Rugby

Feb 8, 2023 After a blockbuster opening weekend, Six Nations returns for its second round of fixtures this weekend. Winners of their curtain-raisers, Ireland and holders France go toe-to-toe at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin in what could prove to be a deciding match-up in the tournament. After their opening day defeat to Andy Farrell’s Ireland,

4:18 PM GMT Wales second row Alun Wyn Jones will be available to face Scotland in the Six Nations tie at Murrayfield on Saturday, despite coach Warren Gatland having ruled him out after the 34-10 loss to Ireland in Cardiff on Saturday. Gatland told reporters Jones had failed a head injury assessment, which would see

11:23 AM GMT Steve Borthwick’s overhaul of England’s coaching team has continued with the announcement that Richard Wigglesworth and Aled Walters will join at the end of the season, while forwards coach Richard Cockerill said on Tuesday he will join Montpellier after the Six Nations. Wigglesworth is interim head coach of Leicester Tigers but will

8:06 PM GMT England have called up Henry Arundell and centre Henry Slade for the Six Nations clash with Italy on Sunday at Twickenham after both have struggled with injuries. Both players were included in England coach Steve Borthwick’s 36-player squad announced on Monday. Winger Cadan Murley was also left out, having not made the

Feb 6, 2023 It was a weekend where Ireland and Scotland got their Six Nations off to a perfect start with wins over Wales and England respectively. Both defeated teams were beginning their new era under fresh leadership — Warren Gatland back with Wales and Steve Borthwick taking charge of England. And on Sunday, Grand

2:00 PM GMT England women’s rugby head coach Simon Middleton will leave his post after this year’s Six Nations campaign, it was announced on Monday. Middleton masterminded England’s record-breaking 30 match-winning run and guided the team to two World Cup finals in 2017 and 2022. He’s also won five Six Nations titles, including four Grand

8:51 AM GMT England coach Steve Borthwick said the team “weren’t good at anything” when he took over from Eddie Jones and that they would have to improve in several departments after losing their Six Nations opener to Scotland on Saturday. Borthwick, who was appointed in December after Jones was sacked, saw his side beaten

8:27 PM GMT LONDON — Twickenham is again painted blue, and there’s no room for asterisks. In front of a packed stadium, Scotland were patient and pounced when England looked vulnerable. England, in Steve Borthwick’s first match, were in the contest right to the end but ultimately, Scotland had more familiarity, experience and the cutting

7:48 AM GMT Clinical Ireland scored three tries in the opening 20 minutes and cruised to a 34-10 bonus-point victory over Wales to spoil coach Warren Gatland’s welcome home party in the Six Nations opener at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday. Ireland bulldozed the Welsh in the first quarter as they dominated the

4:00 PM GMT Rugby’s Six Nations Championship returns this weekend for the 2023 tournament, with some faces old and new leading the teams. Steve Borthwick faces his first match in charge of England following Eddie Jones’ departure after the Autumn Nations Cup last year, with Scotland the visitors to Twickenham for this year’s Calcutta Cup

3:38 PM GMT Owen Farrell and Joe Marchant will fill England’s midfield with Marcus Smith at flyhalf in their Six Nations opener against Scotland on Saturday as Manu Tuilagi was omitted from the matchday squad announced by Steve Borthwick on Thursday. When fit, Tuilagi has been one of the first names on the team sheet

11:41 AM GMT Becky Thompson Editor’s note: This story contains discussions of suicidal ideation. In July of 2022, the Rugby Football Union (RFU), the game’s governing body in England, voted to ban transgender women from playing women’s contact rugby, and trans player Julie Curtiss is leading the opposition to fight the decision. The RFU’s reasoning

2:14 PM GMT Johnny Sexton has recovered from a facial injury and will captain Ireland from fly-half but prop Tadhg Furlong has been ruled out of their Six Nations opener against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday. Furlong has not played since December after ankle, hamstring and calf injuries, but had hoped to be fit to

12:39 PM GMT Wales coach Warren Gatland has included lock Alun Wyn Jones in his starting 15 to face Ireland in their Six Nations opener at the Principality Stadium on Saturday, having opted for experience in his first selection since returning to the role. Jones is the most capped international in rugby history with 155

3:55 AM GMT It might be his second coming as Wallabies coach but Eddie Jones insists he should not be treated as the messiah as he sets his sights on resurrecting a golden era for rugby in Australia. If they can take down New Zealand along the way, then so much the better. Back at

1:38 PM GMT Steve Phillips has resigned from his position as CEO of the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), the governing body said on Sunday after he came under pressure for its handling of allegations of misogyny, sexism and racism within the WRU. In a BBC Wales documentary, several former female WRU employees made allegations about

5:42 PM GMT Benetton Rugby prop Ivan Nemer has been suspended until June 30 after giving Black teammate Cherif Traore a “rotten banana” as a Christmas present, the Italian Rugby Federation said on Friday. The sanction was imposed based on investigations into what happened during a private lunch organised by the club’s players on Dec.

2:50 PM GMT The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has issued an apology for the “anger and concern” in the rugby community following its announcement last week that the tackle height would be lowered across the community game. The announcement, made on Thursday, caused uproar in the sport and a flurry of criticism. There was widespread