Much activity but who has really prospered?

Matthew Emery runs an eye over the big names joining the Premiership action this season Bath Underhill IN: Sam Underhill (Ospreys),...

Coaching set-up at Exiles can keep them up

LONDON IRISH may be the bookies’ favourites to go down but only a fool would under-estimate their coaching team. I really...

You’ve got to be a big noise now, Demetri!

ANDY GOODE The fly-half merry-goround has been in full swing throughout a frenetic last few months with a host of No.10s...

Ex-goalie Heyes is new prop blueprint

Neale Harvey talks to Peter Walton, the man who has helped shape England’s new batch England U18s forwards guru Peter Walton...

Mulchrone aiming to capitalise on Karl’s retirement

NEWS EXTRA HARLEQUINS scrum-half Charlie Mulchrone reckons improvements in his gamemanagement will give him the best chance of applying heat to...

Gatland switches focus to going out on top in Japan

By ALEX BYWATER WARREN Gatland says he’s already planning for the 2019 World Cup with Wales after leading the Lions to...

YOUNG GUNS

MATT CORNISH EALING TRAILFINDERS HOOKER There are many roads to professional rugby but Matt Cornish has taken it to the extreme...

It’s folly to block investment … but we do need Euro wage cap

Q&A MARTIN ST QUINTON ON THE RECORD Gloucester owner Martin St Quinton tells NEALE HARVEY why he believes Premiership Rugby’s rejection...

Baxter must join Eddie’s team if he’s to succeed

ONE of the most vexing issues that all four Home Unions have had to face over the last eight years is...

Fox Jnr falls just short

THERE was always the possibility, however remote, that one of the All Blacks’ coaching hierarchy would get his own back for...

Shame on Erasmus after messy exit from Munster

WHENSaracens knocked them out of the Champions’ Cup in Dublin three months ago, Munster found comfort in assurances that Rassie Erasmus...

Stringer hands off Father Time

EVENfrom this distance, Worcester’s home match against London Irish on December 23 is worth ringing in red ink. There is every...

From hero to zero in less than six months

PETER JACKSON Six months ago Leigh Halfpenny found himself under a veritable bombardment of offers on an ever-escalating scale over his...

Olver: Give kids a chance or risk losing them

By NEALE HARVEY DEPARTED fly-half Sam Olver has warned Northampton that more of their potential young stars could leave if denied...

Lydon plots route to Ireland, via Ealing

By NICK VERDIER Fleet-footed: Peter Lydon attacks the line for London Scottish last season PETER Lydon still dreams of playing Test...

Continuity key for Nottingham when they use dual-reg stars

By JON NEWCOMBE Young talent: Will Stuart NOTTINGHAM head coach Ian Costello says the Green & Whites will take a more...

Expansion is so exciting but don’t mess with the format

THE expansion of the Guinness PRO12 to include South African sides Cheetahs and Southern Kings is a gamble. I can’t deny...

Leigh needs future sorted double fast

I REALLY feel for Leigh Halfpenny. What a situation he’s in. To be without a club at this stage isn’t ideal...

Haskell has last laugh with trolls on Twitter

FORMER England internationals Will Carling and Brian Moore, below, have been involved in a week- long spat with Piers Morgan on...

Saints leading charge for Biggar

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS are ready to spend out around £600,000 a season to tempt Welsh No.10 Dan Biggar to Franklin’s Gardens for...

ON THE BLINDSIDE

Anglo-Welsh battle for wantaway Moriarty BY NEILFISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler Hot property: Ross Moriarty BRITISH LIONS flanker Ross Moriarty...

ROOM 101

MIKE PENN THE MOSELEY FULL-BACK TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND 1. Reality TV Love...

Without doubt, Ford’s found fresh gears since Bath exit

WELCOME to the new, improved, Ford. In this case, however, the model is called George rather than describing the latest product...

Clandestine ‘agreement’ highlights Ritchie’s flaw

IAN Ritchie has brought stability during his tenure at the RFU, as well as presiding over a healthy commercial balance sheet....

Gold: Evergreen Stringer is rugby’s answer to Roger

By TOM BRADSHAW GARY Gold says Irish scrum-half Peter Stringer is rugby’s equivalent to Wimbledon champ Roger Federer – inspirational proof...

Familiar faces helping Freeman feel at home

By NEALE HARVEY AMBITIOUS flanker James Freeman has expressed his delight at being reunited with Matt Kvesic at title holders Exeter...

Artemyev: Russian Bears will bite back in 2019

TRAILBLAZING ex- Northampton wing Vasily Artemyev reckons Russia have thrown off the shackles of failure and will be a force at...

Young rules out move for Halfpenny

By PETER JACKSON WASPS have abandoned plans to sign Leigh Halfpenny, citing the Welshman’s ‘indecision’ as the reason why he finds...

World Cup stars left high and dry by RFU

By NEALE HARVEY RUGBY Football Union bosses have taken a sledgehammer to England Women’s hopes of winning next month’s World Cup...

Tonga Qualifies for Rugby World Cup After Fiji Victory

Fiji braved the rain to see off Samoa and take home the World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup 2017

Neil de Kock Q&A: I only planned to stay two years, but the love shown by Saracens meant I stayed for 11!

Scrum-half Neil de Kock returns to South Africa later this summer after 11 years in England, safe in the knowledge that...

I was left out in 2015 and I’ll risk missing 2019 to prove my class in Europe, says Exeter signing White

Revved-up Aussie maestro Nic White has revealed why he rejected the chance to fight for a place at the 2019 World...

Wales must start planning for life after Gatland now

By Wales and Lions legend Shane Williams The Lions tour told us many things about Northern Hemisphere rugby. It showed our...

Jacko column: Warburton an invaluable role model for all

By Peter Jackson No matter what happens from now on, nothing will stop Sam Warburton taking up permanent residence in that...

Premiership season ticket prices: Leicester freeze to launch O’Connor revolution

Leicester Tigers have backed Matt O’Connor’s on-field revolution by freezing season ticket prices at Welford Road in a bid to pack...

Myler: I’m relishing challenge from Piers Francis at Saints

Evergreen Stephen Myler insists he has no interest in personal accolades as he prepares to face down the latest challenger to...

Maro Itoje to become the Premiership’s first £1m player after 2019

MARO ITOJE will become the Premiership‘s first million pound a season player after returning from the Lions tour with an enhanced...

Leicester Tigers move for Damian McKenzie and a flanker show signs of gathering pace

LEICESTER TIGERS are believed to in advanced talks with All Blacks full- back Damian McKenzie about a move to Welford Road....

Scots can have no complaints over Lions selection says Sean Maitland

Warren Gatland named only two Scottish players – Stuart Hogg and Tommy Seymour – in his initial squad announcement

Pain of Wasps defeat will spur Leicester on says Hamilton

By NEALE HARVEY Chargedown: Leicester’s Luke Hamilton blocks a clearance from Munster scrum-half Conor Murray LEICESTER crowd favourite Luke Hamilton predicts...

I planned on a two-year stay, but I’m heading home after 11!

NEIL DE KOCK ON THE RECORD Q&A Scrum-half Neil de Kock returns to South Africa later this summer after 11 years...

Lions attacking skills were shining ‘diamond’ bright

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE…EVERY WEEK THE Sean O’Brien try against New Zealand in the first Test was the best of...

DREAMTEAM

JEFF WILLIAMS, THE BATH WING, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST… 1. Cian Healy – He is...

Don’t be blinkered, the Lions are all about cash

COLIN BOAG How much money do you think was generated from the Lions tour of New Zealand? Your guess is as...

Rise up to end this scrum outrage

IT IS about time the unrecognised members of the rugby fraternity get listened to, namely the fans and enthusiasts. The people...

Letters that prove Poite made one of the great decisions

HAWKEYE should be used to ensure the right decision is made in highly pressurised situations in rugby. If you look at...

Sorry, Nigel you’re out of touch on this

I WAS shocked to see just how out of touch Nigel Wray is with the fans. To suggest the Lions play...

Myler relishes challenge from new Saint Francis

By NEALE HARVEY EVERGREEN Stephen Myler insists he has no interest in personal accolades as he prepares to face down the...

Exeter coaches agree new deal to stay at Sandy Park

ROB Baxter insists there is a “burning desire” among Chiefs coaching staff to take the Devon club onto even greater things,...

White: Cup snub will fire me up for Exeter

By NEALE HARVEY Pass master: Nic White releases the Montpellier backline PICTURES: Getty Images REVVED-UP Aussie maestro Nic White has revealed...