Basham leads charge for Wales' next generation

In Wales we never seem to have a problem in bringing through young players and right now it appears to be the back row which is the hottest area of the production line.

Why have flying 10s like Carter all disappeared?

The most exciting midfield in this season’s Six Nations, at least in prospect, was the French. When their side was announced to play England my first thought was that a 10-12-13 combination of Romain Ntamack, Virimi Vakatawa and Gael Fickou was a mouthwatering trio.

Wales face ace Tomas staying at the Chiefs

WALES prop Tom Francis fears coronavirus will force him into choosing between club and country.

Te'o's season ends at Exiles before it starts

HAVING represented his country at fullback, on the wing, at scrum-half and even hooker, as well as playing Sevens, Mike Te’o would be happy to play in any position on any field right now.

On the blind side : Lozowski opts to join Toulouse

SARACENS back Alex Lozowski is heading to play in France next season after agreeing to a one-year contract with Toulouse.

Griffiths pledges to save Championship

EDWARD Griffiths, the former chief executive of Saracens, is confident he can chart a way forward for Championship clubs worried about their future.

Willis stakes his claim for England honours

WASPS turnover king Jack Willis says he is doing everything in his power to enter the conversation around England selection for July’s tour of Japan.

Pools panel may decide final league positions

SOCCER-STYLE ‘pools panels’ could be convened to determine National League promotion and relegation issues in the increasingly likely event of the season being abandoned.

Give more credit to Academies – Wilks

INCREASING salary cap credits for homegrown players rather than ring-fencing the Premiership is the key to unlocking English rugby’s talent pathway, says Leicester academy boss Dave Wilks.

Six Nations TV Sell-Out Brings Rage On Twitter

The Rugby Paper’s front page revelation about the Six Nations’ imminent danger of disappearing from free-to-air television prompted a volcanic reaction. The eruptions went on for days on end.

It Just Makes You Regret That Display In Paris

Jeremy Guscott outspoken and unmissable... Every week

It's no joke! Alun Wyn wants Joe on carpet

ALUN Wyn Jones demanded disciplinary action against England’s Joe Marler last night for grabbing him painfully by the testicles during Wales’ defeat at Twickenham.

The Pay-TV Golden Goose may be a turkey

So, the union have posted a multi-million-pound loss and expect to make another next year, while admitting they are seeing a decline in participation and will need a major restructuring in how the game is run.

Eight-try Chiefs show their attacking edge

EXETER belied the often-peddled but mistaken belief that they are a forward-oriented outfit who grind sides down as their all-singing, all-dancing eight-try display ran Bath ragged.

New Shark Lood Homes In On London Irish Prey

MAD keen as he is about golf, Lood de Jager can’t wait to swap the driving range for driving mauls as he prepares to make his long-awaited Sale Sharks debut.

Funds Aren't Available To Follow French Route

So now the answer to English rugby’s problems is – according to Richard Hill and Louis Grimoldby in last week’s Rugby Paper – to replicate the French tier 1 and 2 structure.

Spittle: Late Developers May Be Lost To The Game

Nottingham's history-making winger Jack Spittle fears more late bloomers like himself may be potentially lost to the professional game because of Championship funding cuts.

Young Exiles wings are on fire warns Naholo

WORLD Cup-winning All Blacks wing Waisake Naholo urges Eddie Jones to cap London Irish twinterrors Ollie HassellCollins and Ben Loader as a matter of priority.

Tuilagi has mischievous smile that says - I'm ready

ANY time the England forwards play with competitive edge and willingness to run onto the ball from depth and win the collisions they are a different side – and difficult to beat, as Ireland found out last weekend.

Gatland would never have whinged like Pivac

At last the England team have given their fans something to shout about, at least for one half of the game with an impressive starting 40 minutes last Sunday against Ireland.

Freddie quits Bath to try out life in France

FREDDIE Burns is weighing up moving abroad after telling Bath he won’t be staying at the Rec next season

The biggest mistake made by Nigel Wray? Loving rugby!

Let’s start with disclosure. Premiership Rugby is keen on that. I have known Nigel Wray for most of the professional rugby era.

Worsley in the frame for Wasps return

JOE WORSLEY could make a return to Wasps who are set to confirm they are parting company with Dai Young.

Tuilagi is so vital, Eddie must find another one!

THE debate over whether the 10-12 combination of George Ford and Owen Farrell is the best trigger for England to develop their attack, in pursuit of becoming the world’s best team, is one that has carried over from the World Cup into today’s England-Ireland match at Twickenham.

Pivac blast at ref in row over Wales ‘penalty try'

Alun Wyn: There was case for penalty try

Romain holds glory in his gifted hands for France

ANY lingering doubts that France are on their way back as a formidable force were banished as they tore into Wales from the outset in Cardiff, and then refused to relinquish their grip during the remainder of a pulsating ebb-and-flow contest.

England need to get smart or pay price against Irish

THE quality of rugby in the Six Nations has not been the greatest, perhaps because we have not been fortunate with the weather so far. Instead, we’ve seen flashes and glimpses of what it could be rather than sustained excellence.

Escape from Nazis got Olly his Welsh cap

The Six Nations has never been short on journeys of a miraculous nature but this one might just trump them all, from its murderous start to its thunderous finish.

Courtney aiming to give Irish a shiner

COURTNEY Lawes shrugged off a nasty training ground eye injury and insisted it will not stop him going blow for blow with the Irish at Twickenham today.

World Cup man Wilson tunes up for England

HAVING played in his first game since the World Cup final, back row Mark Wilson is hoping to help Sale enjoy a big end to the season and push his claim for an England recall.