England call caps stellar six months for injury-stricken Warrior Spencer

ENGLAND new boy Will Spencer has revealed how close he came to quitting rugby before battling back from a trio of...

Blues bolter out to prove his versatility in Argentina

By NEALE HARVEY GOBSMACKED Auckland Blues fly-half Piers Francis has revealed how he thought a 5am phone call from Eddie Jones...

Tough pool perfect for knockout preparation says Eddie

ENGLAND coach Eddie Jones has given his players two years to become ‘bullet-proof like James Bond’ after his side were pitched...

Wallabies will be force again come 2019 warns Smith

Robust: Michael Cheika By NEALE HARVEY WRITING off Australia’s World Cup chances on the back of an abysmal Super Rugby campaign...

Stade sale begins as club await new owner

Stade Francais turned the winning of the first European trophy in their history into a farewell party for some of their...

Top gong to Piutau

ULSTER’S Charles Piutau was named players’ player of the season in the PRO12. Leinster’s Joey Carbery was named young player of...

Keys hold the edge but face tricky test at Neath

By ROB COLE PREVIEW... Neath v Cross Keys Today. Kick-off 2.30pm, The Gnoll IT IS 2-1 to Cross Keys against Neath...

Prosser’s late show sees Black & Ambers snatch the win

By JAMES LLOYD A LAST-DITCHMatt Prosser try saw Newport dramatically book their place in the Premiership Tier Two final with a...

Familiar foes ready to battle with higher stakes

By ROB COLE PREVIEW... Aberavon v Bedwas Today. Kick-off 3.30pm, Talbot Athletic Ground THEY met at the Talbot Athletic Ground last...

Ironmen finally break RGC curse to maintain their title tilt

Merthyr ..........35 RGC 1404 ..........7 By ROB COLE IT WAS fourth time lucky for Merthyr as they finally beat RGC 1404...

Village heading for the Champ in style

SWALEC Division One round-up By JAMES LLOYD RHYDYFELIN booked their place in the National Championship for next season after they spectacularly...

MY LIFEIN RUGBY

SIMON BINNS THE FORMER LEICESTER, ROTHERHAM, LONDON SCOTTISH AND OTLEY FLY-HALF Iexperienced some memorable wins as a player – beating Bath...

Flood back to Falcons after nine-year hiatus

By NICK VERDIER TOBY Flood will be returning to Newcastle this summer after Toulouse agreed to release him from his contract...

Let’s help Paul in his greatest battle

PAUL ACKFORD played alongside Paul Curtis in the Harlequins side that won the 1988 John Player Cup final. Here the England...

Crossword

ACROSS 1. Romania’s 1999 World Cup scrum-half who also captained the Oaks (4) 3. Montpellier’s Syrian billionaire chairman eyeing Gloucester investment...

Gopperth wins players’ player

WASPS Jimmy Gopperth was named RPA’s Player of the Year, while Dan Carter was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Gopperth...

Moseley go for Cross

SIMON Cross is the new head coach at Moseley, replacing Kevin Maggs. Cross will combine the role with his job as...

WRU take control over Dragons

NEWPORT RFC shareholders overwhelmingly voted in favour of a Welsh Rugby Union takeover of Newport Gwent Dragons. 81.09 per cent voted...

England stay on course for silver

Paris By NICK VERDIER ENGLAND finished Day One unbeaten in Paris to set up a quarter- final clash against the USA...

Player of the year’s eyes fixed on 2020

AWARD-WINNING England 7s star Richard de Carpentier has set his heart on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after missing out on medal...

Essex given a big scare after the interval

Division Three Round-up By CHRIS HUGHES ESSEX moved top of the Pool One table in Division Three as they held off...

Banks impresses in Herts demolition

By TONY FIELDING Hertfordshire 46 Gloucs ..............19 HERTFORDSHIRE overpowered Gloucestershire as they ran out comfortbale winners at Hertford. Sam Barnes grabbed...

Tom Terrific helps Kent edge thriller

Surrey ..............17 Kent ..................18 By GRAHAM COX AN ENTHRALLING finale to a tight match saw Kent overturn a ninepoint lead to...

Epic finale beckons as Cornwall cruise

Devon ............11 Cornwall........56 By NIGEL WALROND CORNWALL set up a winners- takes-all showdown with Hertfordshire next Saturday as they ruthlessly swept...

Crowe soaring high to help Cheshire bounce

Cheshire ..............32pts East Midlands ..24pts By JAMIE RUSSELL Speedy service: Alistair Baker gets the Cheshire back line moving. Right: Joe Daniel...

Pete at the treble to Swat Yorkshire

Northum’land 22 Yorkshire........34 By BEN PICKIN PETE Swatkins scored a second half hat-trick to inspire Yorkshire to a tight victory over...

Lancs find their form to triumph

Eastern Coun..15 Lancashire ....38 By STEVE JACKSON DESPITE a solid firsthalf display, Eastern Counties were ground down and eventually overwhelmed by...

Thrilling draws are the order of the day

Division Two Round-up By CHARLIE PARKER THERE were shared spoils aplenty in Divsion Two of the Bill Beaumont Cup as Warwickshire...

Sinckler tipped to be ‘surprise’ package

By THOMAS BRANSTON JASONLeonard admits he was ‘surprised’ by Warren Gatland’s selection of rookie Harlequins tighthead Kyle Sinckler as there are...

All Blacks will need big guns firing – Franks

By NEALE HARVEY DOUBLE World Cupwinning Kiwi prop Ben Franks reckons the array of “worldclass” talent within the Lions ranks, led...

YOUNG GUNS

BARNARD CASTLE NO.8 JOSH GRAY Josh Gray was just 12 when his brother Alex led England U20s to the Junior World...

Mo’unga’s boot keeps Crusaders riding high

By LUKE JARMYN RICHIE MO’UNGA’S penalty against the run of play with just minutes to spare saw the Crusaders sink the...

Bell ready for battle with friendly foe Joe

HOT shotsTommy Bell and Joe Ford used to battle it out in training but there will be much more at stake...

Pressure on Ford to keep Carnegie moving

By JON NEWCOMBE JOE FORD admits that it will take a huge effort from Yorkshire Carnegie to beat London Irish and...

20 QUESTIONS

EALING CENTRE JOE MUNRO How do you look back at the semi-finals against Yorkshire Carnegie? We self-imploded for 20 minutes in...

England will be firing the killer shots in pool of death

A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME JEFF PROBYN Like all rugby fans, I was looking forward to this week’s draw...

Old Elthamians targeting top-flight says boss Lach

By NEALE HARVEY OLD Elthamians have set their sights on capturing the hearts and minds of rugby fans in Kent after...

Mercer: I’ll prove why I should be in Argentina

By NEALE HARVEY TEENAGE back row sensation Zach Mercer aims to show Eddie Jones why he should have been on the...

Wales lads get in gear for Scottish warm up

By SAM JACKSON OSPREYS flanker Will Jones will captain Wales U20 for the World Rugby championship in Georgia, which pits them...

Steenson hoping for some Clermont pointers

By NICK VERDIER EXETER find Saracens on their path to Premiership glory once more but talisman Gareth Steenson reckons they could...

Rhodes now relishing life as colossus of Saracens

NICK VERDIER meets the black sheep who’s turned into a starring wolf for Saracens It can be a daunting prospect for...

Kitchener confident Tigers can spring a surprise

Defiant: Leicester lock Graham Kitchener GRAHAM Kitchener reckons Leicester’s durability in adversity will enable them to ruin Wasps’ party and reach...

Gopperth: Ending drought will prove selectors wrong

By NEALE HARVEY WASPS will head into the play-offs fuelled by a burning sense of injustice over their international exclusions, according...

Leicester Tigers – 4th

STORY OF THE SEASON: How long have you got? Horrendous injuries not least the ongoing Manu Tulagi situation and the eventual...

Saracens – 3rd

STORY OF THE SEASON: Hugely impressive when at full strength and then hanging tough when short handed. Saracens know they are...

Exeter Chiefs – 2nd

STORY OF THE SEASON: The Chiefs endured a rocky start with just two wins in their first seven Premiership games including...

Wasps – 1st

STORY OF THE SEASON: Can be summed up in one word: Attack. Wasps have gone for broke from the off and...

Chiefs to beat Saracens but Wasps for title

Brendan Gallagher sets the scene for next week’s Premiership semi-finals …and picks his winners THERE’s no guarantee a cracking regular season...

History is on the side of Irish in PRO12

FOUR of the seven PRO12 Grand Finals have been all-Irish affairs, most recently Connacht- Leinster at Murrayfield last year. Nobody will...

Champions Cup play-off farce is poor advert for organizers

WHENthe clubs wrestled control of their major European competition from the Unions they did so on the basis that they would...