Rugby

Jun 26, 2023, 02:48 PM Wales captain Ken Owens will miss the Rugby World Cup in France with injury, coach Warren Gatland confirmed on Monday, another blow to the side in a troubled build-up to the competition that has seen several experienced players drop out of contention. Hooker Owens, 36, is not expected to recover

Liam Napier Jun 19, 2023, 11:41 PM Ian Foster turned heads when he unveiled his 36-man Rugby Championship squad featuring five rookies: Chiefs wing Emoni Narawa, Hurricanes halfback Cam Roigard, Crusaders prop Tamati Williams, Chiefs loose forward Samipeni Finau and Crusaders midfielder Dallas McLeod. Liam Napier runs the rule over the major talking points as

The Super Rugby semifinals are upon us in the southern hemisphere, while there is no shortage of talking points as the northern club season winds down and we continue to shift our focus to the Rugby World Cup. Read on as we wrap up some of the stories you might have missed across the rugby

The Rugby Championship will not shift from its August-September window moving forward, despite SANZAAR and Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan indicating it was only New Zealand standing in the way of a shift to align with the Six Nations window. SANZAAR issued a statement on Thursday after McLennan had appeared on the Rugby Direct podcast

Wallabies star Kurtley Beale said the “truth will come out” after he was committed to stand trial for an alleged sexual assault in Bondi late last year. Beale was in court at Sydney’s Downing Centre on Thursday when his lawyer entered a plea of not guilty to three charges of sexual assault on a 28-year-old

Jun 7, 2023, 08:56 AM London Irish have been ground sharing with Premier League Football Club Brentford. Mike Hewitt/Getty Images London Irish became the third rugby team to be thrown out of the Gallagher Premiership in eight months after the Rugby Football Union (RFU) said the club had failed to pay their players and prove they

Sam Bruce, Deputy Editor, espn.com.auJun 2, 2023, 05:01 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. The northern rugby

May 31, 2023, 08:48 AM A French court on Tuesday handed rugby international Mohamed Haouas a one-year prison sentence, AFP and L’Equipe reported, after a fast-track trial for alleged domestic violence. Haouas, who plays as a prop for the Montpellier team in southern France, had been in police custody since Friday. Sports paper L’Equipe reported

Eddie Jones made a triumphant return to Twickenham as the Barbarians defeated a World XV 48-42 in a match when controversial former Wallabies fullback Israel Folau was booed repeatedly by fans not happy with his selection in the exhibition match. Selected on the wing right wing by World XV coach Steve Hansen, Folau had several

May 27, 2023, 05:16 PM Saracens won their sixth title and first in four years when they eventually overpowered a spirited Sale to triumph 35-25 in a superb English Premiership final at a sun-drenched Twickenham on Saturday. Saracens, who finished top of the standings in the regular season, had their noses in front for most

May 24, 2023, 04:39 AM World XV coach Steve Hansen has welcomed the decision to raise the rainbow flag above Twickenham for their game against the Barbarians on Sunday after he named Israel Folau in his squad. Folau, an evangelical Christian, had his Wallabies contract terminated in 2019 after he posted a meme on social

May 21, 2023, 07:08 AM La Rochelle became the fifth team to win back-to-back European Champions Cups on Saturday when they clawed back a 17-point deficit to beat Leinster 27-26 at the Aviva Stadium in another breathless final between the sides. The Irish province made a dream start and were 17-0 up after 11 minutes

May 19, 2023, 03:57 PM Wales pair Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric have both announced their retirement from international rugby, just four months before the World Cup in France. Jones, 37, is the record cap holder in world rugby with 170 Test appearances for Wales and British and Irish Lions. 33-year-old Tipuric captained Wales

In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Week 2023, this May, ESPN highlights the stories of athletes, coaches and other sports figures who have experienced personal battles with mental health, and who want to use their platforms to openly discuss what happened next, and what helped them. These stories reflect a broad range of subjects and

A 10-year, 21-game drought finally over and in memorable fashion with the Reds finally ending their New Zealand hoodoo and ending the Chiefs’ 10-game unbeaten run while they were at it. Elsewhere, the Crusaders held the Blues off in an almighty arm-wrestle, while the Brumbies put on the after burners to down the Highlanders. Read

Tom Hamilton, Senior WriterMay 9, 2023, 11:07 AM Close • Joined ESPN in 2011• Covered two Olympics, a pair of Rugby World Cups and two British & Irish Lions tours• Previously rugby editor, and became senior writer in 2018 Scotland men’s head coach Gregor Townsend has signed a contract extension until April 2026, Scottish Rugby announced on Tuesday.

May 6, 2023, 10:34 AM A bull broke free during a Super League match in Perpignan, France on Friday, causing the players of Catalans Dragons and St Helens to run for cover at the Stade Gilbert Brutus. In videos posted on social media, the bull could be seen dragging a man for several metres before

Tom Hamilton, Senior WriterMay 4, 2023, 12:18 PM Close • Joined ESPN in 2011• Covered two Olympics, a pair of Rugby World Cups and two British & Irish Lions tours• Previously rugby editor, and became senior writer in 2018 John Mitchell has been appointed as England Women’s head coach, taking over from Simon Middleton, the Rugby Football Union