CATEGORIES

PLAY-OFF PLAN FOR STEPS 5&6

STE PLAY-OFFS are set to be introduced at Steps 5 and 6 from next season as The FA revealed details of promotion and relegation following the recent restructure.

NOW TO AVENGE ‘WINDASS DAY'

Johnson salutes high-flying Gulls

JE3 WORK PROVING SO VITAL

THE Justin Edinburgh 3 Foundation have marked the two-year passing of the legendary Newport County and Leyton Orient manager by donating three life-saving defibrillators in his honour.

GRAINGER'S QUICK EXIT STUNS REDS

WORKINGTON have spoken of their surprise after boss Danny Grainger decided to leave the club despite recently signing a contract extension.

20 MATCHES UNDEFEATED IS JJ'S GOAL

STOCKPORT County may be unbeaten in 18 matches, but defender James Jennings knows it will count for nothing if they don’t complete their long-awaited Football League return.

Wayne's got a way to put Wales out in front

IN the northern hemisphere we have always been one or two steps behind teams in the south. That’s just a fact and it applies to both club and Test rugby. Teams like New Zealand and South Africa constantly bring something new to the table despite the immense success they’ve had over long periods of time.

Touchline fiasco should never have happened

THE touchline row between Steve Borthwick and Pat Lam in the clash between Leicester and Bristol at Welford Road last weekend was a savage indictment of the Premiership in terms of professional standards.

‘Robin Hood' rides to Nottingham's call

I ONLY ever intended to go to Nottingham for six months back in 2001 and I ended up staying for a dozen or so years. Now, after nine years away coaching in Hong Kong, I’m going back, as head coach. Nottingham is a special place for me and my wife and I wouldn’t have left my job with the Hong Kong RU for any other role. Our three kids were all born in Nottingham and we’re all excited about what lies ahead.

Mount are on the climb again under Campbell

Brendan Gallagher continues his series looking at rugby’s great schools

Influencer White's got Sale in rhythm

A product of the St John Fisher College in Wigan, like Shaun Edwards, White’s innovative thinking and ability to bring the best out of sportsmen has aligned perfectly with the transition of Sale’s culture into a people-first environment under DoR Alex Sanderson.

Inspirational Bentos puts Lions on road to glory

Brendan Gallagher delves into some of rugby’s most enduring images, their story and why they are still so impactful

Hungry Harry is the epitome of Borthwick's new Tigers

HARRY Wells has enjoyed his breakthrough season at the age of 27, an almost ever-present in an improving Leicester side the second row has come to personify through his dogged determination, will power, strength and nuisance value.

Big Joe must seize his England chance this time

JOE Cokanasiga on top form is quite simply a lethal rugby player. That is why it is so good to see him back in the provisional England squad for this summer’s matches against Scotland A, followed by the internationals against the USA and Canada in July.

14-man Chiefs secure semi-final advantage

EXETER booked their sixth Premiership home play-off on the trot but the reigning champions had to dig deep against a Sale side who threw down the gauntlet early on and were nearly rewarded for their audacity.

O'Brien Urges Ireland To Blood Players In Prem

Sean O’Brien believes Ireland should relax their rule which all but bars players being selected for the national squad if they move outside the country and use leagues like the Premiership to develop players.

Quins secure play-off spot in ten-try thriller

HARLEQUINS – looking in all sorts of grief earlier this season – clinched their place in the play-offs with yet another spectacular victory which underlined their box office reputation.

Tempers fray as Bears thwart Tigers' big finish

BRISTOL’S individual brilliance edged this ferocious contest which will be remembered more for the furore of the finale.

Hitt won't let his lack of playing pedigree impede climb to the top

A DECADE ago, Christian Hitt was working at grassroots level as a rugby development officer for the WRU with a passion and desire to go into coaching.

Patriot Josh throws his hat into the ring for Wales

JOSH Turnbull has revealed he once turned down a lucrative offer to join a Premiership team in favour of trying to win more caps with Wales.

Leon's skill lit up the bearpit of Max's Stade

As a boy growing up in Coventry, Leon Lloyd had a dream: “To score the winning goal for the Sky Blues in the FA Cup final.’’ On a May day in 1987, shortly before he could reach the grand old age of ten, he watched someone else beat him to it by accident, Gary Mabbutt’s own goal in extra-time giving Coventry their famous win over Spurs. Leon’s vision of staging an action replay vanished for good a couple of years later when a change of school ‘forced’ him to play rugby.

Heady days before the mighty Oaks tumbled

Brendan Gallagher delves into some of rugby’s most enduring images, their story and why they are still so impactful

Falcons aim to put brake on Sam's try scoring run

AS Newcastle prepare to face Exeter, Dean Richards’ verdict on Sam Simmonds is that he is the complete No.8 who should have far more caps for England.

Rainbow Cup just isn't worth injury risk

AS we go into the final stages of the domestic season, we will now see the experienced players come to the fore. It is make or break time for many with trophies on the line.

George is pulling up trees

Kyran Bracken reports on his progress of turning Wanstead No.9 George Hardy into a professional inside 12 months

Matavesi lies in wait for his Lion pal Luke

SAM Matavesi aims to be the teacher and not the student when he and fellow Truro College graduate Luke Cowan-Dickie get down to some serious front row work today.

Errol paved way for today's Springboks

WE mark all sorts of landmarks in rugby these days, so much so that we possibly lose sight of the really important milestones, so let’s celebrate today the 40th anniversary of the first black player representing the Springboks in a Test match.

Championship is sinking: RFU won't rescue it!

THIS week it emerged that the RFU’s vision for the Championship has plumbed the depths. It was encapsulated by an email exchange between a prolific campaigner against ringfencing, and an RFU Council member.

Changing of the guard at Bedford but Geoff's built a legacy to last

IT’S a new era for Bedford after Geoff Irvine’s chairmanship officially came to an end this weekend after over 20 years’ of service.

Malins must force Eddie to make a change at 15

THE England full-back role is up for grabs this summer with Anthony Watson and Elliot Daly away with the Lions in South Africa. There are four players in the selection picture at No.15 for the mainly young England team that Eddie Jones has said he intends to pick for the summer matches against the USA and Canada.

Champions Cup? Now it's taking in also-rans!

If and when the brewing industry calls “time gentlemen please” on its financial support for the European Champions Cup – it is not yet certain that Heineken, the current title sponsors, will extend beyond next season – who might be in the market for naming rights?