12:25 PM GMT Wales prop Wyn Jones expects France to “cheat” in the scrum when the teams meet at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff in the Six Nations on Saturday. France are chasing a first Six Nations victory on Welsh soil since 2010 and Jones said defending champions Wales would have to be alert at
Rugby
1:25 PM GMT Ireland coach Andy Farrell has named an unchanged starting 15 from the win against Wales to travel to Twickenham to play England on Sunday. Leinster’s Robbie Henshaw is named in the Irish midfield alongside Connacht’s Bundee Aki after coming off early in the previous game for a HIA assessment. Despite competition from
6:45 AM GMT The Brumbies’ hopes of upsetting Super Rugby frontrunners the Chiefs have taken a blow with the squad hit by an outbreak of mumps. A number of cases have been confirmed within the Brumbies playing and team staff following testing this week, with Rugby Australia and SANZAAR stepping in. After consultation with ACT
11:27 PM GMT AAP, with ESPN staff WELLINGTON — Hurricanes match-winner Ben Lam will depart at the end of the Super Rugby season to take up a contract with French club Bordeaux. Lam, 28, was a long-serving New Zealand sevens player and emerged in recent seasons as an All Blacks candidate, without getting a call-up.
12:12 PM GMT Prop Mako Vunipola will miss England’s Six Nations game against Ireland on Sunday after returning to Tonga for family reasons. Vunipola wasn’t named in England coach Eddie Jones’ 33-man squad released on Tuesday and will miss his second game of the tournament. – ESPN Fantasy Rugby is back! Click here to pick
7:28 AM GMT As Australian rugby keeps its fingers crossed for an improved broadcast deal, this was not the weekend Rugby Australia administrators were after. The Brumbies and Reds were both in positions to win their respective matches over the Highlanders and Reds, only for a lack of discipline — perhaps some dubious refereeing in
6:05 AM GMT The Stormers shot to the top of the South African conference with a breakthrough win on the Highveld as Australian teams plumbed alarming depths in the third round of Super Rugby. A last-gasp try to centre Ruhan Nel secured victory in a 33-30 thriller over the Lions in Johannesburg and ensured the
4:52 PM GMT Saracens and England prop Mako Vunipola said he has “no regrets” about entering into business ventures with the club’s former chairman Nigel Wray, speaking in the wake of its relegation from the Premiership for breaching salary cap rules. Saracens, who have won four Premiership titles and three European crowns in the past
3:45 PM GMT Allianz will end its sponsorship of the Saracens team and stadium at the end of the season, the German insurance group announced on Thursday. The company has sponsored Saracens since 2012 and it’s contract with the club wasn’t due to finish until 2021. – ESPN Fantasy Rugby is back! Click here to
3:10 PM GMT England hooker Jamie George says he will continue to play for Saracens next season despite them being relegated from the Premiership for breaching salary cap rules. The futures of several England players, including captain Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje and the Vunipola brothers Billy and Mako, were thrown into doubt when Premiership Rugby