CATEGORIES

We keep pressing self-destruct button

IT IS high time English rugby with its huge resources, in both player and financial terms, ceased pressing the wretched self-destruct button.

Launchbury back where

JOE Launchbury has returned to the club where his career started, and nearly ended, 14 years ago.

Sale captain Curry enjoying return to the 'hamster wheel'

NOW he is fit again and back on the “hamster wheel” of training, playing and recovering, everything in Ben Curry’s world appear to be normal.

Vakatawa grateful to Lam for giving him a chance at Bears

VIRIMI Vakatawa says he feels blessed to be playing rugby again after being told last year that a heart condition meant his career was over.

Underhill faces a fight for his place

BACK row is not one of England head coach Steve Borthwick’s problem positions in terms of competition for places, but the return of Sam Underhill at the end of the World Cup was timely.

Ford: Fresh faces taking club to the next level

JACOB Ford came and the records fell at Bury St Edmunds.

Llandovery hit four to end Pooler's run

CHAMPIONS Llandovery made it four straight bonus-point wins in the Premiership as they beat Pontypool 37-21 in the battle of first against third.

Reds hit back to stun Uni battlers

THREE second-half tries from the Redruth pack turned this game on its head and gave the hosts a much-needed bonus-point win over Exeter University.

Star turn Holmes too good for Dale

TYNEDALE scored three tries in the last ten minutes to secure two points but it was Otley who ran out winners, lifting themselves five places up the league.

Tony's Titans ready to relish toughest tests lying in store

TAUNTON Titans face another difficult set of games in National One, and head coach Tony Yapp is under no illusions about how tough they will be.

Leo leads the hosts to a hard-fought victory

THE two clubs who played out a 0-0 draw in the first-ever game of rugby union back in 1864, and who went into this match evenly-placed, produced another tight contest with Blackheath hanging on for victory after Richmond scored a 75th minute try to bring them within range.

Wallabies on downward spiral, warns Campese

AUSTRALIA legend David Campese has called out the lack of instinctive flair in rugby union and believes the sport has become a carbon copy of what rugby league used to be.

Ampthill aim for top four after Cov win

AMPTHILL'S ever-present No.8 Morgan Strong has been a key figure in the club's fast start this season and says last weekend's victory over Coventry shows they can mix it with the league's top sides.

Change of culture is needed to compete

\"When rugby is part of the currency of life, it gives the Test team a priceless advantage\"

Codling can sense change is in the air

THE last time Newcastle defeated Saracens in the Premiership, Labour were in power and South Africa were the World Cup holders.

Angus glad to hold his own in back row battle

ANGUS Scott-Young relishes a battle and there are few fiercer than the contest for places in Northampton's back row with Courtney Lawes and Lewis Ludlam back from the World Cup.

Sharks go on attack with Ford in control

A STRONG second-half performance from Sale paved the way for this impressive bonus point win on the road against a Bristol side that flattered to deceive.

Borthwick begins work building partnership with Premiership

STEVE Borthwick is determined to usher in an era of co-operation with the leading clubs and has scrapped a two-day England training camp ahead of the Six Nations so that preparations for the following league round are not disrupted.

Tuima taking his chance in new-look Chiefs pack

POWERHOUSE forward Rus Tuima believes Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter is the perfect father figure for the new and youthful Chiefs that have surged to the summit of the Gallagher Premiership.

Able Evans is enjoying the high life with Quins

JARROD Evans grew up in the Valleys of Wales, a \"chalk and cheese\" environment to the one he finds himself now in at Harlequins, but the Wales international fly-half admits he's been fascinated with the famous quarters from a young age.

Premiership crowds down by 15.6 per cent

GALLAGHER Premiership attendances are down by 15.6 per cent compared to last season's corresponding matches.

Five-star Harlequins land late knockout

HARLEQUINS started and finished in charge of an excellent and hectic clash that saw them outscore the Tigers by five tries to three.

New season set to be explosive

Ben Jaycock looks at contenders ahead of next weekend's kick-off to the Women's Premiership season

Exiles travel globe to find new homes

\"A total of 54 of last season's squad are now in the service of 31 clubs in eight countries\"

Game in England is heading for a storm

THE return of England A- the national second team known as the Saxons when they last played seven years ago - is good news for the English game.

Rugby gave me hope, away from life in a cell

TO achieve what I achieved, playing 234 times for my hometown club Rotherham, travelling around Europe with them, and playing against some of the best players in the world, is something I am really proud of especially as I was written off as a kid.

Caldy aiming to be best of part-timers

HAVING comfortably held their own as newcomers in the Championship last season, Caldy have set high aspirations of finishing as the highest placed part-time team in the league.

England's finest right to the end

NOW here’s a little in-house admission. A couple of months ago, when England were playing Fiji at Twickenham in that rather disappointing and poorly attended World Cup warmup match, I was down to write a live comment piece. Something or somebody from the game that deserved further focus and scrutiny.

Curry and Creevy prepare to join forces

TOM Curry and Agustin Creevy were on opposite sides on Friday night when England faced Argentina in the World Cup play-off – but they will join up with Sale this week raring to get stuck into the Premiership.

England in mood for All Blacks

‘BRING on New Zealand’ was the cry from the Red Roses after they dispatched Canada 45-12.