Lions snub shames top clubs

All those powerbrokers who refused to make a small sacrifice by granting the Lions a modicum of preparation time before leaving...

The sons also rise for young England

ENGLAND’S next generation contained so many chips off so many old blocks in Colwyn Bay last weekend that their Wales opponents...

Welsh should stop knocking Eddie, he went extra mile for Gethin

SOMEdelicate souls took umbrage at Eddie Jones for trotting out such Welsh stereotypes as goats and daffodils. They climbed on their...

No excuses, Rob, you did get it wrong overMoriarty

During the wash-up over the raging tidal wave of emotions unleashed in Cardiff all week, Wales found it necessary to deny...

Kiwis will have to deal with resurgent Aussies and Boks

By NEALE HARVEY FRANCHISES in Australia and South Africa are set to deliver a 2017 Super Rugby backlash on behalf of...

It’s going to be stormy for Hurricanes says TJ

Nick Verdier assesses the upcoming season and the issues that will help determine the title The Hurricanes got the monkey off...

RFU cost-cutting threatens to cripple County game

EXCLUSIVE By NEALE HARVEY LANCASHIRE head coach Mark Nelson has slammed cost-cutting proposals that could see the England Counties team and...

Nottingham no match for Knights on charge

By STEVE KENNY DONCASTER maintained their push for a play-off place by sweeping aside a flimsy Nottingham challenge at muddy Lady...

Blues cruise in as Calladine blasts Titans’ amateur hour

By GUY WILLIAMS ROTHERHAMTitans can be extremely grateful there is no relegation from the Championship this season because on current form...

Jersey are forced to hang on after

By LUKE JARMYN A SEASON-high half-time away score of 31 points for Jersey sealed a bonus point win and completed a...

Rampant Pirates put Carnegie to sword

By DAVE CRAVEN DELIGHTED jointhead coach Gavin Cattle hailed his Cornish Pirates side for “pushing to the next level” when stunning...

Bridge too far for Richmond as Trailfinders play it tough

By JEREMY INSON EALINGTrailfinders stayed in the play-off race after a four-try victory over their rivals from across Kew Bridge. There...

Stick with Scott to lead the siege on Murrayfield

Wales’ performance against England was their best for two years – but I just couldn’t understand some of the substitutions Rob...

NORTH STAND

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Lancaster to extend stay at Leinster

STUART LANCASTER is set to stay with PRO12 outfit Leinster for the next two years after having initial talks about a...

Cockerill poised for Edinburgh job

RICHARD Cockerill looks set to take over as the new head coach of PRO12 side Edinburgh next season after a dramatic...

Newcastle swoop for Sharks starlet Nott

NEWCASTLE FALCONS look set to follow up their move for France centre Maxime Mermoz by landing Sale Sharks highly rated England...

ON THE BLIND SIDE

BY NEILFISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler ■BRISTOL could be left paying All Blacks back rower Steven Luatua, right, around £650,000...

ROOM 101

RICKY ALEY THE SOUTH LEICESTER FLY-HALF TAKES US THROUGH HIS PET HATES FROM THE RUGBY WORLD AND BEYOND 1. Noisy eaters...

Fast start for Evans but it’s far from pretty

By ROGER PANTING STEFF Evans proved he is ready for a Wales call with a try on his return as Scarlets...

Blues back to winning ways with Cuthbert a late try hero

By JAMES CANDY CARDIFF Blues attack coach Matt Sherratt admitted emotions were running high as Alex Cuthbert left a bad week...

Dragons put frighteners on

By DARAGH SMALL REIGNING champions Connacht kept their top six hopes alive but crucially failed to secure a bonus point in...

Tandy left fuming by refereeing anomaly

By ALEX BYWATER STEVE Tandy hit out at referee Marius Mitrea after seeing his side’s 13-match unbeaten run brought to an...

Stockdale hits double to top off bonus win

By RONAN O’BRIEN NEWman Marcell Coetzee starred as Ulster soaked up the pressure to emerge with all five points in Belfast....

Carberry crosses for two on return

FLY-HALF Duncan Weir says next Friday’s home clash against Cardiff Blues is a must-win for Edinburgh after they suffered their third...

Wheeler lined up by RFU

EXCLUSIVE By NEALE HARVEY FORMER England hooker Peter Wheeler is to become president of the Rugby Football Union in 2019, The...

Cooper-Woolley chasing hard for Sinckler’s spot

By NEALE HARVEY WASPS tight-head Jake Cooper-Woolley is ready to turn up the heat on Kyle Sinckler as he looks to...

O’Driscoll is on the case to find any Kiwi flaws

When it comes to the lengths New Zealand will go to turn over the Lions there are none with better first-hand...

McCall: Vunipola ready for Italy call

SARACENS boss Mark McCall believes prop Mako Vunipola will play some part in the Italy game for England on Sunday after...

Gloucester go back to Italy call roots for dogged win

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER GLOUCESTER dispelled memories of last week’s abject defeat at Leicester with an old-style victory at a roaring Kingsholm...

Addison backs prolific Solomona to shine if

By JON NEWCOMBE STAND-IN Sale captain Will Addison has backed Denny Solomona to take his prolific try-scoring form to the next...

Problem areas are all fixable says Gold

ROB Baxter was delighted with an 80-minute effort from his Chiefs. “We maintained our intensity throughout and there was a momentum...

Worcester suffer Short circuit after yellow card for Faosiliva

By ROGER PANTING JAMES Short scored an explosive hat-trick to maintain Exeter’s unbeaten record over Worcester in the Premiership. It was...

Bok teams must head for Europe says Gold

By NEALE HARVEY EUROPE’S finest must linkup with South Africa’s six franchises to form a box office-busting competition to replace the...

Farrell can lead Lions like Johnno says Telfer

By PETER JACKSON OWEN FARRELL has emerged as a candidate to captain the Lions this summer according to one of the...

Young Gun: Nick Isiekwe – England U20s lock

Nick Isiekwe wants to play at the highest level and he only needs to look at Saracens teammate Maro Itoje to...

Nick Cain: Crooked feeds are making a mockery of our game

These days TV commentators are clearly under orders from broadcasters not to mention them, but our readers say that crooked scrum...

Jeff Probyn: Let’s hope it’s not referees who decide this Six Nations

The one thing we didn’t need has already happened and we have only just started what should be a contest between...

Room 101: Jimmy Rea – Bishop’s Stortford wing

1. People who leave gates open I’ve got an organic arable and non-organic beef farm on the Essex/Herts border and it...

CONFIRMED: Newcastle bring in Maxime Mermoz

As revealed in the Fissler Files on January 22, Newcastle have added title-winning credentials and proven international experience with the signing...

Shane Williams: Why I worry for Wales in Edinburgh showpiece

Wales usually expect to win in Scotland, but I think this month’s trip to Murrayfield could be the toughest game of...

Peter Jackson: Eddie Jones finds redemption in Welsh Colditz

Eddie Jones had taken a long time to reacquaint himself with Cardiff since the Wallabies gave him the last rites for...

Brendan Gallagher: Joost was a joy to watch and an utter nightmare to play against

Rarely, if ever, have the sporting gods given so abundantly before retracting their favours so suddenly and without sentiment. To see...

Bryan Redpath: Coaches are now under soccer-style pressure

Yorkshire Carnegie head coach Bryan Redpath has revealed why a combination of declining job security and doubts over the future structure...

20 Questions: Laurence May – Cornish Pirates fly-half

Big game against London Scottish? It is but we’re preparing it like any other game really. The weather forecast is giving...

Scotland captain Laidlaw out of Six Nations

Scotland have been dealt a huge blow to their Six Nations hopes with the news that captain Greig Laidlaw will miss...

Cuthbert released from Wales squad

Wing Alex Cuthbert was the only starting player from Wales defeat to England to be released back to his club for...

Glasgow sign Stormers loosehead

Glasgow have signed Stormers prop and Huw Jones’ housemate Oliver Kebble ahead of the 2017/18 season. The move is subject to...

Sorenson to call it a day at Bristol

Bristol stalwart Mark Sorenson has announced that he will retire from professional rugby at the end of the season. The 37-year-old...

Dwayne Peel to join Ulster as assistant coach

Ulster have added to their backroom staff for next season by acquiring Bristol backs coach Dwayne Peel. Peel’s arrival as an...