In this issue

April 16, 2023

Varndell's glad to roll back the years

TOM Varndell has added another winner’s medal to his collection, at the ripe old age of 37.

4 mins

I'd love to play for Fiji, says Hughes

NATHAN Hughes has closed the chapter on his time in England but says he is awaiting the call from the Fijian selectors to appear for his country of birth.

3 mins

Hastings on way back after shoulder injury

ADAM Hastings is in line to return to action for Gloucester before the end of the season, four months after the Scotland outside-half had shoulder surgery.

2 mins

All Blacks have what it takes to go all way

THE decision by New Zealand to announce a new coach of the All Blacks before a fouryear cycle has ended is quite sensational. As a neutral, you feel a bit for current coach Ian Foster going into the 2023 World Cup, with Scott Robertson named already as his successor as soon as the tournament is over.

4 mins

Saints go fourth in battle for play-offs

SAINTS kept well in the race for a playoff place with a hard earned win against a largely shadow Sarries XV that contested the issue to the last.

2 mins

Quins find their feet to finish job in style

ALEX Dombrandt put his Six Nations worries behind him to show himself “a different beast” for his club as Quins eventually overwhelmed bottom club Falcons.

2 mins

Reid finds the fire to lead Bath fightback

IT’S been a long time coming but Bath’s first away win since November brought them huge satisfaction as they retrieved a 17-0 deficit to silence a sold-out Kingsholm and win there for the first time in five years.

2 mins

Curry brothers put the heat on Bristol

SALE’s England boys pulled together to help the Sharks return to winning ways and take a major step towards securing a home Premiership semi-final.

2 mins

Steward: We want to help Ashy get to that century

MIKE Brown has been left out of Tigers’ matchday 23 for the visit of Exeter today, with Freddie Steward joined in the back-three by the soon-tobe-retired Chris Ashton.

2 mins

Last-chance saloon for title hopes - Baxter

HAVING beaten the Top 14 champions one week, the URC champions the next, Exeter now have the reigning Premiership champions Leicester in their sights.

2 mins

How I'd cut down on a blight in modern game

WHAT is happening to our game? There were plenty of cheers for Ulster hooker Tom Stewart as he made it back-to-back hat-tricks with his three-try salvo against the Dragons on Friday night. It was a performance that took his league try tally in the URC this season to a record 16, overtaking the previous highest of 14 by wings Tim Visser and Rabz Maxwane.

4 mins

England hit back with win over Italy

ENGLAND got their U18s Six Nations Festival back on track with a 26-10 victory over Italy.

2 mins

It was a real honour to lead Cov to promotion

ROWING up in North Lincolnshire, Leicester Tigers were my club. I idolised the ‘ABC Club’ so to get a phone call from Richard Cock erill asking me to come down and have a trial, and to then be coached by him and Graham Rowntree after winning a two-year academy deal at Tigers was a really big thing for me. I thought they’d be very hard operators but they were very patient with us young lads and the technical detail was next level.

6 mins

It's double delight as Lucs finish on a high

THE home support was bouncing with this result, with Luctonians completing a deserved double over second-in-the-league Clifton, in what was a brutal tussle between two of the top four teams.

2 mins

Going abroad won't make players better

REALLY am getting fed up with the constant call from players wanting to have their cake and eat it by calling for a change in the overseas players selection policy, as if that will suddenly make everything that’s wrong in the game right.

4 mins

Kolbe the latest to consider his future

HEADING into the business end of France’s Top 14 season, more than on-pitch matters remain up in the air - quite a few big name players are heading into the closing weeks of the season with their futures still in doubt.

4 mins

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The Rugby Paper Magazine Description:

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.