The Rugby Paper - September 29, 2024

In this issue

September 29, 2024

Two matches, two defeats but Diamond keeping the faith

HARLEQUINS ran in four tries yesterday to condemn Newcastle Falcons to a 28-14 defeat at The Stoop – their 23rd straight Premiership reverse following their loss at home to Bristol on the opening night.

3 mins

Sio: Lions are in for a shock

SCOTT Sio is backing the Wallabies to give the Lions a fright next summer after their recent upturn under Joe Schmidt.

2 mins

El-Abd steps up to replace Jones

OYONNAX head coach Joe El-Abd has been appointed England’s defence coach, replacing Irishman Felix Jones.

1 min

Offiah Snr backing his boy to hit the heights

TYLER Offiah has been backed to make his senior debut for Bath this season – by his try-scoring legend father Martin.

2 mins

Top four finish is our goal Randall

HARRY Randall feels Bristol Bears can go one step further this year and secure a play-off place which may put the scrumhalf into the fold for further England honours.

3 mins

Augustus: I fight to stop feeling sick

SAINTS fans’ favourite Juarno Augustus leaves nothing in the tank on the pitch and is close to emptying his stomach off it every weekend because of a bad bout of prematch nerves.

3 mins

Christie's happy to step up to the plate

SARACENS director of rugby Mark McCall has revealed how Scotland flanker Andy Onyeama- Christie has helped fill the leadership void left by Owen Farrell and co.

2 mins

Dugdale intent on proving his worth

DOGGED back row Sam Dugdale is determined to build his legacy in the game on the unseen, hard work which complements the big name stars around him.

2 mins

England should be aiming for treble top

THE autumn internationals against the traditional southern hemisphere big three, and Japan, are next on England’s agenda and I still fancy the leading Six Nations teams when they are at home against the southern hemisphere sides.

4 mins

Lozowski puts the boot into Sharks

GEORGE Ford handed England boss Steve Borthwick an autumn injury scare pulling up after just five minutes as Saracens handed Sale a bonus point beating.

2 mins

New-look Saints still have what it takes

THE champions might have lost the talismanic Courtney Lawes and Lewis Ludlam to France but this new-look team were still too good for Exeter.

2 mins

Falcons show spirit but Quins do enough

HARLEQUINS duly secured the bonus point win that most pundits expected but Newcastle will have been far from downhearted as they made the long coach journey home.

2 mins

Wade rolls back the years with hat-trick

CHRISTIAN Wade rolled back the years with a hat-trick of tries as Gloucester won a bizarre thriller for a first victory at Ashton Gate after six consecutive defeats.

2 mins

Captaining Tigers is an honour Chessum

IT WAS quite the comeback for Ollie Chessum, not just personally, but collectively, as Leicester Tigers kicked off their new Premiership season with a lastgasp victory at Exeter Chiefs.

3 mins

Fiji deserve to play with best in world

EVERY underdog has its day, as Daniel Dubois reminded us in knocking an entire cathedral’s worth of bells out of Anthony Joshua in London – or, as the capital city is now sycophanticallyknown by those who make the biggest bucks from the fight game, Riyadh-on-Thames.

3 mins

Thomas leads the charge for Cardiff

CARDIFF turned around an early 15-0 deficit to claim a second successive bonus point victory and gain revenge for last season’s two defeats to the Scarlets.

2 mins

Hawkins still has Wales in his sight

JOE Hawkins insists he still harbours dreams of representing Wales again at international level.

2 mins

Etzebeth has final word as Springboks claim crown

SOUTH Africa claimed the Rugby Championship for the first time since 2019 with a commanding display in Mbombela on a special day for legendary second row Eben Etzebeth.

2 mins

I came on against Italy and made a difference

I’M currently five years into being master in charge of rugby at Barnard Castle School, which is where it all began for me on my journey to becoming a professional rugby player.

6 mins

Albion make most of generosity of the host

‘THIS was a first half to forget for us’, summed up Stortford head coach Tom Coleman, when he said his side made far too many errors and gave Plymouth a big foothold in the contest to emerge victorious.

1 min

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The Rugby Paper, the UK's number 1 selling rugby title, brings you exclusive stories, reports and features on your device, published in exceptional clarity. It contains renowned journalists such as Nick Cain and Peter Jackson, and famous former players as columnists including Jeremy Guscott and Jeff Probyn. Published every Sunday, The Rugby Paper covers Rugby Union from national teams and Premiership / Rabo Direct down to grass roots.