Leicester Tigers 30 Exeter Chiefs 8: Wing marks his first start with a hat-trick to inspire injury-hit Leicester to roll over Chiefs

Tom Wood and James Haskell, two of the most frustrated loose forwards in the country as well as two of the more ambitious, will give each other a thorough work-out in tonight's Premiership match between Northampton and Wasps at Franklin's Gardens.

If the point of pre-season warm-up matches is to help players hit their optimum fitness levels ahead of a new campaign, things are not going to plan amongst the Premiership fraternity.

Now that John Lydon, nee Rotten, is no longer being targeted, feared and beaten in the street as a folk devil, it’s possible to see his constantly oppositional art more clearly.

London Welsh will take their place in the Premiership next season at the expense of Newcastle Falcons after winning their appeal yesterday against a decision by the Rugby Football Union to deny them promotion because of minimum ground standards criteria.

England have been forced into a change for this weekend's third Test against South Africa after prop Alex Corbisiero suffered a recurrence of a knee injury.

Chris Robshaw has done plenty for the England team since being appointed captain ahead of the Six Nations. Sadly, he will not be doing anything more for the time being. The Harlequins flanker aggravated a thumb injury during last weekend's defeat by the Springboks at Ellis Park and has been forced to pull out of the final Test of the series in Port Elizabeth at the weekend. The Northampton hooker, Dylan Hartley, will lead the side in his stead.

England's new prop is confident he can cope with power of home side's scrum

Harlequins prop Joe Marler and Exeter flanker Tom Johnson will make their England debuts in Saturday's first Test against South Africa in Durban.

Highly rated coach walks out on Saracens to pave the way for a reunion with the England set-up

Christian Wade will get a chance to press his claims for the Test series against South Africa after being named in a strong England team to face the Barbarians.

New Zealander Brad Thorn could create rugby history in tomorrow's Heineken Cup final between Leinster and Ulster at Twickenham.

The last time Jonny Wilkinson and Iain Balshaw appeared together on a rectangle of mud down Twickenham way, they were overshadowed by a swaggering newcomer by the name of Danny Cipriani as England put 33 points on Ireland and finished second in the 2008 Six Nations. The two red-rose oldsters will be back in town this evening for the Amlin Challenge Cup final between Biarritz and Toulon at the Stoop and while Wilkinson is being given the top-of-the-bill treatment, they could easily find themselves marginalised again.

Wade, Youngs and Lowe thrown in at deep end in 42-man England squad for tour of South Africa