Rugby

11:21 AM BST Claude Atcher, the chief executive officer of the 2023 rugby World Cup in France, has been sacked after a report by the French Labour Inspectorate found that he oversaw an “extremely degraded social environment” at the organising committee. “Taking note of the report’s conclusions, France 2023’s board has decided to terminate the

Oct 10, 2022 AUCKLAND, New Zealand — Black Ferns coach Wayne Smith says his team are not yet at the level needed to defeat England, the veteran mentor also heaping praise on New Zealand’s trans-Tasman rivals after the Wallaroos shot out to a 17-0 lead in their Rugby World Cup opener on Saturday night. Playing

7:30 AM BST Winger Claudia MacDonald scored four tries as favourites England opened their Women’s Rugby World Cup campaign with an 84-19 rout of Fiji at Auckland’s Eden Park on Saturday, extending their winning streak to 26 matches. The Red Roses ran in four tries to secure a bonus point in the first half and

2:40 AM BST Laure Sansus scored two tries as France underlined their title credentials with a bonus-point 40-5 victory over South Africa in the opening match of the women’s Rugby World Cup at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday. The match was the first of a triple-header at the spiritual home of New Zealand rugby,

8:23 AM BST It may not yet reflect in the Springbok Women’s results, but a seismic cultural shift has taken place within their setup ahead of the Women’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, which starts on Saturday. In five years, thanks to a cultural and investment shift, they have gone from a side not

8:27 PM BST After a year’s delay, the Wallaroos are just days away from stepping on the field for their opening Rugby World Cup clash in New Zealand. In front of a record women’s Rugby World Cup crowd of over 35,000 and heading towards a sellout at Eden Park, the Wallaroos will kick off their

4:16 PM BST Worcester Warriors players and staff are set to have their contracts terminated after part of the English Premiership club was wound up in the high court on Wednesday. Worcester went into administration last week and were suspended by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) from all competitions since August after failing to meet

10:12 AM BST A new study looking at the impact of concussion on a group of former Scottish international rugby players has found that they were 15 times more likely to develop motor neurone disease (MND) than the general population. The figure is likely to send shock waves through the sport, which is already embroiled

Oct 5, 2022 Preparing for her World Cup debut, Wallaroos fly-half Bella McKenzie’s journey to the biggest stage in women’s rugby has taken several twists and turns, but it was a meeting off-field with a man through work that has made the biggest impression on the young player. Joining the disability service What Ability —

10:36 PM BST After a year’s delay, the 2021 Rugby World Cup is finally upon us with 12 of the best rugby nations coming together in New Zealand to fight for women’s rugby supremacy. The first World Cup to be held in the Southern Hemisphere, New Zealand is prepared to put on a show with

11:03 PM BST England manager Simon Middleton doesn’t mess around when he talks about what is expected from the Red Roses at the 2021 Women’s Rugby World Cup. “We’ve got to win it,” Middleton said ahead of the tournament in New Zealand which starts on Oct. 8. “This is the best-prepared squad with the best

12:23 PM BST Wales will host Rugby World Cup warm-up internationals against both England and South Africa in Cardiff next August, the three rugby unions announced simultaneously on Monday. England and Wales will meet in a double header, first at the Principality Stadium on Aug. 5 and then at Twickenham in London one week later.

10:51 AM BST Bundee Aki will miss Ireland’s Test matches against South Africa and Fiji in November after being given an eight-match ban. Aki, 32, received the third red card of his career on Saturday for a dangerous clear-out on Seabelo Senatla as Connacht faced Stormers in the United Rugby Championship (URC). The ban means

6:29 AM BST ESPN staff All Blacks centre Quinn Tupaea will be out for up to nine months after it was revealed the injury he suffered against the Wallabies in Melbourne was worse than originally thought. The All Blacks on Thursday said that further scans had confirmed an ACL tear and that Tupaea would now

2:51 AM BST World Rugby will be watching closely after approving a host of new rules to be trialled at two Queensland Reds games. Top-tier referees Nic Berry and Damon Murphy will oversee the trial games between the Queensland President’s XV and a Queensland Reds development squad on October 9 and 15. Time limits will

1:11 PM BST England’s women will play their first standalone match at Twickenham when they host France on April 29 in their 2023 Women’s Six Nations finale, England Rugby have announced. England, who have won four consecutive Six Nations titles, have played at Twickenham before but the fixture was combined with a men’s match. Head

5:34 AM BST French referee Mathieu Raynal said he “100%” stood by his much-criticised decision to penalise Australia’s Bernard Foley for time-wasting against the All Blacks earlier this month. The Wallabies were leading the Rugby Championship Test 37-34 in Melbourne when Raynal awarded them a penalty close to their own posts with less than two

3:50 AM BST The Rugby Championship is in the books for another year, the 2022 edition the most keenly fought yet, with each nation suffering at least two defeats. But it was New Zealand who emerged from the shared 2-2 records ahead of the closing two rounds of the tournament to take out the trophy