Brendan Gallagher

/ 11 months ago

Now Philippines added to list of honour for the Varsity

By Brendan Gallagher Back in the day, the Varsity Match on the second Tuesday in December was virtually an England trial...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Podcast

/ 12 months ago

PODCAST (S4, E24): England regain Calcutta Cup, Wales show signs of life & France flourish in Rome, with Nick Heath

Three fixtures told three hugely different stories in the third round of the 2025 Six Nations. Ireland held off a promising...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 12 months ago

Cool cat Fin Smith is England’s biggest hitter at 10 since Jonny Wilkinson

By Brendan Gallagher After narrowly losing a couple of games against class opposition in the summer and autumn that they probably...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Brendan Gallagher

/ 12 months ago

This Italian squad are good – but not quite their best side

By Brendan Gallagher Having reported on Italy since the early 1990s, I wouldn’t hesitate to nominate the current crop as...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Brendan Gallagher

/ 12 months ago

A Tour de France we’d all love to see for the British & Irish Lions

By Brendan Gallagher That hardy perennial, the possibility of another Lions Test against France, has poked its head above the frosty...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Podcast

/ 12 months ago

PODCAST (S4, E23): Calcutta Cup and Six Nations R3 Preview with Scotland Great Craig Chalmers

It’s almost time for the third round of the 2025 Six Nations, and the headline fixture of the weekend takes place...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Brendan Gallagher

/ 12 months ago

Six Nations sides singin’ in the rain – and I’m loving it

Rugby Matters - A weekly look at the game's other talking points, by Brendan Gallagher It was raining all over Europe...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Podcast

/ 12 months ago

PODCAST (S4, E22): Warren Gatland goes and England sink France with Jamie Noon

A weekend full of statement wins and in the aftermath, a mid-tournament coaching departure. Join the guys to review how England...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Six Nations

/ 12 months ago

Six Nations: Steve Borthwick deserves credit for his brave calls in England’s win over France

By Brendan Gallagher Time to tip a hat in the direction of England coach Steve Borthwick who bit the bullet hard...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Six Nations

/ 12 months ago

Six Nations: Italy hold on to leave Wales with little hope

By Brendan Gallagher Italy .................................... 22pts Try: Capuozzo 20 Conversion: Allan 21 Penalties: Allan 7, 29, 34, 61, 74 Wales ..................................15pts...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Brendan Gallagher

/ 12 months ago

Scotland vs Ireland – The rivalry which is a little one-sided

Rugby Matters - A weekly look at the game’s other talking points, by Brendan Gallagher The history books tell us that Ireland...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 12 months ago

Six Nations Predictions League: Round Two with Brett Igoe and The Rugby Analyst

Ahead of round two, the boys from the podcast, alongside this week’s guest, Irish analyst Brett Igoe and YouTube’s Rich Isaac...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Podcast

/ 1 year ago

PODCAST (S4, E21): Six Nations opening round reaction + blockbuster R2 preview with Brett Igoe

Three home wins marked the start of the 2025 Six Nations as France thrashed Wales, Scotland conquered Italy and Ireland saw...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 1 year ago

Fin Smith looks like a starting 10 to me, with Marcus Smith on the bench

By Brendan Gallagher There is no justice in this world and, despite the magnificent efforts of the other 28 players on...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Six Nations

/ 1 year ago

Six Nations: Wales find reasons to hope but it’s a walk in the park for France

By Brendan Gallagher France................................ 43pts Tries: Attissogbe 18, 33; Bielle-Biarrey 23, 41; Marchand 55, Gailleton 68, Alldritt 78 Conversions: Ramos 19,...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Brendan Gallagher

/ 1 year ago

Why can’t we apply the laws fairly?

Rugby Matters - A weekly look at the game’s other talking points, By Brendan Gallagher You can blow a mental gasket trying...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 1 year ago

Six Nations Predictions League: Round One with Jeremy Guscott and The Rugby Analyst

Ahead of the 2025 Six Nations opener in Paris tonight the boys from the podcast, alongside this week’s guests, England legend...

By Jeremy Guscott

Premiership

/ 1 year ago

Cassius Cleaves delivers last-gasp knockout for Harlequins

By Brendan Gallagher Cassius Cleaves, a name destined to top the bill, scorched in for a late try to keep Quins...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Podcast

/ 1 year ago

S4, E19: England & Scotland hit by injuries, French clubs fire and South Africans slump

What to make of that Champions Cup weekend? On one hand we saw a classic in Northampton’s victory over Munster, however...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Champions Cup

/ 1 year ago

Beno Obano red ends Bath hope of an upset win against Leinster

By Brendan Gallagher Leinster ............................. 47pts Tries: Henshaw 9, 15; Conan 37, Snyman 51, 76; Ringrose 60, Gibson-Park 67 Conversions: Prendergast...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Podcast

/ 1 year ago

S4, E18: Maro Itoje England captaincy reaction and Niko Matawalu madness

Join Ollie Little, Brendan Gallagher and Chris Hewett for this week’s Rugby Paper Podcast edition, recorded just half an hour after...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Champions Cup

/ 1 year ago

Munster 17-12 Saracens: Saracens miss out but still in contention

Saracens – high in effort, determination and ticker but low in poise, finesse and attacking nous – missed a golden opportunity...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Brendan Gallagher

/ 1 year ago

Heroes deserve highest accolade

Rugby Matters by Brendan Gallagher - A weekly look at the game’s other talking points The second series of BBC’s SAS...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Letters

/ 1 year ago

We need return to the County game

In Rugby Paper December 29, Paul Rees refers to Exeter’s Rob Baxter, whose club were bottom of the Premiership after eight...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Premiership

/ 1 year ago

Tom Willis on a rampage to ignite Saracens

By Brendan Gallagher Saracens .......................... 35pts Tries: Willis 7, 39; Cinti 47, Burke 16, 77 Conversions: Lozowksi 8, 17 Penalties: Daly...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Premiership

/ 1 year ago

Harlequins are denied as Leicester Tigers snatch draw

By Brendan Gallagher Harlequins ....................... 34pts Tries: Walker 4, Murley 28, 70; Northmore 38 Conversions: Smith 5, 29, 39, 71 Penalties:...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Premiership

/ 1 year ago

Welsh quartet spark Gloucester’s assault

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Gloucester ........................14pts Tries: Hathaway 11, Clement 28 Conversions: Carreras 12, 29 Harlequins .......................... 0pts GLOUCESTER will be pleased...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Premiership

/ 1 year ago

Welsh quartet spark Gloucester’s assault

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Gloucester ........................14pts Tries: Hathaway 11, Clement 28 Conversions: Carreras 12, 29 Harlequins .......................... 0pts GLOUCESTER will be pleased...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Podcast

/ 1 year ago

S4, E16: Rugby Paper Podcast 2024 Awards and Champions Cup debate

In our last episode of 2024, the gang is back together in full force. Host Ollie Little and columnists Nick Cain,...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Champions Cup

/ 1 year ago

Alex Mitchell is taking Northampton Saints to next level

By Brendan Gallagher Bulls...................................21pts Tries: Coetzee 34, Hanekom 61, 69 Conversions: Goosen 35, 62, 70 Northampton Saints.... 30pts Tries: Hendy 31,...

By The Rugby Paper Team

International Rugby

/ 1 year ago

Jack Crowley or Sam Prendergast – Who is Ireland’s true number one fly-half?

Much has been made of Sam Prendergast’s recent arrival on the international scene, with fans and pundits alike quick to point...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Champions Cup

/ 1 year ago

Saracens bounce back in fine style

By Brendan Gallagher Saracens........................... 27pts Tries: Carre 22, George 48, Willis 56, Earl 64 Conversions: Burke 49, 57 Penalty: Burke 35...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Brendan Gallagher

/ 1 year ago

The Six Nations logo is an AI experiment that’s gone wrong

Rugby Matters by Brendan Gallagher - A weekly look at the game's other talking points I see the new Six Nations...

By The Rugby Paper Team

British and Irish Lions

/ 1 year ago

Joe Schmidt: We’ll give Lions a real test

By Brendan Gallagher Australia coach Joe Schmidt is optimistic about the Lions challenge next summer after pushing Ireland all the way...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Autumn Internationals

/ 1 year ago

150th party nearly ends in tears for sloppy Irish

By Brendan Gallagher Ireland............................... 22pts Tries: van der Flier 23, Doris 49, G McCarthy 73 Conversions: Prendergast 50, Crowley 74 Penalty:...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Brendan Gallagher

/ 1 year ago

Good to see the Eagles soaring again

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points - By Brendan Gallagher That's a wrap for the autumn...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 1 year ago

Fiji cave in as Ireland find some firepower

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Ireland............................... 52pts Tries: Doris 4, Van der Flier 14, 29; Hansen 40, 67; Aki 46, McCarthy 63, Kelleher...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 1 year ago

All Blacks prove too strong for feisty Italy

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Italy .................... 11pts Try: Menoncello 76 Penalties: Garbisi 12, 16 New Zealand ...29pts Tries: Roigard 24, Jordan 39,...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Brendan Gallagher

/ 1 year ago

Time to recognise Etzebeth’s talents

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER IT’S THE World Rugby annual awards tonight, held...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Autumn Internationals

/ 1 year ago

Why does it always go wrong in the last quarter for England?

By Brendan Gallagher Where do England minds go in the final quarter of big rugby games? Why do they lose focus...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Autumn Internationals

/ 1 year ago

Battling Argentina make it tough for Ireland

By Brendan Gallagher Ireland...............22pts Tries: Crowley 3, Hansen 5, McCarthy 31 Conversions: Crowley 3, 32 Drop goal: Crowley 21 Argentina .........19pts...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Brendan Gallagher

/ 1 year ago

Chalking off White’s try was a mistake

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER No try: Ben White’s touchdown was ruled out...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Autumn Internationals

/ 1 year ago

Of all the positives for Australia, Joseph Sua’ali’i was the biggest

By Brendan Gallagher Welcome back to Australia. Where have you been? And hello Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i. What did your mother feed you?...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Autumn Internationals

/ 1 year ago

Ireland all at sea as Damian McKenzie pulls the strings

By Brendan Gallagher Ireland................................ 13pts Try: van der Flier 42 Conversion: Crowley 43 Penalties: Crowley 7, 39 New Zealand ................... 23pts...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Autumn Internationals

/ 1 year ago

Braveheart Wallace Sititi takes top billing as the star of the show for All Blacks

By Brendan Gallagher You could write a short book on how England somehow managed to lose that match in the final...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Podcast

/ 1 year ago

Series 4, Episode 9: Luke Pearce on 20-minute Red Card and Autumn Internationals Preview

We loved this one! Following last week’s 20-minute red card debate amongst the guys, we thought it best to call upon...

By The Rugby Paper Team

English Gallagher Premiership

/ 1 year ago

Gloucester don’t let Newcastle Falcons fly again

By Brendan Gallagher Gloucester ....................... 36pts Tries: Clement 2, T Williams 12, Blake 20, Singleton 40+1, Wade 72, Hathaway 75 Conversions:...

By The Rugby Paper Team