7:45 AM BST New Zealand vs. Australia, Eden Park, Auckland, Saturday Aug. 17, 7.35pm [NZT], 5.35pm [AEST], 7.35am [GMT] This has been some Bledisloe week. The stage is set for one of the great trans-Tasman deciders after a dramatic few days of verbal exchanges following the sending off of Scott Barrett in Bledisloe I. The
Rugby
10:20 PM BST The All Blacks have dumped star wingers Ben Smith and Rieko Ioane, along with centurion prop Owen Franks in a sensational move ahead of the Bledisloe Cup decider in Auckland. In a potential changing of the guard five weeks out from the Rugby World Cup, coach Steve Hansen has introduced young flyers
11:48 AM BST World Rugby’s crackdown on high tackles has moved too quickly for the World Cup and officials could end up hurting the “show business” of the tournament with inconsistent decisions, Australia’s director of rugby Scott Johnson has said. All Black lock Scott Barrett was given a red card for a high tackle on
9:46 AM BST South Africa have called on uncapped front-row duo Scarra Ntubeni and Wilco Louw for Saturday’s one-off Test against Argentina, as coach Rassie Erasmus prepares to rest a number of players at Loftus Versfeld. In addition to hooker Ntubeni and prop Louw, loose forward Marco van Staden and utility back Dillyn Leyds have
Aug 14, 2019 Wallabies great Daniel Herbert believes Australia have found their centre combination for the World Cup but he is short on answers as to how they end their 33-year hoodoo at Eden Park. Herbert was thrilled to see James O’Connor star alongside Samu Kerevi in last Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup triumph in Perth so
12:54 AM BST Sonny Bill Williams will have rampaging Wallabies opposite Samu Kerevi in his sights when he lines up for his 10th and probably final Bledisloe Cup Test for the All Blacks. Former NRL star Williams is uncontracted next year and continued to keep journalists guessing this week about his 2020 plans ahead of
9:49 AM BST Israel Folau’s unfair dismissal case against Rugby Australia and the New South Wales Waratahs will head to trial in February, 2020 if no settlement is reached beforehand. Fundamentalist Christian Folau is fighting the termination of his four-year contract in May after he posted a meme on social media that said hell awaited
7:02 AM BST All Blacks lock Scott Barrett will miss this week’s Bledisloe Cup decider but will be clear for the World Cup after copping a three-week ban from the SANZAAR judiciary. Barrett pleaded guilty to a dangerous tackle on Wallabies captain Michael Hooper which earned him a red card just before halftime of Saturday’s
10:00 PM BST The last 24 hours have been a necessary evil for Eddie Jones as he inked in England’s final 31-man squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Jones and his four assistant coaches went straight from England’s 33-19 win over Wales Sunday to a quiet corner of their west London hotel in Chiswick.
2:48 PM BST We now know the 31-man squad England will take to the 2019 Rugby World Cup, an announcement that brings with it tears and jubilation. For the 31 delighted and on the plane to Japan, there will be a number left who will be wondering exactly where they went wrong in their quest