Rugby news

• Johnson-Holmes has England in his sights

  23-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  ■By GARY FITZGERALD Ambition: Harry Johnson-Holmes in action for the Waratahs PICTURES: Getty images HARRY Johnson-Holmes hopes moving his rugby life from one side of the globe to the other may also offer up the chance for him to add to his single Test cap. And if Steve Borthwick needs a versatile prop to add […]
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• Rampant All Blacks stun Springboks in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series opener

  23-08-2026 05:45 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  Will Jordan’s double helped New Zealand withstand a relentless Springbok assault as Ardie Savea’s side secured a memorable victory at Ellis Park.
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• High Court says action over rugby brain injury claims can go on

  23-08-2026 05:30 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  More than 500 former rugby players will now have the chance to take their claims against the sport’s governing bodies to trial following a High Court ruling in London.
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• High Court says action over brain injury claims can go on

  23-08-2026 05:00 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  ■By BEN JAYCOCK THE High Court in London has ruled that more than 500 former professional and amateur players can proceed with legal action against the sport’s governing bodies over alleged career-ending brain injuries. The ruling allows former rugby union and rugby league players to pursue claims that World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union (RFU), […]
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• Ernst van Rhyn says Sale Sharks team-mate Courtney Lawes is leading from the front

  23-08-2026 05:00 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  The veteran England forward has wasted no time making his mark at Sale, with Ernst van Rhyn impressed by his commitment and influence during pre-season.
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• We must protect future players

  23-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  NEWS that the concussion lawsuits involving hundreds of former players will be allowed to continue should make everyone involved in rugby uncomfortable. Nobody wants to see the sport sanitised beyond recognition. Physicality, collisions and bravery are fundamental parts of rugby, but surely we have moved beyond dismissing long-term brain injuries as simply an occupational hazard. […]
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• Warriors sign up Cripps

  23-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  WORCESTER Warriors have signed former England U20 back rower Kofi Cripps from Bristol Bears ahead of their Champ Rugby title defence. The 23-year-old made his Premiership debut against Newcastle in April but struggled for regular opportunities at Ashton Gate. His move to Sixways reunites him with head coach Matt Everard, who previously worked with Cripps […]
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• Warriors can still compete, insists Forrest

  23-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  GLASGOW assistant coach Scott Forrest is confident Warriors can build on last season and challenge for silverware despite losing a trio of star names. Scotland internationals Huw Jones, Jack Dempsey and Adam Hastings have left the club but Forrest believes Glasgow can cope with the loss and go better than last season’s semi-final. After topping […]
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• Van Rhyn: Lawes is leading from front

  23-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  nBy GARY FITZGERALD THE “huge presence” of Courtney Lawes has already added extra bite and crunch to the Sale Sharks environment, according to South African lock Ernst van Rhyn. Lawes, 37, who won 105 caps during a 14-year England career and five Lions appearances, has been persuaded by head coach Alex Sanderson to try and […]
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• Swashbuckling Gus the star for Pirates

  23-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  By BEN JAYCOCK CORNISH Pirates recovered from a difficult start to claim an impressive 35-21 pre-season victory over Plymouth Albion at Brickfields and return to Cornwall with south west bragging rights over their Devonian rivals. The Champ side trailed 14-0 after 20 minutes and lost Harry Ascherl to the sin-bin amid a mounting penalty count, […]
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• South Africa 16-33 New Zealand: Will Jordan’s double hit puts Springboks on the floor

  23-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  New Zealand produced a remarkable second-half turnaround to overwhelm the world champions, with Will Jordan’s two tries completing a stunning victory at Ellis Park.
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• Some simple drills for complex skills

  23-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  Dan Cottrell brings a wealth of experience to The Rugby Paper as he continues a new coaching series packed with practical advice for coaches of every level. A former Bath and Bristol player, Dan has spent more than 16 seasons as head coach and editor of Rugby Coach Weekly, helping thousands of coaches worldwide develop […]
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• Slade is a great role model for younger players. Few work as hard as he does

  23-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  Q&A Former Exeter, Bath and Worcester scrum-half speaks to Ben Jaycock about Exeter’s resurgence, Worcester’s return, the Champ play-offs and his ambitious National Two East side Oundle Q: How excited are you for the Premiership to return after such an entertaining season last year? Last season was awesome, I loved it. Having spent most of […]
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• Sinckler could be back for England

  23-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  IN long-term recruitment news that may well prick up the ears of England boss Steve Borthwick, Clermont’s international tighthead prop – and definitive proof of the concept of nominative determinism – Regis Montagne has become, following Toulouse full-back Thomas Ramos and Agen winger Lucas Martins, the third player to shift the dial in what already […]
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• Scott Forrest: Glasgow Warriors can still compete despite star losses

  23-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  Glasgow Warriors assistant coach Scott Forrest believes a blend of experienced internationals and emerging talent can help the club go one better after losing Huw Jones, Jack Dempsey and Adam Hastings.
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• Savea: It was like a boxing match

  23-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  >Continued from front his delight after winning in one of the toughest environments in Test rugby. “It meant everything,” he said. “Ellis Park, what an arena. It was a serious shift and the boys dug deep. They got a taste of what it is like and I’m proud of our group. It’s an awesome start […]
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• Rampant All Blacks stun Boks

  23-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  ARDIE Savea hailed New Zealand’s resilience after the All Blacks survived a ferocious South African onslaught to claim a statement victory at Ellis Park yesterday. ■By BEN JAYCOCK The New Zealand captain described the contest as a “boxing match” after his side came through a brutal battle against the Springboks, with the result ultimately decided […]
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• Ramos calls his own tune

  23-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  Senior service: Thomas Ramos playing for Toulouse PICTURES: Getty Images WHEN asked about his impending relocation from New Zealand to France at the end of the 2007 World Cup, Anton Oliver didn’t regurgitate the usual piffle about needing a new challenge or a change of scenery. Instead he came straight out with it: “I’m going […]
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• Putting on WXV in England is another huge opportunity for women’s game

  23-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  VICKY MCQUEEN MBE Champions: England captain Zoe Aldcroft with the World Cup PICTURES: Getty Images BRINGING WXV to England feels like another huge opportunity for the women’s game. The buzz around last year’s World Cup was incredible and you could see the effect it had, not just in terms of people watching the Red Roses […]
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• Pre-season round-up: Swashbuckling Gus Mawson the star for Cornish Pirates

  23-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  Cornish Pirates and Bedford Blues enjoyed emphatic pre-season wins, with Gus Mawson and Marcus Kershaw among the standout performers in a busy weekend of action across the English rugby union game.
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• Pollock’s mission: To smash it like Lomu

  23-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  AUGUST is regarded as the silly season for news with everyone on holiday or working from Rome so when Eddie Hearn opened up about the future of his client Henry Pollock at Northampton, he was not just striking an early bargaining position but showing the pull of the England back rower. Pollock’s name was splashed […]
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• Olly Woodburn insists Exeter Chiefs have no Prem final demons

  23-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  Olly Woodburn believes Exeter Chiefs have the unity and belief to put last season’s Premiership final heartbreak behind them and launch another title challenge.
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• No demons here, insists Woodburn

  23-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  By GARY FITZGERALD OLLY Woodburn concedes it has been a slow mental process eliminating major Twickenham “heartbreak” from his thoughts but insists any remaining angst will be long gone by the time Exeter return to the Premiership saddle. Woodburn is adamant there will be no “demons” harbouring in the players’ minds to stop them having […]
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• Neumann sidelined

  23-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  WALES wing Lisa Neumann remains without a club after leaving Harlequins following two seasons in west London. The 32-year-old made just one PWR appearance last term, spending more time with Brython Thunder before a hamstring injury ended her Six Nations. She has considered offers but says quality of life is as important as finances. A […]
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• Muddled Aussies have no answer

  23-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  New Zealand ..66 Australia ..........19 ■By BEN JAYCOCK NEW Zealand women maintained their perfect Test record against Australia with a thumping 10-try victory in Auckland to extend their winning run against their trans-Tasman rivals to 31 matches. It was Australia’s 100th Test and they handed debuts to sevens star Maddison Levi, who played the final […]
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• Mitchell call-ups

  23-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  ENGLAND head coach John Mitchell has called Daisy Hibbert-Jones and Sophie McQueen into the Red Roses’ training camp ahead of the WXV Global Series. Loughborough captain Hibbert-Jones, 23, won her sole England cap during the victorious 2023 WXV 1 campaign, while Gloucester-Hartpury’s McQueen, 21, captained England U21 earlier this year. England face Canada three times […]
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• Minister voices concerns

  23-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  nBy BEN JAYCOCK THE WRU has come under renewed pressure over plans to cut the number of professional teams after Wales’ sports minister raised concerns about a growing “disconnect” between the governing body and supporters. Heledd Fychan, the Welsh Government’s cabinet minister for culture and sport, met WRU chief executive Abi Tierney last week amid […]
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• McInally flying high

  23-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  FORMER Scotland captain Stuart McInally has launched a new career as a commercial pilot with Jet2, three years after retiring from professional rugby. The 34-year-old former Edinburgh hooker began building flight hours while still playing and started studying for his airline transport pilot licence immediately after his final season. McInally will now fly Boeing 737s […]
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• Let’s see the best

  23-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  WHEN someone with a grasp of rugby history comes to write an account of the great tours of recent memory, England’s tragi-comic slog around the southern hemisphere in 1998 is unlikely to feature. Those of us who were there knew we were in for something unforgettably forgettable from the get-go, when poor Tony Diprose, lumbered […]
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• Knowles: We’re gunning for Prem

  23-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  TV presenter Nick Knowles wants to take the Cornish Pirates to the Prem. The DIY SOS star became a shareholder in the Champ club this month as part of a new era in Penzance following fresh investment from the United States. Investor: Nick Knowles Knowles has brought in a film crew to produce a documentary […]
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