Sports
The Rugby Paper
Superstar Savea the man to ignite Moana
ARDIE Savea’s move to Moana Pasifika is the headline transfer and there’s a feeling of optimism for the Pacific Island teams.
2 min |
February 09, 2025
The Rugby Paper
Seven-try Bristol keep Chiefs quiet
BRISTOL kept their play-off hopes alive with a seven-try victory at Ashton Gate.
1 min |
February 09, 2025
The Rugby Paper
Let us permit No.8s freedom of expression
\"We must hope and pray the liberty awarded to No.9s is extended by at least one digit\"
3 min |
February 09, 2025
The Rugby Paper
Heads must roll. If not today, then very soon
JUST when the Red Dragon Brotherhood thought it couldn’t possibly get any worse, their team duly plunged through another fathom of uncharted waters before hit- ting a deeper rock bottom.
4 min |
February 09, 2025
The Rugby Paper
Wood making good at Trailfinders
CANADIAN tighthead Rori Wood has hit the ground running in west London and wants to help Trailfinders to back-toback top-six finishes.
2 min |
February 09, 2025
The Rugby Paper
Italy hold on to leave Wales with little hope
ITALY, not without late alarms after finishing the game with 13 players, won the so-called battle of the wooden spoon as Wales slipped to a 14th straight defeat.
4 min |
February 09, 2025
The Rugby Paper
Georgia's call for stronger opposition
THE president of the Georgian Rugby Union Soso Tkemaladze believes they have ‘outgrown’ the Rugby Europe Championship.
2 min |
February 09, 2025
The Rugby Paper
Dowson: Don't push salary cap too hard
PHIL Dowson has joined Gloucester owner Martin St Quinton in questioning the Premiership salary cap increasing at a time when clubs are still grappling with debt.
2 min |
February 09, 2025
The Rugby Paper
Easterby keeps faith with Prendergast at fly-half
IRELAND have kept faith with outside-half Sam Prendergast who will make his first Test appearance outside Dublin against Scotland.
2 min |
February 09, 2025
The Rugby Paper
England ecstasy as Smith seizes the day
FIN Smith came of age in the last quarter of this cliff-hanger to inspire England to finally produce an 80-minute performance when he put Elliot Daly clear for the winning try in the 79th minute against a French side that spiked their Grand Slam ambitions by squandering multiple scoring opportunities.
5 min |
February 09, 2025
The Rugby Paper
Rising star Kerr sets his sights on England
A CONSEQUENCE of the financial strife Premiership clubs have found themselves in this decade has been a fixed focus on developing talent.
3 min |
February 09, 2025
The Rugby Paper
Borthwick deserves credit for his brave calls
TIME to tip a hat in the direction of England coach Steve Borthwick who bit the bullet hard this week and made the biggest and best decisions of his life.
4 min |
February 09, 2025
The Rugby Paper
Lukhan's ready to do battle with Lions
LUKHAN Salakaia-Loto has credited Northampton with resurrecting his Test career as he looks forward to a reunion with some of his former team-mates when the Lions land in Australia in the summer.
3 min |
February 09, 2025
The Rugby Paper
The Incredibles! Smith ignites spirited England
FIN Smith lifted the roof off Twickenham and the mood of English rugby by leading the Red Rose outfit to a dramatic 26-25 win over the French.
3 min |
February 09, 2025
The Rugby Paper
I'm surprised by £30m offer to community game
THE unexpected offer of a £30 million payout to the community game for the next four years to help mend the financial problems, caused when the RFU unexpectedly withdrew grassroots funding a few years back, sounds great.
4 min |
February 02, 2025
The Rugby Paper
Brotherly advice is a big help for Tom
TOM Willis felt an outsider the first time he pitched up in England camp but now the Saracens No.8 has got his feet under the table.
3 min |
February 02, 2025
The Rugby Paper
Rugby was a passport to travel the world
GREW up in Queensland Country, in a small town called Rockhampton, and played a lot of rugby league as a kid.
6 min |
February 02, 2025
The Rugby Paper
We don't want to finish bottom, says Baxter
ROB Baxter wants Exeter to avoid an end-of-season relegation play-off on merit, not because the Championship winners do not meet the entry criteria for the Premiership.
2 min |
February 02, 2025
The Rugby Paper
Billingham's amateurs work like the professionals
AS one of the only fully amateur teams in National 2 North, Billingham care about more than just results. Every player pays subs - like grassroots teams up and down the country - with their only remuneration being two free pints at the bar after every home game.
2 min |
February 02, 2025
The Rugby Paper
Battling forwards put England in pole position
DEFENDING champions England secured their first win in Ireland since 2017 built on a gritty display from the pack.
3 min |
February 02, 2025
The Rugby Paper
Lam: We'll keep defying critics
PAT Lam expects his Bristol side to continue defying the critics after going into the Premiership break second in the table.
2 min |
February 02, 2025
The Rugby Paper
Soko adds weight to Worthing survival bid
ZIMBABWE international Saope Soko has come out of retirement to help keep Worthing in the National Leagues but since returning he can't help feeling the fourth tier isn't what it used to be.
2 min |
February 02, 2025
The Rugby Paper
Tigers get their act together to chase Saints out of town
LEICESTER secured derby-day bragging rights as they brought an end to Northampton's winning start in the Premiership Rugby Cup.
2 min |
February 02, 2025
The Rugby Paper
When living beyond your means makes it tough to survive
SANTI Carreras stood out for Gloucester in the two seasons before this one when they were stuck at the wrong end of the table. The Argentina international joined the club in 2020 when he was 22 and had the year before made his debut for the Pumas.
2 min |
February 02, 2025
The Rugby Paper
Borthwick's men wilt in Dublin's red hot furnace
WHEN are England going to become 80 minute men? That was the question that loomed large as Steve Borthwick's team once again ran out of gas when this Six Nations opener in Dublin was in the balance in the second half.
5 min |
February 02, 2025
The Rugby Paper
Once again, England blow their chances
ENGLAND continue to find ways to lose. As in their previous six Tests against tier one opposition, they led at one point in the second half only to fade away. It does not look a question of fitness or even personnel but a collective failure to wrestle back momentum.
4 min |
February 02, 2025
The Rugby Paper
Chester's late tries break the Ionians
CHESTER came out on top in a thrilling, see-saw match that had the crowd on the edge of their seats throughout, and was only decided by a late burst of tries from the home side against an opponent who tested them for 80 minutes.
2 min |
February 02, 2025
The Rugby Paper
Opoku-Fordjour will thrive with England - Rodd
BEVAN Rodd believes rising prop star Asher Opoku-Fordjour is ready to thrive for England at the Six Nations as Sale's front rowers push for selection.
2 min |
February 02, 2025
The Rugby Paper
Tom's penalty Putts seal on top victory for Albion
IN-FORM Plymouth Albion held on for a sixth consecutive victory in what was a close and physical contest.
2 min |
February 02, 2025
The Rugby Paper
Coach Lancaster sacked by Racing 92
FORMER England boss Stuart Lancaster has been sacked from his job as Racing 92 head coach.
1 min |