Rugby News
Bristol Bears set for a Bath showdown in Premiership Play-Offs
The Rugby Paper - 1 Jun 2025 05:00
Fierce rivals Bath and Bristol will play off at The Rec on Friday as the Bears look to become the first West Country side to win the Premiership. Bath had long qualified for the knock-out stage but the Bears, despite bei...
Alex Dombrandt hoping for Harlequins link
The Rugby Paper - 1 Jun 2025 04:59
Alex Dombrandt would relish the chance to play alongside his team-mates in an all-Harlequins England back row this summer. The post Alex Dombrandt hoping for Harlequins link appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Owen Farrell looks set for a return to the Premiership
The Rugby Paper - 1 Jun 2025 04:59
Owen Farrell looks set for a return to the Premiership after expressing a wish to leave Racing 92 one year into his contract. Former England skipper Farrell joined Racing last summer on a two-year deal. Injuries have bli...
Bath tempt Chris Harris from Gloucester
The Rugby Paper - 1 Jun 2025 04:59
Gloucester star Chris Harris will make the move to rivals Bath next season as medical dispensation for Ollie Lawrence, who suffered a ruptured Achilles during the Six Nations. The Scotland and British and Irish Lions cen...
George Skivington backing for more one-club players
The Rugby Paper - 1 Jun 2025 04:59
George Skivington believes the tighter finances in the Premiership will lead to more one-club players having reduced the threat of poaching. The post George Skivington backing for more one-club players appeared first on ...
Rivalry with Kieran Hardy is pushing Reuben Morgan-Williams on
The Rugby Paper - 1 Jun 2025 04:59
Reuben Morgan-Williams says the competition with fellow Ospreys scrum-half Kieran Hardy has driven the two of them on - a fact demonstrated by both being selected for Wales' tour of Japan. The post Rivalry with Kieran Ha...
George Ford deserves to be a British and Irish Lion, says Alex Sanderson
The Rugby Paper - 1 Jun 2025 04:59
Alex Sanderson claims it would be a "travesty" if George Ford fails to experience what it feels like to be a Lion. The Sale boss feels Ford would go down as one of the unluckiest players never to go on tour with the Brit...
Dorrell following in father's footsteps
The Rugby Paper - 1 Jun 2025 04:59
■By BEN JAYCOCK HARD-HITTING England Students captain Lucas Dorrell is following in the footsteps of his father, Dean, and hopes to break into the fold at Exeter Chiefs next season. Former Saracens, Rosslyn Park and En...
AJ MacGinty predicts Friday fireworks between Bath and Bristol Bears
The Rugby Paper - 1 Jun 2025 04:59
AJ MacGinty has predicted there will be fireworks when Bath and Bristol meet in the play off at The Rec. Neither of the West Country rivals has won the Premiership and the Bears have yet to make the final. "A game agains...
Saracens 36-26 Bath: For once, Sarries miss out on play-off party
The Rugby Paper - 1 Jun 2025 04:59
Saracens .......................... 36pts Tries: Segun 9, George 19, 47; Daly 30, Dan 53, Burke 59 Conversions: Burke 20, 31, 60 Bath .................................... 26pts Tries: Green 5, Offiah 64, Tuipulotu 72, He...
Wade pulls the curtain down in fine style
The Rugby Paper - 1 Jun 2025 04:59
■By ROGER PANTING Gloucester ........................41pts Tries: Cotgreave 4, 24, 50; Wade 30, 79; Williams 32, Atkinson 53 Conversions: Carreras 4, 50, 53 Northampton ................... 26pts Tries: Pearson 7, Litch...
1989: The Lions Return to Australia
The Rugby Paper - 1 Jun 2025 04:59
A Tour Years in the Making This article is adapted and extracted from the new edition of The British & Irish Lions: The Official History by Clem Thomas, Greg Thomas and Rob Cole When the 1989 party arrived in Perth they ...
Rob Baxter can see shoots of recovery at Exeter Chiefs
The Rugby Paper - 1 Jun 2025 04:59
Rob Baxter was 'disappointed' that his side could not quite overcome Sale in their final game of the season. After a season of woe at Sandy Park, the shoots of recovery have been there in recent weeks and Baxter watched ...
Ruaridh McConnochie: GB 7s talent is up for grabs
The Rugby Paper - 1 Jun 2025 04:59
Ruaridh McConnochie believes there are some rich pickings to be had for clubs following the RFU's decision to disband the full-time GB 7s programme. GBs players were recently hit with the bombshell that season-long contr...
Mike Friday: World Rugby's 7s overhaul is 'shameful'
The Rugby Paper - 1 Jun 2025 04:59
Mike Friday, the ex-England, Kenya and USA Sevens, coach has called World Rugby "shameful, unprofessional and Machiavellian" after the global governing body overhauled the World Sevens Series. It was confirmed that a thr...
Tobias Elliott aiming to prove his worth for England
The Rugby Paper - 1 Jun 2025 04:59
Tobias Elliott is delighted to find himself on England's radar ahead of an action-packed summer. The 21-year-old Saracens wing has enjoyed a breakthrough season for his club, scoring nine tries in all competitions and pr...
Joe Carpenter's keen to join his England pals
The Rugby Paper - 1 Jun 2025 04:59
Joe Carpenter has watched on patiently as his mates have excelled for England - now he wants a piece of the action for himself. The post Joe Carpenter's keen to join his England pals appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Dream Team - Rob Saunders
The Rugby Paper - 1 Jun 2025 04:59
ROB SAUNDERS, THE FORMER LONDON IRISH, ULSTER & IRELAND SCRUM-HALF, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH OR AGAINST. 1. Jason Leonard - His international record needs no introduction. Spanned the amateur and profession...
Jeremy Guscott: Dynamic duo, Danny Care and Ben Youngs, who thrived on rivalry
The Rugby Paper - 1 Jun 2025 04:59
It's very rare that two players dominate as international scrum-halves for as long as Ben Youngs and Danny Care have for England. Both centurions announced their retirements from the club game over the last couple of wee...
Bristol Bears 52-26 Harlequins: Gabriel Ibitoye makes sure Bears keep control
The Rugby Paper - 1 Jun 2025 04:59
Bristol Bears ................... 52pts Tries: Kloska 2, Batley 5, Ravouvou 19, Mata 24, Ibitoye 46, 64; Grondona 57, van Rensburg 68 Conversions: MacGinty 3, 6, 25, 58, 65, 69 Harlequins ....................... 26pts Tr...
We struggled to replace our big names, says Northampton Saints boss PhilDowson
The Rugby Paper - 1 Jun 2025 04:59
Northampton boss Phil Dowson was left to reflect on an eighth-placed finish in the Premiership. He said: "We wanted to make a decent defence of our title but it wasn't to be and it has been frustrating. "We found it hard...
Exeter Chiefs 26-30 Sale Sharks: Sharks hold on to set up blockbuster finale
The Rugby Paper - 1 Jun 2025 04:59
Exeter Chiefs .................. 26pts Tries: Brown-Bampoe 19, Hodge 49, Haydon-Wood 57, Capstick 77 Conversions: Hodge 50, 58, 78 Sale Sharks ......................30pts Tries: Ma'asi-White 25, Rodd 33, Cowan-Dickie 69 ...