CATEGORIES

Why England need to be the fittest team in France

EVERY coach is going to say there is room for improvement and, just as Steve Borthwick has done recently with England, one of the areas they are most likely to target is fitness.

Jersey cut out cake and find extra edge

SWAPPING ‘Bake Off ’ for Dojang on a Thursday is one of many things Jersey have done to notch up performances and secure the Championship title.

Toulouse all at sea as Leinster take it

WITH an air of inevitability, Leinster marched into next month’s Champions Cup final but fell someway short of the context we all hoped for.

Sio keen for Chiefs to go out on a high

HAVING suffered heartache in his swansong appearance for the Brumbies, Scott Sio is determined that this summer’s Exeter leavers don’t suffer the same fate.

Glasgow power on to first Euro final

GLASGOW deservedly qualified for their first European final by scoring five tries to one against injury-ravaged Scarlets.

Simmonds: We can take down holders

JOE Simmonds is adamant Exeter Chiefs’ collective desire and mental steel can help them overcome the individual flair and brilliance of holders La Rochelle to reach another memorable European final.

I looked confident but, inside, I was a mess

THE FORMER NEW ZEALAND, WELLINGTON, HURRICANES, SALE GLOUCESTER FLY-HALF WHO HAS COACHED AT RACING 92, MUNSTER AND PAU

Toulouse look set to lead from the front

AS the French Top 14 takes a week’s break for the Champions and Challenge Cup semi-finals, here’s a look at the remainder of the domestic campaign for every team.

Magical McKenzie puts Chiefs on top

A LATE surge saw the Chiefs edge the Crusaders 34-24 in a thrilling contest to extend their unbeaten run to nine games and equal a club record for their longest win streak ever.

USHER'S THE BEST MAN AT TOWN!

Cheadle marry up with Step 5 status

Moon enjoying hard work as he aims to help Saints to the title

ALEX Moon is looking to cap what he feels is his best season for Northampton by helping the Saints reach the Premiership final.

With so many leaving, we must give youth a chance

THE strange goings on in Welsh rugby continued on Thursday night when Cardiff Rugby took to Twitter to announce the 16 players who will be leaving the club this summer.

Reynolds: Don't prop up failures like Wasps

WASPS’ presence in the Championship next season after going bust with debts of more than £100m will send out the wrong signal and encourage other clubs to take financial risks.

Project Exiles: Italy's new hunt for talent

SEBASTIAN Negri is not the only member of his family doing good things for Italian rugby, his elder brother Thomas is also playing a key role in the Azzurri revival.

Jeff's right, we must support grassroots

JEFF Probyn is absolutely right in stating that the future of rugby in England depends on more resources being made available by the RFU to support grassroots rugby than the disastrous Professional Game Agreement has allowed over the last seven years.

This time, two into seven just might go

ENGLAND’S campaign at the home World Cup in 2015 was a big enough joke in itself, but that didn’t stop the smart arses rolling out their laughter-in-the darkness lines.

Sanderson annoyed by Ashman's move north

ALEX Sanderson is unhappy with the departure of Ewan Ashman to Edinburgh next season, adamant the hooker would be better off staying at Sale.

England hold on to deny France

ENGLAND marked a historic day with a thrilling win over France to secure the Grand Slam and their fifth straight Six Nations title in front of the largest-ever crowd in women’s rugby.

ON THE BLINGSIDE

Sharks in the market for Wallaby Latu

It's a family affair for Havant as they get set for Twickenham

Papa John's Cup final preview

A brilliant ten out of ten as Cambridge take title

CAMBRIDGE director of rugby Richie Williams confessed to being pretty much lost for words as his side made it ten wins in a row since their home defeat to Rams on January 28 to clinch the National One title.

Treviso standing on the edge of history

AT the last count, Benetton Treviso had won 15 Italian Championships and, lest we forget, walked away with the hurriedly organised Rainbow Cup in the teeth of Covid disruption in 2021 but I would nonetheless suggest their European Challenge Cup semi-final at Toulon this afternoon represents the highwater mark in their history.

Arresting sight of Coulman's solo gallop

AT Twickenham more than 50 years ago, Mike Coulman did something that had not been seen there before or since: a prop galloping ‘fully 30 yards’ for a solo try.

Champion finish for Red island in the sun

JERSEY Reds held their nerve in recovering from an early wobble to cruise to the victory over Ampthill that delivered the RFU Championship title to a small island in the English Channel.

We need to rebuild in the north

A RADICAL move to bring together Sale Sharks with Newcastle Falcons – and potentially Doncaster or Leeds Tykes – to create a new Premiership team called ‘The North’ has been proposed by Mick Hogan.

PROMOTION KING KYLE HAS MORE IN STORER

KYLE Storer is out to bag a late birthday present by NUNEATON BOROUGH going back to the future and securing a return to Step 2 for Nuneaton Borough.

WANDERERS OUT TO MAKE THEIR MARK

IPSWICH Wanderers may have been promoted for a second successive season – but it’s nowhere near sunk in yet for joint-manager Mark Goldfinch.

25 IS THE MILLERS' MAGICAL NUMBER

AVELEY’S dressing room wall will have a large piece of paper stuck to it tomorrow afternoon, inked with a single number: 25.

MARATHON MAN TURNS UP HEAT!

AFC SUDBURY manager Rick Andrews revealed he had prepared to take their marathon man Jake Turner off – ahead of the 31-year-old heading home the extra-time winner against Heybridge Swifts to seal the Suffolk club’s return to Step 3 football.

CUP KINGS AIM TO DO IT AGAIN

JAMIE MCCLURG says Bracknell Town’s penchant for a big cup occasion will count for nothing when they take on rivals Truro City at Bottom Meadow tomorrow.