Nick Cain

English Championship

/ 2 years ago

Champ clubs look set for battle

NICK CAIN The Championship clubs appear to be in no mood for turning, typified by their stand-off with an RFU bureaucracy...

By The Rugby Paper Team

/ 2 years ago

The talent is there – now let’s be bold

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK STEVE Borthwick talked of England “turning a corner” when he announced his preliminary...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 2 years ago

Series 3, Episode 21: Rees-Zammit quits rugby, Six Nations squads and Portugal’s 2024 with Francisco Isaac

In a fascinating week in European rugby, amidst Six Nations and Women’s British and Irish Lions announcements, Welsh rugby superstar Louis...

By Nick Powell

Champions Cup

/ 2 years ago

Saints looking good but easy win leaves much to be desired

NICK CAIN Northampton are playing attacking rugby which combines skill, speed, flair, and precision, and their hammering of Bayonne on Friday...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Premiership

/ 2 years ago

Proposed hybrid contracts causing major debate

By NICK POWELL On the most recent edition of The Rugby Paper Podcast, Jeff Probyn joined host Ollie Little and our...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Nick Cain

/ 2 years ago

Time for Borthwick to put faith in Itoje

nick cain READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK STEVE Borthwick struck a positive note this week when he made it clear...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Six Nations

/ 2 years ago

Probyn: It’s tough to take charge of a team at prop

The Rugby Paper Podcast On this week’s edition of The Rugby Paper Podcast, Jeff Probyn joined host Ollie Little and our...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 2 years ago

What’s in The Rugby Paper: 07/01/24

Second host first this Saturday in the Premiership, and we’ll have coverage of Exeter Chiefs vs Northampton Saints alongside three other reports...

By Nick Powell

Latest News

/ 2 years ago

Series 3, Episode 20: 2023 in review with Jeff Probyn

Happy New Year from the Rugby Paper Podcast! As 2024 dawns, host Ollie Little and Rugby Paper columnists Nick Cain, Chris...

By Jeff Probyn

English Championship

/ 2 years ago

Halliday: No way we can agree RFU deal

By NICK CAIN Simon Halliday has condemned the threat by RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney to relegate the 11 Championship clubs...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Nick Cain

/ 2 years ago

RFU has utterly failed to bring the game together

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK HERE’S wishing The Rugby Paper’s loyal readers, and fans of the game everywhere,...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Nick Cain

/ 2 years ago

Here’s my England squad for Six Nations

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK There will have been times when the honeymoon period predicted for Steve Borthwick’s...

By The Rugby Paper Team

English Championship

/ 2 years ago

Sweeney’s words causing deep anger

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK There is something radically wrong when the chief executive of the RFU –...

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

Jeff Probyn

/ 2 years ago

Secrets of learning about the dark arts

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME LAST week’s paper, and in particular Nick Cain’s article, put a smile...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Champions Cup

/ 2 years ago

Series 3, Episode 19: Champions Cup recap and Big Game preview with Joe Launchbury

The Rugby Paper Podcast’s final episode of 2023 looks back at two thrilling weekends of Champions Cup action as well as...

By Nick Powell

Nick Cain

/ 2 years ago

Hunt is on for next generation of props

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK Five years ago there was a scrum feature in The Rugby Paper which...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Nick Cain

/ 2 years ago

So-called ‘partners’ deserve justice

NICK CAIN One of the most incomprehensible aspects of this season is that the PGP (Professional Game Partnership) is missing one...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 2 years ago

Baron: RFU heading for £59m loss this year

Baron accuses RFU of ‘deliberate obfuscation’ By NICK CAIN Francis Baron has accused the RFU hierarchy of publishing misleading interpretations of...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Nick Cain

/ 2 years ago

The Viking will put steel back into Bath

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK THE Viking – a.k.a. RG Snyman – is expected to arrive in Bath...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Paul Rees

/ 2 years ago

Too many are being pushed to the edge

Paul Rees says it's time to ensure players spend less time in the gym and more with the ball in their...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 2 years ago

Varndell: We need to help players to handle this abuse

By NICK POWELL FORMER Premiership top try-scorer Tom Varndell wants better training around coping with social media abuse for players in...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 2 years ago

Series 3, Episode 18: Tom Varndell on social media impact as Farrell and Foley step back

It’s been a groundbreaking week or so in English rugby, as both England captain Owen Farrell and international referee have decided...

By Nick Powell

Nick Cain

/ 2 years ago

Itoje is the best man to captain England

NICK CAIN - READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK Maro Itoje should be England’s next captain following Owen Farrell’s decision to...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Premiership

/ 2 years ago

Baron calls for block on £296m PGP plan

By NICK CAIN Francis Baron has called for the RFU Council to insist that the RFU Board puts a moratorium on...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Nick Cain

/ 2 years ago

20 years on and little to give us any real hope

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK THIS week saw the 20th anniversary celebrations of the 2003 England squad winning...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Nick Cain

/ 2 years ago

Our starting XV for 2027

NICK CAIN An England team for the 2027 World Cup is a long shot which would leave most snipers well wide...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 2 years ago

Series 3, Episode 17: Picking an England XV to win RWC 2027 and remembering 2003

The Rugby Paper Podcast is back with a bang! Post Rugby World Cup and on the anniversary of England‘s iconic Rugby...

By Nick Powell

English Championship

/ 2 years ago

Sweeney’s PGP plan facing big obstacles

By NICK CAIN The Championship’s unanimous rejection of the RFU’s plans to turn it into a ‘Premiership 2’ franchise league is...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Letters

/ 2 years ago

We keep pressing self-destruct button

It is high time English rugby with its huge resources, in both player and financial terms, ceased pressing the wretched self-destruct...

By The Rugby Paper Team

English Championship

/ 2 years ago

Welfare of rugby in England is at stake

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK The Championship clubs are standing up to be counted by sticking an iron...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Nick Cain

/ 2 years ago

Game in England is heading for a storm

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK THE return of England A – the national second team known as the...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 2 years ago

For once, ‘Hugh Bacardi’ was speechless…

NICK CAIN HUGH McHardy is one of those irrepressible, generous characters who give such vibrancy to the social and playing fabric...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 2 years ago

Series 3, Episode 16: Mark Evans on RWC format shake-up and World League introduction

In the Rugby Paper Podcast‘s final Rugby World Cup episode, it’s time to zoom out a bit and look ahead to...

By Nick Powell

Nick Cain

/ 2 years ago

Perfect Pollard was the key difference

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK THE aftermath of South Africa’s record fourth win in the World Cup final...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 2 years ago

Series 3, Episode 15: RWC 2023 review with Brendan Venter

The sun has set on Rugby World Cup 2023, and in a thrilling finale the Springboks held onto their crown, edging...

By Nick Powell

Nick Cain

/ 2 years ago

England will struggle to replace Marler and Cole

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK Here is a prediction. England will not win another World Cup, or Six...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Letters

/ 2 years ago

Don’t panic, Sarries

WITH regards to Nick Cain’s article last week, about Saracens’ poor start to the season, without wishing to sound like too...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 2 years ago

Gallant England cruelly denied by Boks

By NICK CAIN England ..............................15pts Penalties: Farrell 3, 10, 24, 39 Drop goals: Farrell 53 South Africa .....................16pts Tries: Snyman 69...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 2 years ago

All Blacks move into the final but this was a sorry mismatch

From NICK CAIN at the Stade de France Argentina............................6pts Penalties: Boffelli 4, 34 New Zealand......................44pts Tries: Jordan 10, 61, 72 Barrett...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 2 years ago

What’s in The Rugby Paper: 22/10/23

They’ll be action, reaction and analysis from both this weekend’s Rugby World Cup semi-finals in The Rugby Paper this Sunday. After an...

By Nick Powell

Latest News

/ 2 years ago

Fairytale finale for revived Pumas

From NICK CAIN Wales.................................. 17pts Tries: Biggar 14, T Williams 57 Conversions: Biggar 16, 57 Penalties: Biggar 21 Argentina ......................... 29pts...

By The Rugby Paper Team