Sleightholme hat-trick fires up Northampton in 11-try blast of Bath
Prem Rugby: Northampton 71-48 BathSecond-highest scoring match in league’s historyChalk this up as a victory for the Northampton Knicks. In a remarkable match with 18 tries, 119 points were racked up and defence relegated to the merest of afterthoughts,…
The Spurs of Prem Rugby: how Harlequins lost their swagger
Marcus Smith’s return from injury offers hope but Quins appear a fragile side beset by entrenched problemsSpeak to anyone who holds Harlequins close to their heart and a word that often comes up is “fragility”. Fragile in defence against Gloucester last…
Is Prem rugby union turning into basketball? Nailbiters supply case for defence
Record try-glut in round one suggested all-out attack is en vogue, but maybe you can defend well and still concede tries in the modern game?After one weekend of the Prem season the feeling was we had crossed the Rubicon. A remarkable 52 tries, eclipsing…
Saracens’ Brendan Venter takes aim at ‘autocratic’ Prem over media duties
Technical director held court at club’s training base, comparing rugby to winemaking and claiming interviews ‘steal my joy’Brendan Venter began his long-awaited public appearance with head bowed, uttering one‑word answers and with a general demeanour…
Committed Sale beat non-vintage Saracens despite Vermeulen red card
Saracens 17-21 SaleJibulu, O’Flaherty and Bamber score Sale’s triesIt doesn’t always require a qualified ‘wine consultant’ to identify a non-vintage performance. Brendan Venter, whose ever-changing job title at Saracens has been a subject of debate all…
Louis Rees-Zammit scores two tries as Bristol defeat champions Northampton
Prem Rugby: Bristol 41-26 NorthamptonBears win opening two games for first time since 2023Louis Rees-Zammit may have been denied a hat-trick against Northampton but there is no doubting who stole the show as Bristol maintained their flying start to the…
Gloucester’s Dewi Lake in full flow with two tries in emphatic win at Exeter
Exeter 24-45 GloucesterBen Loader also scores two tries in bonus-point winGloucester are determined to make significant progress up the Prem table this season and here was a hugely promising first step. The Cherry and Whites had a bonus point on the…
Moment of magic from Santi Carreras helps Bath overpower Harlequins
Harlequins 17-33 BathArgentinian full-back scores stunning try on counterLast season’s top two kicked off the season in opposition to last season’s bottom two. Bath duly completed the expected, joining Northampton with a bonus-point win to open their…
Northampton lead Prem charge but history shows title defence will be no simple task | Robert Kitson
Boosted by retaining Henry Pollock, champions are eager to keep improving but a revitalised Saracens and Exeter should push them all the wayIt used to be simple. Win the Prem once and people would assume it was just the beginning. At various times no one…
Prem agrees to revamp refereeing in boost for England’s Rugby World Cup hopes
League agrees new interpretations to help BorthwickScrum and breakdown targeted as areas of inconsistencySteve Borthwick has secured a boost to his preparations for the World Cup next year, with an overhaul in the refereeing of Prem matches for the…