The Rugby Paper - December 08, 2024

In this issue

December 08, 2024

No Mercer decision until end of season

GLOUCESTER will not decide on Zach Mercer’s future until the end of the season as speculation that he will return to France intensifies.

2 mins

Heyes determined to prove himself at the top level

JOE Heyes has used the hurt of missing out on a place in England’s Autumn Nations Series squad to drive him on to bigger and better things.

2 mins

England were not too far off - Slade

HENRY Slade believes England deserved more credit for their performances this autumn, insisting it was ‘small margins’ that prevented them from truly making their mark against the southern hemisphere’s elite.

3 mins

Nowell: I'm loving life on and off the pitch at La Rochelle

AS Jack Nowell stepped off the plane to start his La Rochelle career, he was stepping into the unknown challenges that would wrap his brain for the initial settling-in period.

3 mins

Freeman is happy to have a crack at centre

TOMMY Freeman has started all of England’s internationals this year on the wing but fancies having a crack in the centre.

3 mins

We're not afraid to get into a dog-fight, says van Graan

WHEN Johann van Graan took charge of Bath in the summer of 2022, the South African made no secret of the fact that implementing his style and a change of culture at the famous Rec would take some time.

2 mins

Winners? It's hard to look beyond Toulouse

Paul Rees talks to Chris Robshaw about the Champions Cup - and why he rates England's chances in the Six Nations

6 mins

Time for Bristol to step up to the plate

ENGLISH clubs like Saracens, Leicester, Bath, Northampton and, to a lesser extent, Harlequins have got pedigree when it comes to the European Cup.

4 mins

Smith and Mitchell get back in the old routine

FIN Smith proved a man for all seasons as he guided Northampton to a comfortable opening win in the Champions Cup and got their show back on the road.

2 mins

Saracens bounce back in fine style

SARACENS, with Tom Willis looking every inch a starting England No.8, produced their best performance in a very long time to dismiss a strong and in-form Bulls side.

2 mins

Chiefs fail to cash in on Sharks' mistakes

FRUSTRATED Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter admitted his side lacked a ‘clinical edge’ as they headed home from South Africa without any reward.

2 mins

Quins leave it too late in Paris

HARLEQUINS endured a miserable night in Paris.

2 mins

Bath fail to make most of chances

THREE tries in a 15-minute spell from the champions of 2022 and 2023 ensured that Bath’s European campaign got off to a losing start.

2 mins

Horne hat-trick seals it for Sale

GEORGE Horne scored a stunning first-half hattrick as Glasgow made a statement of intent with a thumping opening European Champions Cup victory over Sale at Scotstoun.

2 mins

Mata: It'll be like a Test match for us

VILIAME Mata is out to make up for lost time after the start to his Bristol career was delayed by injury.

2 mins

My Lions team are ready for take-off

THERE is a view that picking a Lions Test team almost seven months before the 2025 Lions tour to Australia, as this week’s column does, is an empty exercise because it will bear little resemblance to the lineup in the series against the Wallabies.

3 mins

Ibitoye must grab chance - Banahan

MATT Banahan is looking forward to watching Gabriel Ibitoye press his England claims during the upcoming European window.

4 mins

Oh, for a one-stop TV shop for the lot

HERE’S a brain teaser: if you happen to be an average Joe or Joanna struggling to make your sums add up in the blood-andguts real world, as opposed to the gold-plated one inhabited by tech gazillionaires and Saudi princes and Twickenham chief executives, and you love watching rugby union, your favourite sport, on the telly box in the corner of your living room, how much expenditure is too much?

3 mins

Gloucester on a roll after standing up to Edinburgh

GLOUCESTER showed they can still scrum and maul as good as any side as the Cherry and Whites laid down the gauntlet in their pursuit of silverware on Friday night.

2 mins

We're aiming to be more clinical - Evans

HAVING fallen short in recent years, the PWR’s all-time most successful side Saracens are seeking redemption this season.

2 mins

Poole: Cov on right track to win promotion

CAPTAIN Jordan Poole says Coventry are on track to finish the club’s three-year plan with promotion to the Premiership this season.

3 mins

Get rid of the regions and call for Cotter, says Ring

MARK Ring never thought Welsh rugby would come to this; their four regional teams failing en masse to meet the modest qualifying criteria for the non-champion zone of the Champions Cup.

4 mins

Cornish at the double to clinch it for Ealing

MATT Cornish’s double ensured Ealing Trailfinders kept up the pressure at the top of the Championship table with a hard-fought victory away at Bedford.

2 mins

Gregson gets going to put Saracens in charge

SARACENS secured a second straight bonus-point victory to move second in the PWR table.

2 mins

Nugent is the difference

RAMS slipped to a second straight narrow defeat as they went down by two points at home to Richmond under the Friday night lights.

2 mins

Pope expecting to play a major role in a highly eventful month

AUSTIN Pope and his partner, Izzie, are expecting a baby any minute, but the inside centre has shown his commitment to Bishop’s Stortford in recent weeks by continuing to start matches.

2 mins

Harrogate's ideal for Nuu as he looks to the future

RUGBY league convert Junior Nuu is on a shortterm contract with Harrogate and is eager to help the newly promoted side in their survival bid.

2 mins

Forrest sees green shoots growing for the Raiders

WITH an average age of 23, Worthing Raiders almost certainly have the youngest squad in National 2 East.

2 mins

Sailing around the Med for a year is next for me

IN 18 months’ time, when my final contract with Castres expires, I will literally be sailing off into the ocean with my partner, leaving my rugby career behind.

6 mins

RFU Council must make a stand for whole game

NOW the Autumn Nation Series is over – with all four games at the Twickenham Allianz Stadium virtual sellouts with crowds close to the maximum 82,000 – the RFU should be in a good financial position.

3 mins

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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.