CATEGORIES

Game in England is good, says Ford

GEORGE Ford feels English rugby is on the up after a testing couple of years on and off the field and has to use this season a springboard.

Leicester have the class to rule again

LEICESTER are not where their fans want them to be – and a minority have been warned by the club about the level of social media abuse directed at players and coaches after their home Premiership defeat by Bristol two weeks ago.

'Play big matches at neutral venues'

'Play big matches at neutral venues'

Time to put an end to marquee players

ARE marquee players, or coaches, worth it -- or are they just a Premiership owners’ vanity project?

Perenara tops try list as 'Canes march on

TJ PERENARA became the all-time top Super Rugby try scorer as his table topping Hurricanes demolished the Waratahs.

You lived on the edge with Scotland

WHENEVER I cross paths with Paul Ackford, he always shouts across the room, “he taught me everything I knew!” Both of us were called into the England squad on the back of the London division’s famous win over Australia in 1988 but he got into the Test team later that year, and I didn’t.

Appleyard unhappy with date clashes

STAFFORDSHIRE head coach Andy Appleyard believes the RFU are ‘stealing opportunities away from quality players’ due to the opening round of the County Championship being played on the same day as the Papa John’s final.

Delighted to see Titans stand tall

THERE are some teams you grow particularly attached to over the decades and I make no apologies in numbering Rotherham Titans among those.

At 61, Daran calls it a day

DARAN Poppy was one of the oldest players in the RFU pyramid this season, reaching double-digit appearances for Old Gravesendians at the tender age of 61 but has decided to call time on his rugby career.

Louis has sights set on Kansas gold rush

THE latest phase of his footballing reincarnation took Louis Rees-Zammit to a school run by an American superstar whose contract runs from seven figures into nine.

Nayalo steers Army to thrilling fightback

THE British Army’s men pulled off a thrilling comeback that will live long in the memory to keep their hopes of regaining the Inter Service Championship alive, and dash the Royal Navy’s dream of a first back-to-back title in 50 years.

Eadie has the last laugh for Hartpury

MITCH Eadie went from sinner to saint in a double try-scoring display as Hartpury won in style to keep their hopes alive of finishing the season in the tophalf of the Championship table.

Roebuck out to impress England

SALE’s Tom Roebuck is a man on a mission as he looks to use the final weeks of the Premiership season to give England’s selectors a push to select him for the summer Tests against Japan and New Zealand.

Masuku hits the target for Sharks

THE Sharks turned Twickenham ‘Stoep’ into a mini South Africa as a partisan crowd roared their side to a dramatic victory over three-time winners Clermont to reach their first European final courtesy of deadeye goal kicking by Siya Masuku.

Leinster made to fight all the way

UNDERDOGS Northampton will be rueing a disappointing error strewn opening 55 minutes because after that they were clearly the stronger side as Leinster clung on desperately to reach another final.

Smith: I'm better at handling mistakes

FIN SMITH credits his superb form this season to a mental mind-shift that enables him to now take the rough with the smooth.

I'd love to coach at top level, says Biljon

IT IS one of rugby’s cruel ironies that Harvey Biljon, who has transformed the careers of so many players, is still waiting for his own shot at the big-time.

Quins have to climb very steep mountain

WHEN Harlequins face Toulouse this afternoon in their first European Cup semi-final in south-west France, it will be one of the biggest games in their history, and the overriding emotion the English club and its supporters will be one of excitement.

Saints so close to stunning Leinster

NORTHAMPTON boss Phil Dowson was left to rue the one that got away after Saints went down 20-17 to Leinster in the Champions Cup semi-final.

Blame RFU for lack of confidence Halliday

THE Cornish Pirates statement that the future of professional rugby in Cornwall is in jeopardy – citing RFU prevarication over promotion as the root cause in new investors delaying their commitment to the club – has prompted a sustained attack on the RFU by Championship clubs chairman Simon Halliday.

YOUNG GUNS

SEANKERR HARLEQUINS & ENGLAND U20 CENTRE

PGP deal is nothing but a waste of time

I CAN’T help thinking that the new Professional Game Partnership (PGP) is nothing but a waste of time as I can’t see how it is going to make any difference to how the game operates or how it will actually help clubs keep players and reduce the financial strain they are under.

Tries galore as Jake leads the Crusaders title party

WITH Dings stalwarts Charlie Taylor and Jake Holcombe reaching the milestones of 250 and 200 appearances respectively, the massive win over Camborne was a fitting end to the season.

It's title delight for the Titans!

ROTHERHAM Titans are the champions!

Lions survive as Patrick heroics seal late glory

THE final throws of the 2023-24 season saw Sale take on Leicester Lions at Heywood Road, with the visitors looking for a victory to ensure their survival.

35 years on and Tim's charity still full of hope

IF YOU believe rugby is the ultimate team sport – which I still do – it is tempting to superimpose all its many fine qualities into other team environments.

'Ireland in blue' will provide stiffest test

PHIL Dowson and Leo Cullen first crossed paths in European action 10 seasons ago when Northampton did something they had never done before nor since: beating Leinster in Dublin.

Cardiff left in a mess by lively Edinburgh

CARDIFF’S last appearance at the Arms Park this season ended miserably as Edinburgh picked up a valuable four points in their quest for an end of season playoff spot.

RED ROSES

MADDIE FEAUNATI EXETER CHIEFS BACK ROW

Sharks look to have edge in Diamond derby

SALE boss Alex Sanderson has thanked Steve Diamond, his opposite number at Newcastle, for giving him extra motivation to win what has been dubbed ‘the Diamond derby’.