will be available for England’s...

Medical Director’s blog – Concussion: back to basics

By Dr Sam Barke It’s the start of the new school year and the beginning of a new season of winter...

Young Gun: Rhys Carre – Cardiff Blues loosehead

Rhys Carre already has the size and power to play senior rugby but he is fully aware his technique has to...

Room 101: Petrus du Plessis – London Irish prop

1. Over-zealous beach sellers You get four weeks off at summer to go away for a nice relaxing holiday with the...

Guscott column: Marcus Smith has all the attributes to become top class

By Jeremy Guscott We shouldn’t be surprised any more when a young player such as Marcus Smith is introduced into the...

‘Me and Danny are two thorns either side of two roses in Quins backline,’ says Jamie Roberts

By Neale Harvey Old stager Jamie Roberts reckons playing alongside “bossy” young pretenders Marcus Smith and Joe Marchant has helped revitalise...

TEAM: Cheika hands starting debuts to young trio for Springboks clash

By Adam Ellis Australia head coach Michael Cheika has backed flanker Jack Dempsey to pack a punch in the Wallabies back...

20 Questions: Freddie Gabbitass – Richmond fly-half

What do you make of you first two games? For whatever reason we didn’t turn up against Bedford in the first...

The former Quin helping Rio Ferdinand get in shape for his boxing bout

By Neale Harvey Mel Deane used to pack one hell of a punch in the Harlequins midfield and now he is...

Memorial unveiled by unions to honour rugby’s fallen WWI heroes

By Brendan Gallagher Exactly 100 years ago the War to end all Wars was raging at its fiercest at the Battle...

O’Brien’s view on Lions coaching mishaps is wrong but he’s entitled to voice his opinion

By Nick Cain Sean O’Brien is one of the fiercest competitors in the game, yet his view that the 2017 Lions...

Jackson column: From Celtic League to Bloemfontein, Ospreys are winging it

By Peter Jackson When the fledgling Ospreys first took flight in the Celtic League, they had no idea that it would...

England cap record holder Jason Leonard challenges Eddie to continue unbeaten run

By Neale Harvey Jason Leonard has challenged England to prove their World Cup credentials by creating Six Nations history, beating New...

My Life in Rugby: Neil Mason – former Moseley and Worcester flanker

As a competitive back-row forward, there is always going to be a thin line between being on the right or wrong...

‘I can’t wait to get playing alongside Faf’, says James O’Connor

By Adam Ellis Summer arrival James O’Connor feels he and scrum-half partner Faf de Klerk can add bite to the attack...

RWC2023: Heart says Ireland but head screams France

By Brendan Gallagher Ireland, South Africa or France? Which country will host the 2023 World Cup? Yesterday in London all three...

Noise at Franklin Gardens hits the right notes for Rob Horne

By Neale Harvey Rob Horne says it took something special to turn his back on Australia for a new life in...

‘I want Edinburgh to be refereed fairly’, says frustrated Cockerill

By Adam Ellis Richard Cockerill bemoaned the officiating in his side’s 28-8 defeat to Scarlets at Parc y Scarlets, but did...

Dream Team: Soane Tonga’uhia – Bristol prop

1. Craig Dowd – He was the Auckland and All Blacks loosehead when I was growing up and I was lucky...

McCall left short of back row men

BILLY Vunipola’s knee injury will leave Saracens short in the No.8 department according to director of rugby Mark McCall with other...

Billy is off again and doubtful for autumn Test series

By NICK CAIN BILLY Vunipola’s participation in the autumn series appears to be in serious jeopardy with the England No.8 hobbling...

Kingston: Was that no-arms tackle?

QUINS director of rugby John Kingston was riled by the Telusa Veainu tackle that left Marland Yarde sprawling: “There were a...

Quins’ fans cry foul as Yarde takes a late hit

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Cooking on gas: Leicester’s Greg Bateman gets away from a tackle by Mike Brown to score PICTURES: Getty...

Marcus has all the attributes to be a world class general

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE…EVERY WEEK In the spotlight: Harlequins new young star Marcus Smith PICTURE: Getty Images We shouldn’t be...

DREAMTEAM

JOE LATTA, THE BRISTOL AND FORMER GLOUCESTER AND HIGHLANDERS SECOND ROW, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST…...

Haskell-Marler spat shows refs need help

COLIN BOAG Round three of the Premiership saw a couple of less than satisfactory performances from the officials. The one that’s...

Relax Johan, it will work out in the end

AS an Exeter Chiefs supporter I suggest new Gloucester head coach Johan Ackerman keeps his trap shut about refereeing and realises...

Why did refs allow laws to be ignored?

REGARDING Wayne Barnes’ comment last week: “Most of the Premiership clubs are now hooking and everyone in the England set-up is...

PRO12 should join an expanded two tier Premiership

I FOUND last weekend one of the saddest days for professional rugby in many years. It was sad to see the...

Focus more effort at home, not USA

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk LAST Saturday, the third...

Socino living the dream with big bro at Falcons

By JON NEWCOMBE SANTI Socino admits it is a dream come true to follow in the footsteps of his brother, Juan...

England proposal rejected

THERFU’s proposal to condense the Six Nations Championship into a sixweek schedule from 2020 has been rejected by the other five...

New licence giving Walker space to grow with Quins

By JON NEWCOMBE HARLEQUINS’ pocketrocket Charlie Walker is enjoying cutting opponents down to size as he enjoys a fine start to...

Nick gives Clermont something to cheer

FRENCH COLUMN DAVID BARNES They were grateful round Clermont way for the Nick Abendanon try that helped give them a 23-21...

Unbeaten duo set to face off in an epic battle

SWALEC Division One round-up By JOE REES ITpromises to be the game of the season in Division 1 East next weekend...

Ace Mat lands 18 points as Pool hit half ton

SWALEC Championship round-up MATTHEW Jones scored18 points as reigning champions Pontypool made it four wins in a row with a 55-24...

Ironmen end barren run in style to edge thriller

By JAMES CANDY Methyr …43 Newport…33 MERTHYR bounced back from three straight defeats to come out on top against Newport in...