Good cop, bad cop worked well, says Lake

DEWI Lake has revealed just how much he learned about captaincy with Wales at the World Cup amid his “good cop, bad cop” partnership with Jac Morgan.

Hanekom chews over Wales option

HIS elder brother was the first to dip his toe into Welsh rugby and now the Bulls No.8 Cameron Hanekom is mulling over his future international possibilities.

Cambridge set to make up for tough opening

CAMBRIDGE have had a difficult start to their first season in the Championship and but director of rugby Richie Williams believes they have a more winnable batch of games to come.

Markus makes his mark to hit 250 milestone

MARKUS Burcham made his 250th appearance for Blackheath last Saturday in their 21-17 win over Richmond and continues to enjoy playing under influential head coach James Shanahan.

Ruthless Dale's joy as Tigers are caged

THE two teams in third and fourth swapped places again as Wharfedale won the match and gained five points with Sheffield Tigers going home with nothing to show for their efforts.

Hornets feel the sting after surprise jump up the league

IN A sport decided by the most razor-thin margins, experience is one of the most precious things a rugby team can have.

Young pals leading the fightback in Oaks battle

AFTER five games of the National 2 East season, Sevenoaks had just one win to their name.

Ebbw Vale prevent Newport going top

NEWPORT missed the chance to go top of the Premiership after their five-game winning streak was brought to an end with a 28-20 defeat by Gwent rivals Ebbw Vale at Newport Stadium.

Smith: I want to join Alex in England team

FIN SMITH dreams of pairing up with Alex Mitchell for both club and country in the not too distant future after a strong start to the season.

Davis keen to put on a show on derby day

AIDON Davis has played in all three major leagues in Europe and feels the physicality of the Premiership best suits him as a South African.

Lawrence shines on a night of spectacle

FOR a derby that has been played for more than a century, this was a contest for the ages. It ebbed, it flowed, and there were mini-battles everywhere. It was a sell-out spectacle to hearten the West Country’s rugby soul.

Ruthless Saracens demolish Harlequins

SARACENS flexed their muscles mightily at The Stoop last night to remind everybody they remain the team to beat if you have intentions on this season’s Premiership title.

World Cup winner puts Tigers on top

LEICESTER ignited their campaign through a huge collective effort inspired by Springbok World Cup winner Handre Pollard.

Russell has the mastery to push Bath to the top

FINN Russell is, with out a doubt, an ultra talented fly-half and the Scot has a touch of old school about him in terms of being like the very good attacking 10s of 30 years ago. I mean this in terms of Russell not playing to a game plan or structure, but playing much more what he sees with his own eyes and projecting it forward.

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.