Yes, time has come to ring-fence Premiership

COLIN BOAG Facts of life: Rob Baxter speaks sense about the state of the game The Championship play-offs illustrated perfectly why...

England deserved even more Lions

AFTER every Lions selection there are complaints that some countries have been under represented. However if you take fair representation as...

Time to rethink the B&I Cup fiasco and offer real incentive

WITH the Championship stumbling from one crisis to another, due to lack of sufficient central funding, there is another aspect of...

Part-time would be end of promotion

IN TRP last Sunday, Jon Newcombe quoted Richmond director of rugby Steve Hill as suggesting more Championship clubs will choose the...

No lazy Sunday afternoon for lineout analyst Kruis

By ADAM HATHAWAY GEORGE Kruis will be skipping domestic duties today as he masterminds Saracens bid for European glory against Clermont...

Woodburn refusing to give up on England dream

IN-FORMExeter wing Olly Woodburn reckons being snubbed by England has only fuelled his ambition to nail down a Premiership winner’s medal....

Burns determined to ignore snub and leave Tigers with winning roar

By NEALE HARVEY Title in his sights: Freddie Burns wants to exit with a Premiership success PICTURE: Getty Images Coach: Matt...

Forthcoming fixtures

Weekend beginning Friday, May 12, 2017 It is advisable to check matches and kick-off times with the clubs FRIDAY, MAY 12...

Naholo try clinches stunning fightback

By NICK VERDIER NEW ZEALAND teams just do not know when they are beaten as the Highlanders demonstrated with a sensational...

Cockerill helps steer Toulon to play-offs

STOP-GAP Toulon boss Richard Cockerill last night delivered another powerful blow in his bid to make a stunning impression on the...

Parisse is preparing for famous farewell

DAVID BARNES FRENCH COLUMN Stade Francais are preparing for their Challenge Cup showdown with Gloucester this week with, at first sight,...

YOUNG GUNS

SAM GRAHAMSLAW LEICESTER PROP Switching from the back row to prop is no easy feat fresh out of school, but Sam...

Confident Ospreys unfazed by trip to Ireland

By ALEX BYWATER JAMES King says the Ospreys can travel to Ireland with confidence as they prepare for a tilt at...

Positive thinking is crucial now says Jackson

By NICK VERDIER DRAGONS back rower Ed Jackson is determined to keep positive after seeing a huge breakthrough following his broken...

Howley pitch perfect as Neath take their chances

Neath……………21 Bridgend………10 By JAMES LLOYD NEATH secured a home semi-final in the Tier Two play-offs after taking victory in their winner-takes-all...

Thomas signs off in style as Cardiff clear the basement

Bargoed………26 Cardiff RFC…35 By JOE THOMAS CARDIFF lifted themselves away from the foot of Principality Premiership’s second tier with a bonuspoint...

RGC grab the Loots to book Merthyr showdown

Pontypridd…18 RGC 1404………37 By ROB COLE TIAAN LOOTS raced 75 metres to score the vital try that guided RGC 404 to...

Drovers claim local pride with quickfire bonus-point win

Llandovery…33 Carmarthen Q 19 By LIAM MATTHEWS THERE was little other than local pride riding on this Tier 1 match and...

Gunter key as Steelmen dethrone champions

Ebbw Vale……26 Merthyr………35 By TREFOR WILLIAMS EBBW VALE’S reign as Principality Premiership champions is over and their mantle could yet pass...

Garland’s just Wizard to ensure home semi-final date

Aberavon………28 Bedwas…………9 By TIM LEWIS ABERAVON guaranteed themselves a home semifinal in their bid for the title with a 28-9 victory...

Jones hat-trick clinches title for Pwllheli

SWALEC Division One round-up By JAMES LLOYD PWLLHELI pipped Nant Conwy to the North title with a resounding 71-0 shutout triumph...

Young so lucky he has time to get Wasps buzzing again

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME Okay, I’ll admit it, even though I am a former Wasps player...

France to play Test in United Arab Emirates

BERNARD Laporte suggested France could play Test matches in the coming two seasons in the United Arab Emirates. The French Federation...

Wasps bid farewell to Festuccia, 36

WASPS’ Italian hooker Carlo Festuccia, 36, is to retire after a 19-year professional rugby career which included two stints with the...

Hynard back to head Saracens academy

MIKE Hynard is to rejoin Saracens to take over from Don Barrell as academy manager. Premiership Rugby head of academies and...

Munster hit Pro12 Dream Team for six

MUNSTER saw six of their players being selected in the Pro12 Dream Team for 2016/17 which includes only two Lions tourists...

Chief Thomas to go from player to coach

EXETER’S long-standing scrum-half Haydn Thomas confirmed he will be retiring from playing at the end of the season to take up...

Halfpenny free to join Lions from off

LEIGH Halfpenny will be available for the start of the British and Irish Lions tour even if Toulon reach the Top14...

MY LIFEIN RUGBY

PETER SCRIVENER THE FORMER WASPS NO.8 In the early days of professionalism, I was officially the highest paid player in the...

Irish hold most aces, but there were plenty of kings in the pack and backs

by Nick Verdier London Irish were head and shoulders above any other side during the regular season but many individuals have...

20 QUESTIONS

WILL OWEN ROTHERHAM CENTRE How do you look back at the season two weeks on? It wasn’t great and very frustrating....

Essex turn on power for a high five

Division Three Round-up By WILL REILLY ESSEX produced a fine display as they powered past Notts, Lincs & Derbys 37-8 in...

No beating Herts despite man down

By GRAHAM COX Kent 12 Hertfordshire 19 HERTFORDSHIRE survived nearly an hour playing with 14 men to open their campaign with...

Four-star Goatley on fire for Gloucs

By TONY FIELDING Gloucs 55 Devon 12 CINDERFORD’S Sam Goatley scored four tries as Gloucestershire scored 35 unanswered secondhalf points to...

Power lines give Yorkshire an early surge

By ANDREW SMITH Yorkshire 26 Cheshire 17 YORKSHIRE made an inspired start to their County Championship campaign with a deserved three-try...

Cornwall get in groove with a late rush of tries

By LUKE JARMYN Surrey 14pts Cornwall 34pts Over he goes: Barry- John Chapman opens the scoring for Cornwall PICTURES: David Whittam...

Maul to play for as Lancs hold on

By GALILEO SUTHERLAND Lancashire 48 N’humberland 26 LANCASHIRE held off Northumberland in a nervy finish to open their Bill Beaumont Cup...

Lutui’s two spark Midlands revival

By JEREMY TYRRELL E Counties 21 East Mids 24 EAST MIDLANDS came from 21-10 down to earn a narrow victory over...

Durham, Hants go on ruthless rampage

Division Two Round-up By PHIL SMITH DURHAM and Hampshire each racked up 62 points as they began their Bill Beaumont Cup...

Wales set to unleash ‘new JPR’ in summer tour squad

By PETER JACKSON WALES are being urged to take a teenage full-back on tour next month for the first time since...

Beck hoping his recovery can continue with Wales

By ALEX BYWATER Firing again: Ashley Beck OSPREYS centre Ashley Beck is delighted to be back playing rugby after revealing he...

Te’o warns Farrell: I’m aiming to be a starter

By NEALE HARVEY Rival: Robbie Henshaw Learning fast: Ben Te’o PICTURE: Getty Images BEN TE’O has warned fellow British & Lions...

McKinley’s spirit forces IRFU to take the goggles off at last

PLAYERwelfare are the two most overworked words in the rugby lexicon, spouted parrotfashion by those whose organisations make increasing demands. But...

Davies: Don’t vote Brexit, Dragons

SEVERAL hundred members of Newport RFC will squeeze into Rodney Parade on Tuesday night to vote on the WRU’s £3.75m take-over...

MrReliable, but Dan is MrForgotten for Wales

PETER JACKSON There are two reasons why Dan Evans stands out in any crowd of players. He never misses a match...

All change at Blackheath as Shanahan targets top four

By NEALE HARVEY INCOMING Blackheath head coach James Shanahan promises sweeping changes after an abysmal end-of-season run of one win in...

All White on the night as OEs hit the heights

By GEOFF LIGHTFOOT OLD ELTHAMIANS go through to National One next season after beating Sale FC at Heywood Road in the...

Tuitupou: I’ve got the best of both worlds

By JON NEWCOMBE SAM TUITUPOU has revealed he turned down a one-year contract offer from Sale to begin his coaching education...

Denman will bring prop power to Saints

GLOUCESTER have bolstered their front row options with the signature of Gareth Denman who will join in the summer from Northampton...

Spragg calls time to focus on new coaching role at Fylde

By JON NEWCOMBE HAVING experienced the full gamut of emotions as a player, Warren Spragg feels he is well-equipped to take...