Challenge Cup

James Harrington

/ 2 years ago

Oyonnax have to keep on believing

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Oyonnax manager Joe El-Abd promised last week that his side would ‘fight to the end’ following their...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Premiership

/ 2 years ago

End of an era as Lawes commits to Brive

Courtney Lawes will leave Northampton this summer to join ProD2 side Brive after 17 seasons at Franklin’s Gardens. Lawes said Northampton...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Premiership

/ 2 years ago

Mercer: I’m focused on Gloucester

By PAUL REES If desire to play for England was a factor in selection, Zach Mercer would be one of the...

By The Rugby Paper Team

United Rugby Championship

/ 2 years ago

McDowall on fine form to put Glasgow in the clear

By BRYN PALMER Glasgow...........40pts Tries: McKay 1, 37, McDowall 3, 75, Ashfar 44, Cordero 69 Conversions: Thompson 2, 4, 38, 45;...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Premiership

/ 2 years ago

Short-term contract takes Grace to Bath

By SAM JACKSON Former Wales rugby league star Regan Grace has signed a short-term contract with Bath. The 27-year-old switched to...

By The Rugby Paper Team

/ 2 years ago

Keen demand to host Euro finals weekend

By JON NEWCOMBE Dominic McKay, chairman of European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR), has revealed that interest in hosting European club rugby’s...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Blindside - rugby transfers

/ 2 years ago

Scotland prop Rory signs with Warriors

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Scotland and Lions loosehead Rory Sutherland is returning to Scotland at the end of the...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Premiership

/ 2 years ago

We are here for the long term

Newcastle were the only Premiership club to sack their head coach mid-season last year and the Falcons were at it again...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Young Gun

/ 2 years ago

Young Guns: Newcastle wing/fullback Ben Redshaw

By BEN JAYCOCK Ben Redshaw has burst onto the professional rugby scene and is hoping his wonder try against Perpignan is...

By Ben Jaycock

Latest News

/ 2 years ago

North and Kinghorn miss out on Cardiff clash

Preview: Wales vs Scotland (Saturday, 4:45pm) Wales’ George North and Scotland’s Blair Kinghorn will both be absent from the two countries’...

By Nick Powell

Premiership

/ 2 years ago

Ward: Diamond is the right man for Falcons

By PAUL REES Steve Diamond takes over at Newcastle this week with club stalwart Micky Ward believing the hard-nosed former Sale...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Premiership

/ 2 years ago

Crisis? Not in my view, says Sanderson

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW... Gloucester v Sale Today. Kick-off 3pm, Kingsholm WITH four straight defeats in all competitions and a season-ending...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Six Nations

/ 2 years ago

Conquistador going in search of pot of gold

Six Nations team-by-team previews: Italy Brendan Gallagher predicts new coach Gonzalo Quesada could just be a very good appointment SO what...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Brendan Gallagher

/ 2 years ago

Farrell’s jumping from fire…into fire

RUGBY MATTERS I don't know about you but it’s occasionally been a bit of a torture watching Owen Farrell struggle with...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 2 years ago

Lyon get it right against Perpignan

JAMES HARRINGTON In a league featuring the likes of Racing 92 and Toulouse, Toulon and La Rochelle, Bordeaux and Stade Francais,...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 2 years ago

Premiership previews: Round 12

After a two-week break for European action, the Premiership is all set for its final round of matches before the Six...

By Nick Powell

Champions Cup

/ 2 years ago

La Rochelle defy wind to win Sale shootout

By TOM JEFFREYS Sale Sharks…………………………………24 Tries: Roebuck 59, Creevy 67, Dugdale 77, Veainu 80+2 Conversions: Ford 68, Bedlow 79 La Rochelle…………………………………37...

By Nick Powell

Champions Cup

/ 2 years ago

Caulfield sees red as Bears bomb out

By JOHN FALLON Connacht .......................... 27pts Tries: Bolton 9, Aungier 20, Blade 33, Smith 46 Bristol.................................10pts Conversions: Tries: Carty 47, Hanrahan...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Champions Cup

/ 2 years ago

Sherratt proud of courageous Cardiff lads as Racing superstars turn on the style

By SIMON THOMAS Racing 92 ........ 48pts Tries: Kamikamica 18, Kolisi 25, Tabuavou 32, Tedder 43, Wade 46, Baudonne 50, Tarrit...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Champions Cup

/ 2 years ago

We need a more exclusive guest list

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED HERE’S a little brain-teaser, just to make sure you’ve been paying attention at the back of the...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Challenge Cup

/ 2 years ago

Edinburgh claim vital bonus point to proceed

By SIMON THOMAS Scarlets ............ 19pts Tries: Roberts 14, Conbeer 79, Penalty 80 Conversion: Lloyd 79 Edinburgh......... 31pts Tries: Vellacott 3,...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Challenge Cup

/ 2 years ago

Wales prop Thomas ruled out of Ospreys’ South African safari

By BEN JAYCOCK PREVIEW... Lions v Ospreys Today. Kick-off 1pm, Ellis Park THE Ospreys have already qualified for the Challenge Cup...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Challenge Cup

/ 2 years ago

Black Lion …….. 3 Clermont ………36

CLERMONT secured home advantage in the last 16 with a five-try rout of the Georgian newcomers. The Top 14 giants and...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Challenge Cup

/ 2 years ago

Tough for Falcons as Diamond gets ready

■ By PAUL REES NEWCASTLE’S players will have their fourth boss in less than a year when Steve Diamond starts work...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Challenge Cup

/ 2 years ago

Brown returns as Dragons aim to make it four in a row

PREVIEW... Dragons v Sharks By BEN JAYCOCK Today. Kick-off 5.30pm, Rodney Parade THE Dragons are aiming for four victories on the...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 2 years ago

Georgia turn to Cockerill

FORMER England hooker and forwards coach Richard Cockerill has been appointed head coach of Georgia and the nation’s premier club side...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Challenge Cup

/ 2 years ago

Challenge Cup Friday and Saturday previews

Half of the places provided by the EPCR Challenge Cup pool stages for the last 16 have already been decided. Six...

By Nick Powell

Challenge Cup

/ 2 years ago

Cockerill handed Georgia job

Former Leicester Tigers boss and England assistant Richard Cockerill has been named head coach of the Georgian national team and their...

By Nick Powell

Champions Cup

/ 2 years ago

Disappointing Connacht to concentrate on Challenge Cup after Lyon hold on

By JOHN FALLON Lyon................... 34pts Tries: Abrahams 19, 74 Tchaptchet 21, Guillard 52 Conversions: Jackson 15, 22, 53; Berdeu 75 Penalties:...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Challenge Cup

/ 2 years ago

Mercer in the right place for Gloucester

By BRYN PALMER Edinburgh...........20pts Tries: Young 22, Ashman 61, Vellacott 68 Conversion: Healy 69 Penalty: Healy 52 Gloucester ......... 21pts Tries:...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Challenge Cup

/ 2 years ago

Full-back Hopkins is star of the show as fans pay tribute to JPR

By SIMON THOMAS Ospreys.............25pts Tries: Hopkins 40, 50, Giles 63 Conversions: Edwards 51, 64 Penalties: Edwards 34, 43 Perpignan........... 3pts Penalties:...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Challenge Cup

/ 2 years ago

Le Brun keeping Castres on course

Castres ...........28 Black Lion ....... 6 CASTRES secured their second win in the Challenge Cup to boost their hopes of qualifying...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Challenge Cup

/ 2 years ago

Dragons blow chance of booking home leg

By JOHN WILKINS Zebre..................20pts Tries: Gesi 26, 51; Bianchi 44 Conversions: Montemauri 45 Penalties: Montemauri 35 Dragons.............17pts Tries: Rosser 58 Penalties:...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Challenge Cup

/ 2 years ago

Cheetahs excited for trip to Dam

By BEN JAYCOCK Preview Cheetahs v Pau Today. 1pm THE Cheetahs are gearing up for this historic clash as the South...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Premiership

/ 2 years ago

Radford gives the credit to simpler defence

Northampton defence coach Lee Radford cites simplified structure as the key to his side’s turn in fortunes this season. In recent...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Challenge Cup

/ 2 years ago

Challenge Cup round three Friday and Saturday Preview

Round 3 of the Challenge Cup promises an array of exciting fixtures, featuring eight matches unfolding across Friday and Saturday with...

By Nick Powell

Premiership

/ 2 years ago

Millard backing Gloucester to do some damage

■ By PAUL REES Starts: Jonny May GLOUCESTER are looking for the new year to provide them with a reset after...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 2 years ago

Simmonds is facing a fight for survival

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN THE final weekend of 2023 – and we’re almost at the halfway point of the Top 14...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Challenge Cup

/ 2 years ago

The French out in front? That’s not how it looks

With 12 victories in 16 games, Paul Rees reflects on a promising start by English clubs in the Champions Cup It...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Brendan Gallagher

/ 2 years ago

Time of goodwill to all (well, nearly all)

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER hands out his Christmas goodies... HO HO HO. I’m normally more of a scrooge than a Santa...

By The Rugby Paper Team

United Rugby Championship

/ 2 years ago

Derby day double act for regions

By BEN JAYCOCK Fixtures: Tuesday December 26: Cardiff v Dragons, Kick-off 3pm Scarlets v Ospreys, Kick-off 5.15pm Boxing Day action sees...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Challenge Cup

/ 2 years ago

Dreadful night for Scarlets

When they drank Llanelli dry the day the Scarlets beat New Zealand 51 years ago, the public houses to run out...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 2 years ago

O’Gara’s problems keep on coming

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Australian hooker Tolu Latu went straight into La Rochelle’s matchday squad for pre-Christmas trip to Stade Francais,...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Guest Blogs

/ 2 years ago

Does Rugby League Have a Gambling Problem?

In the annals of rugby league history, the Easter of 2004 stands out as a pivotal moment, marking the collision of...

By Nick Powell

Challenge Cup

/ 2 years ago

Champions Cup and Challenge Cup Sunday round-up

Narrow victories for Exeter and Leicester ensured English teams came away with more wins than losses on a second-straight weekend of...

By Nick Powell

Challenge Cup

/ 2 years ago

Dungeon of obscurity needs to be shut

CHRIS HEWETT Barely able to buy a round of drinks, let alone a win – the good men and true of...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Challenge Cup

/ 2 years ago

Scarlets stunned by Matkava’s history boys

By SIMON THOMAS Scarlets .............. 7pts Try: Fifita 4 Conversion: Lloyd 5 Black Lion ........23pts Tries: Modebadze 34, Mamrikishvili 58 Conversion:...

By The Rugby Paper Team