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Chris Boyd insists Gloucester will have to alter their style
New Gloucester technical director Chris Boyd says the team must “modify” their expansive style of play until reinforcements arrive this summer. The post Chris Boyd insists Gloucester will have to alter their style appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
England’s Alex Coles supports new contact rules
England’s Alex Coles has welcomed new rules over contact in training but insists he is well looked after anyway by club and country. The post England’s Alex Coles supports new contact rules appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Maro Itoje admits England’s Six Nations defeat to Ireland was ‘hard to switch off from’
Maro Itoje has revealed how the hangover from captaining England to two consecutive losses hit him in the aftermath of the drubbing by Ireland two weeks ago. The post Maro Itoje admits England’s Six Nations defeat to Ireland was ‘hard to switch off from’ appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Ben Earl: My journey to 50 England caps has been amazing
Cricket fan Ben Earl raised his bat for 50 England caps in Rome yesterday and colleagues insisted it was never in doubt. The post Ben Earl: My journey to 50 England caps has been amazing appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Orlando Bailey: I’m happy to be at Leicester Tigers
Orlando Bailey squares up against his former club Bath in the Prem Cup semi-final at Welford Road today, having no regrets about his summer move to Leicester Tigers. The post Orlando Bailey: I’m happy to be at Leicester Tigers appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
England 18-23 Italy: Steve Borthwick’s stunned squad are left with no defence
England lost their heads and Steve Borthwick’s neck is on the line after they made history of the wrong kind in Rome yesterday. The post England 18-23 Italy: Steve Borthwick’s stunned squad are left with no defence appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Scotland 50-40 France: Rampant Scots stay in the title hunt
For the first time in Six Nations history, Scotland will go into Super Saturday with a chance of winning the title after blowing heavy favourites France away at Murrayfield. The post Scotland 50-40 France: Rampant Scots stay in the title hunt appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Ireland 27-17 Wales: Hit by lightning! Rhys Carre puts on a show for the visitors
Ireland fans were happy enough with a bonus point win and Wales supporters will point to a second strong performance on the bounce, albeit another defeat, but the only thing anybody will remember from this game is Rhys Carre’s brilliant try. The post Ireland 27-17 Wales: Hit by lightning! Rhys Carre puts on a show for the visitors appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Italy U20s 17-37 England U20s: Finn Keylock sparks Red Rose as they hand Italians a finishing lesson
Saracens flyhalf Finn Keylock scored 17 points as England Under-20s returned to winning ways with victory over Italy at Stadio Monigo in Treviso, though their hopes of reclaiming the title were ended earlier in the evening by France’s win over Scotland. The post Italy U20s 17-37 England U20s: Finn Keylock sparks Red Rose as they hand Italians a finishing lesson appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Ireland U20s 48-33 Wales U20s: Daniel Ryan double puts the Irish on track as the Welsh run out of steam
Ireland Under-20s proved too strong for Wales in an entertaining affair at Virgin Media Park in Cork, ending the visitors’ hopes of claiming their first win on Irish soil in eight years. The post Ireland U20s 48-33 Wales U20s: Daniel Ryan double puts the Irish on track as the Welsh run out of steam appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Leicester Tigers vs Bath: Will Butt – I want to go out on a high
Will Butt intends to leave Bath on a high after deciding to end his 12-year playing association with the club and join Exeter Chiefs in the summer. The post Leicester Tigers vs Bath: Will Butt – I want to go out on a high appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Exeter Chiefs vs Northampton Saints: It is time to deliver, Rob Baxter tells Zack Wimbush
Rob Baxter has challenged Zack Wimbush to back up his recent Prem Cup performances and not get carried away by speculation over his international future as Exeter Chiefs face Northampton Saints today. The post Exeter Chiefs vs Northampton Saints: It is time to deliver, Rob Baxter tells Zack Wimbush appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Paul Williams: Wales’ young guns are showing the way
Watching Welsh rugby’s recent performances, or reading about Welsh rugby’s political events, can have a premature ageing effect on the faces of a typical Welsh rugby supporter. The post Paul Williams: Wales’ young guns are showing the way appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Wales skipper Dewi Lake insists win is ‘just around the corner’ for Steve Tandy’s men
Wales’ losing Six Nations streak has stretched to 15 matches – the previous victory coming against Italy in March 2023 – but captain Dewi Lake is confident they can get a result against the Azzurri on Saturday to avoid a third successive wooden spoon. The post Wales skipper Dewi Lake insists win is ‘just around the corner’ for Steve Tandy’s men appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Ramm on his way to Western Force
NORTHAMPTON winger James Ramm will join Australian Super Rugby side Western Force on a two-year deal at the end of the Prem season. The 27-year-old, who previously played for Waratahs, helped Saints to the Prem title in 2024 and has scored 31 tries in 68 appearances over four years at Franklin’s Gardens. Ramm, right, who […] The post Ramm on his way to Western Force appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Liebenberg leaves
BACK row Hanro Liebenberg will leave Leicester Tigers at the end of the season to rejoin South African side the Bulls. The 30-year-old, below, was a member of Leicester’s Premiership title-winning side in 2022 and has played 141 games for the club, scoring 31 tries. Head coach Geoff Parling said discussions had been ongoing for […] The post Liebenberg leaves appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
New role for Pivac
FORMER Wales and Scarlets head coach Wayne Pivac will take charge of Benetton next season. The 63-year-old New Zealander has signed a contract as first-team head coach with the Italian club until June 2028, with the option of a further two seasons. Pivac won the 2021 Six Nations during a three-year spell as Wales boss, […] The post New role for Pivac appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Nick Easter: The weight Maro Itoje has to carry is quite extraordinary
What Maro Itoje has dealt with in the last nine months is extraordinary. He captained the Lions, he captains England, he captains Saracens, and in the middle of all that, he has suffered the death of his mother. The post Nick Easter: The weight Maro Itoje has to carry is quite extraordinary appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Nick Easter: Tom Willis would have been in my team
I would have started Tom Willis in the back row for England yesterday, regardless of his decision to move to France next season, because, for me, you want your best players available. The post Nick Easter: Tom Willis would have been in my team appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Our target now is a top six finish
AS head coach at Chinnor, if you had offered me our current position of eighth in The Championship at the start of the season, I would have snapped your hand off. We are operating with one of the lowest playing budgets in the league, so to be where we are is a huge credit to […] The post Our target now is a top six finish appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
For me, Quins need to show clarity
IT HAS been a frustrating season for my old club Harlequins and I think a lot of that comes down to instability. They have had a change of head coach, which was unsettling in itself, but there has also been too much chopping and changing around who is really driving the rugby side of things. […] The post For me, Quins need to show clarity appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Game has been betrayed
SO, Bill Sweeney`s grand plan for franchise rugby, which sees the abolishment of promotion and relegation (but with applications to join with conditions), improved crowd attendances, better promotion of the English game nationwide and possibly worldwide and finally increased revenue. The question is will it ever work? The truthful answer is a big NO! Why […] The post Game has been betrayed appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Saara is a queen of broadcasting
SAARA Elgan is setting the benchmark for TV presenters in rugby union, across both the men’s and women’s game. She is incredibly knowledgable, prepared, engaging, clear, concise and articulate. Saara brilliantly anchors the PWR coverage on TNT Sports alongside top pundits like Natasha ‘Mo’ Hunt, Sarah Hunter and Emily Scarratt who provide a perfect blend […] The post Saara is a queen of broadcasting appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Support for the whole community
HAVING read the comments by RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney, I await to see how his comment “capable of supporting the whole rugby community from grassroots to the international stage” works out. My hope would be that any franchise contract awarded would contractually obligate a ‘realistic’ percentage of the monies paid to be ring fenced […] The post Support for the whole community appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Put Welsh clubs in Prem
THE money men have had their way and meritocracy in rugby is dead. It is not a decision I agree with, however, it could have consequences that may save Welsh rugby if the WRU want to seek election for the two vacancies the Prem want to fill. I am sure the criteria of spending one […] The post Put Welsh clubs in Prem appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
France resist Scotland’s second-half fightback
By SAM JACKSON Scotland ...........26pts Tries: Roberts 47, McAughtrie 55, Waugh 65, Rennie 72 Conversions: Dalziel 56, 66, 73 France............... 45pts Tries: Leveque 13, Gilbert 24, Veschambre 28, Drault 34, 69; Ibsaiene 36, Frier 77 Conversions: Keletaona 25, 29, 37; Kretchmann 70, 78 SCOTLAND U20s produced a spirited second-half fightback but were ultimately beaten at […] The post France resist Scotland’s second-half fightback appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Chris Hewett: Dave Rennie should leave Brodie Retallick where he is
Let the fun and games begin. Dave Rennie, freshly-appointed head coach of the All Blacks with a World Cup looming large in his highly educated mind’s eye, appears to be in the mood for a serious discussion on selection policy after identifying Brodie Retallick, one of the stand-out locks of his generation, as a recall target. The post Chris Hewett: Dave Rennie should leave Brodie Retallick where he is appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Chris Hewett: Chris Boyd can transform Gloucester
An effigy of Francois Pienaar swinging from the roof of the Shed as the World Cup-winning Springbok captain made an early appearance for Saracens; a furious, if ultimately one-sided touchline argument between a cider-fuelled local and Lawrence Dallaglio’s mum; the first recorded chorus of “you don’t know what you’re doing” to be aimed at a hapless referee. There were a thousand good reasons why Kingsholm earned itself the nickname “Castle Grim”, but limited space restricts us to a hat-trick of s
Paul Rees: RFU taking the corporate route with English rugby was inevitable
Paul Rees looks at the thinking behind the RFU’s changes and says that doing nothing was not a real option. The post Paul Rees: RFU taking the corporate route with English rugby was inevitable appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Bristol’s Rubiolo sidelined with ACL surgery
NEWS EXTRA BRISTOL Bears will be without Pedro Rubiolo for the rest of the season after the Argentina lock had surgery on an anterior cruciate ligament. Fellow second rower Joe Batley will be out until May after dislocating his thumb in the Prem Cup match against Sale last weekend. The Bears will also be without […] The post Bristol’s Rubiolo sidelined with ACL surgery appeared first on The Rugby Paper.