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Baa-baas calls up top Kiwi to help beat the All Blacks

THE Barbarians have hired a champion New Zealander with the best inside track on the All Blacks for their crack at...

Overseas stint may help as Eddie’s successor is sought

By NEALE HARVEY RFU director of professional rugby Nigel Melville has revealed that the search to find a successor to England...

WORCESTER

Director of Rugby: Gary Gold Captain: Donncha O’Callaghan Ground: Sixways Stadium Capacity: 11,499 There is a reluctance to write off a...

O’Connor aims to be great again

Brendan Gallagher looks at James O’Connor’s challenge Stade Felix Mayol or the AJ Bell Stadium? The dazzling Med or misty Manchester?...

WASPS

Director of Rugby: Dai Young Captain: Joe Launchbury Ground: Ricoh Arena Capacity: 32,600 Regular crowds of up to 25,000 at the...

SARACENS

Director of Rugby: Mark McCall Captain: Brad Barritt Ground: Allianz Park Capacity: 10,000 The reigning European Champions want a hat-trick of...

SALE SHARKS

Director of Rugby: Steve Diamond Captain: Will Addison Ground: AJ Bell Stadium Capacity: 12,000 Sale have strength-indepth after making some choice...

NORTHAMPTON

Director of Rugby: Jim Mallinder Captain: Dylan Hartley Ground: Franklin’s Gardens Capacity: 15,500 Saints rugby director Jim Mallinder will be hoping...

Saints counting on their No.8s

NEALE HARVEY talks to Saints about the loss of Picamoles Northampton coach Phil Dowson has challenged his No.8s Teimana Harrison and...

NEWCASTLE

Head Coach: Dean Richards Captain: Will Welch Ground: Kingston Park Capacity: 10,200 Newcastle were the surprise package of the last campaign,...

LONDON IRISH

Director of Rugby: Nick Kennedy Captain: TBA Ground: Madejsk Stadium Capacity: 24,200 Brendan Venter’s coaching record is a warning that promoted...

LEICESTER

Director of Rugby: Matt O’Connor Captain: Tom Youngs Ground: Welford Road Capacity: 25,800 Leicester have assembled one of the most potent...

HARLEQUINS

Under John Kingston there’s been tilting of the tactical axis at the Stoop, with more emphasis on the systematic and less...

GLOUCESTER

Director of Rugby: David Humphreys Captain: Willi Heinz Ground: Kingsholm Capacity: 16,500 The arrival of tightheads Fraser Balmain and Gareth Denman...

EXETER

Director of Rugby: Rob Baxter Captain: Jack Yeandle Ground: Sandy Park Capacity: 12,600 Having won the crown for the first time...

Cheekie chappie Jack set to learn

NEALE HARVEY looks at the tussle for the No.9 spot at Exeter Chiefs Big future: Jack Maunder clears the ball for...

BATH

Head Coach: Todd Blackadder Captain: Matt Garvey Ground: Recreation Ground Capacity: 14,500 Bath are the Premiership’s great pretenders, having not won...

‘Pinetree’ got his strength by cutting down trees

Brendan Gallagher remembers the great Sir Colin Meads who died last weekend at 81 THE iconic image of Colin Meads is...

Humberstone puts the boot in

Doncaster …35 Newcastle …26 DONCASTER ended preseason on a winning note, beating a youthful but competitive Newcastle Falcons side. On what...

Harries’ first try downs Falcons

By GARY HEATLY Edinburgh …14 Newcastle …10 EDINBURGH posted a victory in their final preseason friendly before the PRO14 season begins,...

Wedlake injury overshadows Plymouth pluck

By MARTIN WOOLLATT Pirates …22 Plymouth …14 ALTHIOUGH it was a pre-season friendly, this first cross-Tamar derby since March 2015 brought...

We’re ready now says Kennedy as Irish run riot over brave Richmond

By NEALE HARVEY LONDON Irish supremo Nick Kennedy declared his promoted side ready for Premiership duty after a convincing victory over...

Cruse launches Wasps’ comeback

By JOE REES Wasps…40 Connacht …22 WASPS completed their pre-season with a victory over Connacht, but it took a rousing comeback...

Even Luatua can’t save Lam’s return

By JOHN FALLON Connacht …24 Bristol …14 STEVEN Luatua made his Bristol debut, but not even the presence of the All...

Bedford strength tells but Club show their spirit

By GRAHAM COX Blackheath …21 Bedford…38 THE pace and physicality of the Championship side succeeded in the end as Bedford scored...

Red Roses shaded in World Cup final thriller

By SAM JACKSON Jubilation: New Zealand leap for joy after beating England in the World Cup final PICTURE: Getty Images ENGLAND...

Hold Manu back until 2018 says top Tiger

By NEALE HARVEY Plea: Telusa Veainu ENGLAND supremo Eddie Jones should resist selecting Manu Tuilagi until the 2018 Six Nations and...

Young Gun: Ben Jones – Wales U20s fly-half

Ben Jones is after game time in his first season at senior level and with three sides to play for he...

Room 101: Colin Quigley – Doncaster prop

1. Pre-season It’s become a bit of an in-joke that I try and get an operation booked in during the summer...

Neck injury forces Will Fraser to retire

Will Fraser has announced his retirement from professional rugby after failing to recover from a neck injury. The Saracens openside has...

20 Questions: Arthur Ellis – Ealing Trailfinders openside

How has pre-season been going? Everyone is pretty excited to get started and play some games now after a lot of...

Champions Cup draw announced

Saracens will begin their defence of the European Champions Cup at Northampton Saints on 15 October 15. Sarries, who beat Clermont...

EXCLUSIVE: Benefactor set to offer Red Roses contracts

Investor Simon Pennock flew to Belfast yesterday to present the England Women squad with an ambitious new venture to give them...

England beat France to reach Women’s World Cup final

England overcame France 20-3 in Belfast yesterday to set up a Women’s Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand on Saturday....

My Life in Rugby: Gavin Cattle – Cornish Pirates legend

I always thought of myself as more of a game manager rather than a game changer, feeding off the good work...

Joe Launchbury to continue as Wasps captain

England lock Joe Launchbury will continue as Wasps‘ captain for the 2017/18 season, having led the side to the Premiership Final...

Anthony Perenise re-joins Bath

Anthony Perenise will turn out for Bath this season after agreeing to re-join the club three years after leaving for Bristol....

American international signs for London Scottish

London Scottish have added international quality to their front-row after completing the signing of American tighthead Dino Waldren. Waldren has earned...

Hartley to Manu and Solomona – Follow code of conduct or pay the price!

England and Northampton captain Dylan Hartley tells NEALE HARVEY why Saints are targeting the Premiership play-offs and how he will never...

Five reasons why the Rugby Super League is worth betting on

While betting has seeped into almost every sport such as football and horse racing, rugby is still considered to be relatively...

Christian Lealiifano signs for Ulster

Australian international fly-half Christian Lealiifano has agreed to join Ulster on a five-month deal. Lealiifano’s contract will run until 22nd January...

Dream Team: Ryan Bevington – Bristol and former Ospreys prop

1. Ryan Bevington – I’d love to play in the team I’m about to pick so I’d have to select myself...

Tyro flier Radwan states case for Falcons

By JOE JONES Newcastle …59 Rotherham…14 NEWCASTLE continued their unbeaten pre-season run at Kingston Park yesterday going through the gears against...

Protheroe stars in first half before Scarlets bring on the heavy mob

By STEFFAN THOMAS Bristol…26 Scarlets …33 SCARLETS scored 21 unanswered points to inflict a second preseason defeat on Bristol. Wayne Pivac’s...

Exeter class tells in the end as Pirates battle on

Exeter …47 C Pirates…15 AN OMINOUS opening of two scrum batterings led to Carl Rimmer crashing over in just the third...

Randall runs rings around Rosslyn Park

By TOM LYONS Hartpury …66 Rosslyn Park …12 HARTPURY College were back at their attacking best yesterday scoring ten tries on...

Champagne rugby from Exeter’s forgotton centre Campagnaro

By ROGER PANTING Red hot: Exeter centre Michele Campagnao. Right: Sarel Pretorious scores for Dragons PICTURE: Pinnacle TEAMS EXETER: Bodilly, Woodburn...

Star-studded Irish ready for step up

By ROB STEEL London Irish …29 Ealing …6 LONDON Irish got a big morale booster two weeks from the start of...

Big task ahead for Ackermann

By NEIL FLEMING Leinster …50 Gloucester …14 IT might have been only a pre-season game but Johan Ackermann saw what he...