Heineken Cup - The Rugby Paper

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Try-fest with big issues below the surface

21 April 2024 0 comments

The Paris Games, more formally known as the XXXIII Olympiad, are almost upon us and the Rugby Sevens schedule is full to overflowing. Yet there […]

We need Biarrtitz back to their best

14 April 2024 0 comments

SERGE Blanco, the finest full-back ever to grace the union game, spent his entire club career at Biarritz. So did the celebrated loose forward Michel […]

Rugby schedule has little to do with player welfare

14 April 2024 0 comments

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW A roll of drums and a fanfare of trumpets late last summer heralded a new title sponsor […]

Pienaar heads the list for Europe’s golden oldies

14 April 2024 0 comments

In the course of wheeling their way into the Challenge Cup quarter-finals last weekend against the Cheetahs, the Michelin Men of Clermont brought a somewhat […]

It was an honour to reach the 400-mark

14 April 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Chris Dicomidis – The former Pontypridd, Cardiff, Wales U21 & Cyprus international looks back at his career in the game […]

Here’s hoping we see another drop of magic

7 April 2024 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER IT’S Northampton against Munster in Europe today and for me that can […]

London Irish was just so full of real, good people

7 April 2024 0 comments

David Paice, the former England and London Irish hooker, looks back on his career in the game IT feels like a lifetime ago now that […]

Putting 50 points on the Aussies was a highlight

31 March 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Ruaridh Jackson – The former Scotland, Glasgow, Wasps and Harlequins fly-half talks about his career in the game IT was […]

Galthié “in denial” over France’s problems – Mermoz

15 March 2024 0 comments

Maxime Mermoz has slammed Fabien Galthié’s coaching of the French national team, and believes the problems they have experienced in this season’s Six Nations were […]

Reid: We want to build new legacy

10 March 2024 0 comments

Jon Newcombe talks to Bath back rower Miles Reid who wants to see the glory days return, if only to keep his dad quiet Combative […]

The team culture at Exeter blew me away

3 March 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Bryan Rennie – The former Scotland A, Border Reivers, London Irish, Exeter & Bristol centre, now general manager of the […]

To have played 41 times for Wales is a blessing

18 February 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Emyr Lewis – The former Wales, Llanelli & Cardiff No. 8 looks back on his career in the game FOR […]

My first foreign mission was in deepest Siberia

11 February 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Rob Debney – The former international and Premiership referee talks about his journey in the game RUGBY refereeing took me […]

Kennedy wanted in France

4 February 2024 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Top 14 giants LA Rochelle and Racing 92 are both eyeing up a move for Saracens recruitment guru Nick […]

We need a more exclusive guest list

21 January 2024 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED HERE’S a little brain-teaser, just to make sure you’ve been paying attention at the back of the class: since 2014, when […]

Cockerill handed Georgia job

18 January 2024 0 comments

Former Leicester Tigers boss and England assistant Richard Cockerill has been named head coach of the Georgian national team and their club side Black Lion. […]

At last we are going in right direction

31 December 2023 0 comments

It is always easier to bury English rugby’s alleged leaders than to praise them, but it would run counter to the seasonal spirit not to […]

Dream Team with Damian Welch

24 December 2023 0 comments

The former Exeter Chiefs, Llanelli, Scarlets, Cardiff & Pontypridd second row, chooses the best XV he has played with or against… 1. Gethin Jenkins – […]

Toulouse’s victory over Quins is top of my list

17 December 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS THE greatest single performance in the Heineken Cup? That’s a tricky one, there have been so many, but when pressed I normally opt […]

Four-try Lake guides Ospreys safely home

10 December 2023 0 comments

■By ROB COLE Ospreys ……………………….. 43pts Tries: Lake 7, 26, 46, 56; Thomas 17, Morris 76 Conversions: Williams 8, 19, 27, 48; Walsh 77 Penalties: […]

No room at the top for Welsh regions

10 December 2023 0 comments

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW AS Anglo-Welsh duels of the blood-and-guts variety go, one springs foremost to mind: a humdinger of a […]

Falcons are trapped with nowhere to go

3 December 2023 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED IT WAS a clear-cut case of “capitalism gone mad” as the loadsamoney class snapped up English club rugby in the spending […]

‘Since the year dot, I have been involved with Saints’

26 November 2023 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Lennie Newman – The former Northampton forward and team manager talks about his life in the game EIGHTEEN months after […]

Able Evans is enjoying the high life with Quins

12 November 2023 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Jarrod Evans grew up in the Valleys of Wales, a “chalk and cheese” environment to the one he finds himself now in […]

If I’d known about my ADHD, I’d have quit

5 November 2023 0 comments

MY LIFEIN RUGBYALY MULDOWNEY THE FORMER MOSELEY, GLASGOW, EXETER, CONNACHT, GRENOBLE AND BRISTOL LOCK ALOT of things are starting to make sense now that my […]

Why Vernon would take a dim view of this kicking game

17 September 2023 0 comments

PETER JACKSON Roughly 30 years ago, a new coach took charge of a junior club in a suburb of Cardiff, a drop goal or two […]

Robinson’s delight to be back at Bath

20 August 2023 0 comments

Jon Newcombe finds the club’s former captain in fine form as he returns to join coaching team Twenty five years after leading Bath to their […]

Paying a high price for alcohol

16 July 2023 0 comments

Paul Rees reports on why fears of crowd trouble at the World Cup in France are beginning to increase SOUTH Africa’s impressive victory over Australia […]

My Life in Rugby with Rob Cook: ‘I was happy to fulfil my boyhood dream’

16 July 2023 0 comments

The former Gloucester and Cornish Pirates full-back talks about his life in the game Growing up, all I wanted to do was play professional sport, […]

When law and spirit are not the same

9 July 2023 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT We’ve heard an awful lot – far too much, frankly – about the spirit of cricket just recently, and it has had little […]

The day Jonny saved his best until the final play of the game

9 July 2023 0 comments

Brendan Gallagher looks back at the players who shone on the biggest stage Johnno or Jonny? Who was the iconic English player of RWC2003? Hard […]

My Life in Rugby with Ian Whitten: ‘I think I took more good options than bad ones’

2 July 2023 0 comments

The former Ireland, Exeter and Ulster centre talks about his life in the game PULLING on the Ulster jersey for the first time in 2009 […]

A new trophy, same old tricks …

25 June 2023 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT It is one thing for a populist Prime Minister to ride a wave of duplicity before crashing head-first into the rocks: if a […]

Irish weren’t given enough time – Ojo

25 June 2023 0 comments

■By NICK POWELL LONDON Irish’s record try scorer Topsy Ojo says it’s regrettable that the club weren’t given more time to try and find someone […]

Limited by a flawed structure

25 June 2023 0 comments

Back in those blessed years when the Heineken Cup often delivered matches of greater passion and technical skill than the Six Nations, the draw for […]

Farrell shows who’s the master

28 May 2023 0 comments

BRENDAN GALLAGHER It was billed as a titanic head-to-head between Owen Farrell and George Ford but in truth rugby, a game involving 30 players on […]

Reynolds: Don’t prop up failures like Wasps

30 April 2023 1 comment

By PAUL REES Wasps’ presence in the Championship next season after going bust with debts of more than £100m will send out the wrong signal […]

Treviso standing on the edge of history

30 April 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER A weekly look at the game’s other talking points AT the last count, Benetton Treviso had won 15 Italian Championships and, […]

My Life in Rugby with Simon Mannix: ‘I looked confident but, inside, I was a mess’

30 April 2023 0 comments

The former New Zealand, Wellington, Hurricanes, Sale & Gloucester fly-half who has coached at Racing 92, Munster and Pau talks about his life in the game […]

Tall poppy syndrome or a case to answer?

16 April 2023 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER For all sorts of reasons, all conquering Leinster seemed to be getting […]

Toulouse hit the turbos to cruise clear of Sharks

9 April 2023 0 comments

By CAM STEPHENS Toulouse …………………. 54pts Tries: Mallia 35, 56, Ramos 47, 72; Mauvaka 68, Retiere 75, Ntamack 78 Conversions: Ramos 47, 70, 73, 77, […]

My Life in Rugby with Andy Long: ‘Bitter-sweet Test career taught me a hell of a lot’

26 February 2023 0 comments

The former England, Bath, Munster, Rotherham, Newcastle and Northampton hooker talks about his life in the game When I was with Matt Perry the other […]

My Life in Rugby with Steve Lander: ‘Controversy inevitable when you’re a referee’

5 February 2023 0 comments

The former international referee, who took charge of 18 tests from 1995 to 2003, talks about his life in the game Centre stage: Steve Lander […]

It’s like a cup final – Annett

15 January 2023 1 comment

Preview Bath v Toulon Kick-off 3.15pm BATH’S Challenge Cup game against Toulon was postponed yesterday because of flooding. The game will take place today at […]

Doddie and Benny lead list of heroes we have lost

31 December 2022 2 comments

Brendan Gallagher remembers those the game has lost over the last 12 months Phil Bennett (Felinfoel, Llanelli, Wales, Barbarians, British and Irish Lions): Died June […]

Dream Team with Andy Northey

18 December 2022 0 comments

The Former North of England, Northampton, St Helens RLFC, Waterloo, Rotherham & Sedgley Park centre chooses the best XV he has played with or against… […]

Au revoir! French not captivated by Europe

18 December 2022 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT GUEST COLUMNIST ENGLAND’S elite clubs barely saw the French for dust in the early years of the European Challenge Cup. The first four […]

Breakdown will be key against Zebre, says MacGinty

18 December 2022 0 comments

Focus: AJ MacGinty FLY-HALF AJ Mac-Ginty, who will be up against former Bear Tiff Eden at Ashton Gate when Bristol take on Zebre in round […]

Biggest Rugby Competitions

7 December 2022 0 comments

Rugby is one of the top sports with a large fanbase globally. Like other sports, rugby features various leagues and competitions that are played globally […]

Lewies: Quins up for Tank challenge

4 December 2022 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD Stephan Lewies is convinced the “world class attack and spine” at Harlequins puts them in prime shape to be finally crowned champions […]

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