1:10 AM GMT Rugby Australia (RA) chairman Hamish McLennan continues to push the nation’s credibility of staging events during the coronavirus pandemic, raising the prospect that the British & Irish Lions’ tour of South Africa could instead be contested Down Under. Having already flagged a potential mini World Cup in Australia, McLennan says RA would
Rugby
3:45 PM GMT France are to cut their Six Nations squad from 37 to 31 players as they set up a bubble to avoid COVID-19 contamination, the French league and federation said on Saturday. The initial agreement between the national league (LNR) and the federation (FFR) said that the France squad would feature 37 players
12:44 PM GMT England’s Billy Vunipola hopes a strong showing in the Six Nations can help him cement a spot in Warren Gatland’s British & Irish Lions squad for their tour of South Africa this year. Vunipola missed Lions’ 2017 visit to New Zealand due to injury but is confident he will be part of
10:04 AM GMT Hosts and reigning champions New Zealand will take on neighbours Australia at Auckland’s Eden Park on the opening night of the women’s World Cup in September, organisers said on Friday. The hosts will be hoping for a bumper crowd for a triple-header at the 44,000 seater stadium on Sept. 18 to kickstart
6:17 PM GMT Fresh doubt has been cast on whether the Six Nations will go ahead as scheduled as organisers seek travel exemptions from the French government. The French government introduced strict travel restrictions to and from the UK including a 6pm curfew, a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of travel, and a seven-day
12:00 PM GMT England coach Eddie Jones and the captains of the four home unions have said they want the British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa to go ahead this year rather than 2022. The tour, scheduled for July 3-Aug. 7, is in doubt due to the COVID-19 pandemic that remains a crisis
12:00 PM GMT England coach Eddie Jones and the captains of the four home unions have said they want the British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa to go ahead this year rather than 2022. The tour, scheduled for July 3-Aug. 7, is in doubt due to the COVID-19 pandemic that remains a crisis
1:48 PM GMT Ireland captain Johnny Sexton has said the muscle strain he sustained in Leinster’s PRO 14 derby against Munster on Friday is “nothing major” and he intends to be fit for his side’s opening Six Nations game against Wales on Feb. 7. Coach Andy Farrell said he is hopeful that Jacob Stockdale will
1:37 PM GMT England coach Eddie Jones has said he is excited by the dual challenge of dealing with a rash of withdrawals from his squad and a succession of coaching disruptions as he prepares his defence of the Six Nations championship. Jones is without half of his first-choice pack after Sam Underhill joined Joe
1:16 PM GMT England’s preparations for the Six Nations have been further disrupted with Sam Underhill ruled out of the championship. The Bath back-row has a hip injury and has withdrawn from the squad. Eddie Jones has opted to call up Wasps’ Jack Willis as Underhill’s replacement. The news follows Monday’s withdrawals of Joe Launchbury