CATEGORIES

'We've set our sights on winning the league title!'

AS soon as the club’s decade-long stay in National One came to an end at the close of last season, Esher had only a single goal for this one: to go straight back up again.

Bury hold edge in enthralling encounter

IT has been two years since these teams last met, and that proved to be a high-scoring event.

Sale need to seize the day

ALEX Sanderson has pushed his players to their physical and mental limits this season after they fell short in May’s Premiership final against Saracens. The Sharks’ director of rugby knows from his days with Saracens, as a player and coach, that success comes from planning and patience rather than just happening.

Codling knows it will be tough

ALEX Codling knew what he was taking on when he agreed to become Newcastle’s third director of rugby in little over a year.

Baxter out to rebuild again

THE summer marked a reset for Exeter following the departure of a number of players who were instrumental in their league and Champions Cup double success three years ago.

Bath bank on Russell class

BATH finished last season with four consecutive victories, their best run for three years. They scored 175 points and 24 tries to claim the Premiership’s final place in the European Champions Cup, no insignificant achievement for a side that had lost its first six matches.

Red Roses set for revenge mission

ENGLAND return to New Zealand for the first time since their ‘devastating’ loss to the Black Ferns in last year’s World Cup final aiming to get revenge in the newly formed WXV competition.

Galloping Reeves races in to steal it for Glouceter

TWO tries from Jack Clement enabled Gloucester to edge their way past gallant Coventry and into the Premiership Cup semi-finals – but they were first pushed right to the brink.

We need to hit ground running, says Waller

NORTHAMPTON Saints have made seven changes as they welcome Doncaster Knights to Franklin’s Gardens for the first time since 2007.

Impressive Bath start to show their worth

THEY say Rome wasn’t built in a day, but ever since his arrival back in June 2022, Johann van Graan has quietly been laying some solid foundation at the famous Recreation Ground.

Codling's happy to keep faith with youth

ALEX Codling has given his young players exposure in the Premiership Cup and that trend will continue when the Falcons’ league campaign starts at Bath next weekend.

Italy crushed by rampant France

A RAMPANT France warmed up for the business end of their tournament in superb fashion with this crushing win over hapless Italy in Lyon.

Wales finish with a flourish

WALES secured a bonus-point win to make it four from four and top Pool C with wing Louis Rees-Zammit grabbing a hat-trick.

Majestic Ireland blow Scots away

THE Group of Death finally claimed its victim, as it always would. And in the end the death throes for Scotland were total agony.

All Blacks get in mood for quarter-finals

SAM White-lock broke the record for Rugby World Cup appearances as his side booked a spot in the quarter-finals with an 11-try demolition of Uruguay.

The Great Escape! Care gets England

DANNY Care has come off the bench to England's rescue before, and the 36-year old scrum-half did it again to dig his side out of a huge hole in this World Cup quarter-final rehearsal in Lille to deprive a brave, adventurous Samoa side of a historic first victory over a ragged Red Rose outfit.

Slade out to inspire the next generation

HENRY Slade says he will use the heartbreak of missing out on selection for this year’s Rugby World Cup as the driver to help inspire a new golden generation at the Exeter Chiefs.

Sweeney backing for a strong second tier

BILL SWEENEY has pledged Twickenham’s support for the Championship but said the level of funding for the second tier, which will be renamed Premiership 2, will not be decided until the agreement with the Premiership clubs is renewed.

De Beer keen to drive Cardiff forward

TINUS de Beer is relishing being out of his comfort zone as he looks to make his mark with Cardiff Rugby.

Vintcent looking good for Exeter

THERE’S long been a rich tradition of Exeter Chiefs unearthing hidden gems to don the famous No.8 jersey at Sandy Park.

Pepper: I like to cause some chaos

DOMINIC Cummings would definitely have needed his eyes testing had he gone to Barnard Castle and not seen the potential of Guy Pepper.

Lam moves quickly to sign up Vakatawa

PAT Lam has re-established the French connection to the Premiership by signing powerful centre Virimi Vakatawa following a chance conversation in August.

The Tank ready to roll for Bath

THOMAS du Toit remains on standby for the Springboks but, for now, his focus is on quickly learning the ropes at Bath.

Los Teros fight back to deny Namibia

NAMIBIA’S 24-year wait for a World Cup win continues as Uruguay fought back with a dominant second half display in Lyon to secure their first win of the tournament with a bonus point.

Scotland set up an Ireland decider

JOB done Scotland's task of qualifying from Pool B has always been herculean and almost every scenario involved them beating Ireland in their final pool game and this bonus point victory over Romania duly set that up.

Georgia make Fiji battle to the end

FRANK Lomani came off the bench to fire flat Fiji and take them to within a point of a likely quarter-final against England, but they nearly lost it at the death as Georgia remained defiant to the end.

24-team World Cup would suit MacGinty

AJ MACGINTY is pumped to fire Bristol’s potent back division this season, but after having a rare full pre-season this summer admits he has been watching the World Cup with mixed feelings.

Despair and anger as Jersey collapse

PLAYERS and staff at Jersey Reds have reacted with despair and anger at the news that the Championship club has ceased training due to unsustainable debt.

This is no way to run a pro sport Halliday

SIMON Halliday says the decision of Jersey Reds to go into administration, while criticising the RFU leadership for a lack of support, has resulted in a growing sense of turmoil and discord in English club rugby.

Spain flanker Super Mario's hat-trick tears up fourth tier

RATHER than scoring a hat-trick in Loughborough Students’ big win last weekend, Mario Pichardie should have been turning out for Spain at the Rugby World Cup.