Rugby

Jul 6, 2023, 11:50 PM Fiji-born wing Emoni Narawa will make his New Zealand debut in their Rugby Championship opener against Argentina in Mendoza on Saturday, while fly-half Damian McKenzie and lock Josh Lord feature for the first time since 2021. Narawa will earn his first cap a few days shy of his 24th birthday,

AAP with ESPN staff Jul 6, 2023, 03:06 AM Wallabies co-captain James Slipper is in doubt for their opening Rugby Championship Test against South Africa after suffering a knee injury at training. Coach Eddie Jones sent an SOS to uncapped prop Blake Schoupp following Slipper’s mishap, which is a massive blow to Australia’s hopes of

Greg Growden, ESPN RugbyJul 4, 2023, 02:53 AM Close After more than 30 years with The Sydney Morning Herald and Fairfax Media in Australia, Greg Growden now writes exclusively online for ESPN. Never afraid to step on toes, you can expect plenty of compelling insight from one of Australia’s most renowned writers. Editor’s Note: This

Another week, another seven days closer to the kick-off of Rugby World Cup 2023. Excitement is starting to ramp up around the globe as the competing nations start to drop their respective kits, and supporters learn what jerseys they’ll be wearing as they cheer on from the stands across France. The feedback to the All

Sam Bruce, Deputy Editor, espn.com.auJun 29, 2023, 03:08 AM Close Sam was brought up on long drives and the dusty fields of north-west New South Wales, where he developed his love of rugby from an early age. He joined ESPN after a five-year stint heading up Fox Sports Australia’s digital rugby coverage. The Super Rugby

Jun 26, 2023, 02:48 PM Wales captain Ken Owens will miss the Rugby World Cup in France with injury, coach Warren Gatland confirmed on Monday, another blow to the side in a troubled build-up to the competition that has seen several experienced players drop out of contention. Hooker Owens, 36, is not expected to recover

Liam Napier Jun 19, 2023, 11:41 PM Ian Foster turned heads when he unveiled his 36-man Rugby Championship squad featuring five rookies: Chiefs wing Emoni Narawa, Hurricanes halfback Cam Roigard, Crusaders prop Tamati Williams, Chiefs loose forward Samipeni Finau and Crusaders midfielder Dallas McLeod. Liam Napier runs the rule over the major talking points as

The Super Rugby semifinals are upon us in the southern hemisphere, while there is no shortage of talking points as the northern club season winds down and we continue to shift our focus to the Rugby World Cup. Read on as we wrap up some of the stories you might have missed across the rugby

The Rugby Championship will not shift from its August-September window moving forward, despite SANZAAR and Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan indicating it was only New Zealand standing in the way of a shift to align with the Six Nations window. SANZAAR issued a statement on Thursday after McLennan had appeared on the Rugby Direct podcast

Wallabies star Kurtley Beale said the “truth will come out” after he was committed to stand trial for an alleged sexual assault in Bondi late last year. Beale was in court at Sydney’s Downing Centre on Thursday when his lawyer entered a plea of not guilty to three charges of sexual assault on a 28-year-old

Jun 7, 2023, 08:56 AM London Irish have been ground sharing with Premier League Football Club Brentford. Mike Hewitt/Getty Images London Irish became the third rugby team to be thrown out of the Gallagher Premiership in eight months after the Rugby Football Union (RFU) said the club had failed to pay their players and prove they

Sam Bruce, Deputy Editor, espn.com.auJun 2, 2023, 05:01 AM Close Sam was brought up on long drives and the dusty fields of north-west New South Wales, where he developed his love of rugby from an early age. He joined ESPN after a five-year stint heading up Fox Sports Australia’s digital rugby coverage. The northern rugby

May 31, 2023, 08:48 AM A French court on Tuesday handed rugby international Mohamed Haouas a one-year prison sentence, AFP and L’Equipe reported, after a fast-track trial for alleged domestic violence. Haouas, who plays as a prop for the Montpellier team in southern France, had been in police custody since Friday. Sports paper L’Equipe reported

Eddie Jones made a triumphant return to Twickenham as the Barbarians defeated a World XV 48-42 in a match when controversial former Wallabies fullback Israel Folau was booed repeatedly by fans not happy with his selection in the exhibition match. Selected on the wing right wing by World XV coach Steve Hansen, Folau had several

May 27, 2023, 05:16 PM Saracens won their sixth title and first in four years when they eventually overpowered a spirited Sale to triumph 35-25 in a superb English Premiership final at a sun-drenched Twickenham on Saturday. Saracens, who finished top of the standings in the regular season, had their noses in front for most

May 24, 2023, 04:39 AM World XV coach Steve Hansen has welcomed the decision to raise the rainbow flag above Twickenham for their game against the Barbarians on Sunday after he named Israel Folau in his squad. Folau, an evangelical Christian, had his Wallabies contract terminated in 2019 after he posted a meme on social

May 21, 2023, 07:08 AM La Rochelle became the fifth team to win back-to-back European Champions Cups on Saturday when they clawed back a 17-point deficit to beat Leinster 27-26 at the Aviva Stadium in another breathless final between the sides. The Irish province made a dream start and were 17-0 up after 11 minutes

May 19, 2023, 03:57 PM Wales pair Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric have both announced their retirement from international rugby, just four months before the World Cup in France. Jones, 37, is the record cap holder in world rugby with 170 Test appearances for Wales and British and Irish Lions. 33-year-old Tipuric captained Wales