sports and games

Billy Vunipola confirms he will STAY at Saracens despite relegation over breach of salary cap rules

Billly Vunipola has ended speculation about his future by confirming that he will stay at Saracens next season, despite their demotion to the Championship.




sports and games

Saracens veteran Richard Wigglesworth faces uncertain future as he comes to the end of his contract

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY WILL KELLEHER: For players like Richard Wigglesworth nearing the end of their contracts, lockdown life has left them in limbo over what happens next.




sports and games

England prop Joe Marler considering quitting rugby with immediate effect following 10-week ban

EXCLUSIVE BY NIK SIMON: England prop Joe Marler is considering quitting rugby with immediate effect. The 29-year-old is understood to have become disillusioned with the sport.




sports and games

England fly-half prospect Marcus Smith turns to mindfulness coach to deal with isolation stress

When Luke Doherty took himself to a retreat in the mountains to learn about Buddhism, little did he know his techniques would be used to help guide rugby players through the stresses of a pandemic.




sports and games

Lockdown diaries: England and Exeter wing Jack Nowell shares his second week in isolation

England and Exeter wing Jack Nowell's season has been put on pause due to the coronavirus pandemic, leaving him and thousands of his colleagues at a loose end waiting for the season to restart.




sports and games

Former Wales international Richard Parks shares his self-isolation advice after crossing Antartica

Richard Parks knows a thing or two about self-isolation and is probably the least concerned of anyone about the prospect of closing his front door to the rest of the world for the next few months.




sports and games

My blueprint for the game's future... Cut the Premiership to 10 teams and bring in a global club cup

CHRIS FOY - WORLD OF RUGBY: The coronavirus shutdown has forced rugby into an emergency spell of introspection and exposed the need for change. Here is this column's vision for the sport's future…




sports and games

Coronavirus UK: Exeter Chiefs' Gareth Steenson opens up about life in isolation amid pandemic

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY WILL KELLEHER: Life in the lockdown is exacting enough for everyone - but not many have as many balls to juggle as Gareth Steenson.




sports and games

English Premiership clubs seek state help to bail them out

EXCLUSIVE: English Premiership clubs are queuing up to seek financial help from the Government as the coronavirus pandemic continues to cast long shadows over rugby.




sports and games

World Rugby chief Bill Beaumont on fears that game faces financial apocalypse

EXCLUSIVE BY CHRIS FOY: Bill Beaumont has warned rugby's global community that 'everyone will suffer' in the fall-out from the coronavirus shutdown, called for unity and more state help.




sports and games

Premiership Rugby summer play-offs on cards to find champions

EXCLUSIVE BY MATT HUGHES: Premiership Rugby are considering staging a summer play-off series to determine this season's champions and raise money for beleaguered clubs.




sports and games

RFU will complete the Championship season with 'a best playing record formula'

The RFU will determine the final places of the Championship - the second tier of domestic competition - with a 'best playing record formula' after ending the season early due to coronavirus.




sports and games

Eddie Jones may be Marmite but there was no obvious candidates to replace him as England head coach

CHRIS FOY: There has been a polarised response to the news that Eddie Jones will remain England's head coach until the 2023 World Cup. Many people are delighted. Others are aghast.




sports and games

Eddie Jones stuck in Japan as England's July tour of the country is likely to be called off

Eddie Jones is stuck in Japan due to the coronavirus outbreak where England still intend to tour in July - although it is increasingly likely the trip will be called off this month.




sports and games

Guy Thompson's shock at Leicester Tigers axe just days before lockdown

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY NIK SIMON: Last month, Guy Thompson had just finished his morning session in Oadby when his world was turned on its head.




sports and games

Twickenham stadium offered for NHS medical use by head of RFU Bill Sweeney amid coronavirus crisis 

RFU CEO Bill Sweeney has also said that the Marriott hotel adjoining the stadium could be used to accommodate doctors and nurses, and the north car park for drive through testing.




sports and games

Ruthless RFU must act and hand grassroots clubs a lifeline 

WORLD OF RUGBY: When the RFU released their annual report, the document contained an opening page which stated: 'Our purpose: to encourage rugby, and its values.' 




sports and games

Ask Sir Clive Woodward... The World Cup winner answers your questions

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: The England legend has been answering all of your questions, ranging from the serious to the funny, on subjects such sport obsession and how to drop players.




sports and games

Heineken Champions Cup could be SCRAPPED and replaced by new Club World Cup

French Rugby Federation president Bernard Laporte - who wants to run World Rugby alongside Bill Beaumont and hopes to be elected as vice-chairman next month - has proposed the competition.




sports and games

Premiership Rugby suspended indefinitely with return date of April 24 scrapped

Premiership Rugby are desperate to finish the current suspended season before it starts the next, which will put pressure on the 2021 Lions tour.




sports and games

Sir Clive Woodward: World Cup winning coach asks the five big questions for English rugby

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: These are difficult times for all sports but I believe such moments create a time for organisations to demonstrate they are in touch with the world around them.




sports and games

England set for autumn full of Tests as RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney confirms plans

England face a packed autumn of Tests at home and abroad after RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney confirmed post-coronavirus plans. 




sports and games

Jonny May to leave Leicester Tigers at the end of the season as he secures return to Gloucester

Jonny May represented Gloucester between 2009 and 2017 and will make a homecoming return to the club from July 1 as he has announced he will leave Leicester Tigers at the end of the current season.




sports and games

How Wales Women's international Alecs Donovan is helping Bristol Bears reach next level with yoga

In a Bristol team which contains Charles Piutau and Steven Luatua and will soon add Kyle Sinckler and Semi Radradra, it takes a lot to be described as one of the Bears' 'signings of the season.'




sports and games

Argentinian great Agustin Pichot promises a revolution as he challenges for World Rugby's top job

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY NIK SIMON: World Rugby has found itself at a revolutionary crossroads after Agustin Pichot launched a late bid to challenge Bill Beaumont in the presidential elections.




sports and games

Scottish Rugby Union announce pay cuts for players until September due to coronavirus pandemic

Multi-million pound losses are expected among the Home Nations if the autumn internationals cannot go ahead due to coronavirus - which could send rugby into financial meltdown.




sports and games

Dan Leo urges rivals Bill Beaumont and Agustin Pichot to fix inequality in the game

Bill Beaumont or Agustin Pichot, the rivals standing next month to lead World Rugby, must be shocked into a drastic overhaul of the game following the coronavirus pandemic. 




sports and games

Steve Borthwick to become Leicester's new head coach on July 1 after leaving England role

Steve Borthwick will become Leicester's new head coach on July 1, as current boss Geordan Murphy moves to become director of rugby. 




sports and games

Billy Vunipola on his Lions and World Cup dreams... and why Saracens need to be humble

EXCLUSIVE BY CHRIS FOY: Vunipola is glad Jones will continue to provoke trepidation and inspiration among players because he believes the Australian can lead them to World Cup glory.




sports and games

Coronavirus UK: Scottish Rugby Union says temporary wage cuts for top-earning stars are necessary

The Scottish Rugby Union this week proposed reductions ranging from 10 to 25 per cent over a five-month period for all players earning more than £50,000 in response to the coronavirus outbreak.




sports and games

Exeter will play Jonny Gray this season if fixtures resume in July

Exeter coach Rob Baxter could finish the season with a new-look team if the Premiership resumes in summer. Standard contracts run until June 30, when many players will transfer to new clubs.




sports and games

Rugby needs a radical shake-up and Gus Pichot is perfect bundle of energy needed to revamp the game

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: Professional rugby's financial vulnerability has been cruelly exposed and, frankly, it has always been built on shifting sands.




sports and games

Saracens take drastic financial measures as Owen Farrell defers £300,000 of salary until September 

The English league champions confirmed last night they had taken advantage of the government's furlough scheme - meaning all their players' wages are now part-funded by the state.




sports and games

Premiership Rugby's £7m salary cap could be reduced to mitigate impact of coronavirus pandemic

EXCLUSIVE BY WILL KELLEHER AND NIK SIMON: The Premiership' s £7million salary cap could be reduced to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus.




sports and games

Alex Mitchell is the scrum half earmarked by Eddie Jones to fill England's gaping void

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Picked as a Six Nations 'apprentice' in January, complete with the customary asterisk to mark his status, Alex Mitchell is Eddie Jones' latest England project.




sports and games

In his fifth week in isolation Jack Nowell builds Lego sets and discusses potential mid-season moves

JACK NOWELL: The England international has remained busy building lego sets, taking on a pro gamer and keeping himself fit and healthy in week five of his lockdown due to coronavirus.




sports and games

'Tell Clive I'm still alive and kicking': Sir Bill Beaumont vows to lead 'global revolution'

EXCLUSIVE BY NIK SIMON: Sir Bill Beaumont says he 'still alive and kicking' as he revealed his manifesto to be re-elected as World Rugby chairman after Sir Clive Woodward backed Agustin Pichot.




sports and games

Agustin Pichot talks to SIR CLIVE WOODWARD about campaign to become chairman of World Rugby

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: Bill Beaumont and challenger Agustin Pichot are in the final week of their election campaign to become chairman of World Rugby. 




sports and games

Harlequins CEO Laurie Dalrymple relishing baptism of fire following move from Premier League Wolves

For Premiership chief executives during the coronavirus pandemic it is not so much that the management text-book has been thrown out the window.




sports and games

Sir Bill Beaumont's link to convicted killer at the top of Fiji rugby slammed

EXCLUSIVE BY NIK SIMON: Sir Bill Beaumont's attempt to win re-election as World Rugby chairman has been thrown into further chaos after the governing body received a damning letter.




sports and games

Beaumont's bid for re-election as World Rugby chairman rocked by resignation of key ally Kean

Sir Bill Beaumont's campaign to be re-elected as World Rugby chairman was on a knife-edge on Tuesday night, after one of his leading supporters was dramatically ousted by the Fijian Rugby Union.




sports and games

Former England international Ben Foden contemplating one final season of rugby

Ben Foden is supposed to be taking part in his second and final season of Major League Rugby on behalf of New York. However the season has been suspended due to the coronavirus.




sports and games

Sir Clive Woodward's 10-point plan to save rugby and why Gus Pichot has the vision to implement it

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: I wonder if all those voting for the chairmanship of World Rugby on Sunday realise the great gift and opportunity they have - or what a pivotal moment for the game this is.




sports and games

Australia and Northampton wing Taqele Naiyaravoro willing to switch allegiance to Fiji

EXCLUSIVE BY NIK SIMON: Naiyaravoro is the first player to pledge his future to Fiji if a controversial rule allowing players to switch allegiance goes through.




sports and games

European chiefs slam World Rugby for leaving them out of key talks

World Rugby have stated intentions to reschedule coronavirus-hit Tests for October, despite those weekends already being set aside for club rugby and the EPCR claim clubs have been overlooked.




sports and games

Leicester Tigers face legal fight over slashing pay of players and staff without consent

EXCLUSIVE BY DAVID COVERDALE: Leicester Tigers face claims of unlawful deduction of wages after cutting players' pay without their consent. 




sports and games

Leicester Tigers players continue negotiations over wage cuts

Leicester Tigers captain Tom Youngs has confirmed players are still in dispute with the club over pay cuts.




sports and games

Bill Beaumont turns to ex-Lions pals to secure votes of Wales and Ireland in World Rugby election

EXCLUSIVE BY CHRIS FOY: Bill Beaumont has turned to ex-Lions team-mates to 'keep Wales and Ireland on track' in the World Rugby chairman election.




sports and games

It is either a fresh start of closed shop as voting for World Rugby boss opens

CHRIS FOY: Not since the dawn of professionalism has rugby faced such a momentous episode in its history. From Saturday until Thursday, voting around the world will decide direction of sport.




sports and games

MARTIN SAMUEL: World Rugby election presents chance to stop shameless plundering of the Pacific

COMMENT BY MARTIN SAMUEL: It's known as the Brawn Drain. The depressingly predictable exit of the best rugby talent from the Pacific Islands to the biggest, richest nations.