World Cup - The Rugby Paper

Tag: World Cup

Quins duo tipped to power up England

21 April 2024 0 comments

By NICK CAIN Will Collier and Fin Baxter could galvanise the England scrum with their technique and power, according to World Cup-winning scrum coach Phil […]

Be quick! McKellar’s lowdown on Leinster

21 April 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Northampton had the chance last night to quiz Dan McKellar about their Champions Cup semi-final opponents Leinster but, before the East Midlands […]

Malins keen to get back into England contention

21 April 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Max Malins will use the closing weeks of the season to give the England selectors a nudge ahead of the summer Tests […]

Domachowski has his eye on top spot

21 April 2024 0 comments

By SIMON THOMAS Corey Domachowski is a man on a mission to be Wales’ number one No.1. The Cardiff prop now has 10 caps to […]

Johann has brought us true belief, says Bayliss

21 April 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Bath have turned themselves from also-rans to title contenders in less than two years under Johann van Graan and to Josh Bayliss […]

Brown: £3m grant will help bridge gap

21 April 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Shaunagh Brown questions why Wales don’t already have the basic professional requirements to compete but says the ‘levelling the playing field’ campaign […]

Dream Team with James Flynn

21 April 2024 0 comments

The Ampthill and former Saracens, Jersey, Yorkshire Carnegie & Sale Sharks prop, chooses the best XV he has played with or against… 1. Eroni Mawi […]

Barrett’s Leinster move seems strange to me

21 April 2024 0 comments

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK JORDIE Barrett’s signing by Leinster on a six-month contract from December until the end of next season looks […]

De Chaves: We need to be ruthless

21 April 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW… Bristol Bears v Newcastle Falcons Today. Kick-off 3pm, Ashton Gate NEWCASTLE enforcer Sebastian de Chaves says the time for what ifs, […]

Ban teams who pick reserves for knock-out stages

21 April 2024 0 comments

The Bulls are not the first outfit to undermine the European Cup by picking an understrength team, with some French clubs – Bourgoin in particular […]

Envious eyes fall on Leinster’s recruits

21 April 2024 0 comments

Leinster’s ability to cherry-pick two of the 2023 World Cup final’s biggest stars, signing All Black centre Jordie Barrett to augment the arrival of Springbok […]

Richards set for debut as Cunningham rolls the dice

21 April 2024 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON SIX NA PREVIEW… Wales v France Today. Kick-off 3.15pm, Cardiff Arms Park CATHERINE Richards will win her first Wales cap as head […]

Rampant England on target for slam

21 April 2024 0 comments

From BEN JAYCOCK at Twickenham England………………..88pts Tries: Dow 6, 36, 63; Hunt 9, Jones 12, 57; Aldcroft 18, Kildunne 27, 67, 74; Breach 43, 71; […]

Scotland break Italian duck to boost World Cup hopes

21 April 2024 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON Italy……………….. 10pts Try: D’Inca 31 Conversion: Rigoni 32 Penalty: Rigoni 73 Scotland ………..17pts Tries: Skeldon 34, Orr 62, Rollie 68 Conversions: Nelson […]

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 […]

Outsiders aiming for a place in the final

21 April 2024 0 comments

Paul Rees looks ahead to the Champions Cup semi-finals where Quins and Saints are facing an uphill battle BEFORE this season’s Champions Cup started, there […]

Barrett, the man for every occasion

21 April 2024 0 comments

As a centre-three-quarter par excellence, there is nothing Jordie Barrett cannot do. Nobody in his position can truck it up the way he does, make […]

S Africa is crying out for its own league

21 April 2024 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS – A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER IF I remember my A level geography correctly, Africa is moving […]

Great to see Swiss move up the ladder

21 April 2024 0 comments

There will be a new name mixing it with the bigger teams in the Rugby Europe Championship next season after Switzerland clinched their first promotion […]

How Lomu changed the way we played

21 April 2024 0 comments

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME IT SEEMS the spectre of size has raised its head again with my old partner Brian […]

Young Guns: Newcastle Falcons hooker Jacob Oliver

21 April 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Newcastle Falcons have endured a dismal campaign in the Premiership but tyro hooker Jacob Oliver believes the future is bright in the […]

Hurricanes storm in despite triple yellow

21 April 2024 0 comments

Super Rugby Pacific round-up By BEN JAYCOCK Hurricanes overcame a poor second half in which they conceded three yellow cards to beat Fijian Drua 38-15 […]

The four clubs in Kyiv have to share one pitch

21 April 2024 0 comments

Coach to Coach Former Richmond DoR Steve Hill puts the questions to Dimitri Basilaia, the Ukraine assistant coach Why did you get into coaching rugby […]

Leguizamon’s off to a flying start at Pampas

21 April 2024 0 comments

By JOE SANTAMARIA Former London Irish back row Juan Manuel Leguizamón is enjoying a flying start to his coaching career with Pampas in his native […]

JIFF looks likely to play a vital role

21 April 2024 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON – FRENCH COLUMN It’s logical – as the final stop-start sprint in a hard-fought Top 14 season begins – to think purely in […]

England didn’t understand Sinckler – Crane

19 April 2024 0 comments

Jordan Crane feels England have failed to get the best out of Kyle Sinckler during his international career, with the tighthead prop set to be […]

Brown: Red Roses must “stand up and be counted” at Twickenham

17 April 2024 0 comments

Ex-Red Roses prop and Harlequins legend Shaunagh Brown spoke of her excitement for England’s clash against Ireland at Twickenham this weekend, and what it represents […]

Wales legend Owens retires at 37

17 April 2024 0 comments

Former Wales captain Ken Owens has retired from professional rugby aged 37. The ‘Sheriff’ was the oldest ever-player to hold the role, as he played […]

Minnows in line for a World Cup boost

14 April 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE World Rugby aims to streamline the Rugby World Cup qualification process to give non-high performance nations even more time to prepare for […]

500-day countdown to World Cup kick-off

14 April 2024 0 comments

By MARK STEVENS Excitement is building by the day as the countdown to Women’s Rugby World Cup England 2025 hit its latest milestone this week. […]

Ward: I felt I was ‘judged’ over baby

14 April 2024 0 comments

ENGLAND lock Abbie Ward felt “judged” for returning to Test rugby less than a year after giving birth to daughter Hallie. Ward, 31, started the […]

England challenge

14 April 2024 0 comments

England will host world champions New Zealand, and France in September as they build up to hosting the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2025. The […]

Llewellyn adds some power

14 April 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Gloucester are reaping the rewards of Max Llewellyn’s weight-gain mission during the Six Nations, with the 109kg hulking centre now tipped as […]

Porter set for Aussie return

14 April 2024 0 comments

England centre Guy Porter looks set to return to Australia this summer with the view to representing the Wallabies. Porter, who won his sixth England […]

Dream Team with Billy Harding

14 April 2024 0 comments

The Blackheath, England Counties and former Rosslyn Park, London Scottish, Esher, Wasps, Ampthill & Coventry hooker, chooses the best XV he has played with or […]

The pinball wizard who can fire Exeter

14 April 2024 0 comments

JEREMY GUSCOTT OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE… EVERY WEEK IMMANUEL Feyi-Waboso was a pretty unknown factor before the Six Nations, but the 21-year-old winger’s rise from Cardiff […]

Dawson predicts the battle at 10 will benefit England

14 April 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK The Fin Smith–Marcus Smith fly-half debate was given a good airing when Matt Dawson was the guest […]

Another barmy idea from the men in suits

14 April 2024 0 comments

The Ministry of Silly Walks was a Monty Python sketch which lampooned bureaucratic inefficiency. Rugby Union requires something similar to shame the unaccountable administrators turning […]

Murphy promises new focus after Ulster are demolished by Clermont

14 April 2024 0 comments

By JOHN FALLON Clermont………..53pts Tries: Yato 18, 68, Sowakula 36, 60, Newsome 44, Simmons 64, Jurand 80 Conversions: Belleau 19, 37, 45, 61, 65, Bezy […]

Red Roses: Gloucester-Hartpury prop Mackenzie Carson

14 April 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Birthplace: British Columbia, Canada Date of birth: 24/06/98 Community club: Abbotsford RFC Red Roses debut: vs Scotland March 2023 Caps: 13 Why […]

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 […]

I’m really impressed by the ambition on show

14 April 2024 0 comments

Q&A Ben Jaycock talks to England men’s head coach Jonathan Pendlebury following a successful U18 Six Nations festival So, Jonathan three wins from three, how […]

MacDonald: Mitchell’s approach ‘really cool’

14 April 2024 0 comments

By MARK STEVENS Claudia MacDonald has praised the ‘new perspective’ John Mitchell has brought to the England Women’s team since taking charge. The 60-year-old was […]

Burns impressed by the new generation

14 April 2024 0 comments

By PAUL EDDISON IF those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it, then the future is promising for women’s rugby in England […]

Series 3, Episode 33: Matt Dawson on England, Northampton and the Champions Cup

11 April 2024 0 comments

This is a big one! Plenty on the menu for host Ollie Little and columnists Nick Cain, Brendan Gallagher and Chris Hewett as they are […]

Man prosecuted for abusing World Cup official

9 April 2024 0 comments

A man in Australia has been prosecuted for abusing TMO Brian MacNiece on social media during Enlgand’s match against Samoa in last year’s Rugby World […]

Strawbridge appointed to England on permanent basis

9 April 2024 0 comments

Andrew Strawbridge will join Steve Borthwick’s England coaching staff on a permanent basis as an assistant coach and coaching advisor. Strawbridge, 59, supported England in […]

Hooper helps Aussies reach HK semi-finals

7 April 2024 0 comments

Former Wallabies captain Michael Hooper made his sevens debut for Australia in their 12-0 win against Fiji at the Hong Kong 7s. The 32-year-old, who […]

Grayson now has Japan in his sights

7 April 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK The demise of Wasps, Worcester Warriors and London Irish has left just 10 starting fly-half spots across a congested Premiership, leaving the […]