Gloucester sign highly rated loosehead

Gloucester have announced the signing of Worcester‘s highly rated loosehead Val Rapava Ruskin for next season. The Georgian-born prop qualifies for England...

How ‘Turnover King’ Will Hurrell turned it around

Bristol talisman Will Hurrell has credited Welsh internationals Gavin Henson and Dwayne Peel for turning him into this season’s Premiership surprise...

My Life in Rugby: Tim Payne – former Wasps, England and Lions prop

After brief spells at Bristol and then Cardiff I was very close to jacking rugby in and pursuing a career in...

London Irish bring in London Welsh lock

London Irish have bolstered their second-row options with the acquisition of Josh McNally from London Welsh until the end of the...

Leicester tighthead off to Gloucester

Gloucester’s recruitment for next season continued today with the news that Leicester prop Fraser Balmain will move to Kingsholm this summer....

Redpath to leave Yorkshire Carnegie at the end of the season

Yorkshire Carnegie have confirmed that Head Coach Bryan Redpath will leave the club at the end of the current Greene King...

Canadian skipper links up with Doncaster

Canada captain Aaron Carpenter has joined Doncaster from Championship rivals London Welsh. The back-row arrives from the Exiles with a wealth...

All Black bolsters Bristol ranks

Bristol have secured the signing of scrum-half Alby Mathewson with immediate effect. The All-Black international, who has four caps for New...

Chris Robshaw out of Six Nations

Chris Robshaw has been ruled out of the Six Nations after it was confirmed that the Harlequins flanker required a shoulder...

Liam Williams’s move to Saracens confirmed

Saracens have confirmed the signing of Wales international Liam Williams on a three-year deal. Williams, who has won 38 caps for...

RFU face revolt over Council numbers

Rugby Football Union bosses are facing a rebellion from furious Council members over proposals to slash their representation on the management...

Dream Team: Geoff Parling – Exeter lock

1. Rob Vickers – He came through the Falcons academy with me and has made over 200 appearances for them since....

Priestland one of three to pen new Bath deal

ED HUTSON Welsh fly-half Rhys Priestland has ended months of transfer speculation as he is one of three backs to sign a...

Quins release statement on Chris Robshaw

Chris Robshaw will miss Harlequins‘ Aviva Premiership fixture against Sale Sharks tomorrow with the shoulder injury which he sustained in last...

Bristol second-row joins Blues

The Cardiff Blues have brought in Bristol‘s Welsh-qualified second-row BJ Edwards on a short-term loan deal. Edwards joined Bristol in the...

Saints sign South African lock

Northampton have signed promising English-qualified second-row David Ribbans from the South African side Western Province. The 21-year-old is 6ft 8in tall...

Jeff Probyn: Offer proper protection for all… or the game could die

As the repercussions of George North‘s concussion story look set to rumble on through the New Year, now is surely the...

Peter Jackson: I see a man on a tractor roaring in to lead Lions

Now 2017 has dawned, no New Year would be complete without a few gongs inspired by the events of the old...

Putting Carter in the shade sends Russell into the spotlight for Lions

Glasgow head coach Gregor Townsend reckons Finn Russell’s big-match temperament will thrust him into the spotlight when it comes to British...

Brendan Gallagher’s ten to watch in 2017

Ardie Savea, above: Outrageously gifted All Blacks flanker and younger brother of Julian. Combines at bit of Michael Jones and Jerry Collins....

Nick Cain’s wishes and expectations for rugby in 2017

Rugby Union in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland has a host of reasons to be cheerful in 2017. At the apex...

Shane Williams: Rhino-skinned Dan Biggar has the self-belief to reach very top

Dan Biggar was one of the most confident men I played with and I always knew he had something special. So...

Thomas Young not quitting Wasps for Wales bid

In-form openside Thomas Young says he is at Wasps for the long haul and will not be swayed by Gatland’s Law...

Now Jack Nowell is brewing up a Six Nations treat

Inspirational wing Jack Nowell will be able to toast England‘s success with his own brand of beer if Eddie Jones‘s history-seeking...

TV audience and attendance figures grow for Premiership

The Aviva Premiership has released figures to show significant increases in both attendances at games and live TV audiences. Crowds at...

Scotland prop joins Brive immediately

Scotland prop Ryan Grant has left Glasgow to join Brive on loan in the Top 14 with immediate effect. The loosehead...

WATCH: Manu Tuilagi ruled out for the season

Manu Tuilagi will not play again this season after it was confirmed he suffered an ACL injury against Saracens on Sunday....

Pisi banned for two weeks

Bristol’s Tusi Pisi has been banned for two weeks after an RFU disciplinary panel found him guilty of taking out Worcester...

Brendan Gallagher: Fasten your seatbelts for a rip-roaring 2017

The great thing about the New Year, for the rugbyhead anyway, is that everything seems to accelerate after January 1. The...

Jeremy Guscott: George Ford has to play with a smile on his face again

George Ford faces another huge decision in the coming weeks, as from today he is officially allowed to hear offers from...

It’s too tough here to ever relax, says Ben Franks

World Cup-winning Kiwi prop Ben Franks reckons Championship forwards are every bit as physical as those at international level – a...

Wales sweat on Taulupe Faletau

Taulupe Faletau could miss the start of the Six Nations after suffering a medial knee ligament injury on Christmas Eve. The...

Leicester Tigers sack Richard Cockerill

Richard Cockerill has been sacked as director of rugby at Leicester Tigers with Aaron Mauger taking interim charge of the team...

Injured Tuilagi replaced in England squad

Manu Tuilagi has been replaced in England‘s 33 man training squad by Bath’s Semesa Rokoduguni after suffering a knee injury playing...

Young Gun: Richard Capstick – Exeter back row

Richard Capstick will not join the Exeter academy full-time for another year but he is not going to wait until then...

20 Questions: Joe Cokanasiga – London Irish wing

Enjoyed the past few weeks? Very much so! I’ve been playing a fair bit in the first team which has been...

My Life in Rugby: Dave Baldwin – former Sale lock

Despite being a proud Yorkshireman most of my playing days were spent on the other side of the Pennines, with Sale....

Dream Team: Marcus Watson – Newcastle wing

1. Mako Vunipola – Known as ‘Bacon Ears’. My old housemate is not shy of a KFC. An awesome person to...

Best is yet to come after worst year in my life – Jonny May

Crackerjack England wing Jonny May has vowed to become “better than ever” as he looks to enhance his claims for a...

Young Gun: Callum Hunter-Hill – London Scottish lock

Callum Hunter-Hill is not sure how long he will stay in London but he is looking to make the best of...

RFU statement: London Welsh

London Welsh Rugby Football Club Limited formally entered liquidation today. A new company has been given a temporary licence by the...

Jeff Probyn: Jones wanted an abrasive leader, well he’s got one

Somehow the words leopards and spots have sprung to mind this week, having once again had to listen to all those...

Peter Jackson: Candid Phil Steele shares his demons to help others

Phil Steele has earned himself a rewarding reputation as a technical-zone television reporter and after-dinner speaker, a veritable bundle of laughs....

Mike Brown vows to step up in ‘Murderball’ funding battle

Combative England full-back Mike Brown has vowed to fight for wheelchair rugby the same way as he plays by helping to...

Jones pens new deal with Quins 

As revealed by Neil Fissler in The Rugby Paper on Sunday, Adam Jones has extended his contract with Harlequins where he...

Room 101: Tim Visser – Harlequins wing

1. Bad drivers Some people don’t seem to understand the whole point of roundabouts. They think they have the right to...

Room 101: Herbie Stupple – Plymouth Albion back-rower

1. Christmas Scrooges I’m a very Christmassy person and my dad is the same, I think it’s rubbed off on me....

World Rugby made a mistake by picking Beauden Barrett as Player of the Year

Maro Itoje should have been World Rugby‘s Player of the Year by a clear margin ahead of New Zealand fly-half Beauden...

Brendan Gallagher: Germans are defying odds to climb up the rankings

So suddenly Germany are ranked 23rd in the world, hard on the heels of recent World Cup qualifiers Namibia and Uruguay...

Superstars will push Wasps up to the next level

Kurtley Beale’s instant impact and the impending arrival of Springbok superstar Willie le Roux can equip Wasps with the impetus they...