Rugby

Aug 27, 2023, 08:51 AM Tyrel Lomax is expected to miss New Zealand’s Rugby World Cup opener against France on Sept. 8 after the All Blacks prop had to get 30 stitches for a gash in the leg from a stray boot during Friday’s loss against South Africa at Twickenham. The All Blacks suffered their

Liam Napier Aug 27, 2023, 12:40 AM LONDON — Two steps forward, one giant leap back, was not the script for the first moon landing. Nor, you suspect, is it the blueprint for Rugby World Cup success. Vast improvements the All Blacks constructed in their notable rebuild over the last year came to a shuddering

Aug 26, 2023, 07:15 PM Fiji are gathering momentum for the World Cup after a final warm-up game saw them record a first win over England, with the team adding discipline and defensive determination to their usual qualities of dynamic running and fast hands. “We don’t get to play too often at Twickenham,” coach Simon

South Africa still have work to do, and improvement to find, if they are to win the Rugby World Cup again, Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber said after the team had humbled New Zealand at Twickenham on Friday. The Springboks thrashed New Zealand 35-7 in their final Rugby World Cup warm-up fixture — the biggest loss

Sam Bruce, Deputy Editor, espn.com.auAug 25, 2023, 04:53 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. Of all Eddie

Liam Napier Aug 24, 2023, 04:39 AM LONDON — Richie Mo’unga’s arrival as the anointed All Blacks playmaker is tinged with regret. Just as he settles into the responsibility of owning Ian Foster’s resurgent team, Mo’unga is preparing to relinquish that coveted role in the prime of his career. Rugby World Cup 2023 in France

Aug 23, 2023, 01:31 PM New Zealand have named a strong line-up, including all three Barrett brothers, for their final Rugby World Cup warm-up fixture against South Africa at neutral Twickenham on Friday. Coach Ian Foster has selected the same backline that helped beat the Springboks 35-20 during the Rugby Championship in Auckland last month.

Aug 23, 2023, 09:34 AM England coach Steve Borthwick will be without number eight Billy Vunipola for the opening game of the Rugby World Cup against Argentina after he was handed a three-match suspension on Wednesday following a red card in the weekend loss to Ireland. Vunipola’s ban will be reduced to two games if

Sam Bruce, Deputy Editor, espn.com.auAug 23, 2023, 07:15 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. Rugby Australia is

Sam Bruce, Deputy Editor, espn.com.auAug 23, 2023, 01:20 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. Eddie Jones has

Aug 22, 2023, 08:51 PM England captain Owen Farrell will miss the team’s first two matches of the Rugby World Cup after an independent disciplinary hearing upheld his red card on Tuesday, handing the flyhalf a four-match suspension including Pool D fixtures against Argentina and Japan. Farrell was sent off during their 19-17 win against

Israel Folau will not feature at Rugby World Cup 2023, after the former Wallabies star was left out of Tonga’s squad because of a knee injury. Folau had switched his allegiance to the Pacific Island nation under World Rugby’s eligibility laws, which were updated at the start of 2021, and was poised to join a

Rugby World Cup 2023 will be the 10th time the game’s global showpiece has been staged and the second time it will be held in France in its entirety. It kicks off in Paris on Sept. 8 when the tournament hosts face New Zealand at Stade de France in Paris. Here are all the basics

Sam Bruce, Deputy Editor, espn.com.auAug 17, 2023, 05:14 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. Wallabies coach Eddie

Sam Bruce, Deputy Editor, espn.com.auAug 17, 2023, 03:11 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. Eight years after

Aug 17, 2023, 01:11 AM Hours out from the Wallabies departure for the Rugby World Cup, their campaign has been rocked with assistant coach Brad Davis quitting immediately due to “personal reasons”. Announced as Eddie Jones’ attack coach in May, Davis has quit immediately and will no longer join the squad in France, instead he

Sam Bruce, Deputy Editor, espn.com.auAug 16, 2023, 03:53 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. With the eyes

Aug 15, 2023, 01:40 PM Owen Farrell is free to play again after his sending off in England’s 19-17 win over Wales on Saturday was overturned, the RFU said on Tuesday. The England captain was sent off after smashing his shoulder into the face of Wales forward Taine Basham in the sort of no-arms tackle