CATEGORIES

Farrell can play the Jonny role, says May

OWEN Farrell can be the “Jonny Wilkinson figure” England will need to capture a second Webb Ellis Cup in France.

Itoje sets sights on toppling champions

THREE-TIME Hein- eken Champions Cup winner Maro Itoje has encountered most things in rugby but a trip to La Rochelle is a step into the unknown and one the forward can’t wait to take.

Irish galacticos on song as Leicester are sent packing

LEINSTER, supercharged by Garry Ringrose on his return from injury, strolled into the Champions Cup semi-final in a style which suggests they will be claiming a fifth title next month.

Rampant Chiefs demolish Stormers

EXETER’S farewell party for their departing stars continues in full swing after they hit the Stormers with six tries to burst into the semi-finals of the Champions Cup.

Lawrence and Tuilagi the next centres of attention?

WITH only World Cup warm-ups to come in the international game this summer before the 2023 tournament starts, it’s fair to say that there are three outstanding centre combinations in place – and that England’s is not one of them.

Stage set for a Tiger attack

THIS is the stage of the season when momentum counts.

We'll be better by World Cup - Slade

ENGLAND may have endured another underwhelming Six Nations, losing more matches than they won for the third successive year, but Henry Slade believes they will be a different proposition in the World Cup this autumn.

'Rising risk of players taking their own lives'

Fears of players taking own lives

Ruthless Chiefs slay Canes to stay on top

Super Rugby Pacific round-up

Kolbe the latest to consider his future

HEADING into the business end of France’s Top 14 season, more than on-pitch matters remain up in the air - quite a few big name players are heading into the closing weeks of the season with their futures still in doubt.

Going abroad won't make players better

REALLY am getting fed up with the constant call from players wanting to have their cake and eat it by calling for a change in the overseas players selection policy, as if that will suddenly make everything that’s wrong in the game right.

It's double delight as Lucs finish on a high

THE home support was bouncing with this result, with Luctonians completing a deserved double over second-in-the-league Clifton, in what was a brutal tussle between two of the top four teams.

It was a real honour to lead Cov to promotion

ROWING up in North Lincolnshire, Leicester Tigers were my club. I idolised the ‘ABC Club’ so to get a phone call from Richard Cock erill asking me to come down and have a trial, and to then be coached by him and Graham Rowntree after winning a two-year academy deal at Tigers was a really big thing for me. I thought they’d be very hard operators but they were very patient with us young lads and the technical detail was next level.

England hit back with win over Italy

ENGLAND got their U18s Six Nations Festival back on track with a 26-10 victory over Italy.

How I'd cut down on a blight in modern game

WHAT is happening to our game? There were plenty of cheers for Ulster hooker Tom Stewart as he made it back-to-back hat-tricks with his three-try salvo against the Dragons on Friday night. It was a performance that took his league try tally in the URC this season to a record 16, overtaking the previous highest of 14 by wings Tim Visser and Rabz Maxwane.

Steward: We want to help Ashy get to that century

MIKE Brown has been left out of Tigers’ matchday 23 for the visit of Exeter today, with Freddie Steward joined in the back-three by the soon-tobe-retired Chris Ashton.

Last-chance saloon for title hopes - Baxter

HAVING beaten the Top 14 champions one week, the URC champions the next, Exeter now have the reigning Premiership champions Leicester in their sights.

Curry brothers put the heat on Bristol

SALE’s England boys pulled together to help the Sharks return to winning ways and take a major step towards securing a home Premiership semi-final.

Reid finds the fire to lead Bath fightback

IT’S been a long time coming but Bath’s first away win since November brought them huge satisfaction as they retrieved a 17-0 deficit to silence a sold-out Kingsholm and win there for the first time in five years.

Quins find their feet to finish job in style

ALEX Dombrandt put his Six Nations worries behind him to show himself “a different beast” for his club as Quins eventually overwhelmed bottom club Falcons.

Saints go fourth in battle for play-offs

SAINTS kept well in the race for a playoff place with a hard earned win against a largely shadow Sarries XV that contested the issue to the last.

All Blacks have what it takes to go all way

THE decision by New Zealand to announce a new coach of the All Blacks before a fouryear cycle has ended is quite sensational. As a neutral, you feel a bit for current coach Ian Foster going into the 2023 World Cup, with Scott Robertson named already as his successor as soon as the tournament is over.

Hastings on way back after shoulder injury

ADAM Hastings is in line to return to action for Gloucester before the end of the season, four months after the Scotland outside-half had shoulder surgery.

I'd love to play for Fiji, says Hughes

NATHAN Hughes has closed the chapter on his time in England but says he is awaiting the call from the Fijian selectors to appear for his country of birth.

Varndell's glad to roll back the years

TOM Varndell has added another winner’s medal to his collection, at the ripe old age of 37.

Fitzpatrick Raises Key Question For Regions

Any Lancashire member vexed at seeing so little of their champion bowler on the domestic front will have some sympathy with those who subscribe to another superstar of similar vintage.

The prince has his eyes on the prize as usual

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

Time for Exeter to ditch the warpaint

To misquote Aristotle, ‘human nature abhors a vaccuum’, and with no rugby at present, the hottest topic around seems to be the headdresses that some Exeter Chiefs supporters like to sport.

Chick: Falcons aim to start fast and not fade

NEWCASTLE back rower Callum Chick says the Falcons will be flying when their Premiership campaign kicks off against champions Harlequins on September 19.

Winning a breakdown was my greatest joy

THE FORMER BRUMBIES, BATH, LEICESTER AND EXETER FLANKER TURNED DEFENCE COACH