Rugby

12:45 PM GMT A consortium of investors including a South African World Cup-winning captain, Francois Pienaar, has completed a £32 million ($43.47m) takeover of Saracens, the English Premiership club announced. Saracens, five-time Premiership champions, were relegated at the end of the 2019-20 season as punishment for multiple salary cap breaches. But they won promotion back

8:09 PM GMT Veteran centre Manu Tuilagi has been included in a 25-player England squad for a five-day training camp in London announced by head coach Eddie Jones on Tuesday, ahead of their Six Nations game against Wales. Jones had said on Monday he was optimistic of welcoming back Tuilagi for the upcoming tie at

5:15 PM GMT England got their Six Nations campaign back on track with a 33-0 bonus-point win in Italy on Sunday, as Jamie George scored two tries and Ben Youngs equalled his country’s test cap record. An opening loss to Scotland was a bad start for Eddie Jones’s World Cup runners-up, but they made short

6:53 PM GMT France underlined their status as Six Nations favourites but had to hold on for a 30-24 win over Ireland at the Stade de France on Saturday having scored their first try after 70 seconds. It was a second home win in a row for France, who beat Italy last Sunday, and are

4:25 PM GMT Dan Biggar’s late drop goal proved the difference as Wales edged Scotland 20-17 in their Six Nations clash at the Principality Stadium on Saturday to register their first win of this year’s competition. Captain Biggar marked his 100th test cap with four penalties and the 70th minute drop goal in a contest

12:12 PM GMT Maro Itoje has been moved to blindside flank as England coach Eddie Jones made a number of changes to his side to face Italy in the Six Nations Championship at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on Sunday. England lost their competition opener 20-17 in Scotland last weekend, but will be expected to

11:34 AM GMT Ireland will be without captain Johnny Sexton when they face France in Paris on Saturday after the fly-half sustained an hamstring strain in training on Wednesday. Coach Andy Farrell named his team to take on France on Thursday after his side’s opening win against Wales. Joey Carbery will start at fly-half and

1:06 PM GMT Wales captain Dan Biggar will make his 100th test appearance when they face Scotland in the Six Nations clash at Cardiff on Saturday, while centre Jonathan Davies is also in line to get his 100th cap from the bench. Coach Wayne Pivac named his team to take on Scotland on Thursday, which

12:00 AM GMT Wallabies coach Dave Rennie is not a fan of uncontested scrums in professional rugby – and he’s not the only one. With the coronavirus already causing havoc before a ball has even been kicked in competition proper, that very prospect of uncontested scrums during the inaugural Super Rugby Pacific has been floated.

10:06 AM GMT South Africa will host Wales for the first time since 2014 when the teams clash in three Tests, before two home fixtures against New Zealand in the Rugby Championship pending COVID-19 travel restrictions. South Africa Rugby released the 2022 schedule of home matches on Tuesday, which includes Tests against Wales in Pretoria,

5:13 PM GMT France began their bid for a first Six Nations title since 2010 with a 37-10 bonus-point win over Italy at a rain-soaked Stade de France on Sunday, as winger Gabin Villiere ran in a hat-trick. Italy, looking for a first Championship win since 2015 and their first ever victory in Paris, took

6:52 PM GMT Finn Russell slotted a penalty eight minutes from time to earn Scotland a narrow 20-17 win over England on Saturday as they took advantage of a penalty try and a yellow card for the visitors to edge a nerve-shredding Six Nations clash. Scotland, 10-6 up at halftime, were 10-17 down when they

4:24 PM GMT Ireland eased past reigning champions Wales 29-7 in the opening game of the Six Nations championship in Dublin on Saturday, picking up where they left off in November with a comfortable victory. Ireland looked every inch one of the tournament favourites when they roared out of the blocks but only had a

10:51 AM GMT France have made two changes to the side that defeated New Zealand last November as they prepare to open their 2022 Six Nations campaign against Italy in Paris on Sunday without coach Fabien Galthie. Loose forward Dylan Cretin and hooker Julien Marchand have been brought into the starting XV, while there is

11:48 AM GMT Tom Curry has been named as England captain for their opening Six Nations match against Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday. Curry takes over from the injured Courtney Lawes, while Joe Marchant has returned to the side on the left wing after completing COVID-19 isolation protocols. 2 Related Curry, 23, is the youngest

12:29 PM GMT Injury-hit defending champions Wales have handed wing Josh Adams his first international start at outside centre, while Ireland’s Mack Hansen will make his international debut in the Six Nations opener in Dublin on Saturday. Wales are missing a total of 680 caps through injury and look particularly thin among the centres, prompting

7:48 AM GMT England have added wingers Louis Lynagh and Adam Radwan to the squad as cover for their opening match against Scotland in the Six Nations championship, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) announced on Sunday. England, who finished fifth in last year’s edition, are due to travel to Edinburgh to face Scotland on Feb.

5:11 PM GMT Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall will take “a short break due to medical reasons,” the Premiership Rugby side said on Friday. McCall, who took on the role during the 2010-11 season, has led Saracens to five Premiership titles and three European Champions Cups during his tenure. “People will always come first