Rugby

6:06 PM BST The U.S. men’s national rugby team will host New Zealand in Washington for an October test match designed to grow interest in the sport among Americans in hopes of staging a future Rugby World Cup, organisers said on Monday. The Oct. 23 test, to be played at the home of the National

12:22 PM BST The British and Irish Lions have received a fitness boost with the news that fly-half Finn Russell is set to resume training on Monday and could be in contention for this weekend’s second test against South Africa. Scottish No. 10 Russell has been sidelined for several weeks with an Achilles problem and

7:14 AM BST Quade Cooper could be just one injury away from a shock return to Test rugby after he rejoined the Wallabies for the first time in four years, with coach Dave Rennie saying the veteran playmaker will have the chance to push for selection by how he trains over the next few weeks.

11:06 PM BST The man who plucked Australia Sevens star Maurice Longbottom from virtual obscurity hopes the fleet-footed Indigenous playmaker’s appearance on the Olympic stage will reinvigorate Rugby Australia’s push to unearth more First Nations talent – particularly in the shorter form of the game. Longbottom is set to be one of the stars of

7:07 PM BST Dan Biggar’s boot proved the difference as the British & Irish Lions came from behind to beat South Africa 22-17 in an attritional first test in Cape Town on Saturday. Biggar kicked four penalties and a conversion for a 14-point personal tally to take the Lions to victory after they were 12-3

6:18 PM BST The British & Irish Lions have issued a complaint to the Irish Independent after one of its columnists, former Ireland forward Neil Francis, made an “offensive” remark about fly-half Marcus Smith’s skin colour. Francis described the Harlequins and England star as having a “David Beckham haircut and an Oompah Loompa tan” during

10:07 AM BST British & Irish Lions’ assistant coach Robin McBryde has said World Rugby showed a lack of thorough planning after the appointment of South African Marius Jonker as the Television Match Official (TMO) for the first test against the Springboks. Jonker is a late replacement for New Zealander Brendon Pickerill, who did not

10:07 AM BST British & Irish Lions’ assistant coach Robin McBryde has said World Rugby showed a lack of thorough planning after the appointment of South African Marius Jonker as the Television Match Official (TMO) for the first test against the Springboks. Jonker is a late replacement for New Zealander Brendon Pickerill, who did not

5:51 AM BST Australia and Melbourne Rebels winger Marika Koroibete will relocate to Japan to play with Top League club Wild Knights next season, the club said on Friday. Koroibete will link up with former Wallabies coach Robbie Deans at the Wild Knights, which won the Top League title this year after beating Suntory Sungoliath

3:03 AM BST ESPN staff The three-match Bledisloe Cup has been thrown into uncertainty with the shutdown of the trans-Tasman travel bubble between New Zealand and Australia. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Friday announced an eight-week pause on the travel bubble as New South Wales struggles to manage a COVID-19 outbreak in Sydney.

1:05 AM BST It took three attempts, but the Wallabies have their first piece of silverware under coach Dave Rennie. The Trophée des Bicentenaires will stay in Australia’s keeping until at least the end of next year following the Wallabies dramatic 33-30 win in Brisbane last week, which secured a 2-1 series win over a

12:00 PM BST South Africa centre Damian de Allende has said he went into “a bit of a shock” after he was burned in a fire pit accident last month and is lucky to play again following his selection for Saturday’s opening test against the British & Irish Lions. De Allende and Springbok lock RG

9:58 AM BST Alun Wyn Jones has been named as captain for the British & Irish Lions’ first test against South Africa, it was announced on Wednesday. Jones returned to the squad last week having recovered from a dislocated shoulder he sustained in the Lions first warm up match against Japan on June 26. This

12:41 AM BST Liam Napier By the end of July, after three Tests against Pacific Island opposition, the All Blacks projected widespread satisfaction with their start to the season. All Blacks coach Ian Foster rotated all but one of his 36-man squad – 21-year-old Chiefs lock Tupou Vaa’i not used – to build depth and

8:35 PM BST All three tests between world champions South Africa and the British & Irish Lions will be played in Cape Town, officials confirmed on Tuesday, wary that the risks associated of a return to the altitude of the Highveld are too great. The second and third tests in the series were due to

1:43 PM BST South Africa captain Siya Kolisi and winger Makazole Mapimpi have been named in the starting line-up for the first test against the British & Irish Lions after recovering from COVID-19. Kolisi, Mapimpi and prop Ox Nche were the last group of players to report for duty at the Springbok camp in Cape

11:33 AM BST The British and Irish Lions coaching staff held a “robust” selection meeting on Sunday, but defence coach Steve Tandy said there are decisions still to be made ahead of the first test against South Africa in Cape Town on Saturday. With fly-half Finn Russell set to miss the series opener due to

3:02 AM BST As the Wallabies prepare to fight Marika Koroibete’s high tackle charge at a judiciary hearing, fly-half Noah Lolesio has opened up on the game plan that allowed Australia to run down France and the penalty that secured the 2-1 series win, describing the latter as a “dead duck”. The Wallabies got back