Rugby news

• Leigh release Australian prop Pene

  03-08-2026 19:15 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Leigh Leopards release Australian prop Aaron Pene early from his contract after only 15 Super League games for the club.
  
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• George Kruis backs Courtney Lawes for England’s 2027 World Cup push

  09-08-2026 05:45 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  George Kruis believes Courtney Lawes could play a key role in England’s 2027 Rugby World Cup campaign after being impressed by Steve Borthwick’s side.
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• Jonathan Davies: England should pair up Ollie Lawrence and Henry Slade at centre

  09-08-2026 05:30 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  The former Wales centre believes England’s midfield could benefit from greater continuity, while questioning whether Steve Borthwick is allowing his coaches enough freedom to improve the attack.
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• Peter Winterbottom: Time to find out what Henry Pollock can do from the start as England’s No.8

  09-08-2026 05:01 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  The former England, Lions and Harlequins flanker believes Henry Pollock has done enough to earn a starting role at No.8, while urging Steve Borthwick to settle on his best combinations and address England’s disciplinary problems.
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• Kruis puts his faith in Lawes for World Cup

  09-08-2026 05:00 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  ■By ADAM HATHAWAY GEORGE Kruis likes what he is seeing from England and insists they have the potential to go deep in next year’s World Cup – just like his vintage did in 2019. And the former second row believes Courtney Lawes – who is back in the international reckoning – could play a role […]
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• Will Trenholm is on a mission to build on Gloucester breakthrough

  09-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  After fearing his professional career was at a crossroads, Will Trenholm found a new home at Gloucester and is determined to build on a breakthrough first season.
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• We needed to be a lot smarter with the ball, admits captain Wilson

  09-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  CAPTAIN Harry Wilson admitted Australia must wise up after surviving a major scare against Japan to scrape home in difficult conditions. Australia crossed for five tries but left plenty of points on the field as the Brave Blossoms repeatedly punished their mistakes, with Wilson identifying discipline and decision-making as areas requiring urgent improvement. “We just […]
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• Wallabies made to fight all the way by Japan

  09-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  ■By BEN JAYCOCK AUSTRALIA survived a thrilling Japan fightback and a first-half red card to give new head coach Les Kiss a winning start in Osaka. The Wallabies were forced to dig deep after Miles Amatosero’s yellow card was upgraded to a 20-minute red shortly before half-time, while Eddie Jones’ Brave Blossoms threatened to snatch […]
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• Wales need to get a kick out of their No.10

  09-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  EVERY supporter in Wales craves an outside half that can run with the ball. The desire for a 10 who can run is more stereotypically Welsh than lamb cawl with a lava bread Welsh cake served inside a cockle shell – it would be a very small meal, admittedly. This love of a 10 that […]
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• Venter will bring new energy to Saracens

  09-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  NEIL DE KOCK THE Gallagher Premiership is a fantastic competition. There have been six different winners in the past seven years which shows the competitiveness of the league. We have also seen the revival of Exeter Chiefs who were runners-up in the 2025-26 Premiership after a ninth-place finish the year prior. How will Saracens get […]
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• Trenholm is on a mission at Gloucester

  09-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  ■By PAUL REES IT was not Gloucester’s most memorable season but Will Trenholm was glad to be part of it having feared for his future as a professional player. The No.8 had been at Harlequins since he was 13, but having made more appearances on loan at London Scottish than he had for the top […]
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• Top of the props…

  09-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  HOW good to read an article about the sadly departed Wasps (All-Stars XV, 2 August), but I fear the excellent Brendan Gallagher has confused his props. Will Green and Phil Vickery were regular tight-heads and Craig Dowd and Tim Payne loose-heads in their days with the club. Some diehard supporters might also quibble with his […]
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• Time to find out what Pollock can do from the start as England’s No.8

  09-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  PETER WINTERBOTTOM FORMER ENGLAND, LIONS & HARLEQUINS FLANKER IWOULD start Henry Pollock at No.8 for England ahead of Ben Earl. Pollock is an incredible talent and there are things he can do on a rugby pitch that very few players are capable of. We saw another example of that with his hat-trick off the bench […]
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• Swords backing for Ellie

  09-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  By BEN JAYCOCK TRP Gallagher: £1m deal for Pollock is long way off yet EMMA Swords has backed former Harlequins team-mate Ellie Kildunne to thrive at Bristol Bears and believes her move could prove pivotal for the wider women’s game. Kildunne has become one of the biggest names in women’s rugby and Swords, 30, believes […]
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• Stormers 21-38 New Zealand: All Blacks fail to convince in opener

  09-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  New Zealand survived a bruising battle with Stormers to begin their South Africa tour with victory, despite three yellow cards and a difficult night at the set-piece.
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• Spreading the wealth? That’s not how I see it

  09-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  IT IS not necessarily Gianni Infantino’s fault that he looks suspiciously like a Bond villain, but the FIFA president’s undisputed claim to international sport’s “Bogeyman of the Year” title is all his own work. You have to admire his chutzpah, if nothing else. He makes Muhammad Ali, whose epic level of self-belief was brought so […]
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• Racing quick to swoop for Ramos

  09-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN TOULOUSE’S messianic former coach Guy Noves brushed off Thomas Ramos’s Racing 92 switch at the end of the 2026/27 campaign as part of the normal run of contractual events, but few Top 14 transfer stories are likely to be as significant – not for what it is, but what it possibly […]
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• Quins in need of someone in charge

  09-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  Big signing: George Furbank has left Saints for Harlequins AT club level, I am interested to see what happens at Harlequins. They have had a difficult couple of seasons and, from the outside, one of the biggest issues seems to have been a lack of clear accountability. You need somebody in charge. There has to […]
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• Playing for England’s U20s made me proud

  09-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  MY LIFEIN RUGBY MONTY BRADBURY FORMER LONDON IRISH AND ENGLAND U20S FLY-HALF MY LAST game of rugby ended with a straight red card. It wasn’t quite the ending I’d imagined growing up dreaming of becoming a professional player but, looking back now, I can laugh about it. We were playing Ireland Under-20s away from home […]
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• Players must stay within the laws

  09-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  KYRAN Bracken talked in his column last week about how South Africa used around three various teams during the Nations Championship… excellent visionary coaching using the competition to ‘blood’ fringe players against so called Tier 1 opposition. Rassie Erasmus strikes gold once again. If Steve Borthwick had thought to use the same approach with England […]
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• Player dies after training

  09-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  FIJIAN Saimoni Vunilagi has died of suspected heatstroke after a training session, his club Kyuden Voltex have announced. The Japanese second division team, based in Fukuoka, said the 26-year-old was taken to hospital and died on Friday. Temperatures in the southern city of Fukuoka this week have reached 35C degrees. “After team practice on Monday, […]
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• People are suffering so

  09-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  PAUL REES ON THE LEGAL BATTLES OVER CLAIMS O Raging Bull: Phil Vickery in action for England against New Zealand PICTURES: Getty Images let’s help, says Vickery IN LAW nothing is certain except the expense. It is a saying that had force in the early years of professionalism when clubs and unions clashed over control […]
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• Parling tells his players: Build your own story

  09-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  Paul Rees continues his summer series reviewing the Prem season, with the focus this week on Leicester Tigers LEICESTER this decade have been like Chelsea – every season there seems to be a new face in charge. But not this year. Geordan Murphy, Steve Borthwick, Richard Wigglesworth (as caretaker), Dan McKellar and Michael Cheika have […]
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• Pair up Lawrence and Slade, urges Davies

  09-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  ■By BEN JAYCOCK JONATHAN Davies says England should give Ollie Lawrence and Henry Slade time to build a lasting centre partnership. The former Wales and British & Irish Lions centre knows from experience how important continuity can be, having formed successful partnerships with the likes of Jamie Roberts and Hadleigh Parkes during his international career. […]
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• Northampton Saints centre Tom Litchfield targeting England call-up

  09-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  Tom Litchfield is determined to build on an impressive season with the Prem champions and believes strong performances for Northampton Saints can put him in the England conversation.
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• Nick was a great guy who wanted England to go well

  09-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  SIR CLIVE WOODWARD NICK Eastwood was a seriously nice guy and person to be with. Obviously, I was very sad to hear this news. The big thing to me was outside his skills on the finance side, he was genuinely passionate about the rugby – he really wanted the England team to go well. People […]
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• Newcastle will start to make strides this season, says Wade

  09-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  ■By BEN JAYCOCK CHRISTIAN Wade believes Newcastle Red Bulls can establish themselves as a top-four Prem side within the next four years as the club begin to feel the full force of Red Bull’s investment. The former England wing returned to rugby with Newcastle last season following his spell in the NFL and believes the […]
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• Newcastle move for Fiji hooker

  09-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  Strong: Zuriel Togiatama on the ball for Fijian Drua against Queensland Reds PICTURE: Getty Images NEWCASTLE Red Bulls have signed Fiji hooker Zuriel Togiatama on a one-year deal. The 27-year-old joins the Prem side from Super Rugby outfit Fijian Drua. “He has proven himself at both Super Rugby and international level, is strong in the […]
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• New Zealand fail to convince nce in opener

  09-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  ■By BEN JAYCOCK Charge: Rieko Ioane breaks through for New Zealand PICTURE: Alamy NEW Zealand began their first full-scale tour of South Africa for 30 years with an unconvincing victory in Cape Town. Dave Rennie’s side eventually ran in six tries but the final margin disguised a difficult evening in which the tourists struggled at […]
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• Mauler will see you now…It’s Marler the Gladiator

  09-08-2026 04:59 via therugbypaper.co.uk
  
  ■By SAM JACKSON FORMER England prop Joe Marler has been unveiled as the BBC’s first-ever “Celebrity Gladiator.” Trading the scrum for the stadium, the 36-year-old sports star will compete under the moniker ‘Mauler’ when the hit entertainment series returns for its fourth season in 2027. Marler, who earned 95 caps for England and won two […]
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