CATEGORIES

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

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.

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6 mins  |
April 28, 2024
'Ireland in blue' will provide stiffest test
The Rugby Paper

'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.

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3 mins  |
April 28, 2024
Cardiff left in a mess by lively Edinburgh
The Rugby Paper

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.

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2 mins  |
April 28, 2024
RED ROSES
The Rugby Paper

RED ROSES

MADDIE FEAUNATI EXETER CHIEFS BACK ROW

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2 mins  |
April 28, 2024
Sharks look to have edge in Diamond derby
The Rugby Paper

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’.

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3 mins  |
April 28, 2024
Langdon is quick to make his point
The Rugby Paper

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.

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4 mins  |
April 28, 2024
Saracens know how to win Tompkins
The Rugby Paper

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.

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3 mins  |
April 28, 2024
The boys down west who know how to win
The Rugby Paper

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.

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3 mins  |
April 28, 2024
Leinster's workload merits little sympathy
The Rugby Paper

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”.

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3 mins  |
April 28, 2024
Time for Saints to be true to themselves
The Rugby Paper

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.

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5 mins  |
April 28, 2024
Battle for top four reaching climax
The Rugby Paper

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.

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3 mins  |
April 28, 2024
England celebrate Grand Slam treble
The Rugby Paper

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.

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4 mins  |
April 28, 2024
I'm loving every single minute
The Rugby Paper

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.

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3 mins  |
April 21, 2024
Scoring in Hell Fire Comer was great
The Rugby Paper

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.

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5 mins  |
April 21, 2024
Defeated, but Ukraine show grit and pride
The Rugby Paper

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.

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3 mins  |
April 21, 2024
Crane: Sinckler's an emotional guy
The Rugby Paper

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.

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2 mins  |
April 21, 2024
YOUNG GUNS
The Rugby Paper

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.

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2 mins  |
April 21, 2024
Hurricanes storm in despite triple yellow
The Rugby Paper

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.

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3 mins  |
April 21, 2024
JIFF looks likely to play a vital role
The Rugby Paper

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.

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4 mins  |
April 21, 2024
S Africa is crying out for its own league
The Rugby Paper

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.

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4 mins  |
April 21, 2024
Lion who enjoyed a taste of Italy
The Rugby Paper

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.

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3 mins  |
April 21, 2024
Furbank: We were spoonfed too much
The Rugby Paper

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.

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3 mins  |
April 21, 2024
RED ROSES
The Rugby Paper

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.

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2 mins  |
April 21, 2024
Rampant England on target for slam
The Rugby Paper

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.

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3 mins  |
April 21, 2024
Robertson will cash in on Barrett move
The Rugby Paper

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.

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1 min  |
April 21, 2024
Barrett's Leinster move seems strange to me
The Rugby Paper

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.

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4 mins  |
April 21, 2024
Tigers demolished by Saints fireworks
The Rugby Paper

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.

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2 mins  |
April 21, 2024
Be quick! McKellar's lowdown on Leinster
The Rugby Paper

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.

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2 mins  |
April 21, 2024
Quins duo tipped to power up England
The Rugby Paper

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.

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1 min  |
April 21, 2024
It was an honour to reach the 400-mark
The Rugby Paper

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).

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5 mins  |
April 14, 2024