Rugby

9:45 AM BST Liam Napier If ever one match sharply shifted the narrative, the All Blacks’ seemingly commanding victory against Ireland at Eden Park was it. That 42-19 result moved the dial from flatlining on pressure-cooker overload to a sense of relief among All Blacks supporters. Now, from a New Zealand perspective at least, that

4:23 AM BST Jordan Petaia will get his chance at fullback but Suliasi Vunivalu has been made to wait for a Wallabies debut after being overlooked to play England in Brisbane’s second Test. Andrew Kellaway’s hamstring injury in training this week and Tom Banks’ broken arm in the first Test defeat of England has allowed

11:23 AM BST The Wallabies’ rotten run with injury to start the Test season has continued, with outside back Andrew Kellaway ruled out of the second Test. But that has opened the door for Dave Rennie to at last put one of his big plans into action, the shifting of Jordan Petaia to fullback. The

The two rugby hemispheres come back together this year July, with several massive series taking place across the globe. Can Ireland win a first Test on New Zealand soil? Will Australia at last end this losing run to England? Can a struggling Wales spring an upset in South Africa? It really is a tantalising few

12:25 PM BST Ireland captain Johnny Sexton has been passed fit to play in the second test of their three-match series against New Zealand in Dunedin on Saturday. Sexton was taken off with a suspected concussion during their 42-19 defeat to the All Blacks in the series opener in Auckland last weekend but Ireland assistant

10:03 AM BST England flanker Tom Curry will play no further part in the tour of Australia after suffering a concussion in the series opener in Perth last weekend, the team said on Monday. Curry started at openside flanker in the 30-28 loss to the Wallabies but was withdrawn at halftime and replaced by Lewis

8:24 AM BST The Wallabies will wear a special shirt with an indigenous design and sing the national anthem in the language of the local First Nation’s people ahead of the second Test against England in Brisbane on Saturday. The anthem will be sung in the Yugambeh language in honour of the late Lloyd McDermott,

7:07 PM BST Fullback Damian Willemse kicked a pressure penalty after the hooter to secure South Africa a 32-29 victory over ill-disciplined Wales in a see-saw test at a raucous Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. Wing Louis Reece-Zammit crossed for two tries and Dewi Lakea got a third for the visitors, who took the world champions

Jul 2, 2022 The All Blacks weathered Irish storms at the start of each half but responded with six tries to open their 2022 season with a hardfought 42-19 victory in Auckland on Saturday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Ardie Savea scored either side of halftime — his first in a

1:30 PM BST Ireland coach Andy Farrell has held out hope Johnny Sexton will be available to face New Zealand on Saturday in Dunedin after the fly-half passed the second of three concussion tests following his removal from their loss against the All Blacks. Sexton left the game in the 31st minute after a collision

5:31 AM BST Cameron Spencer/Getty Images The Wallabies have overcome injury and ill-discipline to pull off a famous 30-28 victory over England in Perth and snap an eight-game losing streak. The Australians were forced to play a man down for more than half the match on Saturday night after lock Darcy Swain was marched for

Jun 28, 2022 The two rugby hemispheres come back together this year July, with several massive series taking place across the globe. Can Ireland win a first Test on New Zealand soil? Will Australia at last end this losing run to England? Can a struggling Wales spring an upset in South Africa? It really is

6:38 AM BST Liam Napier What a wild week for the All Blacks. Just when you thought COVID’s far-reaching effects on major sports events had largely dissipated, the All Blacks opening Test week against Ireland moved from one deflection to the next. First All Blacks head coach Ian Foster, chief assistant John Plumtree and Crusaders

1:16 AM BST ESPN staff Leicester Fainga’anuku will make his Test debut on the left wing against Ireland as All Blacks coach Ian Foster named all three Barrett brothers in the run-on side to face Ireland. Foster has preferred Beauden Barrett over Richie Mo’unga, while brothers Jordie and Scott start at fullback and blindside breakaway

6:32 AM BST Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has sprung a selection shock for the first Test against England, with 33-year-old Brumbies lock Cadeyrn Neville to make his Test debut at Optus Stadium in Perth on Saturday night. Neville will be the third oldest Wallaby debutant since World War II at the age of 33 years

Jun 29, 2022 Sam Bruce Close ESPN Associate Editor 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 ESPNscrum after a five-year stint heading up Fox Sports Australia’s digital rugby coverage. Tom Hamilton Close Senior

Jun 27, 2022 Spain’s appeal against their disqualification from next year’s Rugby World Cup has been dismissed, World Rugby announced on Monday. Spain were disqualified from the tournament in France for fielding an ineligible player during the 2021-22 Rugby Europe Championship. “The Independent Appeal Committee reviewed the original decision of the Independent Judicial Committee based

10:59 AM BST The Rugby Football Union and Premiership Rugby have issued an apology to Luther Burrell after he said racism was “rife” in the sport. Burrell, 32, told the Daily Mail that racist “banter” was common among teammates, with the former England centre saying he was subjected to discriminatory language including comments about slavery.