3:46 AM BST Australia have the potential to cause yet another Rugby World Cup surprise later this year in Japan, All Blacks great Richie McCaw says. Speaking on Thursday at an event looking ahead to the tournament, McCaw, a two-time World Cup-winner, said he expects Michael Cheika’s team to come good at the tournament, despite
Rugby
1:47 AM BST Sam Bruce Close ESPN Associate Editor Sam was brought up on long drives and the dusty fields of north-west New South Wales, where he developed his love of rugby from an early age. He joined ESPNscrum after a five-year stint heading up Fox Sports Australia’s digital rugby coverage. Andy Withers Close ESPN
12:00 AM BST James O’Connor made his Super Rugby debut when the Western Force were in just their third season. After two seasons in the Super 14, the Force had at last assembled a squad that could push for the playoffs. In the likes of Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell, Nathan Sharpe, Matt Hodgson, Cameron Shepherd
8:30 AM BST The Wallabies have covered all bases in their side to face South Africa in Saturday’s opening Rugby Championship at Ellis Park, including debutants, redemption stories and players rewarded for Super Rugby form. While the Springboks openly stated they had picked a B side with their eye on next week’s clash with the
6:58 AM BST Electric winger Sevu Reece will start for the All Blacks in their Rugby Championship clash with Argentina while four more uncapped players are lined up on the bench. Reece will be on the right wing for his maiden Test in Buenos Aires on Sunday (AEDT), having knocked down the selection door with
3:06 PM BST ESPN staff Rynhardt Elstadt and Herschel Jantjies will each make their Test debut on when South Africa host Australia in the opening Rugby Championship Test at Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg on Saturday. Elstadt, who plays for Toulouse in France and Stormers scrumhalf Jantjies are the only two uncapped players in the
12:47 PM BST The Wallabies’ hopes of a breakthrough Rugby Championship win at Ellis Park have suffered a blow with a number of key players including Christian Leali’ifano sent home. Six players are returning to Australia through injury, personal circumstances or to play club rugby. Brumbies playmaker Leali’ifano has been carrying a shoulder injury through
12:40 PM BST England No. 8 Billy Vunipola has said he regrets the way his public support towards Israel Folau’s anti-gay comments impacted on his teammates. Vunipola, 26, was reprimanded by his club Saracens and the Rugby Football Union after defending Folau with a controversial Instagram post. The Saracens forward was booed by opposition supporters
10:31 AM BST Saracens forward Dominic Day will become the latest player to make the switch from Europe to the United States when joins San Diego Legion next season. The lock will play in Major League Rugby after a two-year spell with the English champions where he made a total of 32 appearances. The 33-year-old
9:38 AM BST James O’Connor pushed for unprecedented behavioural clauses to be inserted in his Rugby Australia (RA) and Queensland Reds contract to prove he’s put his bad boy days behind him. Sacked from the Wallabies in 2013 after a series of off-field incidents and arrest in Paris in 2017 for possession of cocaine, O’Connor