1:05 PM GMT Amid the turmoil and uncertainty COVID-19 has caused, the 2021 Six Nations kicks off on Saturday in the annual battle for European rugby supremacy. The stands will be empty, the streets of the six magnificent cities will be quiet, the pubs shut — yet for five weekends, national pride is on the
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12:12 PM GMT Ospreys’ Dan Lydiate has been named by Wayne Pivac in his side to face Ireland on Sunday in the flanker’s first appearance for the national side since November 2018. The call-up is a reward for his recent form and he will be joined by Justin Tipuric and Taulupe Faletau in an all-British
2:28 PM GMT Franco Smith has named a relatively inexperienced side for Italy’s opening Six Nations game against France on Saturday, with 10 of the starting XV having fewer than 10 caps. Smith has handed Juan Ignacio Brex his first cap for Italy and he will be partnered by Marco Zanon who has just four
12:20 PM GMT Scotland coach Gregor Townsend has named Finn Russell in his team to face England after the fly-half missed the Autumn Nations Cup through injury. Full-back Stuart Hogg will lead the side with Cameron Redpath making his debut for the national side. – Play ESPN’s Rugby Pick’em for FREE “We learned a lot
12:09 PM GMT Fabien Galthie has named a more experienced side compared to last year’s Six Nations for his side’s opening game against Italy at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday. The main names missing are Romain Ntamack and Virimi Vakatawa who are injured. – Play ESPN’s Rugby Pick’em for FREE Mattieu Jalibert will replace the
11:00 AM GMT Owen Farrell is back at fly-half for England while Mark Wilson returns to the starting line-up for their opening match of the 2021 Six Nations against Scotland at Twickenham on Saturday. Farrell played at inside centre for the last two matches of the Autumn Nations Cup, but the England captain reverts to
7:11 PM GMT Wales have suspended wing Josh Adams for the first two matches of the Six Nations after he breached the team’s strict COVID-19 protocols, coach Wayne Pivac confirmed on Wednesday. Adams attended a family gathering on Sunday after the squad were given two days off from training. 2 Related “We are extremely disappointed
3:06 PM GMT The delayed Women’s Six Nations will take place from April 3 across four weekends in a new play-off style format, organisers announced on Wednesday. Earlier this month, the women’s tournament was postponed until spring or the summer due to the coronavirus pandemic. The revised tournament will begin with two pools of three
8:08 AM GMT They say a change is a good as holiday, if that is indeed the case then few others could have used a vacation like Australian rugby after its 25-year association with Fox Sports came to an end last year. The new kid on the rugby broadcasting block is only partly that, with
3:29 AM GMT New Rugby Australia chief executive Andy Marinos has reinforced chairman Hamish McLennan’s extension of an invitation to South Africa and the British & Irish Lions to contest their series Down Under, but insists having the Wallabies take on France is the governing body’s priority. Marinos at last got his feet under the