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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Barrett's Leinster move seems strange to me

JORDIE Barrett’s signing by Leinster on a six-month contract from December until the end of next season looks on the surface as if it is a win-win, with the world-class New Zealand and Hurricanes utility back joining a team of Irish internationals.

Tigers demolished by Saints fireworks

NORTH AMPTON stormed to success on the back of a giddy second half for a memorable triumph over their arch-rivals.

Be quick! McKellar's lowdown on Leinster

NORTHAMPTON had the chance last night to quiz Dan McKellar about their Champions Cup semi-final opponents Leinster but, before the East Midlands derby at Franklin’s Gardens, he said they would need do it quickly.

Quins duo tipped to power up England

WILL Collier and Fin Baxter could galvanise the England scrum with their technique and power, according to World Cup-winning scrum coach Phil Keith-Roach.

It was an honour to reach the 400-mark

IF I am being honest I never grew up dreaming of playing for Pontypridd, not even once let alone 401 times (one of only seven players to do so in the club’s 150 year history).

Ukraine go close against Sweden

UKRAINE pushed Sweden all the way but fell just short against the Rugby Europe Trophy table toppers in Trelleborg, the southernmost port of Sweden.

Esher on top to seal title triumph

SUPER Esher ran out comfortable winners in this pulsating end-to-end top of-the-table clash to secure the National 2 East title and promotion back to National League 1.

The pinball wizard who can fire Exeter

The pinball wizard who can fire Exeter

Minnows in line for a World Cup boost

WORLD RUGBY aims to streamline the Rugby World Cup qualification process to give nonhigh performance nations even more time to prepare for the next tournament in Australia.

Green seizes day for dazzling Quins

HARLEQUINS reached their first Champions Cup semi-final after shattering perceptions of a free-running side with a soft underbelly by taking on a team that had twice overpowered Saracens at forward and destroying their scrum.

Ramm: We are up for a fight to the finish

JAMES Ramm believes Northampton’s exploits in the Champions Cup will boost their bid to not only make the Premiership play-offs again but secure a home draw.

Coming to grief on the road to Morocco

Mark Stevens talks to Exeter chairman Tony Rowe about his love of classic rallying across all corners of the world

Dawson: George is England's catalyst

FORMER England captain and scrumhalf Matt Dawson says skipper Jamie George has been the “catalyst” for the country’s recent turnaround.

We won't stop until the final whistle - Yeandle

CHAMPIONS Cup veteran Jack Yeandle has no doubt Exeter’s exciting young guns will rise to another big occasion in Toulouse today.

Sparkling Leinster get it right this time

CHAMPIONS La Rochelle travel sore but also far from their best this season were unceremoniously dumped from this season’s Championship Cup as Leinster took revenge against their revenge against their conquerors in the last two finals.

We're ready for big finish, says Millard

HARLEQUINS face the toughest run-in of the Premiership’s top four contenders and director of rugby Billy Millard knows he must shore up his side’s leaky defence.

Lucky 13 at home as Titans run riot

PROMOTION contenders Rotherham Titans ended the season unbeaten at home in style, scoring ten tries to cap a 13th straight win.