CATEGORIES

Gloucester put faith in 'some old heads'

IT was typical of Gloucester's season - make that the last couple that when they came up against a front five in last weekend's Challenge Cup final that contained four World Cup winners they were missing three frontline forwards.

Smith has final say for Saints

NORTHAMPTON Saints, having run teams ragged in glorious fashion all season, scrummaged and muscled their way to their first Premiership final since 2014 but a resilient Saracens contested the issue until the final whistle.

Finally! Bath hold nerve to see off Sharks

BATH are one victory away from winning the Premiership for the first time after surviving a Sale comeback, but they are likely to be underdogs against a Northampton that has been a couple more years in the making.

Chessum 'gutted' to miss out on England

OLLIE Chessum admits he is \"gutted\" to be missing out on a busy summer with England in the southern hemisphere.

Boyd got me back on track - Ludlam

LEWIS left the Ludlam Franklin's Gardens turf in a Northampton jersey for perhaps the last time on Friday night, six years after he thought about ending his career because he feared it was going nowhere.

Sanderson warns about selecting Curry too soon

SELECTING Tom Curry for this summer's England tour comes with a warning from Sale Sharks boss Alex Sanderson pick him now and risk shortening his Test career.

Stupple glad to be heading back to where he belongs

HERBIE Stupple says he is 'excited' at the prospect of returning back to Plymouth Albion next season.

I want my England shirt back says JVP

THE sight of the world's best scrumhalf strutting his stuff on the home of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club last weekend increased the desire of Leicester's Jack van Poortvliet to again don the white No.9 jersey this summer.

Plumtree: We must sort out the logistics

SHARKS head coach John Plumtree believes the Champions Cup is the greatest club competition out there but has called for increased alignment for South African teams competing in Europe, saying the mass amounts of travel is holding it back.

'Final will be a huge day for the club'

BATH are in the Premiership final for the first time since 2015 after overcoming a battling Sale yesterday.

Crusaders stun Blues to keep season alive

CRUSADERS salvaged some dignity in their torrid Super Rugby Pacific campaign with a shock 29-27 win over league leaders and fierce rivals the Blues.

Resting players for big games isn't on

IT WAS just a couple of weeks ago that certain people were up in arms because the South African clubs had fielded weaker teams rather than their full strength sides in away games during the Champions Cup.

Calcutta Cup win the highlight of my career

I WAS sat on a mattress on the floor of Alex Lewington’s flat in Twickenham waiting for the rest of my stuff to come out of storage when Gregor Townsend rang me out of the blue to say I was in the Scotland squad for the 2020 Six Nations.

Barnes hits four in nine-try rout

HAMPSHIRE ran in nine tries to thrash Surrey and kick-start their campaign with Curtis Barnes crossing for four.

Saracens hold on to take it at the death

SARACENS held their nerve to secure a home semi-final and put an end to Gloucester-Hartpury unbeaten season.

Day O'Reilly missed out on Hollywood

WHEN he last spoke in public, at his old Dublin rugby club a few hefty punts from the church where they held his funeral mass on Thursday, Tony O’Reilly summed up his extraordinary life in one sentence:

Diamond out to add some steel

EVEN someone without Steve Diamond’s coaching experience would have known that taking over at Newcastle was never going to turn them into an overnight sensation.

Champion Trailfinders cut Blues to shreds

EALING celebrated their Championship triumph with a nine-try trouncing of fourth-placed Bedford to finish seven points clear at the top of the table.

Toulouse provide a lesson in brilliance

THERE have been some extraordinary Champions Cup finals over the decades but none better than this titanic clash for the ages which saw Toulouse pull away in extra-time to claim their sixth title.

We can beat anyone now says stoked up Matavesi

SAM Matavesi knew something had changed when he joined up with Northampton after Fiji’s World Cup quarter-final exit last autumn.

Du Preez keeps it in family for Sale

WHEN Sale signed George Ford two years ago, it seemed that Robert du Preez would have his time on the field rationed as he sat on the bench.

Collier fits the bill for NZ challenge

ENGLAND finished the Six Nations with a resurgence, but their next destination, New Zealand, is usually a Red Rose burial ground.

Try tsunami sends a mixed message

Peter Jackson looks at an increase in points scored but suggests the figures may be hiding a problem for the Prem

Bath and Saints to win - but only just

IT’S hard to see Northampton changing the way they’ve played all season when they face Saracens in the first Premiership play-off semi-final under the lights at Franklin’s Gardens on Friday night.

Awesome! Toulouse make it a super six

CHAMPIONS Cup final player of the match and European rugby’s biggest star Antoine Dupont revelled in captaining Toulouse to their unprecedented sixth title.

Holders Kent are back in business

KENT began their defence of the Bill Beaumont Cup with a thrilling victory over Hampshire.

Lightning Bo bags 'amazing' fab four

RAPID winger Bo Westcombe-Evans stormed her way to an incredible four tries to help Loughborough Lightning secure maximum points over their nearest league rivals, Harlequins.

'Privilege to play in Jonny's 10 jersey'

ACHIEVING his boyhood dream of replicating the highs of Jonny Wilkinson in No.10 Newcastle's shirt has led to Brett Connon extending his stay at the Premiership's struggling side.

Best I've felt for six years - Roux

QUINN Roux is feeling in the best shape of his life but the former Ireland international admits it'll be a stretch for him to be around at Bath for as long as Johann van Graan.

Lake's at double to sink the Dragons

OSPREYS maximum claimed points to keep alive their mathematical hopes of making the playoffs while also clinching the Welsh Shield.