Saints strike late to rescue victory in Scotland

By ALEXANDER MCLEMAN Glasgow …19 Northampton…14 TWO tries in the final five minutes clawed back victory for Northampton and spoiled Dave...

Cheika has to sort out his sorry Wallabies – and fast

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE…EVERY WEEK It is not all doom and gloom yet for Australia despite that 54-34 hammering by...

DREAM TEAM

NIC WHITE, THE EXETER CHIEFS AND AUSTRALIA SCRUM–HALF, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST… 1. Scott Sio...

Please, let’s have an end to this phony war

COLIN BOAG It’s the waiting that’s the hardest part. The long summer break with next to no meaningful rugby is drawing...

Give full penalties for crooked feeds

THE rule regarding crooked scrum feeds is very clear: the scrumhalves’ shoulders should be parallel to the scrum, he should stand...

Ackermann era could spell end for Humphreys

IT’S clear the Cherry and Whites are going through an overdue reconstruction: new coach, new players, new DNA. Johan Ackermann is...

European Cup is a mess for the fans

I CAN’T be the only rugby supporter who continues to be frustrated by the ‘much improved’ organisation of the major European...

Blues to get defence tips from Shaun

WALES defence coach Shaun Edwards has joined Cardiff Blues on a consultancy basis. The 50-year-old has already begun working with the...

Slade happy in midfield but No.10 still his aim

By NICK VERDIER HENRY Slade still sees himself as a fly-half but the Exeter star is prepared to keep playing in...

Hook backs Owen to star in Welsh two playmaker system

By ALEX BYWATER JAMES Hook has urged Wales to adopt a twin playmaker system to take them to the next level....

Cipriani not giving up on his England ambitions

By GARY FITZGERALD DANNY CIPRIANI approaches the ripe sporting age of 30 utterly convinced the best years of his troubled rugby...

Resurgent Hibbard is eyeing Test recall

RICHARD Hibbard says he has “fallen in love” with rugby all over again as he seeks to build on his Player...

Abendanon: I could be onway back to England

DAVID BARNES FRENCH COLUMN Nick Abendanon faces a decision on his future next month and has not closed the door on...

Townsend overlooks Scott for Test camp

GLOUCESTER star Matt Scott has been left out of Scotland’s 41-man squad for a two-day training camp in St Andrews this...

Sharples grateful as Hartpury step in

HARTPURY RFC will replace Yorkshire Carnegie as the opponents in Charlie Sharples’ testimonial at Kingsholm on Friday. The Scarlets will also...

Fekitoa hopes Test recall will follow French leave

ALL BLACK centre Malakai Fekitoa says his slip down the Test pecking order prompted his move to Toulon. At 24, he...

Piratical Cully plots to storm Chiefs

HARRISON Cully is bidding to follow in the rapid footsteps of Stuart Townsend and Sam Simmonds by progressing from the bench...

Nev happy with Bordeaux crew

By JON NEWCOMBE FORMER Sale winger Nev Edwards is hoping history will repeat itself as he looks to grab a second...

YOUNG GUNS

TOM DE GLANVILLE ENGLAND U18S & BATH CENTRE Tom de Glanville has one of the most famous rugby names in England...

Confident pack will front up and get us quality ball – Ford

LEICESTER fly-half George Ford is relishing his return to Welford Road and linking up with old mates Ben Youngs and Manu...

Courtney’s itching to go again for England

By NEALE HARVEY RAMPAGING Lions lock Courtney Lawes says he will not give up his England place lightly and insists he...

Sorry Catherine, I wasn’t carping about mismatches

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME Well, I was right. It didn’t take long before some of the...

Redpath miss lets Wales off the hook

England U18 …12 Wales U18 …14 WALES dug in to survive a late England flurry and record their second consecutive win...

England bring up half ton in style

By SAM JACKSON South Africa U19…22 England U18 …52 ENGLANDU18s ended their summer development tour with a fine victory over South...

Grace: Plymouth can make mark in six-way title race

By NEALE HARVEY RETURNING Plymouth back rower Eoghan Grace reckons his side are ready to give big-spending Coventry a run for...

DTH ready to turn up the heat for Falcons

By JON NEWCOMBE NEWCASTLE signing DTH van der Merwe plans to blaze a trail in the Premiership before putting out fires...

Super Sene is as inspiration for Ireland and the Islanders

WITHthe Women’s RWC in full flow, one person who has left her mark is Kiwi-born Samoan, now Irish player, Sene Nauopu....

Alcohol abuse no laughing matter for players in Pacific

DAN LEO EXPERT ANALYST ON PACIFIC NATIONS I’ll admit, it hasn’t been a great month off the field for my fellow...

Bedford toughening up for promotion bid

BEDFORD player-coach Alex Rae reckons adding grit to his side’s traditional running game will ensure Championship favourites Bristol do not have...

Morahan happy Bristol match his ambitions

By NEALE HARVEY FORMER Wallabies star Luke Morahan reckons Bristol’s signing of former All Black Charles Piutau has reinforced his decision...

Portuguese pathfinder Vieira quits Italy for Rotherham

IT’S A brave decision to swap the sunshine of the Portuguese coast for industrial South Yorkshire, but that’s the choice of...

MY LIFEIN RUGBY

CHRISTIAN LOADER FORMER WALES, SWANSEA, PONTYPRIDD, ROTHERHAM AND BATH PROP Believe it or not, I started out as a full-back at...

Yes, it looks like something is really starting to happen for Coetzee’s Springboks

By NICK VERDIER SOUTHAfrica did not have it all their own way like they did against France in the June Test...

Wallabies smashed for six in first half blitzkrieg

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER NEW ZEALAND dismissed Australia from their presence with a remarkable six-try first half burst in Sydney which left...

ROOM 101

PETER SOUTHERN THE TYNEDALE PROP TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND 1. Cry-offs I’ve played...

Southern stars shine in their adopted skies

TWO more recruits from what used to be the British Empire take up residence this week in Scotland’s training squad. Anton...

Bell rings with praise for his indestructable prop mate

OUR story last week on Taufa’ao Filise’s achievement as the first fulltime pro to have his contract renewed at 40 prompted...

Ronaldo’s just lucky it wasn’t on rugby field

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Cristiano Ronaldo may never have heard of Neil Back nor Percy Montgomery but...

You won’t outscrum us warns Du Plessis

NEALE HARVEY finds London Irish’s veteran prop star in defiant mood ahead of the new season NEALE HARVEY Indestructible prop Petrus...

Kings and Cheetahs ‘to turn up the heat in PRO14’

SAREL Pretorius says his former side Toyota Cheetahs will be ready to give their opposition a warm reception in the first...

Captaining my beloved Saints should boost England claim

DYLAN HARTLEY ENGLAND & NORTHAMPTON CAPTAIN Q&A England and Northampton captain Dylan Hartley tells NEALE HARVEY why Saints are targeting the...

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Wales face more woe over Walker

By PETER JACKSON WALES are concerned over the immediate future of the wing they have been trying to pick for the...

Pumas must let players go abroad

I HAVE never understood the rationale behind Argenina’s recent insistence on picking only from home based professionals in their Jaguares Super...

Poublan v Scarrett will thrill

THE list of classy modern centres from France is a long and distinguished one, ranging through Joe Maso, Denis Charvet, Philippe...

Beware, 27 has become a dangerous age for stars

BRENDAN GALLAGHER A DIFFERENT TAKE ON THINGS IF I was a betting man I would wager that Julian Savea –who currently...

Malouf jets in to feed Tigers need for speed

AUSSIE Sevens specialist Nick Malouf has vowed to pose a wing threat to England’s Jonny May as the converted flanker bids...

Matson has total faith in rejuvenated Lion Joseph

By NEALE HARVEY BATH head coach Tabai Matson reckons Jonathan Joseph’s best is yet to come as the gifted outsidecentre looks...

Test stars are back in best shape ever warns Pivac

By ALEX BYWATER Winners: Scarlets celebrate their PRO12 success DEFENDING champions Scarlets have sent out an ominous warning ahead of the...

Jonny on rampage Down Under

BRENDAN GALLAGHER REMEMBERS THE OUTSTANDING ENGLAND SCHOOLS TEAM OF 1997 It’s 20 years ago this month that one of the strongest...