Rugby

5:17 AM BST Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Stephen Perofeta have been named in the All Blacks’ starting 15 for the first time in a much-changed line-up for the Test against Japan in Tokyo on Saturday. Tuivasa-Sheck will start at inside centre alongside Braydon Ennor, with Perofeta starting at fullback in Ian Foster’s team. Halfback Finlay Christie

3:51 AM BST ESPN staff New Zealand Rugby [NZR] has acknowledged a scheduling blunder that will see the Black Ferns’ World Cup quarterfinal clash with the opening match of the All Blacks’ spring tour. NZR has come in for heavy criticism this week for the error, which will see the All Blacks’ Test against Japan

1:12 PM BST Italy lock Sara Tounesi has been suspended for 12 matches for biting a player from Japan at the women’s Rugby World Cup, meaning she miss Saturday’s quarterfinal against France. Tounesi was cited for biting an unnamed opponent during Italy’s 21-8 win on Sunday. The tournament’s judicial committee upheld the citing complaint, World

8:12 PM BST Wallabies veteran Michael Hooper has no immediate desire to reclaim the captaincy on Australia’s spring tour, admitting he was not “completely cured” of some of the mindset issues that saw him withdraw from the Rugby Championship before its opening whistle. Hooper is poised to play his first Test since the Wallabies 2-1

2:09 PM BST England skipper Owen Farrell has withdrawn from the squad that is travelling to Jersey for their training camp ahead of the November internationals as he continues to recover from a concussion, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) said on Monday. Farrell was knocked unconscious during Saracens’ Premiership victory over Exeter Chiefs on Saturday

11:51 AM BST World champions South Africa will take on New Zealand in a Test at Twickenham on the eve of next year’s World Cup, SA Rugby announced on Monday. The clash on Friday, Aug. 25 will come a fortnight before the tournament kicks off in France, and is only the second time the two

8:17 AM BST England will face world No. 1 side Ireland in Dublin next summer as they prepare for the 2023 Rugby World Cup, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) announced on Wednesday. England will play Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on Aug. 19 after a double-header against Wales — facing them in Cardiff on Aug.

4:58 PM BST Fly-half Finn Russell has been omitted from Scotland’s squad for November’s autumn internationals and Stuart Hogg stripped of the captaincy as flanker Jamie Ritchie was named to lead the team in Tests against Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and Argentina. Russell, once seen as a talisman for the team, was left out as

9:58 AM BST Players need to have a say in the future of Premiership rugby after Wasps and Worcester Warriors went into administration, Saracens and England hooker Jamie George said on Tuesday. Wasps made 167 players and staff redundant after going into administration on Monday, while Worcester went into administration last month. England’s Rugby Football

1:42 PM BST Leigh Halfpenny, Ken Owens and Justin Tipuric are in line to make their comebacks for Wales in the November internationals more than a year after they last appeared for their country. Flyhalf Dan Biggar and back Liam Williams will miss out because of injury as coach Wayne Pivac on Tuesday named a

8:53 AM BST The RFU and Premiership Rugby face a parliamentary enquiry after two Gallagher Premiership teams went into administration in the past three weeks. Worcester Warriors and Wasps have both fallen into administration with their players and staff losing their jobs. If Wasps are relegated from the Premiership, the league will drop from 13

6:00 PM BST England’s Eddie Jones will look to emulate Premier League leaders Arsenal’s quick start to matches during the autumn internationals having exchanged ideas with coach Mikel Arteta as part of a coaching group which includes figures from the NFL and NBA. The group — which meets over Zoom — also includes Green Bay

2:57 PM BST Premiership club Wasps have been placed into administration, the Coventry-based side said on Monday after they were suspended by England’s Rugby Football Union (RFU) last week when they were unable to find a solution to their financial woes. 167 employees were made redundant as a result of the club being placed into

10:52 AM BST Eddie Jones has recalled Kyle Sinckler for England’s autumn internationals but there is no place in the squad for Henry Slade. Jack Willis is the sole player included from Wasps as the club look set to go into administration. Of the six uncapped players in the group, Harlequins winger Cadan Murley makes

1:39 PM BST Rugby Football Union (RFU) chief executive Bill Sweeney has said a condensed Premiership makes more sense as the governing body works with England’s top division to create a more sustainable structure and address player welfare issues. Sweeney’s comments came amid financial crises at both Wasps and Worcester Warriors which have prompted the

10:06 AM BST Centre Emily Scarratt scored all of England’s points as they claimed a tense 13-7 victory over France in their women’s Rugby World Cup Pool C clash at the Northland Events Centre in Whangarei on Saturday to record a 27th consecutive test win. England qualify for the quarter-finals having dominated territory and possession,

12:46 PM BST Eddie Jones said next year’s Rugby World Cup will not be his last and he has more to accomplish in the game after he steps down as England coach at the end of the tournament in France. The Australian is contracted to the Rugby Football Union (RFU) until the end of the

9:48 AM BST England’s Rugby Football Union (RFU) and the top division Premiership have announced plans to review the league’s structure and introduce greater financial transparency in a joint statement on Thursday in the wake of financial crises at Wasps and Worcester Warriors. Wasps, one of only four ever-present teams in the Premiership, are set