Scottish rugby ushers in a boom time

SRU encouraged by record attendance figures at matches and increasing number of adults and juniors involved in the sport

Vainikolo out for season after surgery

Gloucester and England winger will be sidelined for seven months after undergoing surgery on a ruptured right Achilles tendon

NFL can help Cipriani to kick habit

England and Wasps fly half told to study American football techniques to avoid being charged down and giving away tries

Hewat on the mark as Irish raise their game

London Irish 48 Newcastle Falcons 8: Australian full back likens his club to a Super 14 side after demolition of Falcons

Leicester provide tonic for Meyer

Leicester 24 Bath 22: the home side produced an emotional performance in the absence of their South African coach

No end in sight for struggling Bristol

Northampton 30 Bristol 8: coach Richard Hill admits change is needed after defeat leaves club hurtling towards relegation

Cipriani still centre of attention for Wasps

London Wasps 24 Harlequins 18: England fly half promises to sign a new deal after club's most dominant 40 minutes of season

Jones points finger at new laws after defeat

Gloucester 22 Saracens 16: Saracens director of rugby blames rules after only ten of 38 points are scored from tries

London Irish on the rampage

London Irish 48 Newcastle Falcons 8: This was no steal, it was Irish putting down their marker as genuine title contenders

Fears for Rugby World Cup as bid price hits £120m

Financial demands could turn showpiece into commodity for the elite as IRB insists on massive guarantee for host nation

Fantastic Foden inspires Saints

Northampton 30 Bristol 8: Northampton full-back took the game to a high level with his pace and eye for the gap

Butch James warms to Bath

Butch James will be as determined to beat Leicester today as any West Countryman

Rugby round-up

Big freeze hits Warriors; White should be fit for Scotland; Ben Blair out for four weeks

Olly good show for Cherries

Gloucester 22 Saracens 16: Gloucester drag themselves clear to chalk up a win vital and keep themselves in top four

Va’aiga Tuigamala: Hero who took my place

Rugby star Jason Robinson on Inga the Winger, the inspiration for his life on and off the pitch

Ragged Munster torn apart

Munster 11 Ulster 37: Tony McGahan’s men were given a wake-up call ahead of three crunch games this month

Born-again Harlequins will be drinking at the top table

So long poor relations to Wasps, Dean Richards’ team are poised to claim the capital bragging rights

Harrison happy to be at Bath

Former Australia lock agrees a one-year contract extension after impressing in his first season at the Recreation Ground

Glasgow take derby plaudits

Glasgow 25 Edinburgh 20: The capital side may have won 1872 David Lloyd Cup on aggregate but were second best in return leg

No respite for leading Premiership clubs

The intensity in the top flight increases with seven clubs harbouring realistic hopes of making the play-offs