And the award for starting too early goes to ...

Borthwick: We’ll learn from pain

NEW head coach Steve Borthwick admitted his England

No happy return for Gatland as Ireland blow Wales away

THERE was no fairytale return for Wales head

Bracken: Six Nations battle is wide open

KYRAN Bracken feels the battle for the Northern

WRU now considering lowering tackle height

THE WRU is considering introducing a restriction on

Dugdale glad to take his chances

On the attack: Sam Dugdale scoring for Sale

Twelvetrees proves he can still make the difference

BILLY Twelvetrees has been rolling back the years

Cardall closing in on move to Falcons

FORMER Wasps lock Tim Cardall is heading back

Hill says au revoir to Perigueux

FORMER England scrum-half Richard Hill, below, is set

Leading scorer Jackson poised to stay at Irish

Talks: Paddy Jackson PICTURES: Getty Images LONDON Irish

Bedlow looks set to be heading home

SALE Sharks are on the verge of persuading

Segun happy to stay a Saracen

SARACENS winger Rotimi Segun, right, is set to

Radradra agrees to Lyon switch

FIJIAN Olympic gold medalist Semi Radradra, above, has

For France, the battle will start in Dublin

OUTSPOKEN AND UNMISSABLE... EVERY WEEK

With this record, it’s time Sweeney headed to the exit

READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK

Forgive me, but I don’t think I can take anymore

COMMON sense would have told the Welsh Rugby

Armstrong confident Guernsey can climb the table

ANTHONY Armstrong is calling for more consistency from

Bears hope overseas trio will turn the tide

In good form: Semi Radradra will be a

Our Green Army will help us get there, says Creevy

AGUSTIN Creevy feels the fantastic support of the

About time to turn the pointless clock back

GUEST COLUMNIST

We need laws for the ages, not for a season

A weekly look at the game’s other talking points

Walder: Give my players a chance

NEWCASTLE boss Dave Walder has been left with

Questions hovering over Blanc departure

THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW

He was gone! Scown joins in the fun over that try

SO many came to celebrate The Try Of

Backlash grows over changes to tackle law

>> PAUL REES DISCOVERS A FAIR AMOUNT OF C ONCERN OVER THE RFU’S PLANS TO ALTER RULES OVER TACKLE HEIGHT

Pam celebrates making it to 50

Working hard: Simi Pam takes on the Quins

Sale, Worcester given Premier 15s reprieve

SALE Sharks and Worcester Warriors have been given

Montiel joins Saracens

CANADA front rower Maya Montiel joined Saracens last

Time to limit number of dual-registered players -Biljon

Concern: Harvey Biljon JERSEY Reds’ Harvey Biljon is

Henderson has Fylde in sight

On the attack: Rhys Henderson takes on Ben

RFU sets deadline for new owners

THE RFU has set the new owners of

Burnell has big boots to fill in Jersey

PROMISING young flyhalf Ben Burnell has become the

Bratton glad to be a Knight

DONCASTER Knights have signed tighthead prop Bobby Bratton

Coventry swoop for Wilson

CHAMPIONSHIP side Coventry have signed former Worcester Warriors

Give Bill a break - he’s the best man for the job

A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME

Leicester bring Brown out of the wilderness

LEICESTER have signed former England full-back Mike Brown

Cokanasiga commits long-term at The Rec

JOE Cokanasiga has signing a long-term contract to

Lewies available for Harlequins ‘Big Match’

HARLEQUINS lock and club captain Stephan Lewies has

Hodge extends his stay at Sandy Park

EXETER Chiefs full-back Josh Hodge has signed a

Italy great Parisse to call time this summer

FORMER Italy captain Sergio Parisse will retire at

Giteau: I’ve milked the contracts dry

MATT Giteau, 40, has announced his retirement, saying

Table topping Lions fill Collins with pride

LEICESTER Lions have lost just once in their

Spears point the way with victory at Verblitz

Hotshot: Bernard Foley KUBOTA Spears moved top of

Garside on target to keep Bath in charge

BATH remain joint top of the table with

Rugby School launches 200th celebration

RUGBY School will begin celebrations for the 200th

Hundreds gather to pay their respects to Eddie

A MEMORIAL service for the former Wales captain

Bordeaux look set for season of turmoil

FRENCH COLUMN

Forthcoming fixtures

Week beginning Sunday, February 5, 2023

Rae proud he’s building a team for the future

COVENTRY born and bred Alex Rae is flourishing

Contract talks get green light

THE four Welsh regions have been given the

Panel chair announced for WRU sexism probe

DAME Anne Rafferty has been appointed as chair

Dazzling solo try leaves England for dead

England ............................. 23pts Tries: Malins 24, 38; Genge

Plenty of effort but too much confusion

On the attack: Marcus Smith breaks for

A wonder try, one of the best ever seen in Calcutta Cup history

Duhan vand der Merwe scores his first try

Ruthless Ireland take no time to quash talk of a Welsh restoration

Wales .................................. 10pts Tries: Williams 46 Conversions: Biggar

Win at Murrayfield or it will be a long campaign

Bright sparks: Rio Dyer, and Jac Morgan

France have the drive to stay on track

PREVIEW... Italy v France Today. Kick-off 3pm, Stadio

Lamaro: It’s time for someone else to get Wooden Spoon

Confident: Lamaro MICHELE Lamaro feels it is time

Rampant Romania run in 11 tries to stun Poland

Under pressure: Poland coach Chris Hitt ROMANIA got

Better ways to combat concussion problem

THE RFU’s ill-conceived law trial banning tackles above

South Africa hardly a weekend destination

Take that: Alex Dombrandt celebrates a try for

World Rugby must now lead by example

IN his column last week, Jeff Probyn presents

DREAM TEAM

NATHAN EARLE, THE EALING TRAILFINDERS & FORMER HARLEQUINS, SARRIES & NEWCASTLE WING, CHOOSES THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED WITH AND AGAINST...

Prendergast on song as Ireland master Wales

Wales...............................27pts Tries: Hennessy 9, Morgan 18, 77; Scarfe

Hathaway’s quick-fire treble puts England on right course

England ................ 41pts Tries: Hathaway 2, 8, 14;

France hold on as Italy send out a message

Italy...................27pts Tries: Berlese 7, Gallorini 24, Rubinato 32,

Ford finds his feet but Bears in charge

Bristol ................................ 43pts Tries: Lloyd 8, 29, 36;

‘We didn’t respect the ball enough’

GARETH Harris, Sale’s senior academy coach, says his

Champion Stormers earn away-day bonus

Sharks ............... 19pts Tries: Grobler 38, 69: Jooste

No stopping Coventry as they thump Doncaster

Coventry .......... 42pts Tries: Wilson 8, Lane 26,

Relton’s try seals bonus for unbeaten Pirates

C Pirates ..........25pts Tries: Britton 11, Beaton 29,

Caldy go close but Ampthill keep cool

Ampthill ............................. 31pts Tries: Blackmore 2, 12; Harmes

Williams hat-trick seals first cup win

Nottingham..... 24pts Tries: Williams 32, 37, 69; Clayton

Blues smash six to keep semi-final hopes alive

Bedford ............38pts Tries: French 16, 65; Rylands 39,

Reds hold on as Willis fires wide at the death

Jersey ...............28pts Tries: Hadfield 22, Dun 28, Woollett

Chiefs on cloud nine with rampant win

Exeter Chiefs ........ 61 DMP Sharks ..............0 EXETER

Bears just pipped by local rivals

Bristol Bears ......... 17 Gloucester-H ......... 19 BRISTOL

Jodie’s hat-trick to mark her milestone

Wasps ........................ 3 Saracens ................78 SARACENS turned on

Sharks edge a 70-point thriller

Sale Sharks ...........36 Worcester W .........34 SALE Sharks

Ton up as Chloe makes Quins history

PREVIEW Harlequins v Loughborough Today. KO 2.30pm CHLOE

Rossiter’s double leads the way as Rams go top

Darlington MP.................21pts Tries: McTurk 19, Hadfield 27, Pascoe

Bishop’s move comes just too late to grab win

Chinnor....................33 Bishop’s S...............29 CHINNOR dug in to secure

Cinderford are reduced to ashes

B Moseley...............39 Cinderford...............28 BIRMINGHAM Moseley inflicted a third

Try hat-trick for prop happy Harry

Plymouth A............. 51 Leeds Tykes........... 12 AN eighth

Flying start to ten-try romp

Cambridge.......66 Hull..................... 10 CAMBRIDGE got back to winning

Yates has the Will power for Gate

Harrogate........ 43 Blaydon............... 0 HARROGATE won the battle

MacNab helps seal historic Dale victory

Rotherham T.......... 20 Wharfedale............27 SCRUM-HALF Henry MacNab scored

Unbeaten leaders have to work hard

Sheffield T................ 3 Sedgley Park.........26 A RAMPANT second-half

Delight for Dench as his Otley impress

Otley....................28pts Fylde...................27pts FYLDE came to Yorkshire looking to

Ionians back to winning ways in six-try triumph

Tynedale................. 21 Hull Ionians............36 AFTER two successive defeats,

Lewis leaves it late for Field

Sheffield.......... 24 Huddersfield...26 LEWIS BRADLEY’S try deep into

Sandal take full advantage

JUST four matches postponed from last December were

Second-half surge helps Lymm lead the ladder

WITH just four games played this weekend, Lymm

Syston send out a warning

MAINTAINING their promotion charge were Syston as they

Shelford suffer under lights

1 South East SHELFORD couldn’t back up last

Havant and Camberley close gap to Wimbledon

1 South Central WITH league leaders Wimbledon enjoying

Camborne show their class

1 South West LEADERS Camborne continued their relentless

OA’s race clear to win a classic

Barnes...............33 O Albanians.....40 OLD ALBANIANS emerged victorious from

Worthing lose their cool and the game

Worthing.................. 20 Blackheath.............28 A ROUSING second-half performance –

Dorking hit a ton in rout of Westcliff

Dorking................... 108 Westcliff................... 3 A DEPLETED Westcliff were

Peerless Reed too good for weakened Raiders

Safe hands: Bury St Edmunds win clean lineout

Reynolds try snatches dramatic derby-day win

Tonbridge J............29 Canterbury.............. 31 A SCINTILLATING game at

Hodgson the hero for lowly Walsham

Rochford H.......26 N Walsham...... 44 SECOND-FROM-BOT-TOM North Walsham

Sting of Hornets proves too great

Barnstaple....... 12 Hornets............. 24 HORNETS took a huge

Newport conquer in-form Crusaders

Newport (S)......32pts Dings C...............26pts Power play: Perex Raqio

Old Reds hand out a lesson in Exeter

Exeter Uni......... 20 O Redcliffians.30 A MOUTH-WATERING lineup

Lions show bite with seven-try rout

Leicester Lions.....47 Hinckley.................... 7 AT Westleigh Park there

ARCHIEMcARTHUR

GLOUCESTER & ENGLAND U20s PROP

Controversy inevitable when you’re a referee

THE FORMER INTERNATIONAL REFEREE, WHO TOOK CHARGE OF 18 TESTS FROM 1995 TO 2003

Results

Regional results

Results and tables supplied by the RFU

Regional results

Results and tables supplied by the RFU

Unbeaten leaders Pooler go seven-up

Championship, Nat 1 round-up PONTYPOOL ran in seven

Five-try Steelmen too strong for bottom side Llanelli

Ebbw Vale...............35 Llanelli....................... 3 EBBW Vale moved back

BRITISH RUGBY RESULTS AND FIXTURES