4:10 PM GMT Italy head coach Franco Smith has named a 32-man squad for the Six Nations, but will be without star full-back Matteo Minozzi after the Wasps player opted out of the tournament. Minozzi, who has scored 11 tries in 22 caps for his country, wrote on social media that he was “physically and
Rugby
2:13 PM GMT England will be without two of their most experienced forwards for the Six Nations with Joe Launchbury and Joe Marler both ruled out, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) confirmed in a statement on Monday. Launchbury, a second-row, misses out due to a fibia stress fracture, while prop Marler has opted out due
11:20 AM GMT Ireland included Tadhg Furlong in their squad for this year’s Six Nations as coach Andy Farrell said on Monday that the British and Irish Lions prop was ready to join the group despite last playing almost a year ago. Furlong has not played since last year’s Six Nations and his club, Leinster,
4:30 PM GMT England have called up Wasps’ Paolo Odogwu and Bristol Bears’ Harry Randall ahead of the Six Nations but there is no place in the squad for Jonathan Joseph. Odogwu and Randall join Bath’s Beno Obano as the three uncapped players in Jones’ 28-man squad for the Six Nations, which starts for England
3:19 AM GMT LONDON — David Pocock never shirked a challenge when playing for Australia’s rugby union team, the Wallabies, and he has been equally fearless when it comes to making a stand on environmental issues. Now the 32-year-old is calling on fellow athletes to use their profile to help to bring sport up to
9:27 AM GMT Beyond the famous rugby players and the wealthy wine farms, there has always been football in Stellenbosch, albeit out of view behind the vines and University ivory towers. Known for its strong [and traditionally white] rugby history, the town of Stellenbosch’s rich football heritage has often been overlooked, but thanks to Stellenbosch
3:32 PM GMT Harlequins rugby coach Paul Gustard will leave the club with immediate effect after little more than two years in charge, the London-based club said on Wednesday, Gustard, who left his role as England’s defence coach for the Harlequins job in May 2018, led the side to a sixth-place finish in the interrupted
2:28 PM GMT Scotland have included Bath centre Cameron Redpath in their 35-man squad for the Six Nations after winning a potential tug-of-war with England for the player. Redpath’s father Bryan won 60 caps at scrum-half for Scotland and captained the team but an approach to the player for the Autumn internationals late last year
1:04 PM GMT Wales have named uncapped Scarlets backrow Josh Macleod in their 36-man squad for the Six Nations, while there is a recall for loose-forward Dan Lydiate, who last featured three years ago. Monaco-born Macleod is a former Wales Under-20 international who plays as an openside flanker and is widely regarded for his defensive
11:21 AM GMT England’s preparations for the Six Nations have been hit by COVID-19 with Eddie Jones self-isolating after one of his coaches tested positive for the coronavirus. Matt Proudfoot, England’s forwards coach, is asymptomatic but has retured a positive test. In line with government guidelines, as Jones and attack coach Simon Amor were in