CATEGORIES

Gatland's a facing big day at the office

WARREN Gatland has known plenty of huge fixtures during his coaching Grand Slam career games, Six Nations title-clinchers, Lions series deciders and World Cup semi-finals, plus European and Premiership finals.

Ireland all at sea as McKenzie pulls the strings

SOME games live up to their billing and others don’t. This fits firmly into the second territory with a subdued Ireland falling a long way short of their world No.1 status while New Zealand, you sense, were often struggling to engage top gear themselves for long periods of the match.

More heartache for England as Aussies steal it at the death third attempt the odds

THE Wallabies had the last waltz in a match of extraordinary ebb-and-flow drama at the Old Cabbage Patch, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat with an audacious, blistering injury time try by winger Max Jorgensen.

Cunningham-South gunning for Boks

CHANDLER Cunningham-South is aiming to be a big hit against the Springboks on Saturday after adding New Zealand to his highlights reel.

Baxter backing Slade to adapt to changes

EXETER are confident that the decision to change their defensive system will not jeopardise Henry Slade's place in the England side.

Dallaglio: It will take brains to beat Boks

LAWRENCE Dallaglio has warned England they need brains and not just brawn to beat world champions South Africa at Twickenham next weekend.

Leaking 42 points at home is 'unforgivable'

DEFLATED Jamie George declared his side were not up to scratch after they slumped to another dismal defeat at England headquarters.

Ten-try Chiefs show Pirates no mercy

TEN-TRY Exeter inflicted the backlash from six successive defeats in their worst ever start to a Premiership season on a young Pirates side suffering their own problems in the Championship.

South America look to keep on building

AS Sebastián Piñeyrúa's historic six-year term as President of Rugby Sudamérica comes to an end, his replacement shows no signs of slowing down.

Scarratt excited by new pathway

ENGLAND centurion Emily Scarratt is delighted with the new women's BUCS programme which aims to provide a smoother pathway for young aspiring female players.

Baxter: I want to make things better

ROB Baxter will not be walking away from Exeter, the only club still looking for a Premiership victory this season, believing he can get the Chiefs back on track and he cannot bear the thought of anyone else doing the job.

Pearce walks in his father's footsteps

PADDY Pearce is living a dream after emulating his father and great-uncle by playing for the club he supported as a boy, Bristol.

New England group will cause uncertainty

SO JUST when we thought that everything was getting sorted between the RFU, the clubs and players, a number of new agreements and a new group raises its head.

Galthie turns his sights to the future

FRANCE head coach Fabien Galthie offered the clearest hint yet of Les Bleus' future on Wednesday, when he released 19 players back F to their clubs for the ninth and final Top 14 round before the international break.

Gilmore has tightened up our defence - Anderson

CAMERON Anderson has hailed the impact made by defence coach Jason Gilmore, below, since he arrived at The Stoop in the summer.

Ampthill given 11-try lesson in class from Bath

BATH secured a thumping away success in the opening match of their Premiership Rugby Cup campaign against Ampthill at Dillingham Park.

New faces take the plaudits for Saints

NORTHAMPTON handed out a thorough lesson to a tame Leicester team in this one-sided East Midlands derby to launch the Premiership Cup.

Hill out to cash in on England chance

AS Ted Hill picked up another man of the match award after his all-round display in Bath's emphatic victory over Sale last weekend, England's coaches were mulling over a replacement for Ollie Chessum who had just been ruled out of the autumn series after suffering an injury training in Girona.

Aussies have ability to spring a surprise

IT would be a mistake to underestimate the abilities of Joe Schmidt, especially considering what the Kiwi achieved as a head coach with Leinster and Ireland.

Bevan happy with his baptism of fire

So much has happened in the life of Ellis Bevan over the last six months but one moment stands out above all others.

England's heartache goes on as Ford fails to land the killer blow

ENGLAND are still the nearly men as the dice fell for New Zealand in an Autumn series opener of the finest margins.

Itoje full of hope for new PGP deal

MARO Itoje has given a snapshot of how the new PGP agreement between clubs and the RFU should help him sail beyond the 100-cap mark.

Strong scrums must be rewarded - Jones

ADAM Jones has called on the lawmakers to ensure sides with a strong scrum are rewarded amid rising fears throughout the rugby world that attempts are being made to depower it in the name of entertainment.

School time is over, says Rowlands

WILL Rowlands says “school time is over” for Warren Gatland’s Welsh squad and it is now time to get back to winning ways.

England agony after last-minute drama

SKIPPER Jamie George refused to point the finger at George Ford after his double miss condemned England to yet more heartbreak.

Morris hat-trick lifts Steelmen

HOOKER Ieuan Morris came off the bench to settle matters for Ebbw Vale at Carmarthen Quins with his stunning second half hat-trick completing a 39-11 victory in Super Rygbi Cymru.

Joe keen to follow in family footsteps

JOE Ford is leading the charge to take Doncaster Knights to the promised land but says they have a long way to go before that becomes reality.

Robson keen to make it to the top with Coventry

COVENTRY ended the first five-match block of fixtures as the Championship’s only unbeaten side and full-back Charlie Robson has his sights set on promotion, and eventually playing for England.

Hancox joins the 200 club

AFTER 10 years of donning the red, black and yellow shirt for Bournemouth, skipper Grant Hancox made his 200th appearance this month after their Regional 2 South Central clash against Winchester.

Bear keen to be a big hit Down Under

FORMER Cornish Pirates back row Bear Williams has flourished in making the difficult transition from rugby union to league and has plans to play in Australia’s NRL. `