In this issue

May 05, 2024

YOUNG GUNS

SEANKERR HARLEQUINS & ENGLAND U20 CENTRE

2 mins

PGP deal is nothing but a waste of time

I CAN’T help thinking that the new Professional Game Partnership (PGP) is nothing but a waste of time as I can’t see how it is going to make any difference to how the game operates or how it will actually help clubs keep players and reduce the financial strain they are under.

3 mins

Tries galore as Jake leads the Crusaders title party

WITH Dings stalwarts Charlie Taylor and Jake Holcombe reaching the milestones of 250 and 200 appearances respectively, the massive win over Camborne was a fitting end to the season.

2 mins

It's title delight for the Titans!

ROTHERHAM Titans are the champions!

2 mins

Lions survive as Patrick heroics seal late glory

THE final throws of the 2023-24 season saw Sale take on Leicester Lions at Heywood Road, with the visitors looking for a victory to ensure their survival.

2 mins

35 years on and Tim's charity still full of hope

IF YOU believe rugby is the ultimate team sport – which I still do – it is tempting to superimpose all its many fine qualities into other team environments.

6 mins

'Ireland in blue' will provide stiffest test

PHIL Dowson and Leo Cullen first crossed paths in European action 10 seasons ago when Northampton did something they had never done before nor since: beating Leinster in Dublin.

3 mins

Cardiff left in a mess by lively Edinburgh

CARDIFF’S last appearance at the Arms Park this season ended miserably as Edinburgh picked up a valuable four points in their quest for an end of season playoff spot.

2 mins

RED ROSES

MADDIE FEAUNATI EXETER CHIEFS BACK ROW

2 mins

Sharks look to have edge in Diamond derby

SALE boss Alex Sanderson has thanked Steve Diamond, his opposite number at Newcastle, for giving him extra motivation to win what has been dubbed ‘the Diamond derby’.

3 mins

Langdon is quick to make his point

NORTHAMPTON have placed an emphasis this season on putting pace in the legs of their players and that suits Curtis Langdon, a hooker in a hurry.

4 mins

Saracens know how to win Tompkins

WITH the Premiership run-in hotting up, Saracens centre Nick Tompkins claims ‘experience matters’ in these blockbuster end-of-season contests and says his side have regained their confidence after enduring a Jekyll and Hyde campaign thus far.

3 mins

The boys down west who know how to win

THE way they see it down Exeter way, only one team is flying the flag for the region as the Premiership campaign heads for home.

3 mins

Leinster's workload merits little sympathy

LEINSTER are worried about the pressure that could prevent them from winning a European Cup and URC double. Any observation like this by a province with a full Ireland international line-up – and more squad players with Irish or Irish U20 caps jostling to be seen than there are patients in an NHS A&E – merits the response, “welcome to the real world”.

3 mins

Time for Saints to be true to themselves

THE contest between the 9-10 pairings of Leinster’s Jamison Gibson-Park and Ross Byrne and Northampton’s Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith will be critical to the outcome of the European Cup semi-final at Croke Park on Saturday.

5 mins

Battle for top four reaching climax

THE battle for the Premieship play-off places heated up yesterday with leaders Northampton losing to Harlequins and a revitalised Bristol Bears launching a stunning comeback to end Leicester’s hopes of making the top four.

3 mins

England celebrate Grand Slam treble

ENGLAND secured their sixth straight Six Nations title and third Grand Slam in a row yesterday by beating France 42-21 in Bordeaux.

4 mins

I'm loving every single minute

IN THE picturesque town of Pau nestled at the foot of the Pyrenees, Joe Simmonds has found more than just a rugby club; he’s found a new place to call home.

3 mins

Scoring in Hell Fire Comer was great

SEEING Scottie Scheffler being presented with the Green Jacket for winning golf’s US Masters last week reminded me of the time I was presented with a red one having played my 100th game for Redruth. It might not have the same kudos in the wider sporting world but, for me, it is a treasured item from my four years at the club.

5 mins

Defeated, but Ukraine show grit and pride

SWITZERLAND was always going to be Ukraine’s toughest match of this three Test series and so it proved.

3 mins

Crane: Sinckler's an emotional guy

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 unavailable for his country from next season as he heads to the Top 14.

2 mins

YOUNG GUNS

Newcastle Falcons have endured a dismal campaign in the Premiership but tyro hooker Jacob Oliver believes the future is bright in the North East as he hopes to follow fellow academy graduates by breaking into the first team.

2 mins

Hurricanes storm in despite triple yellow

HURRICANES overcame a poor second half in which they conceded three yellow cards to beat Fijian Drua 38-15 and stretch their winning start to eight matches to end their opponent’s unbeaten record at home.

3 mins

JIFF looks likely to play a vital role

IT’S LOGICAL – as the final stop-start sprint in a hard fought Top 14 season begins – to think purely in terms of matches remaining, points potential, and table possibilities. In fact, with play-off and Champions Cup places up for grabs, and relegation to avoid, such thoughts are not just logical, they’re inevitable.

4 mins

S Africa is crying out for its own league

IF I remember my A level geography correctly, Africa is moving towards Europe at about the same rate as your fingernails grow which, among other things, suggests that the wholesale, no holds barred, in for a penny in for a pound merging of British, European and South African rugby was a tad premature.

4 mins

Lion who enjoyed a taste of Italy

ANDREA Gazzi’s grave lies on the Inner Hebridean island of Islay, a long way from the fish-and-chip shop he left behind in Gorseinon.

3 mins

Furbank: We were spoonfed too much

GEORGE Furbank feels Northampton’s rise this season is down to a pre-season meeting when the players resolved to take more responsibility.

3 mins

RED ROSES

EXETER Chiefs prop Liz Hanlon is knocking on the door of an inaugural England cap and says she’s where she is today courtesy of her club’s formidable partnership with Exeter University.

2 mins

Rampant England on target for slam

HALF-TIME act Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s hit track Murder on the Dancefloor would have resonated heavily with Ireland as England ran riot in front of a huge crowd at Twickenham.

3 mins

Robertson will cash in on Barrett move

LOOKING at it from Leinster’s point of view, the signing of the world’s best inside centre is a proper coup.

1 min

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The Rugby Paper, the UK's number 1 selling rugby title, brings you exclusive stories, reports and features on your device, published in exceptional clarity. It contains renowned journalists such as Nick Cain and Peter Jackson, and famous former players as columnists including Jeremy Guscott and Jeff Probyn. Published every Sunday, The Rugby Paper covers Rugby Union from national teams and Premiership / Rabo Direct down to grass roots.