#Pat Lam

The new Gallagher Premiership Rugby season kicks off on Friday with an enthralling encounter that sees Saracens begin life back in the top-flight against Bristol Bears following their promotion at the end of last term. Bristol Bears against Saracens gets underway at 7:45pm at Ashton Gate before an action-packed weekend of Premiership…

Summerhill College have reached two Connacht Schools Senior Cup finals in the last three years, but they have still to win one, and ten-time champions Sligo Grammar remain the traditional rugby school in the county. hey haven't been in a Senior Cup decider since 2014, when they won it. And at junior level Sligo Grammar have won seven titles - their…

Some of the biggest stars of world rugby continue to be liked with moves around, in and out of the Premiership as directors of rugby look to build their squads ahead of the 2023/24 season and plug holes in their teams as injuries bite. Here are all the latest transfer rumours, contract renewals and confirmed moves from around the Gallagher…

Rob Howley has emerged as a shock contender to join Warren Gatland as part of Wales' Rugby World Cup coaching ticket should they decide to get rid of Wayne Pivac. A sub-committee of the main Welsh Rugby Union board met last week to discuss potential options to succeed Pivac after the New Zealander finished the year with a shocking three wins from…

A Premiership comprising 10 clubs has been mentioned publicly by Pat Lam and Rob Baxter, directors of rugby at Bristol Bears and Exeter Chiefs respectively, in recent weeks. The season started last month with 13 teams, but financial troubles at Wasps and Worcester Warriors have seen both suspended from the Premiership, reducing the number to 11…

The Champions Cup gets under way this weekend, with the competition continuing with the format it adopted last year due to Covid. In this format, there are 24 teams in the competition split into two pools. Each team plays two sides, home and away, from their side of the draw. The top 16 sides, eight from each pool, will progress into the round of…

Sale survived Bristol's second-half comeback and Arron Reed's 33rd-minute red card to make the Champions Cup quarter-finals for the third time. The visitors made light of Reed's dismissal for a high hit to race into a 24-3 lead early in the second half. Bristol reeled in the visitors via tries from Harry Thacker, Luke Morahan and Joe Joyce, but…

Mike Brown and his Harlequins teammates face a tough test against Racing 92 Free rugby union tips, best bets and analysis for Harlequins v Racing 92 in the European Champions Cup on Sunday. BT Sport 2, 3.15pm Sunday Racing 92 to win by one to 12 points 1pt 2-1 Betfair Racing 92 were among those towards the top of the betting at the start of the…

The 2022-23 Gallagher Premiership season kicks off on Friday with a west country derby between Bristol and Bath at Ashton Gate. It is the 26th Premiership campaign, and 11-time champions Leicester will defend the crown they won after a thrilling Twickenham final against Saracens. Here, the PA news agency looks at the 13 runners and riders,…

It is not difficult to feel a mood of doom and gloom about the Premiership in England. An opening weekend disrupted by outside events, clubs losing money hand over fist, no uplift in sight from the involvement of CVC, severe doubt over whether Worcester will continue, fixtures clashing with England matches, mystification as to why Harlequins'…