By BRYN PALMER Edinburgh………. 43ptsTries: Goosen 18, Van der Merwe 44, Currie 61, Schoeman 67, Bennett 72, Mata 76 Conversions: Healy 18, 45, 61, 68, […]
Latest Posts
Exeter forward Davis shocked by cancer diagnosis
By MARK STEVENS Such is the nature of rugby union, players often tend to think lumps and bumps are part and parcel of the modern-day […]
Malins keen to get back into England contention
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
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
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 […]
We knew we had to swing the bat – Porter
By PAUL REES Few gave Harlequins a chance at Bordeaux-Begles last weekend, but where there was a Will Porter there was a way. The 25-year […]
Brown: £3m grant will help bridge gap
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 […]
Bath agree three-year contract for Pepper
BATH have confirmed the signing of Newcastle openside Guy Pepper on a three-year deal. The 20-year-old, below, who came through the Falcons’ academy, has made […]
Sorrell pleased to see English clubs stand up
By BEN JAYCOCK Despite their fierce London rivalry with Harlequins, Saracens backs coach Kevin Sorrell is pleased two Premiership sides reached the last four of […]
Dream Team with James Flynn
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
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 […]
McKellar: Red card was a bit strong
Leicester boss Dan McKellar claimed that centre Solomone Kata should have been shown a yellow rather than red for his high challenge on Fraser Dingwall […]
Tigers demolished by Saints fireworks
By ROB WILDMAN Northampton Saints….. 40pts Tries: Langdon 42, Penalty 47, R Smith 64, Hendy 68, James 74 Conversions: Furbank 64, 68 Penalties: Furbank 13, […]
Barbeary leads the revenge mission
By MARK STEVENS Exeter Chiefs ……………….14pts Tries: Woodburn 46, Townsend 71 Conversions: Slade 47, 72 Bath ……………………………… 26pts Tries: Barbeary 28, Spencer 40, Ojomoh 49, Reid […]
Baxter: Bath got under our skin
Exeter boss Rob Baxter believes his side need to win all of their remaining Premiership games to stand any chance of making the play-offs. “I […]
Saracens get back in the old routine
By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Saracens …………………….. 46pts Tries: Parton 7, 12, 20; McFarland 41, Willis 56, Hartley 62, Cinti 65 Conversions: Farrell 8, 13; Manu Vunipola […]
We need to be more consistent for longer, says McCall
Saracens DoR Mark McCall was satisfied overall but frustrated with the final 10 minutes against Gloucester. He said: “I’m pleased with five points and there […]
Sanderson: We can’t fall in closing stages
By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW… Sale Sharks v Harlequins Today. Kick-off 3pm, AJ Bell Stadium SUCCESSFUL Grand National punter Alex Sanderson knows victory against Harlequins today […]
Wilson: Our test is to back up victory over Bordeaux
By PAUL REES Return: Joe Marler NEVER mind the 50-22, it is the 80-20 that is commanding the attention of Harlequins as they enter the […]
De Chaves: We need to be ruthless
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, […]
Lam knows Diamond’s Newcastle will be tough to crack
By PAUL REES Ready: Virimi Vakatawa PAT Lam has told his players to be aware of the Steve Diamond effect when Bristol face Newcastle this […]
England must take Quins pair to NZ
NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK WILL Collier and Fin Baxter have been showered with praise following Harlequins epic European Cup quarter-final away […]
Ban teams who pick reserves for knock-out stages
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
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
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
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
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 […]
Red Roses: Exeter Chiefs prop Liz Hanlon
By BEN JAYCOCK Birthplace: Epsom, Surrey Date of Birth: 30/07/01 Community Club: Sutton & Epsom RFC Red Roses caps: 0 Why I Play Rugby: To […]
Stop tinkering with laws
WORLD Rugby needs to stop tinkering with the laws to try and eliminate some of the problems in the professional game. At that level they […]
Jeff’s right, we must protect the grassroots
I COULDN’T agree more with Jeff Probyn highlighting the importance of the RFU being able to ensure a fair slice of central funding for grassroots […]
So which is the fairer?
JEFF Page wrote last week a letter headlined ‘easier to spot the fairer competition’ in which he compared Leicester unfavourably with Leinster.Leicester is a PLC […]
Champ teams must hold on to players
READING letters, Sunday 14/4, Alec Jones makes a very valid point re Newcastle’s non relegation. Then alongside I see Exeter is pilfering Jimmy Roots from […]
I’m loving every single minute
Mark Stevens finds former Exeter Chiefs playmaker Joe Simmonds enjoying his new life in France In the picturesque town of Pau nestled at the foot […]
Robertson will cash in on Barrett move
CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED LOOKING at it from Leinster’s point of view, the signing of the world’s best inside centre is a proper coup. Jordie […]
Try-fest with big issues below the surface
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 […]
Long wait for away win goes on for Dragons
By SIMON THOMAS Benetton………..36pts Tries: Smith 7, Lucchesi 30, Uren 35, Ratave 45, Iachizzi 71, Lamaro 75 Conversions: Albornoz 8, 36, Umaga 76 Dragons………….19pts Tries: […]
Goosen red card is game changer
By BRIAN FINN Bulls …………….22 Munster ……….27 GRAHAM Rowntree was pleased with the way his men came from behind to carve out victory at Loftus […]
Faletau injured again in gutting defeat to Ulster
By SIMON THOMAS Ulster ……………..19pts Try: McCann 58 Conversion: Cooney 59 Penalties: Doak 28, 35, Cooney 65, 79 Tries: Cabango 11, 42 Conversions: De Beer […]
Leinster seconds suffer a mauling
By JIM COUCH Lions …………… 44 Leinster ……….12 LEINSTER crashed to a heavy defeat at Emirates Airline Park. Leo Cullen’s side had won 11 of […]
Warriors miss out on bonus point
By SAM JACKSON Glasgow ………21Sharks ………… 10 GLASGOW kept themselves firmly in the playoff hunt with a convincing win at Scotstoun to stay second in […]
Morgan at the double for Ospreys history boys
By SIMON THOMAS Stormers………..21pts Try: Du Plessis 13, Roos 43, Penalty 80 Conversions: Libbok 14, 44 Ospreys………….27pts Tries: Morgan 8, 40; Parry 25, Deaves 63 […]
Livewire Devine the star of show
By JOHN FALLON @therugbypaper Connacht …… 54 Zebre …………..16 CONNACHT skipper Dave Heffernan said they need to build on this easy win to keep their […]
Outsiders aiming for a place in the final
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 […]
Esher waste no time in bouncing back up
By BEN JAYCOCK Esher prop Matt Lowes says securing promotion back to National One against their title rivals Dorking in a big win last weekend […]
Worboys repays Easter’s support
By BEN JAYCOCK Chinnor secured promotion to the Championship last weekend and star man George Worboys thanks director of rugby Nick Easter for showing belief […]
Amazing to finish in top spot, says Smith
By WILLIAM GUPWELL Dings Crusaders secured promotion to National League 1 last weekend for the first time in the club’s history with a 69-7 win […]
Lion who enjoyed a taste of Italy
PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW ANDREA Gazzi’s grave lies on the Inner Hebridean island of Islay, a long way from the fishand-chip […]
Barrett, the man for every occasion
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 […]
The Sheriff will be sorely missed
PETER JACKSON The gods played a dirty trick in denying Ken Owens a farewell appearance for his beloved Wales and equally beloved Scarlets but […]
Flyer Hutler haunts old Blues mates with hat-trick
By NICK TAYLOR Coventry………. 54pts Tries: Hutler 7, 50, 57; Ball 19, Pellegrini 41, Nkwocha 48, Martin 65, Wand 78 Conversions: Pellegrini 8, 42, 49, […]