Kiwi coaches deliver a very British contest, Joe Marler left to count his blessings, and the amazing jet-set Willie le RouxTwo New Zealand coaches presided over an old-school British game in which the set pieces shaped the outcome. Todd Blackadder is i…
• Leicester 37-44 Worcester• Weir scores two tries and 12 points with the bootFor a club with Leicester’s proud history and rich tradition these are concerning days. Beaten at home by the Premiership’s bottom club, four tries conceded inside the first …
• Saracens 38-15 Gloucester• Maro Itoje scores twice as home side overtake ExeterMaro Itoje scored two tries as Saracens issued a statement of intent in their Gallagher Premiership title defence by dismantling Gloucester 38-15 and moving top of the tab…
As he sets a record for appearances, Saracens’ No 9 tells how much the Premiership has improved since his debut in 2002When Richard Wigglesworth made his Premiership debut England were months away from winning the World Cup, Sir Clive Woodward was stil…
• Bath 17-15 Northampton• Home side move up to fourth in Premiership tableCrisis? What Crisis? After the opening night shambles at Bristol, Bath moved into the play-off positions by coming from behind to defeat Northampton in the wind and rain at the R…
• Bath 17-15 Northampton• Home side move up to fourth in Premiership tableCrisis? What Crisis? After the opening night shambles at Bristol, Bath moved into the play-off positions by coming from behind to defeat Northampton in the wind and rain at the R…
• Bristol 20-13 Harlequins• Irishman kicks five penalties as visitors earn three yellow cardsThey are not going to be easy to beat here. Bristol’s second home match of their return to the Premiership did not throb with the intensity of their first, but…
• Bristol 20-13 Harlequins• Irishman kicks five penalties as visitors earn three yellow cardsThey are not going to be easy to beat here. Bristol’s second home match of their return to the Premiership did not throb with the intensity of their first, but…
• Newcastle 17-24 Exeter • Matt Kvesic scores crucial try with Flood in sin binExeter Chiefs extended their unbeaten run to stay top of the Premiership with a hard-fought 24-17 win at Kingston Park.The Chiefs led 14-10 at half-time thanks to a Simmonds…
Exeter’s strength in depth shines through, Northampton loves Taqele Naiyaravoro, and Aled Brew ‘won’t be doing that again’ Related: Controversial Leicester red card spoils eight-try classic as Wasps prevail Continue reading…
• Bath fly-half says team are united• Joe Cokanasiga nudges Eddie JonesFreddie Burns has dismissed as “nonsense” speculation that Todd Blackadder was facing the sack as Bath’s director of rugby following a player revolt after the defeat against Bristol…
• Wasps 41-35 Leicester• Will Spencer sent off for high tackleWasps resisted a second-half comeback by 14-man Leicester Tigers to earn a narrow victory in a captivating eight-try game at the Ricoh Arena.Scores by Juan de Jongh and Josh Bassett saw Wasp…
The interim head coach is determined to land his ‘dream job’ on a permanent basis and bring back the glory daysWhen Geordan Murphy took over as Leicester’s interim head coach after the sacking of Matt O’Connor a couple of days into the season, he gathe…
• Harlequins 32-37 Bath• Bath’s Cokanasiga and Zach Mercer impress with two tries eachIf the recruitment of England’s defence coach as supremo was meant to transform Harlequins’ fortunes, there was little sign of it here. Bath, who have hardly ripped u…
• Northampton 27-38 Saracens• Saints giant wing makes instant impactMuch was made in the build-up of the size of Northampton’s Australian international wing Taqele Naiyaravoro, but even approaching 20st he was no heavier than the four defeats the Saint…
• Exeter 35-18 Sale• Chiefs secure third straight try bonus-pointAlex Cuthbert’s first try for Exeter made sure of a third straight bonus-point victory in what is now the Chiefs’ best start to a Premiership season.Tom Lawday added a fifth score late on…
• Young has sympathy for sacked Leicester coach, Matt O’Connor• Bath’s Todd Blackadder among coaches under early scrutinyAt last month’s Premiership launch the Saracens director of rugby, Mark McCall, remarked on the number of new faces among his conte…
• Gloucester 35-13 Bristol• Newcomers overwhelmed in second-half onslaughtUnbeaten Gloucester clambered to the top of the Premiership after coming from behind to defeat promoted Bristol, who made a point even if they returned home without one.Bristol’s…
• Fractured cricoid suffered in collision with Wasps’ Launchbury• Back-row must remain in hospital for about four weeksThe Worcester and Scotland back-row Cornell du Preez has revealed he is unable to talk and must remain in hospital for the next four …
The takeover’s threat to club independence and existing regulations may have prompted its failure but it has opened up a debate about how the game can brand and run itself betterThe response of one Premiership club official to the takeover bid of the l…
