Saracens fear explosion in wages could wreck team

Saracens coach Alex Sanderson fears the club may struggle to retain their galaxy of England and Lions stars, with the likes...

Watch: INSANE Danny Care trick-shot during Harlequins training camp

Danny Care has been sharing trick shot from the Harlequins training camp for the past three days but he has taken...

Dream Team: Rory Pitman – Jersey No.8

1. Phil John – A Scarlet legend who’s been very reliable over the years. He started playing in 1999 and must...

Molloy takes charge after Ireland hit by Briggs withdrawal

New skipper: Claire Molloy Ireland CLAIRE Molloy will have the honour of leading Ireland at their home World Cup following the...

These professional Red Roses are red hot favourites to defend title

CATHERINE SPENCER Ordinary people: England lift trophy in 2014 In 2008 we played France away in the Six Nations and recorded...

Confidence is booming after beating world’s best

By NICK VERDIER ENGLAND will be the team with a target on their back following their successful tour of New Zealand,...

Underdogs Wales to unleash teenage sensation George

Wales WALES face a huge battle to get out of their pool but head coach Rowland Phillips is desperate to put...

Freddie’s coming home with a game to boost Bath

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE…EVERY WEEK FREDDIE Burns has arrived at Bath as an experienced 10 who has made big improvements...

DREAM TEAM

ARTHUR ELLIS, THE EALING & FORMER OSPREYS AND WASPS OPENSIDE, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST… 1....

New-fangled PRO 14 is disaster waiting to happen

COLIN BOAG There is no shortage of top-class rugby players, but my goodness the game seems to be very light on...

Extra little gem to celebrate Mobbs

I HAVE just read and enjoyed Brendan Gallagher’s article on Edgar Mobbs. Brendan did not mention the long-held belief that Edgar...

Old front row club agree, give us back our straight put-ins

A LOT of fans – and especially old frontrowers – are getting increasingly turned off by the time-wasting of scrums. But...

Money on O’Connor to recapture his best

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO: The Rugby Paper, Tuition House, St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU email: newsdesk@therugbypaper.co.uk I READ with interest...

England call has given me a new perspective – Buchanan

HARLEQUINS hooker Rob Buchanan reckons his career is ready to peak in the wake of last season’s shock England call-up. Buchanan,...

Williams working hard to put heat on No.9 rivals

TOMOS Williams says he is ready to add more strings to his scrum-half bow as he hopes to make a big...

Robson on track to go distance with Wasps

By NEALE HARVEY WASPS scrum-half Dan Robson says he will push the boundaries of endurance in an effort to overcome last...

Academy players granted greater freedom

PREMIERSHIP clubs will have more opportunity to give their youngsters game time next season with the RFU changing the registration rules...

Ashton try eases pain of Toulon dilemma

DAVID BARNES FRENCH COLUMN Former England and Saracens winger Chris Ashton has scored his first try in the colours of his...

Hooper honoured to be Wallaby skipper

MICHAEL Hooper has been named as the new Australia captain, taking over from hooker Stephen Moore. Flanker Hooper has won 68...

Bradley returns to club game in Italy

FORMER Ireland scrum-half Michael Bradley has been named head coach of Italian PRO14 side Zebre. Former Italy players Carlo Orlandi and...

Ex-Tiger Mauger takes top job at Highlanders

FORMER Leicester boss Aaron Mauger has been hired as head coach of the Highlanders on a three-year deal. Mauger will replace...

Shock to be axed after All Blacks win

MY LIFEIN RUGBY JAN WEBSTER THE FORMER ENGLAND, MOSELEY, STAFFORDSHIRE & BARBARIANS SCRUM-HALF After all these years, I’d like to put...

20 QUESTIONS

MATT PROTHEROE BRISTOL FULL-BACK How’s the move to Bristol going? Really well thanks. I’m getting used to everything around the club...

Flood backed to reclaim his England jersey

NEWCASTLEcoach Micky Ward reckons fly-half Toby Flood can stamp his class on this season’s Premiership and fire his way back into...

Lozowski fine-tuning basics for England bid

By NEALE HARVEY ALEX Lozowksi has declared himself ready to rise to the challenge of retaining his hard-won England place after...

I’m puzzled why women’s game needs a World Cup

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME With the women’s World Cup starting this week, hope is the excitement...

Women’s Premiership fixtures

Round 1 - September 16/17 Loughborough Lightning v Worcester Valkyries Firwood Waterloo Ladies v Saracens Women Wasps Ladies v Harlequins Ladies...

Melville: Premier league will support growth at elite level

THE new Women’s Premiership competition is taking shape with the announcement of the fixtures list as well as the title sponsor...

Pitman out to prove how good he can be

By NICK VERDIER RORY Pitman is loving his new life in Jersey but the big Welsh No.8 has revealed he needed...

Rupert will bring harder edge to Hartpury – Evans

DAN MURPHYreckons the recruitment of former Gloucester prop colleague Rupert Harden will give Hartpury a vital forward edge in this season’s...

Dusty to leave Franklin’s Gardens

DUSTY Hare will be leaving Northampton Saints at the end of September. Hare, 64, has been at Franklin’s Gardens since January...

2017-18 pre-season fixtures

It is advisable to check matches and kick-off times with the clubs Thursday August 10 USA Islanders vs Saracens Friday August...

Reason was vital in alphabet final

WHEREARE THEYNOW? BRISTOL 1983 JOHN PLAYER CUP WINNERS By NEIL FISSLER VICTORY at Twickenham in May 1983 still rates as one...

‘Anorak’ Henson set for Dragons debut

NEWS EXTRA By ALEX BYWATER GAVIN Henson is set to make his Newport Gwent Dragons debut against Montpellier on Friday. New...

ROOM 101

THE RICHMOND HOOKER TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND ROSS GRIMSTONE 1. Slow golfers I...

Guernsey defences destroyed by Knights firepower

Guernsey…0 Doncaster…95 By KATIE DAUNT DONCASTER KNIGHTS showed their Championship class as they treated the Guernsey crowd to a 15-try display...

Winter’s content after watching young guns put Lions to the sword

By SAM JACKSON L Lions …19 Coventry …48 COVENTRY began their promotion-chasing season with convincing friendly win on the road at...

Walker try puts Quins on road to victory

By STUART RILEY HARLEQUINS left it late but two tries in the last ten minutes made sure they began their pre-season...

Ystalyfera …17 Neath…38

By SAM DAVIES NEATH hit Ystalyfera for six in an entertaining warm-up match at the Ynysydaren Ground. Outside centre Richard Smith...

Islanders unable to stem French tide

By TOM INNES Vannes …………38 Jersey Reds.14 JERSEY Reds headed to Britanny for their first match in the professional era against...

Aberavon …84 Aberavon Past…41

By MATT PORTER IT was tries galore at the Talbot Athletic Ground in a clash between the past and present of...

Tata Steel…5 Ebbw Vale …26

By ED JONHSON CENTRE James Lewis was at the double as former Principality Premiership champions Ebbw Vale opened their pre-season campaign...

All time Wasps XV?

Legends: Fraser Waters and Trevor LeotaTin hat time but here goes anyway.My criteria is threefold.Players will be considered purelyon their contribution...

Hardmen have powered Wasps through 150 years of battle

BRENDANGALLAGHER plotsthe rise of Waspsfrom Hampsteadto Coventry over150 years WASPS’ 150thanniversaryseason isn’tfive minutesold and alreadythey have onetrophy in theCabinet having retained...

Read leads Kiwi charge to restore the world order

BRENDAN GALLAGHER VERDICT Although it might be a slight exaggeration to claim that the Crusaders’ Super Rugby triumph at Ellis Park...

Crusaders deny dream ending for Ackermann

By NICK VERDIER Lions …………………17pts Tries: Marx 64, Fourie 73 Conversions: Janjtjies 65, 73 Penalty: Janjtjies 27 Crusaders…………25pts Tries: Tamanivalu 8,...

Halfpenny will help us to emulate Leinster – Parkes

NEWS EXTRA By ALEX BYWATER SCARLETS Kiwi centre Hadleigh Parkes is loving life in Wales and has set his sights on...

World Rugby may fast-track Pacific franchise says Ryan

By NEALE HARVEY WORLD rugby could be revolutionised by the introduction of a Super Rugby franchise in the Pacific islands as...

Scarlets can get Leigh back to attacking best

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND NOW the Guinness PRO14 is all sorted, I’m looking forward to the campaign ahead because...

Eddie pushing to find limits of human fitness

NICK CAIN GETS EDDIE JONES’ VERDICT OF THE SUMMER ACTION EDDIE Jones started the new season by announcing he intends to...