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Artificial pitches a turn-off
AS a new recipient of the state old age pension, I am now officially grumpy, so allow me to moan about artificial pitches. Saracens, Newcastle and Gloucester have them and that would be fine if they were in the Rugby League. As an advocate for the forwards I feel Union should be played on grass/mud, […] The post Artificial pitches a turn-off appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Hartpury hooker Will Crane glad to learn the Gloucester way in the Champions Cup
There are few players in the country who have put in more hours to make their rugby dream a reality and that hard work has paid off for Hartpury hooker Will Crane. The post Hartpury hooker Will Crane glad to learn the Gloucester way in the Champions Cup appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
DREAM TEAM
AUGUSTIN SLOWIK, THE FORMER BRISTOL, LEEDS, WORCESTER, LONDON SCOTTISH, NORTHERN SUBURBS, SYDNEY RAYS, JERSEY REDS AND NICE FULL-BACK, SELECTS THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST… 1. Ellis Genge – Came through the Bristol academy together. Powerful, explosive and relentless. Watching his progression has been no surprise – a destructive ball-carrier with an […] The post DREAM TEAM appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Nick Cain: England must ditch the hype and make history
The Six Nations decision to play this season’s tournament opener between reigning champions France and Ireland in Paris on Thursday evening may have unforeseen ramifications of giving them a head start. The post Nick Cain: England must ditch the hype and make history appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Chris Hewett: For once, a cheer for the governing classes
Rugby's governing classes have a long track record of not knowing what day of the week it is, so it is only fair to remind them that this season’s Six Nations is kicking off on a Thursday night. The post Chris Hewett: For once, a cheer for the governing classes appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Let’s not go back to the Stone Age
IT’S all sweetness and light down there in Wallaby land, with the recently-departed Northampton flanker Angus Scott-Young and the one-time Clermont Auvergne lock Miles Amatosero airing their differences during a Waratahs training session – an incident that left the former with a fractured eye socket, the latter with a four-match ban and an Australian international […] The post Let’s not go back to the Stone Age appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Peter Jackson: Referees need to keep their distance
Behind locked doors at their camp on the Algarve, Ireland’s brains trust will have devoted more time than usual analysing the Englishman in charge of the Six Nations opener in Paris. The post Peter Jackson: Referees need to keep their distance appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Missing from big kick-off
EIGHT props will be missing from the starting grid for the Six Nations. All will be back, some later than sooner, save for the colossus who moved mountains for La Rochelle and France: Uini Atonio. The heart attack which left the New Zealander no option but to bring his long career to an immediate end […] The post Missing from big kick-off appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
A repeat for Scarlets as they battle through fog
■By SIMON THOMAS Benetton ...........20pts Tries: Odogwu 37, Garbisi 71 Conversions: Smith 38, Farias 72 Penalties: Smith 25, 30 Scarlets ............20pts Tries: Davies 42, Page 57, Lewis 75 Conversion: Leggatt-Jones 43 Penalty: Leggatt-Jones 15 A GAME played out in extraordinary conditions delivered the exact same scoreline as last season’s Treviso clash between the two sides. […] The post A repeat for Scarlets as they battle through fog appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Ulster go up to third but Cardiff still looking good
■By BEN JAYCOCK Ulster ................21pts Tries: Wilson 11, Bell 18, Irvine 66 Conversions: Murphy 12, 19, 67 Cardiff ..............14pts Tries: Mulder 54, Emanuel 68 Conversions: Sheedy 55, 69 ULSTER made it three wins from four and moved up to third after seeing off Cardiff in a tense affair. The Northern Irish side were able to […] The post Ulster go up to third but Cardiff still looking good appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Ospreys 19-13 Dragons: Keelan Giles steps up to steal victory for the home side
Keelan Giles scored a 79th-minute try to end another turbulent week for Ospreys with a morale-boosting victory over Dragons in a raucous atmosphere at the Brewery Field. The post Ospreys 19-13 Dragons: Keelan Giles steps up to steal victory for the home side appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Warriors hold firm to keep Munster at bay
■By BEN JAYCOCK Glasgow ............31pts Tries: Smith 7, Lancaster 8, Oguntibeju 33, McKay 40 Conversions: Lancaster 7, 9, 34, 40 Penalty: Lancaster 74 Munster ............22pts Tries: Coughlan, Kelly, Gleeson, Kilgallen Conversion: Wood A SEVERELY depleted Glasgow showed their resilience and depth to withstand a fierce second-half comeback at Scotstoun to stay top of the table. […] The post Warriors hold firm to keep Munster at bay appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Penny pounces to sink Edinburgh
■By JOHN CLEMENT Leinster .............28pts Tries: Deegan 13, Penny 43, 68, 75 Conversions: Tector 13, 43, 68, 75 Edinburgh .........20pts Tries: van der Merwe 19, Satala-Navlivou 39, Shiel 80 Conversion: Thompson 39 Penalty: Thompson 23 SCOTT Penny scored a hat-trick as in-form Leinster secured their 11th consecutive win in all competitions before the Six Nations […] The post Penny pounces to sink Edinburgh appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Sharks ………….36 Stormers …….. 24
SHARKS handed their arch rivals their first loss of the season with a pulsating win in Durban to put themselves back in play-off contention, while Stormers lost ground on leaders Glasgow. The visitors struck inside the opening minute as Co-bus Reinach pounced early, but Sharks regrouped well after Paul de Villiers was yellow carded for […] The post Sharks ………….36 Stormers …….. 24 appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Connacht swerve TMO’s error
■By SAM JACKSON Zebre ..................15pts Connacht ..........31pts Tries: Garcia 56, Stavile 74 Conversion: Roger 74 Penalty: Roger 26 Tries: Joyce 41, Jansen 50, 61; McCormack 91 Conversions: Gilbert 42, 51, 62, 92 Penalty: Gilbert 78 CONNACHT overcame TMO controversy to claim a bonus point win over Zebre in Parma. It was not pretty, but Connacht […] The post Connacht swerve TMO’s error appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Lions……………..17 Bulls ……………..52
HAROLD Vorster came back to haunt his former side with two tries as the Bulls avoided back-to-back defeats. Vorster opened the scoring by diving over under the posts after the Bulls breached the gain line with ease. After Bulls lost Kurt-Lee Arendse to a yellow card for a dangerous tackle, the Lions responded with a […] The post Lions……………..17 Bulls ……………..52 appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Rayer: You can’t win with only 12 players
■By OLLY DARCY Hartpury ............18pts Tries: Short 2, 55 Conversion: Bazalgette 2 Penalties: Bazalgette 66, 75 Bedford .............13pts Try: Brown 14 Conversion: Maisey 14 Penalties: Maisey 23, 77 HARTPURY dug deep to keep their unbeaten home record intact, battling hard to defeat Bedford in an attritional matchup. Hartpury head coach Mark Cornwell cut a proud […] The post Rayer: You can’t win with only 12 players appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Worcester battle hard to get back on the right track
■By BEN WHITE Ampthill ...........14pts Tries: Mullarkey 54, Auvaa 80 Conversions: Grimoldby 55, Heslop 80 Worcester .......41pts Tries: Lane 7, Short 10, Ndimande 15, Tyas 37, Bassett 48, Chapman 71, Garside 74 Conversions: Reed 38, 49; Eden 72 WORCESTER returned to winning ways, snapping a four-game losing streak with a comfortable bonus-point win at Dillingham […] The post Worcester battle hard to get back on the right track appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
London Scottish 27-10 Cambridge: Guy Rogers at the double to give lift to the Exiles
London Scottish clinched a vital bonus point win against a chaotic Cambridge side to secure their fourth win of the season and draw level on points with Richmond in the battle to avoid the relegation play-off. The post London Scottish 27-10 Cambridge: Guy Rogers at the double to give lift to the Exiles appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Watson on hand to steal it for Chinnor
■By PAUL SMITH Coventry ...........14pts Tries: Poole 4, 6 Conversions: Thomas 4, 6 Chinnor ..............19pts Tries: Cave 11, Pascoe 31, Watson 71 Conversions: Pascoe 11, 71 PLAYER-OF-THE-MATCH Callum Pascoe’s conversion of a late Tom Watson try clinched an important and deserved win for Chinnor at Butts Park Arena. In the process Nick Easter’s upwardly mobile […] The post Watson on hand to steal it for Chinnor appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
11-try Ealing hit top gear to demolish Richmond
By JOSEPH E Trailfinders ..65pts Tries: Campbell 4, Wilson 15, Thompson 20, Stronge 23, 44; Holgate 27, 56; Cousins 36, Parry 39, Montgomery 68, 80 Conversions: Worboys 16, 37, 40, 45; Scannell 80 Richmond ..........7pts Try: Obonna 76 Conversion: Dennett 77 EALING dominated throughout, scoring 11 tries to equal the record win streak in the […] The post 11-try Ealing hit top gear to demolish Richmond appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Doncaster sink Pirates with classy exhibition
By GUY Doncaster ........ 44pts Tries: Kerr 3, 43; Margetts 26, 52, 57; Davies 62, 67 Conversions: Bennett: 52, 57, 62 Penalty: Bennett: 8 C Pirates ...........12pts Tries: King 1, Relton 80 Conversion: Robson 1 BETTER late than never. Doncaster delivered an outstanding performance at Castle Park, by far their best of the season which […] The post Doncaster sink Pirates with classy exhibition appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Wilkinson keeps cool to snatch it for Caldy
■By JOHN LYON Caldy ..................21pts Tries: Robinson 48, Hearn 53, Hyde 73 Conversions: K Wilkinson 49, 54, 74 Nottingham ......19pts Tries: Richardson 20, Rokomoce 28, Cherry 36 Conversions: Parks 21, 28 TESTING conditions played a part in Caldy’s win at Paton Field enabling the Ravers to nudge up to eighth in the Champ table. Without […] The post Wilkinson keeps cool to snatch it for Caldy appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Big names return for Bristol
PREVIEW... Bristol Bears v Sale Sharks Today. Kick-off 1pm, Shaftesbury Park BRISTOL welcome Sale to Shaftesbury Park knowing a response is needed after a difficult run either side of the Christmas break. The Bears, languishing down in eighth in the table, have lost five matches on the spin, but the return of senior internationals Meryl […] The post Big names return for Bristol appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Wafer leads way for Harlequins
■By JOSEPH TERRY Trailfinders .....26pts Tries: Ponsonby 22, Burton 28, Inman 53, Roos 63 Conversions: Inman 23, 54, 64 Harlequins .......27pts Tries: Wafer 4, 44, 71; Cromack 35, Callender 78 Conversion: Peña 78 HARLEQUINS fought back to snatch a bo-nus-point win with Aoife Wafer scoring a hat-trick. Ella Cromack and Alex Callender also scored for […] The post Wafer leads way for Harlequins appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Tessier keen to grab chance
PREVIEW... Exeter Chiefs v Leicester Tigers Today. Kick-off 1pm, Sandy Park EXETER captain Alex Tessier feels the PWR’s six-week break has allowed her side to re-focus as they bid to maintain their title pursuit today against winless Leicester. The pause in the programme has given Chiefs time to reset after finishing the opening block in […] The post Tessier keen to grab chance appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Champions welcome back Jones
PREVIEW... Gloucester-Hartpury v Loughborough Lightning Today. Kick-off 3pm, Kingsholm THREE-TIME defending champions Gloucester-Hartpury are chasing an an eighth straight win to move top of the table and complete the clean sweep against every other side in the league at the first attempt this season. The hosts, who are second on points difference behind Saracens, are […] The post Champions welcome back Jones appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Brendan Gallagher: Why putting your faith in data doesn’t add up
Of all the sports most ill-suited to detailed statistical analysis it strikes me that rugby union comfortably tops this list, which is why I rather turn my back on the cottage industry churning out endless data. The post Brendan Gallagher: Why putting your faith in data doesn’t add up appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Six Nations guide – France: Fabien Galthie looking to tighten up the defences
Brendan Gallagher says France coach Fabien Galthie has eyes very much on the next World Cup The post Six Nations guide – France: Fabien Galthie looking to tighten up the defences appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Six Nations guide – Ireland: Andy Farrell will need to cover the cracks
Brendan Gallagher predicts a testing Six Nations campaign ahead for the men in green The post Six Nations guide – Ireland: Andy Farrell will need to cover the cracks appeared first on The Rugby Paper.